Confused? Check out these Swimmer's Terms...
Swim Slang
Age Group SEISA divides swimmers up as follows: 6 & under, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, & 15-18.
Backstroke: One of the 4 competitive racing strokes, basically any style of swimming on your back. Backstroke is swam as the first stroke in the Medley Relay and second stroke in the I.M.
Blocks: The starting platforms located behind each lane.
Breaststroke: One of the 4 competitive racing strokes. Breaststroke is swam as the second stroke in the Medley Relay and the third stroke in the I.M.
Clerk: of Course The staging area where swimmers wait to receive their lane and heat assignments for a swimming event. Area is usually away from the pool and has rows of chairs for the swimmers to sit.
Butterfly: One of the 4 competitive racing strokes. Butterfly (nicknamed FLY) is swam as the third stroke in the Medley Relay and first stroke in the I.M.
Check-In Upon arrival at a SEISA meet. Swimmers must sign in on the check in sheet.
Consolation Heat: After the fastest 6 swimmers according to current times, the next 6 swimmers in a meet that swim with slower timers than the 6 previous swimmers.
Distance How far a swimmer swims. Distances for short course are: 25 yards (1 length), 50 yards (2 lengths),100 yards (4 lengths), 200 yards (8 lengths).
Disqualified: (DQ’d) A swimmers performance is not counted because of a rules infraction. A disqualification is shown by an official raising one arm with open hand above their head. Place ribbons and points will not be awarded to swimmers that is disqualified in that event.
Dual Meet: Type of meet where two (2) teams/clubs compete against each other
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.
False Start: When a swimmer leaves the starting block before the horn
or gun. 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.
False Start Rope: A recall rope across the width of the racing pool for the purpose of stopping swimmers who were not aware of a false start. The rope is about 1/2 way on yard pools and about 50 feet from the starting end on meter pools.
Fund Raiser: A money making endeavor by a swim team/club usually involving both parents and swimmers.
Freestyle: One of the 4 competitive racing strokes. Freestyle (nicknamed Free) is swam as the fourth stroke in the Medley Relay and fourth stroke in the I.M.
Goals: The short and long range targets for swimmers to aim for.
Goggles Glasses: type devices worn by swimmers to keep their eyes from being irritated by the chlorine in the water.
Gun: The blank firing pistol that may be used by the starter to start the races.
Gun Lap: The part of a freestyle distance race (500 yards or longer) when the swimmer has 2 lengths plus 5 yards to go. The starter fires a gun shot over the lane of the lead swimmer when swimmer is at the backstroke flags.
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.
High Point: An award given to the swimmer scoring the most points in a meet. Illegal: Doing something against the rules that is cause for disqualification. IM: Individual Medley. A swimming event using all 4 of the competitive strokes on consecutive lengths of the race. The order must be: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle. Equal distances must be swam of each stroke. Insurance: USA Swimming offers "accident insurance coverage" which is automatic when swimmer, coach, official, pays their USA-S membership fee. Lane: The specific area in which a swimmer is assigned to swim. (ie) 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. Lap: One length of the course. Sometimes may also mean down and back (2 lengths) of the course. Leg: The part of a relay event swam by a single team member. A single stroke in the IM. Length: The extent of the competitive course from end to end. Marshall: (official) The adult(s) (official) who control the crowd and swimmer flow at a swim meet. Relays: A swimming event in which 4 swimmers participate as a relay team each swimmer swimming 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. Starte:r 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 everything is not right for the race to start. Stroke: There are 4 competitive strokes: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle. 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. Touch Pad: The removable plate (on the end of pools) that is connected to an automatic timing system. A swimmer must properly touch the touchpad to register an official time in a race.