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SWIMMING 101
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Basics
Pools are either 25 yards or 25 meters in length. A 25 meter pool is approximately 7 feet longer than a 25 yard pool and a swimmers times will reflect this difference.
In our winter league, First Capital Swim League (FCSL), all meets are swam at yard distances.
In our summer league, Capital Area Swim League (CASL), competitions may be in either length pool.
25 yards/meters is equivalent to one lap of the pool.
Most 8 & under events are 25 yards/meters or one lap.
In higher age groups, events of 50 yards/meters are the most common, but 100, 200 and 500 events may also occur.
50 yards/meters - 2 laps
100 yards/meters - 4 laps
200 yards/meters - 8 laps
500 yards/meters - 20 laps
In our winter league, First Capital Swim League (FCSL), all meets are swam at yard distances.
In our summer league, Capital Area Swim League (CASL), competitions may be in either length pool.
25 yards/meters is equivalent to one lap of the pool.
Most 8 & under events are 25 yards/meters or one lap.
In higher age groups, events of 50 yards/meters are the most common, but 100, 200 and 500 events may also occur.
50 yards/meters - 2 laps
100 yards/meters - 4 laps
200 yards/meters - 8 laps
500 yards/meters - 20 laps
Terminology
BILATERAL BREATHING: Breathing to the right side then taking three freestyle strokes and
breathing to the left side, etc.
STARTING BLOCK (BL0CK): The starting platform.
DISQUALIFIED (DQ): This is a ruling by a meet official that occurs when a swimmer has committed an
infraction of some kind while swimming a stroke. A swimmer that has been disqualified is not eligible to
receive a ribbon or medal, and the time cannot be used as an official time. If your child is disqualified
during an event, they should see an Official or the coach immediately following your event for an
explanation.
DIVE START: Using the starting blocks to dive into the water.
DRILL: An exercise involving a portion or part of a stroke, used to improve technique.
EXHIBITION: An event in a dual meet in which the swimmers do not earn points for their team's
score. Exhibition events are conducted to give swimmers experience in competition.
FALSE START: A situation when a swimmer leaves the block before the starting horn or beep. The
false start is usually signaled by an audio signal or gunshot.
FLAGS: Backstroke flags are placed 5 yards/meters from the ends of the pool. Flags enable
backstrokers to execute a turn more efficiently by counting their strokes to the wall.
FLIP TURN: Competitive racing turn where a swimmer does a somersault underwater and uses
their feet to push off the wall.
HEAT: A division of an event when there are too many swimmers to compete at the same time
and not enough lanes in the pool to accommodate them at one time.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY (IM): a competitive event consisting of the four main strokes in the
following order: Fly (butterfly), Back (backstroke), Breast (breaststroke) and Free (freestyle).
KICKING: Using only the legs for propulsion. Sometimes drills are done with the use of a kickboard.
NT: No time. The abbreviation used in a program to designate that the swimmer does not have an
official time for that event.
LANE LINES: Continuous floating markers on a rope that stretches from one end of the pool from
another.
OFFICIAL: A judge on the deck of the pool who is there to enforce rules. There are stroke and
turn judges, administrative officials, starters, timers and referees.
OPEN TURN: Turn at the wall where the swimmer touches with one hand (for Back and Free) and
pushes off the wall with their -set. An open turn for Breaststroke and Butterfly requires a twohanded
touch.
PULLING: Using little or no kick to focus on the upper body.
PUSH START: Starting a race from in the water pushing off the wall.
RELAY: An event in which four swimmers compete together as a team to achieve one time.
SCRATCH: To withdraw from an event in a competition, perhaps due to an illness.
SEED TIME: The time a swimmer uses to enter a meet. This time will determine lane position in a
particular meet.
STARTER: The official at the meet responsible for starting each heat and calling the next heat to the
blocks.
TOUCH PAD: A large board at the end of each lane where a swimmer's touch is registered and
sent electronically to the timing system.
WARM-UP: This is the beginning part of a practice or a workout done in the water to loosen a swimmer
up before a race.
breathing to the left side, etc.
STARTING BLOCK (BL0CK): The starting platform.
DISQUALIFIED (DQ): This is a ruling by a meet official that occurs when a swimmer has committed an
infraction of some kind while swimming a stroke. A swimmer that has been disqualified is not eligible to
receive a ribbon or medal, and the time cannot be used as an official time. If your child is disqualified
during an event, they should see an Official or the coach immediately following your event for an
explanation.
DIVE START: Using the starting blocks to dive into the water.
DRILL: An exercise involving a portion or part of a stroke, used to improve technique.
EXHIBITION: An event in a dual meet in which the swimmers do not earn points for their team's
score. Exhibition events are conducted to give swimmers experience in competition.
FALSE START: A situation when a swimmer leaves the block before the starting horn or beep. The
false start is usually signaled by an audio signal or gunshot.
FLAGS: Backstroke flags are placed 5 yards/meters from the ends of the pool. Flags enable
backstrokers to execute a turn more efficiently by counting their strokes to the wall.
FLIP TURN: Competitive racing turn where a swimmer does a somersault underwater and uses
their feet to push off the wall.
HEAT: A division of an event when there are too many swimmers to compete at the same time
and not enough lanes in the pool to accommodate them at one time.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY (IM): a competitive event consisting of the four main strokes in the
following order: Fly (butterfly), Back (backstroke), Breast (breaststroke) and Free (freestyle).
KICKING: Using only the legs for propulsion. Sometimes drills are done with the use of a kickboard.
NT: No time. The abbreviation used in a program to designate that the swimmer does not have an
official time for that event.
LANE LINES: Continuous floating markers on a rope that stretches from one end of the pool from
another.
OFFICIAL: A judge on the deck of the pool who is there to enforce rules. There are stroke and
turn judges, administrative officials, starters, timers and referees.
OPEN TURN: Turn at the wall where the swimmer touches with one hand (for Back and Free) and
pushes off the wall with their -set. An open turn for Breaststroke and Butterfly requires a twohanded
touch.
PULLING: Using little or no kick to focus on the upper body.
PUSH START: Starting a race from in the water pushing off the wall.
RELAY: An event in which four swimmers compete together as a team to achieve one time.
SCRATCH: To withdraw from an event in a competition, perhaps due to an illness.
SEED TIME: The time a swimmer uses to enter a meet. This time will determine lane position in a
particular meet.
STARTER: The official at the meet responsible for starting each heat and calling the next heat to the
blocks.
TOUCH PAD: A large board at the end of each lane where a swimmer's touch is registered and
sent electronically to the timing system.
WARM-UP: This is the beginning part of a practice or a workout done in the water to loosen a swimmer
up before a race.