Junior Meet: A meet for swimmers 13 years old and under held with one (and sometimes two)other team(s). Traditionally there are 4 Junior meets per season. The logistics are arranged between the teams on a date set by the McDonalds league. Due to the fact that out team does not set the date, we never know if our pool is available. Sometimes if the pool is available, boys will meet at one pool and girls at the other. Genders may be combined. Swimmers 12 and under are required to swim in at least 2 Junior Meets in order to participate in the McDonald’s League Championships in March of each season. Junior Meets are sanctioned events, so times earned at these meets are official, and count toward the swimmer’s best times. Swimmers interested in participating in Junior Meets are required to sign up on a sign up sheet on the Team Bulletin Board in the week prior to the meet. Coaches arrange events and relays, and swimmers are informed of their events when they arrive for warm-ups. Coaches assist the swimmers in lining up for their events. Participation in Junior Meets is free, and run by volunteers from both teams. For this reason, no funds are generated for either team. Volunteering at these meets is strongly encouraged however, does not count toward volunteer requirements. If the concessions booth is opened at WAC, working a session does count toward your volunteer requirements.

Senior Meet: A meet for swimmers who will be 13 years old or older during the swim season. Traditionally there are 4 Senior Meets during the swim season; dates and locations are set by the McDonald’s League. Swimmers may chose the events they swim; there are no relays. Participation in at least 2 District Meets OR participation in 1 meet and working at a District level meet is required in order to participate in the McDonald’s League Championships in March of each season. Senior Meets are sanctioned events, so times earned at these meets are official, and count toward the swimmer’s best times. Senior Meets are one of 2 formats; each offering different events. These formats are called “Format 1” and “Format 2” and are posted on the Niagara District web site.

Team Meet: A Team Meet is a meet in the district to which eligible swimmers are encouraged to attend. WSA always sends a coach to team meets, and relays will be organized when possible.

Invitational Meet: An Invitational meet is a meet hosted by an individual team designed not only to provide competitive opportunities for swimmers, but also to raise funds for the team. Participants pay a small entrance fee, as well as a small fee for each event entered. Participants may come from many different teams. Most Invitational meets are open to all ranges of skills and ages, however; occasionally they are designed for a specific interest, such as distance events, or primarily younger swimmers.

Non Team Meet: A Non Team Meet is a meet held in the district for which WSA swimmers may potentially enter, however, no coach will be sent, and no relays will be organized.

District Meet: District meets are meets sponsored by the Niagara District, but hosted by an area team. District Meets have eligibility criteria (faster than or slower than set times) and are attended by swimmers from many teams around the District. Like Invitationals, swimmers pay a small deck fee and a fee for each event entered, thus generating income for the host team. The host team provides all volunteer positions except for Lane Timers in the preliminary events. Teams sending swimmers are often asked to provide Lane Timers proportionate to the number of swimmers sent. Families of swimmers are asked to share this responsibility, taking shifts across a session. District Meets are usually in a “Prelem-Finals” format, where the top swimmers from each event go back in the evening to swim in a Finals event. Usually 2 heats go back from each event. While both swims are official and can count toward your best time, only team points are awarded on the Finals event.

Session: Larger meets are divided into sessions lasting up to 4 hours. Sessions are organized either by age (e.g. swimmers 12 and under swim in the morning session, and 13 and over swim in the afternoon) or by types of events. Smaller meets such as Dual Meets, Senior Meets and small Invitationals are a single session.

Age Group Swimming: Program through which USA provides fair and open competition for its younger members. Designed to encourage maximum participation, provide an educational experience, enhance physical and mental conditioning and develop a rich base of swimming talent. Nationally recognized age groups are 10 and under, 11-12, 13-14, 15- 16, 17-18 and 15-18. Local meets may include events for 8 and unders.

Block: The starting platform

Bulkhead: A wall constructed to divide a pool into different courses such as a 50 meter pool into two 25 yard courses.

Circle Swimming: Performed by staying in to the right of the black line when swimming in a lane, to Enable more swimmers to swim in each lane.

Coach: A person who trains and teaches athletes in the sport of swimming.

Code of Conduct: An agreement signed by a swimmer prior to travel stating that the swimmer will abide by certain behavioral guidelines.

Cut: Slang for qualifying time. A time standard necessary to attend a particular meet or event.

Distance: Term used to refer to events over 400 meters/500 yards.

DQ: Disqualified. This occurs when a swimmer has committed an infraction of some kind A disqualified swimmer is not eligible to receive awards, nor can the time be used as an official time.

Drill: An exercise involving a portion or part of a stroke, used to improve technique.

Dryland Training: Training done out of the water that aids and enhances swimming performance.

Entry Form: Form on which a swimmer enters a competition. Usually includes USA number, age, sex, event number and time.

Failed Swim: Where a meet calls for proof of a time standard and the swimmer fails to meet that standard in a particular race.

