Long Course Season

Patricia Margosian Terrell

Every year, starting in March and lasting through August, our swim meets will now be held in pools with a "long course".

What is a long course?
A long course means that races will be in a 50 meter length pool, as opposed to a 25 yard length (short course). This means that races will take 50% less turns. For example, whereas a 50-yard freestyle in short course has a flip turn and return back to the finish (two laps), a 50-meter freestyle in a long course is one lap with no turn. 100 yards in short course has four laps and three turns; 100 meters in long course has two laps and one turn.

What are the benefits of a long course?

  • Building endurance: the length needed to complete one lap in long course builds endurance as it requires swimmers to keep up their technique without the respite of a flip turn.
  • Changing it up: A bit of change is good for swimmers, keeping away complacency and boredom, and also allowing swimmers to challenge themselves in new ways.
  • Easier for long distance swimmers: Long distance swimmers, especially those competing in the 500-yard freestyle, have an easier time counting with half the laps.

What are the challenges of a long course?

  • Less time underwater: The advantage that swimmers get by swimming underwater after a dive or flip turn can be considerable, but that time underwater gets cut in half in long course meets.
  • Less familiarity: Our workouts will continue to be in a 25 yard pool, and swimming 50 meters without even a small break will be challenging to swimmers both mentally and physically.

How can parents help with the transition to long course meets?
Parents can help by removing the "scariness" of 50-meter pool, and talking with their swimmers about the change, and how they can trust their coaches to get them ready for the switch. While we will still be practicing in a 25 yard pool, there are many things that our coaches will be doing to get swimmers prepared and confident to face the challenges listed above. 

Whether you realize it or not, all Olympics swimming events take place in a 50-meter, long course, pool. So despite the challenges of the long course, we will embrace the opportunities the long course presents, and give every swimmer a little taste of the Olympic spirit.