🧒 Age Group Swimming

A Swim Canada program that organizes competition by age:
10 & Under, 11–12, 13–14, 15–17, Senior.
Designed to encourage participation, skill development, and fair racing.

⬛ Blocks

The platforms swimmers dive from at the start of a race.

🧱 Bulkhead

A movable wall used to divide a long-course pool into smaller sections.

👨‍🏫 Coach

A trained professional responsible for swimmer development, technique, and race planning.

🧾 Code of Conduct

A signed agreement that outlines behaviour expectations for swimmers and parents.

🚫 DQ (Disqualified)

Issued when a swimmer breaks a rule (e.g., incorrect turn or stroke). That swim does not count.

🧘 Dryland Training

Out-of-water training to support strength, flexibility, and performance.

📝 Entry Form

Completed by the coach to enter a swimmer in a meet.

🏁 False Start

When a swimmer leaves the block before the horn. Can lead to disqualification.

🏅 Final

The top heat of an event, based on prelim results.

🏊 Finish

The final touch at the end of a race — a clean, legal finish is crucial!

🚩 Flags

Backstroke flags placed 5m from the wall, helping swimmers time their turns.

🏊‍♂️ Freestyle

Typically front crawl — the fastest stroke.

🎯 Goal

A target time or milestone a swimmer is working toward.

💧 Gutter

Channels around the pool that capture overflow water.

📄 Heat Sheet

The event schedule showing swimmer names, heats, and lane assignments.

🌀 I.M. (Individual Medley)

A single race with four strokes in order: Butterfly → Backstroke → Breaststroke → Freestyle.

🔢 Lap Counter

Used in distance races to help swimmers track laps (held at opposite end of pool).

📏 Long Course

A 50m pool, used for meets in late winter to summer.

🏃 Long Distance

Events over 400m.

🧍 Marshalling

The process of organizing swimmers before they race — critical for meet flow!

📆 Meet

A swim competition where swimmers race for time and experience.

⏱️ Middle Distance

Races from 200m to 400m.

➕ Negative Split

Swimming the second half of a race faster than the first.

👩‍⚖️ Official

A certified volunteer who ensures races are fair and follow all Swim Canada rules.

🕒 Pace Clock

Used during training to time intervals and track pace. Large and often on deck.

🔄 Prelims (Heats or Trials)

Initial races to determine who qualifies for finals.

✅ Q-Time (Qualifying Time)

The standard a swimmer must meet to enter certain events or meets (e.g., Regionals).

👥 Relay

A team race with 4 swimmers each completing a leg of the event.

✖️ Scratch

Withdrawing from an event after being entered.

📏 Short Course

A 25m pool, most common for fall/winter competitions.

📊 Split

Time recorded at intervals during a race (e.g., each 50m). Helps track pacing.

⚡ Sprint

Short-distance races (50m or 100m) swum at full intensity.

➖ Streamline

A tight body position off starts or walls to reduce drag.

⏱️​​​​​​​ Time Trial

A race done for timing purposes only—not part of a formal meet.

🧱 Touch Pad

The electronic pad at the end of each lane that records finishing times.

🧑‍⚖️ Meet Officials – Volunteer Roles at Swim Meets

These trained parent volunteers help ensure safe, fair, and smoothly run competitions.

⏱️ Timer

Operates a stopwatch and/or plunger button to record each swimmer's finish time in a specific lane. (Often needs no prior experience—great entry-level job!)

📢 Marshal

Gathers swimmers from marshalling and ensures they are behind the blocks in the correct heat and lane, on time.

🧐 Stroke & Turn Official

Watches each swimmer to ensure strokes, turns, and finishes follow Swim Canada rules. Trained and certified.

📋 Clerk of Course

Prepares and organizes the heat sheets and lane assignments. Works with marshalling to keep meet flow efficient.

🎤 Announcer

Communicates event numbers, heats, swimmer names, and general announcements during the meet.

🗂️ Recorder/Scorer

Collects and verifies results and enters them into the meet management system.

🛟 Safety Marshal

Ensures safety protocols are followed on deck and in the warm-up area. Easily identified by their high-visibility vest.