New to swimming?

Welcome to the exciting world of competitve swimming! This guide will provide you with everything to get you started and aquaint you with the sport of competitive swimming and the club policies and commitments.

Please always keep in mind that this swim club is run by parent volunteers and we appreciate your patience. If you have further questions, suggestions for additions to this section and/or would like to volunteer your time to help run the club, please contact us.

There are many benefits to participating in the sport of swimming:

  • Meeting terrific people and building lifelong friendships
  • Incredible fitness levels – core strength, exceptional cardiovascular and overall fitness
  • Life skills – time management, self-discipline and sportsmanship
  • Fun- competitive swimming is fun, exciting and rewarding

The following information is organized into these very helpful sections:

  1. Competitive Swimming Basics
  2. Time Standards
  3. Whitby Swimming Team Information
  4. Glossary of Swimming Terms

COMPETITIVE SWIMMING BASICS

Like all sports, swimming has rules unique to the sport. The following is a general overview of the basics. Familiarizing yourself with the basics will not only help you understand the focus our coaches need while they work with your swimmer, but will also help you as you begin your officials’ training.

The official and specific rules of swimming can be learned with the completion of the Strokes and Turns Judges Clinic. Please consult our Officiating section of the website to learn how to enroll in officials clinics. Officiating

Four Competitive Swimming Strokes

The four competitive swimming strokes are freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. The combination of all four strokes is called individual medley.

Freestyle

In the freestyle, the competitor may swim any stroke he or she wishes. Most swim the front crawl, as it is traditionally the fastest stroke. It is characterized by the alternate stroking of the arms over the surface of the water surface and an alternating (up-and-down) flutter kick. The freestyle is swum over 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1500 metre distances.

Backstroke

In the backstroke, the swimmer must stay on his or her back at all times. The stroke is an alternating motion of the arms. On turns, swimmers may rotate to the stomach and perform a flip turn and the swimmer must touch the wall with some part of the body.

Swimmers must surface within 15 metres after the start and each turn. Backstroke race distances are 100 and 200 metres.

Breaststroke

Perhaps one of the most difficult strokes to master, the breaststroke requires simultaneous movements of the arms on the same horizontal plane. The hands are pushed forward from the breast on or under the surface of the water and brought backward in the propulsive stage of the stroke simultaneously. The kick is a simultaneous thrust of the legs called a frog or breaststroke kick. No flutter or dolphin kicking is allowed. At each turn a swimmer must touch with both hands at the same time. Breaststroke races are distances of 100 and 200 metres.

Butterfly

One of the most challenging stroke, the butterfly features the simultaneous overhead stroke of the arms combined with the dolphin kick. The dolphin kick features both legs moving up and down together. No flutter kicking is allowed. Both hands must touch the wall simultaneously on the turns and the finish. The butterfly was born in the early 1950s due to a loophole in the breaststroke rules and became an Olympic event in Melbourne, Australia in 1965. Butterfly races are swum in 100 and 200 metre distances.

Individual Medley

The individual medley, commonly referred to as the I.M., features all four competitive strokes. In the I.M., a swimmer begins with the butterfly, changes to the backstroke after one-fourth of the race, then the breaststroke for another quarter and finally finishes with the freestyle. The I.M. is swum in 200 and 400 metre distances.

Relay

Freestyle Relay

Four swimmers participate taking turns swimming a particular distance (50m, 100m and sometimes 200m) of front crawl each.

Medley Relay 

All four strokes are swum by four different swimmers. No swimmer may swim more than one leg of the relay, which is swum in backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle order. The medley relay is 400 metres -or four by 100 metres.

Starts and Turns

  • Many races are won or lost in starts and turns. In the start, the swimmer is called to the starting position by the starter who visually checks that all swimmers are still. Then, once the starter is satisfied, the race is started by an electronic tone.
  • Quick turns are essential to a good race. In all events the swimmer must touch the wall, but in the freestyle and backstroke the swimmer may somersault(flip turn) as he or she reaches the wall, touching only with the feet. In breaststroke and butterfly, the swimmer must touch the wall with both hands before executing the turn.
  • Swimming is a sport of personal best times and goals
  • From Swim Skills precompetitive program thru to nationally/internationally qualified, our swimmers are constantly learning and improving on technique and racing strategies. 
  • This is competitive swimming but much as your child might want to compete with other swimmers in his or her group or other clubs, the best competition is always the clock. 
  • Beating a previous best time is the goal. There will always be someone faster or someone slower, so the focus should be on self-improvement. 
  • Improvements can happen suddenly, but it can also be a gradual climb. Every swimmer progresses at a different pace, which is why our coaches put so much emphasis on personal goals.

