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| "A" time | Beginner/intermediate qualifying time standard (based on Swim BC results). |
| "AA" time | Intermediate qualifying time standard (based on Swim BC results). |
| "AAA" time | Advanced qualifying time standard (based on Swim BC results); sufficient for competition at the provincial level. |
| Age Group | Swim divisions based on age. For example, 10 & under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-17, 18 & over. Some meets also break down the 10 & under age group into 8 & under and 9-10. |
| Anchor | The final swimmer in a relay. |
| 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. Racing distances are 25 (8 & under age group only), 50, 100 and 200. |
| 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. Racing distances are 25 (8 & under only), 50, 100 and 200. |
| 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. Racing distances are 25 (8 & under only), 50, 100 and 200. |
| Cap | The latex or lycra covering worn on the head of swimmers. |
| Circle Seeding | A method of seeding swimmers when they are participating in a prelims/finals event. The fastest 18 to 24 swimmers are seeded in the last three heats, with the fastest swimmers being in the inside lanes. |
| Consolation Finals | After the fastest 6 or 8 swimmers, the next 6 or 8 swimmers (depending on the # of pool lanes) in a Prelims/Finals meet who, after the Prelims swim, qualify to return to the Finals. Consolations are the second fastest heat of finals when multiple heats are held and are conducted before the Championship heat. |
| Deck | The area around the swimming pool reserved for swimmers, officials, and coaches. |
| Deck Entries | Accepting entries into swimming events on the first day or later day of a meet. |
| Disqualified | A swimmers performance is not counted because of a rules infraction. The swimmer's time will then be discounted. |
| Dive | Entering the water head first. Diving is not allowed during warmups except at the designated time, in specific lanes that are monitored by the swimmers coach. |
| Dryland | The exercises and various strength programs swimmers do out of the water. |
| Entry | An Individual, Relay team, or Club roster's event list into a swim competition. |
| Entry Fees | The amount per event a swimmer or relay is charged. |
| Electronic Timing | Timing system operated on DC current (battery). The timing system usually has touchpads in the water, junction boxes on the deck with hook up cables, buttons for backup timing, and a computer type console that prints out the results of each race. Some systems are hooked up to a scoreboard that displays swimmers. |
| Event | A race or stroke over a given distance. An event equals 1 preliminary with its final, or 1 timed final. |
| 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. |
| FINA | The international, rules making organization, for the sport of swimming. |
| Finals | The final race of each event. |
| Flags | Pennants that are suspended over the width of each end of the pool approximately 15 feet from the wall. These are used by backstroke swimmers to judge their distance to the wall. |
| 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. Racing distances are 25 (8 & under only), 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1500. In the US, distances of 500, 1000 and 1650 yards are swum in place of the 400, 800 and 1500 metre distances. |
| 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. |
| Heat Sheet | The printed listings of swimmers' seed times in the various events at a swim meet. For example, it will list all swim events in the order that they are being swum, along with the lane assignments for each heat. |
| 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. Distances offered are 100, 200 or 400. |
| Lane | The specific area in which a swimmer is assigned to swim. (ie) Lane 1 or Lane 2. |
| 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. See lap. |
| Long Course | A 50 meter pool. |
| Marshall | The adult(s) (official) who control the crowd and swimmer flow at a swim meet. |
| Meet | A series of events held in one program. |
| Meet Manager | The official in charge of the administration of the meet. The person directing the "dry side" of the meet. |
| Nationals | Canadian national swimming championships - qualifying times are required. |
| NT | No Time. The abbreviation used on a heat sheet to designate that the swimmer has not swam that event before. |
| Officials | The certified, adult volunteers, who operate the many facets of a swim competition. |
| Pace Clock | The electronic clocks or large clocks with highly visible numbers and second hands, positioned at the ends or sides of a swimming pool so the swimmers can read their times during warmups or swim practice. |
| Paddle | Colored plastic devices worn on the swimmers hands during swim practice. |
| Pull Buoy | A flotation device used for pulling by swimmers in practice. |
| Qualifying Times | Published times necessary to enter certain meets, or the times necessary to achieve a specific category of swimmer. See "A" "AA" (etc.) times. |
| Recall Rope | A rope across the width of the racing pool for the purpose of stopping swimmers who were not aware of a false start. |
| Referee | The head official at a swim meet in charge of all of the "Wet Side" administration and decisions. |
| 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. Medley relays are conducted over 200 and 400 distances. 2.) Freestyle relay - Each of the 4 swimmers swims freestyle. Free relays are conducted over 200, 400 or 800 distances. |
| Sanctioned Meet | A meet that is approved by the LSC in which is is held. Meet must be conducted according to USA Swimming rules. All participants, including coaches, athletes and officials, must be USA Swimming members. |
| Scratch | To withdraw from an event after having declared an intention to participate. Some meets have scratch deadlines and specific scratch rules, and if not followed, swimmer can be disqualified from remaining events. |
| Seed | The lane ssignment of the swimmer in each heat based on their submitted or preliminary times. |
| Short Course | A 25 yard or 25 meter pool. |
| Split | A portion of an event, shorter than the total distance, that is timed. (ie) A swimmers first 50 time is taken as the swimmer swims the 100 race. It is common to take multiple splits for the longer distances. |
| Start | The beginning of a race. The dive used to begin a race. |
| Starter | The official in charge of signaling the beginning of a race and insuring that all swimmers have a fair takeoff. |
| 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. |
| Taper | The resting phase of a swimmer prior to a championship meet. |
| Timed Finals | Competition in which only heats are swum and final placings are determined by the those times. |
| Time Standard | A time set by Swim BC or Swim Canada that a swimmer must achieve for qualification for selected meets. |
| Timer | The volunteers sitting behind the starting blocks/finish end of pool, who are responsible for getting watch times on events and activating the backup buttons for the timing system. |
| Time Trial | A sanctioned event where a swimmer may achieve or better a required time standard. |
| 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. |
| Warm-down | The recovery swimming a swimmer does after a race when pool space is available. |
| Warm-up | The practice and "loosing" up session a swimmer does before the meet or their event is swum. |