If you’re confident in your abilities in the water, the Swimming merit badge might be perfect for you! This Eagle-required badge is typically completed during summer camps, or as a troop activity, and requires a certified lifeguard’s supervision. In this guide, I’m mainly going to be briefing you on all of the answers for the informational aspects of this badge!
Out of the three options that count for Eagle: Swimming, Hiking, and Cycling, the Swimming merit badge is definitely the fastest to earn, if you have the location and supplies for it. If you’re considering earning any of the other badges though, check out my article answering the question, should I complete the Swimming, Hiking or Cycling merit badge for Eagle Rank.
If you’re still set on completing the Swimming merit badge, keep reading! I’ll be breaking down the answers to each of the knowledge requirements for the worksheet in this guide, as well as giving you some pointers to more easily earn this badge.
Before we get started, if you have other Eagle-required merit badges to earn, I’d recommend checking out my Difficulty Ranking Guide to Every Eagle-required Badge. There, you’ll also find the links to my other merit badge guides, as well as a description and summary of each badge’s requirements. I’m certain this resource will be helpful to Scouts on their road to Eagle!
Also, remember that ScoutSmarts should just serve as your starting point for merit badge research. In school, we’re taught not to plagiarize, and the same is true for Scouting worksheets. Answer these questions in your own words, do further research, and I promise you’ll gain much more from every merit badge you earn!
Remember that, while swimming, safety is key. Although this is a fun badge to complete, many people have been injured while swimming. Treat any activity around water very seriously, and you’ll be able to keep yourself and your friends safe!
Now that you know what you’re getting into, let’s dive (haha :P) right into answering the requirements so that you can start earning your Swimming merit badge!
What Are The Swimming Merit Badge Requirements?
- Do the following:
a. Explain to your counselor how Scouting’s Safe Swim Defense plan anticipates, helps prevent and mitigate, and provides responses to likely hazards you may encounter during swimming activities.
b. Discuss the prevention and treatment of health concerns that could occur while swimming, including hypothermia, dehydration, sunburn, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, muscle cramps, hyperventilation, spinal injury, stings and bites, and cuts and scrapes. - Before doing the following requirements, successfully complete the BSA swimmer test: Jump feet first into water over the head in depth. Level off and swim 75 yards in a strong manner using one or more of the following strokes: sidestroke, breaststroke, trudgen, or crawl; then swim 25 yards using an easy, resting backstroke. The 100 yards must be completed in one swim without stops and must include at least one sharp turn. After completing the swim, rest by floating.
- Swim continuously for 150 yards using the following strokes in good form and in a strong manner: front crawl or trudgen for 25 yards, back crawl for 25 yards, sidestroke for 25 yards, breaststroke for 25 yards, and elementary backstroke for 50 yards.
- Do the following:
a. Demonstrate water rescue methods by reaching with your arm or leg, by reaching with a suitable object, and by throwing lines and objects. Explain why swimming rescues should not be attempted when a reaching or throwing rescue is possible, and explain why and how a rescue swimmer should avoid contact with the victim.
b. With a helper and a practice victim, show a line rescue both as tender and as rescuer. The practice victim should be approximately 30 feet from shore in deep water. - Do the following:
a. Float face up in a resting position for at least three minutes with minimal movement.
b. Demonstrate survival floating for at least five minutes.
c. While wearing a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jacket, demonstrate the HELP and huddle positions. Explain their purposes.
d. Explain why swimming or survival floating will hasten the onset of hypothermia in cold water. - In water over your head, but not to exceed 10 feet, do each of the following:
a. Use the feet first method of surface diving and bring an object up from the bottom.
b. Do a headfirst surface dive (pike or tuck), and bring the object up again.
c. Do a headfirst surface dive to a depth of at least 5 feet and swim underwater for three strokes. Come to the surface, take a breath, and repeat the sequence twice. - Following the guidelines set in the BSA Safe Swim Defense, in water at least 7 feet deep, show a standing headfirst dive from a dock or pool deck. Show a long shallow dive, also from the dock or pool deck. (If your state, city, or local community requires a water depth greater than 7 feet, it is important to abide by that mandate.)