TIME STANDARDS

  • As your swimmer progresses, time standards begin to play an important role in setting goals, not only to qualify for specific meets, but to also move up the group ladder. 
  • Success depends solely on self-improvement, hard work and achievement of your child’s personal goals. Goals will be discussed and set individually with each swimmer and his/her family.
  • Swimmers in the beginning stages of their competitive swim career typically compete in local 1 or 2 day swim meets with no qualifying standards. 
  • Coaches choose events for each swimmers dependent upon individual skill level and goals. 
  • As swimmers improve, opportunities to swim at regional, provincial and national swim meets open up. 
  • There are various standards for these meets which are set by Swim Ontario and swim Canada. current time standards

WHITBY SWIMMING TEAM INFORMATION

Club Communications

Rule #1 - Follow all forms of the clubs communication channels.

  1. Download “OnDeck” app on your mobile device
  2. Website – www.whitbyswimming.ca
  3. Facebook – www.facebook.com/whitbyswimming
  4. Twitter – www.twitter.com/whitbyswimming
  • It’s the parents responsibility to know what is going on in the club: check the OnDeck app and the website regularly and read all emails from the club. 
  • Parents have a responsibility to check the website regularly to ensure they remain informed regarding schedule changes, meet information, etc…
  • Did you know that we regularly post many items to our website, Facebook and Twitter? Join the fun and like, follow, tweet and subscribe to us! 
  • We post information, images and videos, celebrations, news, updates on meets, photos, and stories from the swimming world. 
  • We do this for you, our members, and to advocate swimming, promote our swimmers and our successes and to introduce you to videos on YouTube that we think you would like!
  • If you have great pictures to share and post, send them to [email protected]

Club policies, organization, Fees and Registration

  • Whitby Swimming is a non-profit organization run by a board of directors and committees comprised of parent volunteers. 
  • Board and committee positions open regularly. Please contact [email protected] should you wish to volunteer for any committee or board position.
  • The club runs both a pre-competitive(Swim Skills) program as well as a competitive(development, junior, senior) program.

Fees

  • Registration fees are set annually by the board of directors based upon coaching salaries, pool fees and other operating costs. 
  • Registration is done via our online registration system. 
  • The club, on your behalf, pays Swim Ontario and Swimming Canada fees. 
  • Fees are set according to age group and are payable annually. 
  • Swim Ontario fees provide insurance. 

A Swimming Canada account will be set up for you after registration, after which you can add your swimmer and track his or her success throughout the year. (Please see www.swimming.ca for more information)

Fee payments

  • Fees are paid via visa or mastercard via our online registration system.
  • Competitive Registration Fees will be paid in 2 instalments; on the date of registration and November 1st.
  • Initial registration and monthly fees are as per fee schedule included in the current Registration package. 
  • All instalments will be charged to your credit card used during registration.
  • Separate registration is required for each session. See http://whitbyswimming.ca/swimskills for full details
  • Payments – Payments are accepted through your family account set up on our Team Unify system, only via Visa or Mastercard. 
  • Throughout the season, you will receive an email (Billing Summary) showing the amounts you will be invoiced that month, if applicable. This email will contain a link to the website where you can review your detailed account information. 
  • Invoices will be automatically generated when applicable and any amount owing(meet fees, uniform orders, etc.) will be charged to your credit card on file.
  • If an installment payment is due that month then that payment will also be processed.
  • You will receive an email containing a link to the website to view your invoice and see what payments were processed. 
  • Families can sign in and view their account at any time and any discrepancies can be reported to the WD treasurer.

Meet Schedule

  • Please check our team management website regularly for meet information.

Meet Fees 

  • Meet fees are managed separately and as your swimmer participates in meets throughout the year. 
  • As your swimmer is entered in meets, the associated fees are added to your online account and will be charged to your credit card on file each month.

