USA Swimming: The national governing body of swimming. USA Swimming offers a broad-based Age Group Program that is managed by local swim committees (LSC’s). Bluefish’s LSC is New England Swimming (NES). Visit the USA Swimming website for more information and valuable resources.

www.usaswimming.org

NES – New England Swimming Inc. Visit the NES website for information regarding meets and results, board meeting minutes and more.

Short Course: Typically the season that runs from Aug/Sept to March/April. Swum in a 25 yard (SCY) or 25 meter pool (SCM), the “shorter” pool. Times achieved in short course are comparatively faster than times achieved in long course.

Long Course: Typically the season that runs from April/May to the beginning of August. Competed in a 50 meter (LCM), Olympic-size pool, the “long” pool. Times achieved in long course are slower as compared to SCY or SCM times. Long Course swimming is the international standard for swimming.

Age Group: Division of swimmers according to age.

Traditional Age Groups: 8 & Under, 10 & Under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18, 15 & Over, and Open.

Strokes:

Butterfly (fly): One of the 4 competitive racing strokes. Butterfly is swum as the third stroke in the Medley Relay and the first stroke in the Individual Medley. Racing distances are 50 yds/m, 100 yds/m, 200 yds/m. (8 & Under divisions offer the 25 yd butterfly).

Backstroke (back): One of the 4 competitive racing strokes, basically any style of swimming on your back. Backstroke is swum as the first stroke in the Medley Relay and the second stroke in the Individual Medley. Racing distances are 50 yds/m, 100 yds/m, 200 yds/m. (8 & Under divisions offer the 25 yd backstroke).

Breaststroke (breast): One of the 4 competitive racing strokes. Breaststroke is swum as the second stroke in the Medley Relay and the third stroke in the Individual Medley. Racing distances are 50 yds/m, 100 yds/m, 200 yds/m. (8 & Under divisions offer the 25 yd breaststroke).

Freestyle (free): One of the 4 competitive racing strokes, basically any style of swimming on your front. Freestyle is swum as the fourth stroke in the Medley Relay and the fourth stroke in the Individual Medley. The official racing distances are 50 yds/m, 100 yds/m, 200 yds/m, 400 m/500 yds, 800 m/1000 yds, 1500 m/1650 yds.

Individual Medley (IM): A swimming event using all 4 of the competitive strokes. The order MUST be: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle. Equal distances must be swum for each stroke. Distances offered: 100 yds (25 of each), 200 yds/m (50 of each), 400 yds/m (100 of each).

Relays:

Relays: A swimming event in which 4 swimmers participate as a relay team, each swimmer swimming an equal distance of the race. Relay teams are determined by the coaches and often decided on the day of the meet or at the meet. 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. Medley relays are conducted over 200 yd/m and 400 yd/m distances.
2. Freestyle Relay – Each swimmer swims freestyle. Freestyle relays are conducted over 200 yd/m, 400 yd/m, and 800 yd/m distances.

Relays can be composed of 4 swimmers of the same gender or 2 boys and 2 girls. Those with 2 boys and 2 girls are called mixed gender relays.

Length:

25 yds = 1 pool length (in a short course pool)

Examples:

• 100 IM = 1 length of each stroke
• 100 Free = 4 lengths
• 50 yds = 2 pool lengths
• 200 IM = 2 lengths of each stroke

Disqualification (DQ):

A swimmer’s performance time is not counted because of a rules infraction. A disqualification is shown by an official raising one arm above their head.