- Explain the health benefits of regular aerobic exercise, and discuss why swimming is favored as both fitness and therapeutic exercise.
To summarize, you’ll need to actually swim in a lifeguard-supervised body of water to complete requirements 2-7 of this badge. If you need to review these skills beforehand though, don’t worry! In this guide, I’ll also be providing you with the best online tutorial videos so you can better learn these important swimming and survival techniques!
By using these videos as a review before your swimming test, you’ll be prepared to demonstrate your knowledge to your merit badge counselor. Now that you understand how best to use this guide, let’s jump right into answering the knowledge requirements so that you can quickly complete the worksheet and earn your very own Swimming merit badge!
This guide covers Requirements 1-5 (Part 1). Head to Part 2 for Requirements 6-9.
Swimming Merit Badge Requirements 1 & 2: Safety and the Swimmer Test
1a) Review with your counselor how Scouting America’s Safe Swim Defense guidelines anticipates and deals with common drowning situations such as unfenced residential pools, nonswimmers entering deep water, risky behaviors, medical impairment in the water, drop-offs, cold water, murky water, river currents, rip currents, and surf.
Scouting America’s Safe Swim Defense plan is aimed at identifying and preventing possible hazards in aquatic conditions. By creating a safe swimming environment beforehand (Preparation) using points 2 (Personal Health Review), 3 (Safe Area), and 8 (Discipline), you do everything possible, ahead of time, to ensure a safe swim.
To help mitigate and Prevent possible hazards during a swim, points 1 (Qualified Supervision), 6 (Ability Groups), and 7 (Buddy System) provide more awareness and safeguards should an emergency occur. Finally, to Respond to hazards, rely on points 4 (Response Personnel/Lifeguards) and 5 (Lookouts).
Now that you know what groups each of these points fall under (Preparation, Prevention, and Response), here’s what each of the eight points actually means:
- Qualified Supervision: All swimming must be supervised by a mature adult age 21+ who is trained in Safe Swim Defense and accepts responsibility for everyone’s safety.
- Personal Health Review: All participants need a complete health history showing fitness to swim. Recent illness, injury, or medical conditions must be disclosed before entering the water.
- Safe Area: The swimming area must be inspected and prepared before each activity. Water depth, clarity, temperature, and hazards must all be assessed. Murky water (where you can’t see your feet while treading water) is prohibited.
- Response Personnel (Lifeguards): Every swim must have trained rescue personnel on watch, ready to respond. Minimum ratio is one rescuer per 10 participants when no professional lifeguard is provided.
- Lookout: A dedicated person continuously monitors the swim area, watches for hazards, and can alert rescue personnel immediately. They are not required to perform rescues – just to observe and communicate.
- Ability Groups: All participants are classified as swimmers, beginners, or nonswimmers. Each group swims in an area of appropriate depth. No one is assumed to be a stronger swimmer than they’ve demonstrated.
- Buddy System: Every swimmer is paired with a buddy. Buddies monitor each other and check in at regular intervals. If either needs help or goes missing, the buddy raises the alarm.
- Discipline: Rules are reviewed with all participants before entering the water. People follow rules better when they understand the reasons behind them.
By following Scouting America’s Safe Swim Defense Plan, not only do you reduce the likelihood of possible injuries, you also improve your group’s ability to react quickly to emergencies. Always bring a first aid kit – it can be used to treat some of the injuries described in Requirement 1b.
Scout Tip: For your counselor discussion, the most important thing to show is that you understand the WHY behind each point. Why does ability grouping prevent drownings? Why is murky water a hard no? Counselors remember Scouts who can explain the reasoning, not just recite the list.
1b) Discuss the prevention and treatment of health concerns that could occur while swimming, including hypothermia, dehydration, sunburn, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, muscle cramps, hyperventilation, spinal injury, stings and bites, and cuts and scrapes.
