Swimming Basics
4 Primary Strokes
- Freestyle (FR)
- Butterfly (FLY)
- Backstroke (BA)
- Breaststroke (BR)
Distances
1 length of the pool = 25 meters
2 lengths of the pool (one lap) = 50 meters
IM & Relays
Individual Medley (IM)
- Individual event for age groups 9 and older
- Stroke order: fly, back, breast, free
Medley Relay
- Occurs at the very beginning of the meet
- 4 swimmers
- Stroke order: back, breast, fly, free
Free Relay
- Occurs at the very end of the meet (except for 8&U, which are Events #61 and 62)
- 4 swimmers
- Everyone swims freestyle
DQ’s (disqualification) - This part of swimming is tough. Swimmers above the age of 7 can be disqualified. The technical rules of swimming are designed to provide fair and equitable conditions of competition and to promote uniformity in the sport.
If disqualified (DQ’ed), the swimmer will not receive an official time and will not be eligible for an award in that event. A disqualification may result from actions such as not getting to the starting blocks on time, false starting, performing strokes in an illegal manner, or unsportsmanlike conduct.
DQs are also a result of technical rules violations. They include but are not limited to:
Freestyle: Walking on the bottom, pulling on the lane rope, not touching the wall on a turn, or not completing the distance.
Backstroke: Pulling or kicking into the wall once a swimmer has turned passed the vertical onto the breast. Turning onto the breast before touching the wall with the hand at the finish of the race.
Breaststroke: An illegal kick such as flutter (freestyle), dolphin (butterfly), or scissors (side stroke); not on the breast; alternating movements of the arms; taking two arm strokes or two leg kicks while the head is under water; touching with only one hand at the turns or finish.
Butterfly: Alternating movements of the arms or legs; pushing the arms forward under instead of over the water surface (underwater recovery); a breaststroke style of kick; touching with only one hand at the turns or finish.