Meet Entries

There is a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes putting entries together for swim meets. Part of every meet is not only posting relevant information about the meet, but more importantly, we need to know if you swimmer is attending or not. Please note the following:

  • For each meet, you will receive an email invitation to attend. It is imperative that you review the invitations and dates, and indicate if your swimmer is attending (accept or decline via the link in the email you receive) before the entry deadline/cut off. 
  • If this process is not done, then we are unable to determine if your swimmer is competing. 
  • If your swimmer is eligible and is invited, you must “Accept or Decline” the meet. 
  • If your swimmer is available to attend the meet and you would like them entered, please “accept” . 
  • After the entry deadline has been reached, your coaches will create individual event entries for each swimmer. 
  • Parents are asked to NOT choose the events for your swimmer. 
  • Your swimmer’s coach will choose the events your swimmer will be entered in.
  • If your swimmer is not available for the meet please “decline” before the deadline. 
  • If you “accept” the meet but for some reason your swimmer does not attend the meet, you will be obligated to pay the meet fees anyway as these fees are paid well in advance of the meet. 
  • IMPORTANT: For swim meet entries – read all emails and accept/decline via the email link before the deadline.

Training Schedule

  • The schedule is subject to change so please ensure you check the website regularly. Many pool closures are out of our control and happen very last minute.

How does my swimmer move from group to group?

  • Group movement is based on the coach’s evaluation and/or qualifying times. Some of the criteria are on our website.
  • When selecting for the groups we try to create the most compatible group as possible in terms of racing and training speed and age. 
  • It’s possible that for move-ups to occur in December and March.

Are swimmers asked to leave the club at any time should they not be improving?

  • No one has been asked to leave because they are not improving. Occasionally, a swimmer who no longer fits into any group based on age and ability is no longer selected for any group.

Pool Locations 

Team Clothing and Equipment

  • The basic equipment for swimming changes as a swimmer gets older. The obvious, swimming suit, cap and goggles, can be purchased at through Alltides at: http://www.alltides.com
  • As the swimmer progresses fins, paddles, kick boards, etc. these can also be purchased at Alltides online at http://www.alltides.com.

Whitby Swimming Team Clothing

Club Office

  • The Whitby Swimiming club office is located in viewing area at Anne Ottenbrite Pool(AOP). 
  • There are no set office hours but there is sometimes a board and/or committee member in the office most days 5:30-7am and 4-6pm.

Whitby Swimming
Iroquois Park Sports Complex
500 Victoria Street West
Whitby, ON L1N 9G4
www.whitbyswimming.com

Getting Involved – Club Commitments

  • Swimming is different from many other sports. Unlike other activities that might only require parents to bring snacks, drive to team events and/or help out coaching, swimming is traditionally managed entirely by parents. 
  • When you watch an international swimming meet, the people holding stopwatches or judging were likely all at one time a parent (or still a parent) of a young competitive swimmer.
  • The Whitby Swimming is a non-profit organization run by volunteers and salaried/hourly coaches. 
  • There are many ways in which you can volunteer your time to help the club. Some of these positions are filled for the current season but if you have any questions or would like to volunteer, please contact [email protected] .
  • You do not need to be an experienced swim parent to be a valuable help to the club! 
  • The best way to learn about the club and the sport is to roll up your sleeves and dive in. From working at meets to helping out at special events, from being a group parent to sitting on the board, this club cannot function without the hard work and support of all Whitby Swimming parents. 
  • As part of your membership in the club, each family is required to help out in accordance with the policy on club and fundraising commitments. 
  • As these may be modified from year to year based on our changing needs, please familiarize yourself with the requirements for the current year. Requirements can be found here

Officiating

In order for our club to get sanctioned to host our own swim meets, it is essential for us to have as many members as possible registered at Swim Ontario taking courses and “moving up the ladder.” New and established members are required to take courses and move towards their level I,level II and beyond.

The following is the order we recommend taking clinics in:

Level I Timekeeper & Safety Marshall

Level 2 Strokes & Turns

Level 2 Chief Timekeeper

Level 2 Clerk of Course

Level 2 Chief Judge Electronics

Level 2 Chief Finish Judge (CJE/CFJ are often combined at in person clinics)

Level 2 Recorder Scorer

Level 2 Meet Management

Please visit our “Officials Zone” http://whitbyswimming.ca/the-official-zone/ for more information on how to take clinics and “move up the ladder”. Moving up the ladder is the best way to support the club and a great way to be involved in your child’s swimming career.

