General Swim Terminology
Anchorman: The competitor who swims the last leg of a relay.
AGR: Age group regional qualifying time. Swimmers must achieve a regional time to enter the NW Age Group Regional Meet
AQT: “A” qualifying time. Swimmers must achieve the “A” time standard before they can enter “A” events. Also required for the A champs meet.
Backstroke Flags: A set of flags placed 15 ft. from the end of the pool. They are used to warn the swimmer of the turn and finish coming up.
Bi-lateral Breathing: A breathing pattern, turning the head to both sides every three strokes.
Dolphin Kick: The kick used in the butterfly stroke. The feet move up and down together.
D.Q. (Disqualified): The swimmer’s time is not considered in the competition due to improper stroke technique, false start, etc. This is determined by the start, stroke and turn judge or referee.
False Start: An error in which the swimmer leaves the starting block before the starting signal. If this is done in an individual event the swimmer is D.Q’d. If done in a relay (the swimmer on the block diving in before his teammate has touched the wall) the relay team will be D.Q.’d.
Flutter kick: The kick used in the freestyle or front crawl stroke.
Goggles: They are made of different colored plastics and are worn to protect the eyes from the effects of chlorine and pH. A necessity for comfortable workouts.
Heat: A division of an event in which there are too many swimmers to compete at one time.
Heat Sheet: A printed order of swimming events and competitors.
High Point: The award given to the boy and girl swimmer in each age group who earns the highest number of individual points during the meet. Not given at all meets.
IES: (Inland Empire Swimming) A “Local Swimming Committee” (LSC) of USA Swimming USA Swimming swim teams and officials of Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington.
I.M.: Individual medley. An event where one swimmer swims all four competitive strokes in order. (Butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle)
Lane Lines: Specially designed flotation devices used to separate lanes of competition in a meet.
Lap: One length of the pool.
Lap Counters: A set of plastic numbers used to let distance swimmers know how far they have swum.
Leg: One of four equal parts of a relay race each swam by a different person.
Long Course Season: The long course season begins in May and ends in August. The meets are held at 50 meter pools which are usually outdoors.
Medley: A race in which all four competitive strokes are used, each for one fourth of the total distance.
NT: No time. An event that a swimmer has never swam before in competition.
Prelim and Finals: Meets that run preliminary heats with the fastest overall swimmers advancing into the finals.
Scratch: To withdraw an entry from a race.
Seeding: Pre-seeded heats - swimmers are arranged in heats according to submitted times and heat sheets are prepared prior to the day of competition. Deck seeded heats – swimmers are called to report to the clerk of the course for their event on the day of the meet. After scratches are determined, they are then seeded in the proper heats. Usually for longer distance events.
Short Course Season: The short course season begins in October and runs through May. The meets are held at 25 yard pools (indoor pools).
Split: A section of a race. Example…..A 200 yd. race can be divided into four sections (4x50). The split times for each section can be used to help in properly pacing.
Taper: A carefully planned program that involves getting a swimmer’s body and mind into top (peak) performance levels before a major competition.
Timed Finals: A meet in which all heats are run one after the other with the fastest times from those swims determining the final places. Races are swum only once.
Unattached: An athlete member who competes but does not represent a club member of the corporation. Any athlete who switches to a different swim team must become unattached for 120 days from the last swim meet before they become attached to a new team to score points or swim in relays.
USAS Number: Number issued by United States Swimming to each individual swimmer. It is made up from the swimmer’s name and birth date.
Example: John F Smith d.o.b. 6/13/90. The USS # is 061390JOHFSMIT
Each swimmer must have a USAS # to be eligible to swim with the team and enter meets.
Warm Down: A period after a race/practice for the swimmer to loosen up the muscles to prevent stiffness or soreness.
Warm Up: A planned session prior to a race/practice for the swimmer to ready the muscles for a swim. Also used to become familiar with the pool’s physical features such as starting blocks, turning walls, lighting of pools, etc.
Zone Time: Time required to qualify for the Western Zone Meet held each summer at various locations throughout the West.
