At Practice

Circle-Swimming – Performed at practice and meet warm ups. Swimmers stay to the right of the black line when swimming in a lane to enable more swimmers to safely swim in each lane.

Dryland - The exercises and various strength programs swimmers do out of the water.

Streamline – Position used by swimmers in the water when starting or pushing off the walls; designed to reduce water resistance.

Set/Sets-Sequence of exercises and drills performed at practice

Stroke - There are 4 competitive strokes: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle.

Taper - The resting phase of a swimmer at the end of the season before the championship meet.

Equipment

Blocks - The starting platforms located behind each lane. Minimum water depth for use of starting blocks is 4 feet. Blocks have a variety of designs and can be permanent or removable.

Fins - Large rubber flipper-type devices that fit on a swimmers feet. Used in swim practice, not competition.

Flags - Pennants that are suspended over the width of each end of the pool approximately 15 feet from the wall.

Kick Board - A flotation device used by swimmers during practice.

Deck -The area around the swimming pool reserved for swimmers, officials, and coaches. No - one but an "authorized" USA Swimming member may be on the deck during a swim competition.

Goggles - Glasses-type devices worn by swimmers to keep their eyes from being irritated by the chlorine in the water.

Lane - The specific area in which a swimmer is assigned to swim. (ie) Lane 1 or Lane 2.

Lane Lines - Continuous floating markers attached to a cable stretched from the starting end to the turning end for the purpose of separating each lane and quieting the waves caused by racing swimmers.

Pace Clock - The electronic clocks or large clocks with highly visible numbers and second hands, positioned at the ends or sides of a swimming pool so the swimmers can read their times during warmups or swim practice.

Paddle - Colored plastic devices worn on the swimmers hands during swim practice.

Pull Buoy - A flotation device used for pulling by swimmers in practice.

Touch Pad - The removable plate (on the end of pools) that is connected to an automatic timing system. A swimmer must properly touch the touchpad to register an official time in a race.

Entering a Meet

Aggregate Time – times achieved by four individuals in separate starts which are added together to arrive at a relay time for entry purposes.

Closed Competition - Swim meet which is only open to the members of an organization or group. Summer club swim meets are considered to be "Closed Competition."

Cut – Slang term for qualifying time, a time standard necessary to attend a particular meet or event.

Deadline - The date meet entries must be "postmarked" by, to be accepted by the meet host. Making the meet deadline does not guarantee acceptance into a meet since many meets are "full" weeks before the entry deadline.

Deck Entries - Accepting entries into swimming events on the first day or later day of a meet.

Entry - An individual, relay team, or club roster's event list in a swim competition.

Entry Fees - The amount per event a swimmer or relay is charged. This varies depending on the LSC and type of meet.

Entry Limit - Each meet will usually have a limit of total swimmers they can accept, or a time limit they cannot exceed. Once an entry limit has been reached, a meet will be closed and all other entries returned.

Fees - Money paid by swimmers for services. (i.e.) Practice fees, registration fee, USA- S membership fee, etc.

Four Hour Rule – Limitation on number of meet entries allowed by host club to ensure that each preliminary session does not exceed four hours.

NT - No Time. The abbreviation used on a heat sheet to designate that the swimmer has not swum that event before.

Open Competition (Events) - Competition which any qualified club, organization, or individual may enter, regardless of age.

Prelims-Finals - Type of meet with two sessions. The preliminary heats are usually held in the morning session. The fastest six or eight (Championship Heat) swimmers, and the next fastest six or eight swimmers (Consolation Heat) return in the evening to compete in the Finals. A swimmer who has qualified in the Consolation Finals may not place in the Championship Finals even if their finals time would place them so. The converse also applies.

Qualifying Times - Published times necessary to enter certain meets, or the times necessary to achieve a specific category of swimmer. See "A", "AA" (etc.) times.

Scratch - To withdraw from an event after having declared an intention to participate. Some meets have scratch deadlines and specific scratch rules, and if not followed, swimmer can be disqualified from remaining events.