Who do I contact when I have…

Coaching related questions – Please contact your swimmer’s group coach (View Coaches Page)

You know your swimmer better than anyone. If there is anything you feel the coach should know, please talk to them before or after practice or email them. 

Please note, while the club appreciates there will always be talk/critical analysis in the stands, we ask that you please talk to your coach first if you have any concerns about coaching.

  • Questions related to club policies? – Please contact one of the board members.
  • Administrative questions, including help with the registration system? – Please contact the club secretary and/or registrar at [email protected]
  • Fees and billing questions? – For information regarding our club fees and/or your account, statements and payment options, please contact the treasurer
  • Questions I feel requires a more serious discussion or remain unresolved after speaking to your swimmers coach or other person? – please contact the club president 
  • Officiating questions? – please contact our Club Officials Chair at [email protected]
  • Fundraising questions? – looking for information on any of our fundraising activities, or sponsorship please contact our fundraising chair at [email protected]

Current Season contacts

Board of Directors and Committee Members

SWIM SPEAK – GLOSSARY OF SWIMMING TERMS

Alternate:  In a prelims/finals meet, after the finalists are decided, the next fastest swimmers other than the finalists are designated as alternates. The faster of the two being the first alternate and the next being the second.

Anchor:  The final swimmer in a relay.

Backstroke:  Once of the four competitive racing strokes, basically any style of swimming on your back. Backstroke is swam as the first stroke of the Medley Relay and the second stroke of the Individual Medley. This stroke is offered provincially at 50 metre, 100 metre, and 200 metre distances.

Block: The starting platform located behind each lane.

Breaststroke: One of the four competitive racing strokes. Breaststroke is swan as the second stroke in the Medley Relay and the third stroke in the Individual Medley. Offered provincially, racing distances are 50 metres, 100 metres, and 200 metres.

Bulkhead: A wall constructed to divide a pool into different courses, such as a 50m pool into two 25m pools.

Butterfly: One of the four competitive racing strokes. Butterfly (nicknamed fly) is swam as the third stroke in the Medley Relay and the first stroke in the Individual Medley. Offered provincially, racing distances are 50 metres, 100 metres, and 200 metres.

Cap: The latex or lycra covering worn on the head of swimmers.

Championship Meet: The meet held at the end of the short and long course seasons. Qualification times are necessary to enter meets.

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.

Circle Seeding: A method of seeding swimmers when they are participating in a prelims/finals event. The fastest 18 to 24 swimmers are seeded in the last three heats, with the fastest swimmers being in the inside lanes.

Circle Swimming: Performed by staying to the right of the black line when swimming in a lane to enable more swimmers to swim in each lane.

Closed Competition: Swim meet which is open to a specific number of invitees.

Club: A registered swim team that is a member in good standing with Swim Ontario

Coach: A person who trains and teaches athletes in the sport of swimming.

Colorado: A brand of automatic timing system.

Consolation Finals: After the fastest 8 or 10 swimmers, the next 8 or 10 swimmers in a prelims/finals meet who, after the prelims swim, qualify to return to the finals. Consolations are the second fastest heat of finals when multiple heats are held and are conducted before the championship heat.

Course: Designated distance (length of pool) for swimming competition. Long course = 50 metres, short course = 25 metres.

Cut: Slang 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 entry into a meet since many meets are full prior to the deadline.

Deck: The area around the swimming pool reserved for swimmers, officials, and coaches. No one but authorised persons may be on deck during a swim meet or practice.

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

Distance Event: Term used to refer to events over 400 metres.

DQ (Disqualified): This occurs when a swimmer has committed an infraction of some kind (e.g. one-handed touch in breaststroke). A disqualified swimmer is not eligible to receive an award, nor will there be an official time in that event.

Dive: Entering the water head first. Diving is not allowed during warm up except at the designated time, in specific lanes that are monitored by the swimmers coach.

Drill: An exercise involving a part of a stroke, used to improve technique.

Dropped Time: When a swimmer goes faster than the previous performance they have “dropped their time.”

Dry-land Training: Training done out of the water that aids and enhances swimming performance; usually includes stretching, calisthenics, and/or weight training.