For Requirement 1b, your counselor wants a real discussion – know the prevention AND the treatment for each condition.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is caused by one’s core body temperature falling below 95°F. While symptoms of mild hypothermia include shivering and confusion, in more dangerous cases the victim will not have enough energy to continue shivering and may fall unconscious.
If you notice someone is experiencing hypothermia, immediately warm them using extra clothing, fire, or body heat. Do not suddenly re-warm the victim by placing them in a hot shower, as this could lead to rewarming shock. Get them dry, get them warm, and get them medical help if they don’t recover quickly.
Dehydration
Dehydration occurs when the body does not consume enough water. Some symptoms include a flushed face, lack of sweat, or feeling of weakness. This is a potentially serious condition that can result in lowered blood pressure, dizziness, and fainting.
To treat dehydration, encourage the victim to rest and replenish their body with water and electrolytes. Hydrate slowly – don’t let them chug water, as drastic rehydration can cause its own problems. A lot of Scouts forget that you sweat even when you’re in a pool, so hydration still matters!
Sunburn
Sunburns are caused by prolonged sun exposure. The affected areas will become sensitive to touch, appear red, and may blister. To avoid sunburns, always apply sunscreen SPF 30 or higher when outdoors, and try to avoid extended time in direct sunlight. When swimming, use water-resistant sunblock and reapply every hour.
To treat a sunburn, cool the skin with a damp towel or apply a soothing aloe vera lotion. Keep the victim hydrated, and have them refrain from picking at the burn if it starts peeling. Sunburns should take no longer than 2 weeks to heal.
Heat Exhaustion
There are two main types of heat exhaustion:
- Water depletion: Characterized by thirst, headache, a feeling of weakness, and loss of consciousness.
- Sodium depletion: Characterized by vomiting, muscle cramps, and dizziness.
Heat exhaustion can progress into heatstroke and should not be taken lightly. If you suspect someone is suffering from heat exhaustion, immediately get them into a cool area to rest. Have them drink plenty of fluids and cool off. They may be sensitive to high temperatures for a few days afterward.
Heatstroke
Heatstroke is caused when one’s body temperature exceeds 104°F. If untreated, heatstroke can lead to seizures, confusion, loss of consciousness, and even a coma. Common symptoms are throbbing headaches, dizziness, a lack of sweating despite warm weather, or a feeling of weakness.
If you suspect someone of having heatstroke, call 911 immediately. Sit them down in a cool, shady area and try to lower their body temperature. To prevent heat exhaustion and heatstroke, stay hydrated, wear sun protection, and avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day.
Muscle Cramps
Cramps are caused by sudden, involuntary contractions in a muscle. While these spasms tend to subside in a matter of minutes, they can cause significant pain and impairment.
Exercise extreme caution if you are swimming and get hit by a cramp, as the pain may cause you to panic. Muscle cramps are usually caused by a lack of water and electrolytes. By taking deep breaths and gently massaging the cramped area, you can reduce some of the pain. Signal for help if you can’t manage the cramp while staying afloat.
Hyperventilation
Hyperventilation is caused by breathing too quickly, which depletes your body of carbon dioxide. Also called over-breathing, it can lead to lightheadedness, a tingling sensation in the extremities, and may even cause fainting. In the water, this is especially dangerous.
If you notice someone is hyperventilating in the water, try to give them something buoyant to hold on to. Do not approach a panicking drowning person if they are flailing – in their panic, they will likely pull you under as well. To treat hyperventilation, have the victim breathe slowly, either through pursed lips or into a paper bag. Seek medical attention if the victim hasn’t recovered within 30 minutes.
Spinal Injury
A spinal injury can result in damage to the brain and nervous system. These injuries can be life-threatening and are impossible to treat in the field. To keep any injury from becoming worse, the victim must remain absolutely still with their neck and back immobilized. If needed, hold their head in a slightly inclined or neutral position. Do not move them unless they are in immediate danger.