False Start: Occurs when a swimmer is moving at the start.

Finals: The championship heat of an event in which the top six or eight swimmers from the preliminaries compete, depending on the number of lanes in the pool.

Flags: Backstroke flags placed five yards (short course) or 5 meters (long course) from the end of the pool. They enable backstrokers to execute a backstroke turn more efficiently by counting their strokes.

Goal: A specific time achievement a swimmer sets and strives for. Can be short or long term.

Gutter: The area along the edge of the pool in which water overflows during a race and is re circulated through the filtration system.

IM: Slang for the Individual Medley, an event in which the swimmer uses all four strokes in the following order: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle.

Lap Counter: A set of plastic display numbers used to keep track of laps during a distance race. Also, the person who counts for the swimmer stationed at the opposite end from the start.

Long Course: A pool 50 meters in length. USA conducts most of its summer competition in long course.

Long Distance: Any freestyle event over 1500 meters, normally conducted in a natural body of water, Such as a lake, river or ocean. Also known as Marathon swimming.

LSC: Local Swimming Committee. Governing body for swimming on a local level.

Meet: Competition designed to be a learning experience by implementing what has been learned in practice. The swimmer tests himself against the clock to see how he is improving.

Meet program: Contains pertinent information regarding event, heat and lane assignments for all participating swimmers at a meet. Parents should purchase one at the beginning of each meet.

Middle Distance: Term used to refer to events of 200 yards/meters to 400 yards/meters in length.

National Age Group Time Standard: Time standards derived from the previous years' results that are broken down by age and sex as well as B, A, AA, AAA, AAAA divisions. Theses designations are NATIONAL and may be used for qualifying purposes. Many LSC's have their own time standards.

National Age Group Top 16: Time standards set for both short and long course based on previous years' achievements. Only times meeting these standards may be submitted for consideration each year.

Negative Split: Swimming the second half of the race equal to or faster than the first half.

Official: A judge on the deck of the pool at a sanctioned competition who is there to enforce USA rules. There are stroke and turn judges, administrative officials, starters, timers and referees.

Pace Clock: Large clock with a large second hand and a smaller minute hand, used to check pace or to maintain intervals in practice; may also be digital.

Prelims: Slang for preliminaries, also called Heats or Trials. Those races in which swimmers qualify for the championship and consolation finals in events.

Proof of Time: A requirement at some meets to make certain that all swimmers have legally met the time standards for that meet. Parents must pay $25.00 for any failed swim at a Southeastern championship meet.

Q-Time: Qualifying time necessary to compete in a particular event and/or competition.

Referee: The official who has the authority over all other officials at a meet. He/She makes all final decisions and sees to the efficient running of the meet.

Relay: An event in which four swimmers compete together as a team to achieve one time.

Safety: The condition of being safe. Safety procedures are designed to prevent accidents.

Scratch: To withdraw from an event in a competition.

Seeding Times: The time a swimmer uses to enter a meet. This time, which is written on the entry card, determines ones position and lane in a particular meet.

Set: A group of drills put together to form a complete practice.

Senior Swimming: The program through which USA provides fair and open competition in National Swimming championships. It is designed to afford maximum opportunity for participation, provide an educational experience, enhance physical and mental conditioning and develop a pool of talented athletes for International competition. There are no age restrictions in Senior competition.

Short Course: A pool 25 yards or 25 meters in length. USA conducts most of its winter competition in short course.

Split: A swimmer's intermediate time in a race. Splits are registered every 50 yards or meters and are used to determine if a swimmer is on record pace. Under certain conditions, splits may also be used as official times.

Sprint: Describes the shorter events (50 and 100). In training, to swim as fast as possible for a short distance.

Starter: The official at a meet responsible for starting each heat and calling the next heat to the blocks.

Streamline: The position used to gain maximum distance during a start and/or push off from the wall in which the swimmer's body is as tight as it can be.

Stroke and Turn Judge: The official who determines the legality of a swimmers' strokes and turns and who disqualifies those swimmers who do not conform to the rules.

Taper: The final preparation phase prior to major competition. An older more experienced swimmer will shave his entire body to reduce resistance and heighten sensation in the water.

Time Trial: A time only swim which is not part of a regular meet.

Touch Pad: A large sensitive board at the end of each lane where a swimmer's touch is registered and sent electronically to the timing system.

USA Swimming: United States of America Swimming, Inc. The national governing body for amateur competitive swimming in the United States.

USA Card number: Unique number assigned to a swimmer when they join United States of America Swimming.

Warm Down: Low intensity swimming used by swimmers after a race or main practice. It rids the body of excess lactic acid and to gradually reduce heart rate and respiration.

Warm Up: Used by a swimmer prior to a main practice, set or race. Gets muscles loose and warm and gradually increases heart and respiration.

Watches: Stopwatches used to time swimmers during a competition, usually electronic. When totally automatic timing equipment is used, watches serve as a back-up method.