Dual Meet: Type of meet where two teams compete against each other.

Entry: An individual or relay team roster/event list for a swim competition.

Entry Fees: The amount per event a swimmer or relay is charged to compete.

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

Electronic Timing: Timing system usually has touchpads in the water, junction boxes on the deck with hook up cables, button for backup timing, and a computer console that prints out the results of each race. Some timing systems are hooked up to a scoreboard that displays swimmers times.

Eligible to compete: The status of a member swimmer that means they are registered and have met all the requirements.

Event: A race or stroke over a given distance. An event equals one preliminary with final or one timed final.

False Start: Occurs when a swimmer is moving at the start prior to the signal.

Fastest to Slowest: A seeding method used on the longer events at the end of a session. The fastest seeded swimmers participate in the first heats followed by the next fastest and so on. Many times these events alternate one female heat and one male heat until all swimmers have competed.

FINA:  The international, rules making organisation, for the sport of swimming.

Final: The championship heat of an event in which the top six or eight swimmers from the preliminaries compete for awards, depending on the number of lanes in the pool.

Final Results: The printed copy of the results of each race of a swim meet.

Fins: Large rubber fin type devices that fit on swimmers fees. Used in practice only.

Finish: The final phase of the race – the touch at the end of the race.

Flags: Backstroke flags placed 5 metres from the end of the pool. They enable backstrokers to execute a backstroke turn more efficiently through being able to count the number of strokes into each wall.

Freestyle: One of the four competitive racing events. Freestyle is swam as the forth stroke in the Medley Relay and in the Individual Medley. Offered provincially, distances are 50 metres, 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, or 1500 metres.

Gallery:  The viewing area for spectators during the swimming competition.

Heats: A division of an event when there are too many swimmers to compete at the same time. The results are compiled by swimmers time swam after all heats of the event are completed.

Heat Sheet/Program: The pre-meet printing listings of swimmers seed times in events at a competition. These sheets vary in accuracy since coaches submit swimmers times many weeks before the meet. Heat sheets are usually sold at the admissions table and are used to mainly make sure the swimmer has been properly entered in all the events they signed up for. Parents enjoy looking at the seedings prior to the race plus swimmers can tell the order the events will be conducted and get a rough idea how long the meet sessions will last.

I.M.: Slang for individual medley, an event in which the swimmer uses all four strokes in the following order: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle.

Invitational: Type of meet that requires a club to request an invitation to attend.

Jump: An illegal start done by the second, third, or fourth member of a relay team. The swimmer on the blocks breaks contact with the block before the swimmer in the water touches the wall.

Kick:  The leg movements of a swimmer. A popular word to yell to encourage swimmers during a race.

Kick Board: A floatation device used by swimmers during a practice. A light weight object used with great accuracy by coaches.

Lane: The specific area in which a swimmer is assigned to swim. Lanes are numbered from right (lane 1) to left (Lane 6 or 8).

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

Lap:  One length of the course (sometimes means down and back).

Lap Counter: A set of plastic display numbers used to keep track of laps during a distance race. The person, who counts for the swimmer, is stationed at the opposite end from the start.

Late Entries:  Meet entries from a club that are received by the meet host after the entry deadline. These entries are usually returned or can be accepted at double the published entry fee.

Leg:  The part of a relay event swam by a single team member or a single stroke in the IM.

Length:  The extent of the competitive course from end to end.

Long Course or LC: A 50 metre long pool.

Mark: The command to take your starting position.

Marshall: The official who controls the crowd and swimmer flow at the swim meet.

Medals: Awards given to the swimmers at meets. They vary in size, design, and method of presentation.

Meet: Competition designed to be a measure of progress and a learning experience. By implementing what has been learned in practice, the swimmers test themselves against the clock to see how they are progressing.

Meet Chair: The person in charge of the administration of the meet.

Negative Split: Swimming the second half of the race faster than the first half.

No Time (NT): The abbreviation used on a heat sheet to designate that the swimmer has not swam that event before.

Official: A judge on the deck of the pool at a sanctioned competition who enforces SNC rules.

Official Time: A time achieved in a race during a duly sanctioned competition.

Omega:  A type of automatic timing system.

Open Competition: Competition which any qualified club or swimmer may enter.