Session - Portion of meet distinctly separated from other portions by locale, time, type of competition, or age group.

Submitted Time - Times used to enter swimmers in meets. These times must have been achieved by the swimmer at previous meets.

Timed Finals - Competition in which only heats are swum and final placings are determined by those times.

Time Standard - A time set by a meet or LSC or USA-S (etc) that a swimmer must achieve for qualification or recognition.

Time Trial - An event or series of events where a swimmer may achieve or better a required time standard.

Unattached - An athlete member who competes, but does not represent a club or team. (abbr. UN)

At the Meet

Age Group - Division of swimmers according to age. The National Age Group divisions are: 10-under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18. Some LSCs have divided the swimmers into more convenient divisions specific to their situations: (i.e.) 8-under, 13-Over, 15-Over, Junior, Senior.

Anchor - The final swimmer in a relay. Also a term coaches use for the beginning of all four strokes indicating the “high elbow”, “catch,” or “early vertical forearm.”

Backstroke - One of the four competitive racing strokes, basically any style of swimming on your back. Backstroke is swum as the first stroke in the Medley Relay and second stroke in the I.M. Racing distances are 50 yards/meter, 100 yards/meter, and 200 yards/meter (LSCs with 8-under divisions offer the 25 yd back).

Bell Lap - The part of a freestyle distance race (400 meters or longer) when the swimmer has two lengths plus five yards to go. The starter rings a bell over the lane of the lead swimmer when the swimmer is at the backstroke flags.

Breaststroke - One of the four competitive racing strokes. Breaststroke is swam as the second stroke in the Medley Relay and the third stroke in the I.M. Racing distances are 50 yards/meter, 100 yards/meter, and 200 yards/meter. (LSCs with 8-under divisions offer the 25 yd breast)

Butterfly - One of the four competitive racing strokes. Butterfly (nicknamed FLY) is swam as the third stroke in the Medley Relay and first stroke in the I.M. Racing distances are 50 yards/meter, 100 yards/meter, and 200 yards/meter (LSCs with 8- under divisions offer the 25 yard fly).

Check-In - The procedure required before a swimmer swims an event in a deck-seeded meet. Sometimes referred to as positive check-in, the swimmer must mark their name on a list posted by the meet host.

Composite Time – Time achieved in a relay event by four members of one organization or group.

Course - Designated distance (length of pool) for swimming competition. (Ie) Long Course = 50 meters / Short Course = 25 yards or 25 meters.

Deck Seeding - Heat and lane assignments are posted after swimmers have checked in have “scratched” (indicated they will not participate in the event.)

Distance Events – Term used to refer to events over 400 meters/500 yards.

Disqualified (DQ) - A swimmer's performance is not counted because of a rules infraction. A disqualification is shown by an official raising one arm with open hand above their head.

False Start - When a swimmer leaves the starting block before the horn or gun. One false start will disqualify a swimmer or a relay team, although the starter or referee may disallow the false start due to unusual circumstances.

Fly-Over Starts – Starting method where finishing swimmers from one heat do not exit the pool until swimmers from the next heat have left the blocks (reduces amount of time to run events.)

Freestyle - One of the four competitive racing strokes. Freestyle (nicknamed Free) is swum as the fourth stroke in the Medley Relay and fourth stroke in the I.M. Racing distances are 50 yards/meter, 100 yards/meter, 200 yards/meter, 400 mtr/500, yd 800 mtr/1000 yds, 1500 mtr/1650 yds (LSCs with 8-under divisions offer the 25 yd free).

Heats - All of the swimmers entered in the event are divided into heats, or groups of swimmers. The results are compiled by the times swum, after all heats of the event are completed.

Heat Sheet - The pre-meet printed listings of swimmers' seed times in the various events at a swim meet.

High Point - An award given to the swimmer scoring the most points in a given age group at a swim meet. All meets do not offer high point awards; check the pre meet information.

Illegal - Doing something against the rules that is cause for disqualification.

IM - Individual Medley. A swimming event using all four of the competitive strokes on consecutive lengths of the race. The order must be: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle. Equal distances must be swam of each stroke. Distances offered: 100 yards, 200 yards/meters, 400 yards/meter.

