You're a swimmer rookie, beginner, first-timer, novice ... that's alright, everyone was in your shoes at one time. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Here are some frequently asked questions by first year swimmers and parents.

What's the IM?

IM stands for Individual Medley. Once a swimmer has learned to swim all four strokes, the IM is the next and last event to learn. The IM is all four strokes combined into one event called the 100 IM. The 100 does not stand for laps, it is the number of yards or meters. One lap is 25 yards/meters; the 100 IM is four laps. The order is Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle.

Who picks what my child swims?

Your coach chooses the events for each swimmer to swim.

Can my swimmer leave yet?

If you know you will be leaving a meet early or not going to a meet at all, try to tell your coach as early as possible. If you unexpectedly need to leave a meet, please notify a coach before you leave. If your swimmer is done swimming and you have nothing to do, stick around and cheer, you never know we may need your swimmer for a relay. Please make sure that you are not in a relay before you leave.

She just learned to swim on her stomach, now back?

There are five events or strokes in swimming. Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly and the Individual Medley. Your swimmer will be grouped with kids that are at the same swimming level as your child. Once a swimmer has mastered or in some cases found an understanding for a stroke the coach will introduce another. Once the swimmer knows how to swim the strokes they will concentrate on the details of each stroke. Just like in anything you do, there is always room for improvement.

What is the Medley Relay order?

IM stands for Individual Medley. Once a swimmer has learned to swim all four strokes, the IM is the next and last event to learn. The IM is all four strokes combined into one event called the 100 IM. The 100 does not stand for laps, it is the number of yards or meters. One lap is 25 yards/meters; the 100 IM is four laps. The order is back, breast, fly, free.

Volunteer?

In most sports the number of needed volunteers is not great. This is most definitely not true in swimming. Parent involvement is the most important part of a great swim season. Most parents and swimmers do not realize the amount of hours spent behind scenes. Most of us take for granted what the board and volunteers do for the swim team. All we ask is that someone from each family donate one shift for timing, recording, crowd control, runner, etc. The list goes on. When parents volunteer it makes the whole meet run smoothly.

What is a meet?

In swimming, when two opposing teams swim each other it is referred to as a meet.  At meets, each swimmer can swim in at most 5 events (depending on the meet rules), 3 individual events and 2 relays.

Pool Food

Usually there will be veggies, chips, drinks, nachos, hot dogs candy and pizza at the pool concession stand. 

Heat Sheets

During invitationals “Heat Sheets” will be on sale at the concession stand. They will include the individual events, the swimmers entered in each event, and their fastest time. Swimmers will be listed fastest to slowest using their best time for each event. Swimmers who have never competed in an event before will be listed after swimmers with times. The notation NT for “no time” will be typed next to their names.

What's my time?

Swimmers learn to ask the timers for their (unofficial) time as soon as they get out of the pool at the end of a race. Once the times for a heat are collected, the official results are posted by the Scoring Officials. The official event results (which include the swimmers’ names, their times, and event placing) are usually posted on the gym or other nearby wall about an hour after completion of the event. All event results are computerized and retained for each swimmer all season.

Disqualification (DQ)

Our league complies with WCPSL/AMS/USA Swimming rules. To ensure fair competition for all swimmers, these rules are equally applied to all swimmers, regardless of age or experience. During competition, if a swimmer fails to comply with the stroke and turn rules, a Stroke & Turn Judge (dressed in white shirts) will raise his/her hand, write up a disqualification (DQ) slip, and present it to the referee for approval. A swimmer is not disqualified until the referee accepts the report. Almost all swimmers in all age groups have been DQ’d at some time and a DQ should be viewed as a learning experience and not a failure. Swimmers should discuss the DQ with their Coach after the race, and together they will formulate a plan to correct the mistake.