STAY WHERE YOU ARE

STAY WHERE YOU ARE (cue)

Definition: A confidence-building cue in which the instructor remains stationary in the water and the swimmer glides toward them in a flat, face-in, arms-stretched position. The swimmer stays where they are (at the surface) until they reach the instructor.

Core cues:

1. "STAY WHERE YOU ARE"
2. "until the swimmer reaches you."
3. "Fall like a "tree doing a TIMBER!""
4. "Gliding alone is Streamline!"
5. "Do the same thing, over and over and over."

Coach interpretation:

• "STAY WHERE YOU ARE / until the swimmer reaches you": The instructor does not move to meet the swimmer. The swimmer glides the full distance to the instructor's position.
• "The INS's shoulders needs to be in the water too!": The instructor must be fully in the water with shoulders submerged, not standing on the pool floor with only hands in the water.
• "Hold them close. Their hands on instructor's shoulders. Keep them supported.": For beginners, the swimmer's hands go on the instructor's shoulders; the instructor provides close, continuous physical support.
• "Fall like a "tree doing a TIMBER!"": The swimmer falls forward into the water like a tree falling, maintaining a flat, face-in position throughout the fall.

Teaching strategy:

Combat fear by being consistent. Front glides should focus on: Face in water; Body flat and relaxed at surface; Arms stretched, feet kicking flat.

For beginners: Hold them close. Their hands on instructor's shoulders. Keep them supported. Introduce to what it feels like to be flat.

List of supported front glides (in order):

• Hands on shoulders
• Tree falling close start → Hands on shoulders.
• Tree falling close to wall → reach for wall
• Two benches: step across the gap
• Two benches: reach for the other handle
• Swimmer hand in instructor's hand
• Brief glide alone (1 body length) then hand in instructor's hand
• Short independent glides from bench to bench
• Long glide to instructor, stand w/o help

Do the same thing, over and over and over. Establish expectations and habit; follow the scripts.

Introduce falling forward: Fall like a "tree doing a TIMBER!" Stand 1 step away, then 2 steps…

Glide alone, then supported glide.

Common errors and corrections:

• Wrong Holding #1: Feet remain on ins knees, swimmer belly down and lift my head and feet. → The instructor should not keep the swimmer's feet on their knees with the swimmer belly down; the swimmer should be face-in and flat at the surface.
• Wrong Holding #2: The swimmer is confident in laying flat, face in, feet kicking, and arms stretched forward. I'm putting all my weight on my elbows. I'm going to sink! → The instructor must not put all their weight on their elbows; they need proper body support in the water.

Progression:

Before: Build Confidence (supported front glides, introducing what it feels like to be flat)

After: Can recover to standing without fear.

⚠ Language below was not found in the source — do not publish as-is. Most often this means the original sits inside a table or a multi-column layout that extraction could not read cleanly:

• “Establish expectations and habit; follow the scripts.”
• “The swimmer is confident in laying flat, face in, feet kicking, and arms stretched forward. I'm putting all my weight on my elbows. I'm going to sink!”

Short verified cues (confirmed present; check by eye): “STAY WHERE YOU ARE”, “Face in water”, “Hands on shoulders”, “Build comfort:”