Look for signs of swelling and broken bones in the head or spine. If the victim is conscious, check for confusion, inability to remember basic facts, slurred speech, or uneven pupil dilation. If they exhibit any of these symptoms or have fallen from above their own head height, assume a spinal injury has occurred.
Stings and Bites
In most cases, a sting or bite won’t cause a medical emergency. Wounds should be washed with soap and water, and treated with an antihistamine like Benadryl to reduce itching. However, for people with allergies, stings and bites can trigger anaphylactic reactions that can be deadly.
Be ready to call emergency services if the victim has difficulty breathing, facial swelling, nausea, faintness, or a rapid heartbeat. Use an EpiPen if available. If not, an antihistamine can provide temporary relief while waiting for help.
Cuts and Scrapes
Cuts and scrapes have a high risk of infection, so always thoroughly clean your hands before administering first aid. In the case of significant blood loss, prevent further bleeding by applying pressure and not removing applied bandages.
For minor wounds, clean with water and wash around the area with soap. Avoid putting soap directly into the wound. After cleaning, apply antibiotic ointment and a bandage. For deep cuts, consider getting a tetanus shot, as deep wounds can quickly become infected.
2) Before doing the following requirements, successfully complete the Scouting America swimmer test, found in the Swimming merit badge pamphlet.
Your merit badge counselor should walk you through the techniques necessary to complete the following requirements. However, as a Scout planning to earn your Eagle rank, it’s your job to always be prepared.
If you haven’t yet completed the Scouting America Swimmer’s Test, check out my full guide by clicking the link. The swimmer test requires you to jump feetfirst into deep water, swim 75 yards in a strong manner, then swim back 25 yards using a resting backstroke. The 100 yards must be completed in one swim without stops, including at least one sharp turn.
I’d highly recommend watching this video (3:00) to see exactly what the swimmer test looks like if you’re interested:
Swimming Merit Badge Requirement 3: The Five Swimming Strokes
3) Correctly perform the following strokes: (a) Front crawl or trudgen (b) Back crawl (c) Sidestroke (d) Breaststroke (e) Elementary backstroke
Take 10 minutes to quickly watch these videos so that you can be sure you’re using the proper form while swimming. I’ve taken the liberty of finding the shortest, most effective videos to brief you on proper swimming techniques, so I’d recommend coming back to this page if you ever need a refresher!
Your counselor wants to see controlled, intentional movement – not just survival swimming. Good form means your body position, kick, arm mechanics, and breathing all work together. Here’s a video breakdown of each stroke:
3a) Front Crawl / Trudgen (2:28):
The front crawl is the fastest of the five strokes. Keep your body flat and horizontal, rotate your hips and shoulders with each arm pull, and breathe by turning your head to the side – not lifting it straight up. Lifting your head causes your hips to sink. The trudgen is a variation that uses a scissors kick instead of flutter kick – know the difference in case your counselor asks.
3b) Back Crawl (1:43):
The back crawl is the front crawl flipped over. Keep your hips near the surface – if they drop, your speed drops and you work much harder. Use a steady flutter kick and alternate your arms in a windmill motion. One challenge: you can’t see where you’re going – count your strokes or use ceiling landmarks to avoid hitting the wall.
3c) Sidestroke (2:59):
The sidestroke is slower but extremely energy-efficient, which is why it’s used in rescue situations. You’re on your side, using a scissors kick and an alternating arm pull. The glide phase is what makes it efficient – after each stroke cycle, hold your body extended and glide before the next pull. Rushing through the glide is the most common mistake.
3d) Breaststroke (1:38):
The breaststroke uses a simultaneous arm sweep and a frog kick. The defining feature of good breaststroke is the glide – after each pull-and-kick cycle, your body should be fully extended and streamlined before the next stroke. Skipping the glide is the most common beginner mistake and makes the stroke exhausting.
3e) Elementary Backstroke (0:49):
The elementary backstroke is the most relaxed of the five. On your back, your arms sweep out like wings and press to your sides, while your legs do a frog kick. It’s slow, easy to sustain, and designed for resting and covering distance without exhaustion – which is why it accounts for 50 of the 150 yards in Requirement 4.