Open Water: Any freestyle event over 1500 metres, normally conducted in a natural body of water, such as a lake, river, or ocean.

Outside Smoke: – while the fastest swimmers are placed in the centre lanes of the pool, sometimes a swimmer from the outside lane surpasses the fastest to win the heat. This swimmer is affectionately referred to as the “outside smoke”.

Pace: The often pre-determined speed with which a swimmer completes each segment of a race (e.g. 25m, 50m)

Pace Clock: Large clock with a large second hand and a smaller minute had, used to check pace or maintain intervals in practice (may also be digital).

Paddle: Coloured plastic devices worn on the swimmers hands during swim practices.

Positive Check In: The procedure required before a swimmer swims an event in a deck seeded or pre seeded meet. The swimmer must mark their name on a list posted by the meet host.

Prelim: Slang for preliminaries, also called heats – those races in which swimmers qualify for the championship and consolation finals in an event.

Prelim/Final: Type of meet with two sessions. The preliminary heats are usually held in the morning session.

Pre-seeded: A meet conducted without a bull pen in which a swimmer knows what lane and heat they are in by looking at the heat sheet or meet programme.

Proof of Time: An official meet result. Swimmers/Coaches must present proof of time with some entries.

Psych Sheet: An entry sheet showing all swimmers entered into each individual event. Sometimes referred to as a heat sheet or meet programme.

Pull Buoy:  A floatation device used for pulling by swimmers in practice.

Qualifying Time: Qualifying time necessary to compete in a particular event and/or competition.

Race: A single swimming competition event.

Referee: The head official in charge of a swim meet.

Registered: Enrolled and paid member of Swim Ontario.

Relay: An event in which 4 swimmers compete together as a team to achieve on time.

Ribbons:  Awards in a variety of sizes, styles, and colours given at some swim meets.

Sanctioned Meet: All competitions in which records may be set and official times may be obtained, must be sanctioned (= approved officially) by Swim Ontario.

Scratch: To withdraw from an event in a competition.

Seed: Assign the swimmers to heats and lanes according to their submitted or preliminary times.

Session: Portion of a meet distinctly separated from other portions by time.

Short Course or SC: A 25 metre long pool in which most competitions during the winter are held.

Split: A swimmer’s intermediate time in a race. Splits are registered every 50m and are used to determine if a swimmer is on a planned pace. Under certain conditions, initial splits may also be used as official times.

Sprint: Describes the shorter events (50 and 100m); in training, to swim as fast as possible for a short distance.

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

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

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 that everything is not right for the race to start.

Streamline: The position used to gain maximum distance during a start and/or push-off from the wall in which the swimmer’s body is as tight and straight as it can be.

Stroke:  There are four competitive strokes, butterfly, backstroke, freestyle, breaststroke.

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.

Swim-off:  In a prelims/finals type competition a race after the scheduled event to break a tie. The only circumstance that warrants a swim-off is to determine which swimmer makes finals or an alternate, otherwise the tie stands.

Team Records: The statistics a team keeps, listing the fastest swimmer in the clubs history for each age group/each event.

Taper: The final preparation phase. As part of this phase, and prior to major competitions, older and more experienced swimmers will shave their entire body to reduce resistance and heighten sensation in the water.

Time Card: The card issued to each swimmer prior to each race, on which splits and the final time are recorded.

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

Time Standard: A time set by a provincial association that a swimmer must achieve for qualification or recognition.

Time Trial: A practice race which is not part of a regular competition. Time trials may be sanctioned and used to qualify for specific meets.

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

Touch Out: To reach the touch pad and finish first in a race.

Touch Pad: A large sensitive board at the end of each lane where a swimmer’s touch is registered and sent electronically to the timing system.

Transfer: The act of leaving one club and going to another.

Unofficial Time: The time displayed on a read out board or read over the intercom by the announcer immediately after a race. After the time has been checked, it will become official.

Warm-down: Low intensity swimming used by swimmer after a race or main practice set to rid the body of excess lactic acid, and to gradually reduce heart rate and respiration.

Warm-up: Low-intensity swimming used by swimmers prior to a main practice set or a race to get muscles loose and warm, and to gradually increase heart rate and respiration.

Watches: Stopwatches used to time swimmers during a competition. When totally automatic timing equipment is used, watches serve as a back-up method.