General Swim Team Terms
General Swim Team Terms
| 25 | One length of the pool |
| 50 | Two lengths of the pool |
| 100 | Four lengths of the pool |
| Best Time | A best time is achieved when a swimmer exceeds their own previous "best time" in an event - it shows that a swimmer has improved over their own time, regardless of how other swimmers finish |
| Blocks | The platform from which swimmers begin races. |
| Deck | The area surrounding the pool at practices and meets, not including the bleachers or stands. During practices, parents are prohibited from being on the deck. During meets officials, coaches, swimmers and volunteers will be on the deck while spectators will have a designated area on deck to spectate. |
| Dolphin Kick | Once just the leg motion for butterfly, the dolphin kick (which mimics the undulating motion by which the sea animal moves through the water) is now considered the fifth stroke. It is done underwater in streamline position to in order build momentum on fly, freestyle and backstroke starts and turns. Swimmers are even allowed to take one dolphin kick in breaststroke. |
| DQ | Disqualify |
| DQ/Legal | These are the terms that describe whether a stroke is being performed correctly (legally) as defined by United States Swimming rules. If a swimmer is judged by a Stroke and Turn judge to be swimming incorrectly, that swimmer is disqualified (DQ) for that event in the meet. The swimmer should ask their coach for instructions to correct the problem before swimming the same event in another meet. DQ does not mean that a swimmer cannot swim in further events or meets. It is a learning tool for swimmers |
| Dryland | Exercises or stretches that are conducted out of the pool in order to warm up, build strength and increase flexibility |
| Event | This is defined by the age group, sex and swimming stroke, such as Boys' 9-10 Backstroke. The number of events at each meet varies |
| Event Winner | This is the swimmer who has the fastest time in the entire event consisting of all the heats of that event |
| Finishes | This is how a swimmer ends the race by touching the wall in a legal way depending upon the stroke |
| Flags | Backstroke flags are placed at both ends of the pool 15 feet from the end to serve as a warning to backstroke swimmers that they are nearing the wall for a turn or finish. Timers may "catch the heads" of younger swimmers who would otherwise hit the wall |
| Hand Entry | The position the hand is in at the time it touches the water after the recovery and before the catch phase. The hand should enter with the fingers together and pointing downward, as if putting on a glove. It should also enter in line with the shoulder to avoid injury. |
| Heat | When an event has more swimmers entered than available lanes, as is usually the case, there are multiple heats of the event. |
| Heat Sheet | This is the official schedule of swimmers in their assigned events, heats and lanes drawn up by the coaches. |
| Heat Winner | This is the person who comes in first in a particular heat of an event. This does not automatically mean that the swimmer has also won the event, since there are usually multiple heats for any event |
| IM (Individual Meadly) | An event that encompasses all four swimming strokes including Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Freestyle. Lengths may vary from 100 yards/meters (one lap of each stroke) to 400 yards/meter (four laps of each stroke) |
| Meet | A competition between two (dual meet) or more teams with individual swimmers, relays, place ribbons and team scores |
| Relays | Relay races are sometimes offered at the beginning or end of a meet. Medley relays feature 4 swimmers each swimming a different stroke beginning with back, breast, fly and free. Free relays feature 4 freestyle swimmers |
| Seeding | This refers to the heat and lane assignment of the swimmer. Swimmers are arranged (seeded) by the best times, with the slowest swimmers in heat 1 and so forth. Further, the fastest swimmers are seeded in the middle of the pool outward |
| Starts | This is the entry into the water (generally a dive) or the beginning of the backstroke (push off back dive) at the sound of the starting buzzer |
| Streamline | Position a swimmer assumes at the start of a lap in which their body and arms are straight with the elbows behind the ears arms squeezing the back of the head |
| Stroke Clinic | A practice with a specific goal of improving technique on one or more specific strokes |
| Turns | A swimmer who is swimming more than one length of the pool in an event must perform a legal turn at each wall to continue the race. Each stroke has its own turn requirements, which are taught in practice. Turns are needed in the individual medleys, and 50 yard distances for the older swimmers |
| Warm-ups | Each meet begins by having a warm-up period. This is very important so that swimmers do not pull muscles and also allows swimmers to get familiar with the pool. |
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