Battleships and Submarines

Name and Purpose

Battleships and Submarines is a swimming pool team game that builds underwater confidence, swimming endurance, and quick thinking.
Players practise reading teammates, making snap decisions, and managing effort in the water.

a.k.a.

Age / Group / Time / Space

Ages 13-17 | 10-30 players | 20-30 minutes | Swimming pool. Shallow end preferred for general play. Deep end only with lifeguard clearance and confirmed swimmer competency.

WATER SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

A certified lifeguard must be on deck and actively supervising throughout this activity. This is mandatory.
Buddy system is active for the full session. Each player has a named buddy.
No diving from the pool deck.
No holding players underwater. Any holding is an immediate stop signal.
Players who are not confident swimmers participate as Battleships in the shallow end only.
Staff confirm swimmer competency before play begins. Players who are not strong swimmers are assigned shallow-end roles.
Deep end variant (optional, older/advanced swimmers only): only with explicit lifeguard clearance and a second staff member in the water.

Materials

Quick-Run Card

Confirm lifeguard is on deck and buddy system is active before anyone enters the water.
Divide into two teams: Battleships and Submarines. Battleships line up on one wall (shallow end preferred). Submarines line up on the opposite wall.
Battleships leave their wall and stand in the middle, calling Submarines to approach.
Submarines try to swim underwater and touch a Battleship before the Battleship retreats to their wall.
Splashed Submarines and tagged Battleships swap teams. Play until time is called.

Setup and Boundaries

Assign one wall as each team’s base. Teams may only tag or splash when off their base wall.
Battleships must leave their base to splash. No splashing from the wall.
Signal: 1 short whistle = pause all play; 2 short whistles = all players to the pool edge immediately
Lifeguard holds all-stop authority. All players comply immediately on their signal.
Staff are positioned on the pool deck with a clear view of the entire play area at all times.

How to Play

Battleships leave their base wall and stand in the pool, beckoning Submarines to approach.
Submarines push off from their base and swim underwater toward the Battleships.
If a Submarine touches a Battleship before the Battleship returns to their wall, that Battleship swaps to the Submarine team. The Submarine gets a free swim back to base.
If a Submarine surfaces before reaching base and is splashed by a Battleship, that Submarine swaps to the Battleship team.
Battleships must be off base to splash. No splashing from the wall.
Deep end option (teens with lifeguard clearance only): a Battleship may gently hold a Submarine’s foot to encourage surfacing. The Submarine may then touch the Battleship to reverse the tag. This variation runs only with explicit lifeguard approval and two staff in the water area.
Play continues until all players are on one team, or until time is called. Final team sizes are announced, not ranked against individuals.

I-OPt Options

Start: A (Active): Join as a Battleship or Submarine in the main game area
Start: S (Support): Manage the buddy check from the pool deck before play begins
Start: Q (Quiet): Start as a Battleship in the shallow end, lower intensity
Start: O (Observer): Watch the first round from the deck, enter when ready
Mid: A (Active): Play full game with movement across the pool
Mid: S (Support): Assist with buddy check mid-round from the pool edge
Mid: Q (Quiet): Stay in the shallow end regardless of team assignment
End: A (Active): Push into the final team sprint
End: S (Support): Help with pool exit and buddy confirmation
End: O (Observer): Call out team counts as the round closes

Inclusion Adaptations

Shallow-end-only version: all players stay in the shallow end. Submarines do a low surface swim rather than going fully under.
Battleship-only role: players who are not comfortable going underwater play as Battleships for the full game with no pressure to switch.

Stewardship Moment

Pool chemicals and shared water: remind players that shared water means shared responsibility. No spitting, no rough contact, no behaviour that makes others feel unsafe.
Leave the deck as you found it. Collect any equipment and return it to the pool area.

Consent

Pre-brief: “This game involves swimming in a shared pool, including some underwater swimming. For those who would prefer to stay in the shallow end or keep their head above water the whole time, the Battleship role in the shallow end is your spot.”
Mid-game check: After the first round, pause at the pool edge. “Thumbs up, sideways, or down. How is the water feeling?”
Opt-out/re-entry: Any player can exit the pool at any time by moving to the ladder. Re-entry is available any time they’re ready.

Risks and Mitigation

Drowning or distress risk: lifeguard mandatory. Buddy system active. No exceptions.
Holding players underwater: zero-tolerance rule. Any deliberate holding that prevents surfacing is an immediate game stop.
Collision between swimmers: establish a clear playing lane. Remind players of pool traffic flow before play.
Exhaustion or cold: build in a rest round every 5-7 minutes. Players exit and re-enter.
Deep end risk for non-swimmers: staff confirm swimmer competency before play. Non-swimmers stay in shallow end.

Warm-Up Suggestions

“Float and Find”: players float on their backs for 30 seconds and find one thing they can see from that position. Settles the group into the water.
“Underwater Count”: players dip their head under, count to 3, and surface. Low-pressure underwater warm-up.

Debrief Questions

What? “What was your strategy as a Battleship or Submarine? What did you notice?”
So What? “What made you feel confident in the water today? What made it harder?”
Now What? “When do you have to move carefully and stay aware of what is around you, even when you cannot fully see it?”

Cleanup and Reset