GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Age Group: Division of swimmers according to age. The EFSL Age Group divisions are: 8-under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, and 17-18.
Anchor: The final swimmer in a relay.
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.
Breaststroke: One of the four competitive racing strokes. Breaststroke is swum as the second stroke in the Medley Relay and the third stroke in the I.M.
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).
Circle Swimming: Performed by staying to the right of the black line when swimming in a lane to enable more swimmers to safely swim in each lane.
Course: Designated distance (length of pool) for swimming competition (i.e. Long Course = 50 meters / Short Course = 25 meters.)
Deck: The area around the swimming pool reserved for swimmers, officials, and coaches.
Distance Events: Term used to refer to events over 400 meters.
DQ-Disqualified: This occurs when a swimmer has committed an infraction of some kind. A disqualified swimmer is not eligible to receive awards, nor can the time be used as an official time.
Drill: A teaching exercise involving a portion of a stroke which is used to improve technique.
Dropped Time: When a swimmer goes faster than the previous performance they have "dropped their time."
Dryland: The exercises and various strength programs swimmers do out of the water that aids and enhances swimmers performance.
Entry: An individual, relay team, or swim team's event list in a swim competition.
Entry Form: A form on which a swimmer enters a competition. Usually includes swimmer’s name, team, age, sex, event numbers, and entry times.
Electronic Timing: Timing system operated on DC current (battery). The timing system usually has touch pads in the water with buttons (pickles) for back-up times and a computer-type console that prints out the results of each race. Some systems are hooked up to a scoreboard that displays swimmers. Some systems may have only buttons (pickles) and no touch pads.
Event: A race or stroke over a given distance.
False Start: When a swimmer is moving or leaves the starting block before the start is sounded. 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.
Fastest to Slowest: A seeding method used on the longer distance events. The fastest seeded swimmers participate in the first heats followed by the next fastest and so on.
Final Results: The printed copy of the results of each race of a swim meet.
Flags: Pennants that are suspended over the width of each end of the pool approximately 15 feet from the wall.
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.
Goals: A specific skill or time achievement a swimmer sets and strives for. Can be short term or long term.
Gutter: The area along the edge of the pool in which the water overflows during a race and is circulated through the filtration system.
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 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. These sheets vary in accuracy, since the swimmers times are entered many weeks before the meet. Heat sheets (or programs) are sold at the meet.
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, and Freestyle. Equal distances must be swum of each stroke.
Lane: The specific area in which a swimmer is assigned to swim (i.e. Lane 1 or Lane 2.) Pools with starting blocks at only one end: As the swimmers stand behind the blocks, lanes are numbered from Right (lane 1) to Left (Lane 6).
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.
Lane Markings: The guide lines on the bottom of the pool and in the center of the lanes running the length of the pool.
Lap: One length of the course. Sometimes may also mean down and back (2 lengths) of the course.
Lap Counter: A set of display numbers used to keep track of laps during a distance race longer than 500 yards. Counting is done from the end opposite the starting end. The numbers on the counter are "odd numbers" only with the final lap being designated by bright orange. (Also, the title given to the person who counts for the swimmer.)
Leg: The part of a relay event swum by a single team member. A single stroke in the IM.
Long Course: A pool 50 meters in length.
Long Distance: Term used to refer to events of 800 meters/1000yards, to 1500 meters/1650 yards.
Mark: The command to take your starting position (i.e. Take your mark).
Marshall: The official who controls the swimmer-flow at a swim meet.
Meet: A competition designed to be a learning experience. By implementing what has been learned in practice, the swimmer races against the clock to determine improvement.
Meet Director: The official in charge of the administration of the meet. The person directing the "dry side" of the meet.
Middle Distance: Term used to refer to events of 200 yards/meters to 400 meters/500 yards.
Negative Split: Swimming the second half of the race equal to or faster than the first half.
NT (No Time): The abbreviation used on a heat sheet to designate that the swimmer has not swum that event before.
Officials: The certified judge on the deck of the pool at a sanctioned competition that enforces USA Swimming rules. There are stroke and turn judges, administrative officials, starters, timers, and referees.
OT (Official Time): The swimmers event time recorded to one hundredth of a second (.01).
Parka: Large 3/4 length fur lined coats worn by swimmers. Usually are in team colors with logo or team name.
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 check their pace or maintain intervals during practice or warm-ups.
Paddle: Colored plastic devices worn on the swimmers hands during swim practice.
Pull Buoy: A flotation device used for pulling by swimmers in practice.
Qualifying Times (Q-Time): Published times necessary to enter certain meets, or the times necessary to achieve a specific category of swimmer.
Race: Any single swimming competition (i.e. preliminary, final, timed final.)
Head Official: The head official at a swim meet in charge of all of the "Wet Side" administration and decisions.
Relays: A swimming event in which four swimmers compete together as a team to achieve one time. 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. 2.) Freestyle relay - Each swimmer swims freestyle.
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.
Seed: Assign the swimmers heats and lanes according to their submitted or preliminary times.
Short Course: A pool 25-meters in length.
Split: A time recorded from the official start to the completion of an intermediate distance within a longer event. Also the time for one of the four individuals in a relay. Under certain conditions, splits may also be used as official times, for example, the lead off swim in a relay or the lead off portion of a distance event.
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.
Starting Blocks: The starting platforms located behind each lane.
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.
Streamline: The position used by swimmers when starting or pushing off the walls designed to reduce water resistance.
Stroke: There are 4 competitive strokes: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle.
Stroke and Turn Official: 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.
Taper: The final preparation phase for a swimmer with the slow gradual reduction of workloads and intensities in preparation for the season-ending competition meet, like JO’s.
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.
Time Trial: An event or series of events where a swimmer may achieve or better a required time standard.
Touch Pad: The removable touch sensitive board at the end of each lane where a swimmer’s finish is registered and sent electronically to the timing system. A swimmer must properly touch the touchpad to register an official time in a race.
Unofficial Time: The time displayed on a read out board or read over the intercom by the announcer immediately after the race. After the time has been checked, it will become the official time.
USA Swimming: The national governing body for competitive swimming in the United States.
Warm-down (or Cool-down): The low intensity swimming used by swimmers after a race or main practice set to rid the body of excess lactic acid and gradually reduce heart rate and respiration.
Warm-up: The low intensity swimming used by swimmers prior to a main practice set or race to get the muscles loose and warm. Warm up gradually increases heart rate, respiration and helps to prevent injury.
Watch: The hand held device used by timers and coaches for timing a swimmers races and taking splits.
Yardage: The distance a swimmer races or swims in practice. Total yardage can be calculated for each practice session.