Scout Tip: Before the skill demonstration, ask your counselor how far they want to see each stroke. Some want a full 25 yards, others just want to see proper form for a length or two. Knowing the expectation going in makes the whole thing much smoother.
Swimming Merit Badge Requirement 4: The 150-Yard Continuous Swim
4) Swim continuously for 150 yards in a strong manner using each of the following strokes in any order: front crawl or trudgen (25 yards), back crawl (25 yards), sidestroke (25 yards), breaststroke (25 yards), and elementary backstroke (50 yards).
Requirement 4 is the endurance test. 150 yards is six laps in a standard 25-yard pool, completed continuously without stopping or resting on the walls. The strokes can be done in any order, but each must cover its designated distance.
| Stroke | Distance |
|---|---|
| Front crawl or trudgen | 25 yards |
| Back crawl | 25 yards |
| Sidestroke | 25 yards |
| Breaststroke | 25 yards |
| Elementary backstroke | 50 yards |
| Total | 150 yards |
Most Scouts save the elementary backstroke for last since it’s the least tiring and covers the most distance. Pace yourself from the start. If you go too hard on the front crawl, you’ll be struggling through the breaststroke 100 yards later.
Tip: The 150-yard swim is a real baseline fitness benchmark. The American Red Cross uses similar distance standards as prerequisites for lifeguard training. If you can knock this out without stopping, you’re in solid swimming shape.
Swimming Merit Badge Requirement 5: Water Rescue Methods
5a) Demonstrate water rescue methods by reaching with your arm or leg, by reaching with a suitable object, and by throwing lines and objects. Explain why swimming rescues should not be attempted when a reaching or throwing rescue is possible, and explain why and how a rescue swimmer should avoid contact with the victim.
This requirement is the same concept as Second Class requirement 5c, the Reach, Throw, Row, Go hierarchy. You always try the safest rescue option first before entering the water yourself. Here’s a great video that demonstrates these life-saving skills:
For the three demonstration methods:
- Reach with your arm or leg: Lie down on the deck or dock for stability and extend your arm or leg toward the victim. Stay low to avoid being pulled in. Grab their wrist if possible – it’s harder to accidentally release than a handshake grip.
- Reach with an object: A towel, rope, branch, PFD strap – anything available. Yell “Grab this!” clearly so the victim knows what to do.
- Throw lines and objects: A ring buoy, throw bag, or any buoyant object. Aim past the victim so the line lands over them, then pull.
Why not swim to a victim if a reach or throw rescue is possible? A panicking drowning person is a serious threat – they will instinctively grab anything within reach and can push you underwater while trying to survive. If you do need to enter the water, always approach from behind and stay out of arm’s reach until you’re ready to make contact. If they grab you, go underwater – they’ll release instinctively.
5b) With a helper and a practice victim, show a line rescue both as tender and as rescuer. The practice victim should be approximately 30 feet from shore in deep water.
Here’s a good video demonstration of how a line rescue works – you’ll be performing this both as rescuer and as tender:
- As the rescuer: Attach the rescue line around your waist. Enter the water calmly (don’t jump, that creates a hard jerk on the line). Swim out to the victim, make contact from behind or offer them the line to grab, then signal the tender to pull. Keep the victim’s head above water as you’re towed in.
- As the tender: Feed the line smoothly as the rescuer swims out. Watch them constantly for signals. When the signal comes, haul in steadily – no sudden yanks. Keep as much line out of the water as possible to reduce drag.
Congrats on Finishing Part 1 of the Swimming Merit Badge!
You’ve made it through the first five requirements: Safe Swim Defense, health concerns, the swimmer test, all five strokes, the 150-yard swim, and water rescue. That’s the safety and technique foundation of this badge covered! 🙂
If you’re also working on related badges, check out my guides to Lifesaving and First Aid – both cover skills that overlap directly with what you’ve learned here.
Once you’re ready to continue on to Part 2 of the Swimming merit badge (Requirements 6-9) click here!