Interval - A specific elapsed time for swimming or rest used during swim practice.

Jump - An illegal start done by the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th member of a relay team. The swimmer on the block breaks contact with the block before the swimmer in the water touches the wall.

Lap - One length of the course. Sometimes may also mean down and back (2 lengths) of the course.

Lap Counter - The large numbered cards (or the person turning the cards) used during the freestyle events 500 yards or longer. Counting is done from the end opposite the starting end. The numbers on the cards are "odd numbers" only with the final lap being designated by a bright orange card.

Leg - The part of a relay event swum by a single team member. A single stroke in the IM.

Long Course - A 50-meter pool.

Negative Split – Swimming the second half of a race equal to or faster than the first half.

Pickle - The black button timers push to stop the clock if the swimmer has a “soft touch” into the wall.

Positive Check In - The procedure required before a swimmer swims an event in a deck seeded or pre seeded meet. The swimmer or coach must indicate the swimmer is present and will compete.

Psyche Sheet - An entry sheet showing all swimmers entered into each individual event. Sometimes referred to as a "Heat Sheet" or meet program. However, a “heat sheet” would show not only every swimmer in an event, but also what heat and lane they are swimming in.

Relays - A swimming event in which four swimmers participate as a team. Each swimmer completes an equal distance of the race. There are two types of relays: 1.) Medley relay - One swimmer swims Backstroke, one swimmer swims Breaststroke, one swimmer swims Butterfly, one swimmer swims Freestyle, in that order. Medley relays are conducted over 200 yd/mtr and 400 yd/mtr distances. 2.) Freestyle relay - Each swimmer swims freestyle. Free relays are conducted over 200 yd/mtr, 400 yd/mtr, and 800 yd/mtr distances.

Short Course - A 25-yard or 25-meter pool.

Soft Touch - When a swimmer finishes the race and touches the touchpad too softly, it does not register as a finish.

Split - A portion of an event that is shorter than the total distance and is timed. (i.e.) A swimmer's first 50 time is taken as the swimmer swims the 100 race. It is common to take multiple splits for the longer distances.

Sprint – Describes the shorter events (50 or 100); or, to swim as fast as possible for a short distance.

Start-The beginning of a race. The dive used to begin a race.

Stand-up - The command given by the Starter or Referee to release the swimmers from their starting position.

Step-Down - The command given by the Starter or Referee to have the swimmers move off the blocks. Usually this command is a good indication everything is not right for the race to start.

Time Line – Computer generated approximation of what time each event will begin based on number of swimmers and entries

Warm-down -The recovery swimming a swimmer does after a race when pool space is available.

Warm-up -The practice and "loosening-up" session a swimmer does before the meet or their event is swum.

Meet Officials/Volunteers

Administrative Referee – Also called Meet Secretary; responsible for the administrative operation of the meet including entries, swimmer registration, clerk of course, results tabulation and organization of all meet paperwork.

Head Timer – Volunteer position in charge of timers; starts two watches for every heat in case of timer error or watch malfunction.

Meet Director - The official in charge of the administration of the meet. The person directing the "dry side" of the meet.

Meet Referee – Person in charge of the meet and who is responsible to see that USA Swimming rules and UT policies are enforced.

Meet Marshall - The official who control the crowd and swimmer-flow at a swim meet.

Referee - The head official at a swim meet in charge of all of the "Wet Side" administration and decisions.

Starter - The official in charge of signaling the beginning of a race and insuring that all swimmers have a fair takeoff.

Stroke Judge - The official positioned at the side of the pool, walking the length of the course as the swimmers race. If the Stroke Judge sees something illegal, they report to the referee and the swimmer may be disqualified.

Timer - The volunteers sitting behind the starting blocks/finish end of pool, who are responsible for getting watch times on events and activating the backup buttons for the timing system.

Turn Judge – Observe the swimmers from each end of the pool and ensure that the turns and finishes comply with the rules applicable to each stroke.