Wahoo Swim Team Dictionary
Volunteer Positions
| Announcer | Announce the events and play music as the meet goes underway. |
| Bull Pen | You will work with the other volunteers in the Bull Pen to get swimmers to the pool deck in time for their races. The Bull Pen is where swimmers hangout when not on the pool deck getting ready to swim. |
| Computer | Enter results of the races into the computer as the meet goes on. Starts after the meet gets going and ends at least 30m after meet is over. |
| Concessions Assistant | Run the concession stand including set up and break down (depending on shift). |
| Deck Manager | You will remain on the pool deck near the starting blocks, take the swimmers from the Bull Pen Assistants, and place them in the correct lanes for swimming. |
| Event Binder | This is an easy job for someone who wants to sit by the pool and watch races. Turn the numbers of events so that the swimmers, judges, announcer, and observers can keep track of which event is in the water. |
| Judges Recorder | Sits next to the Place Judges and records the finishing places of the swimmers. The referee breaks any ties. You have no say in the places, just record what the judges and ref say. |
| Master Recorder | This is a busy runner position. You take the judges recorder finished sheets and get finishing times for the swimmers and then turn in the filled out sheets to the Computer person. |
| Meet Clean Up | All Families: Get pool deck back in order after the meet. Put equipment away. Clean out and re-line trash cans. Clean bathrooms. Clean and vacuum clubhouse. Pick up parking lot, pool deck, surrounding grounds where visitors stayed, and parking signs. |
| Meet Set Up | Coaches and Any Families Available: Set up Pool Deck for Swim Meet. Please arrive by 3PM. |
| Place Judge | Sits by the pool and judges who touches the wall first, second, third, etc. Communicates with the Judges Recorder the results. |
| Ribbons | Put stickers on appropriate ribbons and file into family folders. |
| Swimmer Check In | Coaches and any families available: You will help check-in and write events on the swimmers. The volunteer needs to be available at 3 PM to get the swimmers set for the meet. You are done once all swimmers check-in. |
| Timer | Runs the stopwatch for a lane of swimmers. |
| Timer Assistant | Works with the Timer volunteer by writing down the time on the stopwatch, making sure the correct swimmers are getting on the blocks, and communicate the times with the Master Recorders. |
| Trash/Restroom Monitor | Not the most awesome job, but the one of THE most appreciated jobs. Make sure the bathrooms are stocked with TP, soap, and paper towels. Make sure the pool trash cans are emptied and re-lined as they fill up. Help concession stand by bringing their recyclables to the community trash cans. |
| Volunteer Co-coordinator | You have two active times: 1. Pre-Meet make sure all volunteers have arrived and know their job. 2. Mid-Meet make sure all volunteers are in their proper place. You are done after Mid-Meet volunteer switch. |
General Swim Team Terms
| 25 | One length of the pool |
| 50 | Two lengths of the pool |
| 100 | Four lengths of the pool |
| Best Time | A best time is achieved when a swimmer exceeds their own previous "best time" in an event - it shows that a swimmer has improved over their own time, regardless of how other swimmers finish |
| Blocks | The platform from which swimmers begin races. |
| Deck | The area surrounding the pool at practices and meets, not including the bleachers or stands. During practices, parents are prohibited from being on the deck. During meets officials, coaches, swimmers and volunteers will be on the deck while spectators will have a designated area on deck to spectate. |
| Dolphin Kick | Once just the leg motion for butterfly, the dolphin kick (which mimics the undulating motion by which the sea animal moves through the water) is now considered the fifth stroke. It is done underwater in streamline position to in order build momentum on fly, freestyle and backstroke starts and turns. Swimmers are even allowed to take one dolphin kick in breaststroke. |
| DQ | Disqualify |
| DQ/Legal | These are the terms that describe whether a stroke is being performed correctly (legally) as defined by United States Swimming rules. If a swimmer is judged by a Stroke and Turn judge to be swimming incorrectly, that swimmer is disqualified (DQ) for that event in the meet. The swimmer should ask their coach for instructions to correct the problem before swimming the same event in another meet. DQ does not mean that a swimmer cannot swim in further events or meets. It is a learning tool for swimmers |
| Dryland | Exercises or stretches that are conducted out of the pool in order to warm up, build strength and increase flexibility |
| Event | This is defined by the age group, sex and swimming stroke, such as Boys' 9-10 Backstroke. The number of events at each meet varies |
| Event Winner | This is the swimmer who has the fastest time in the entire event consisting of all the heats of that event |
| Finishes | This is how a swimmer ends the race by touching the wall in a legal way depending upon the stroke |
| Flags | Backstroke flags are placed at both ends of the pool 15 feet from the end to serve as a warning to backstroke swimmers that they are nearing the wall for a turn or finish. Timers may "catch the heads" of younger swimmers who would otherwise hit the wall |
| Hand Entry | The position the hand is in at the time it touches the water after the recovery and before the catch phase. The hand should enter with the fingers together and pointing downward, as if putting on a glove. It should also enter in line with the shoulder to avoid injury. |
| Heat | When an event has more swimmers entered than available lanes, as is usually the case, there are multiple heats of the event. |
| Heat Sheet | This is the official schedule of swimmers in their assigned events, heats and lanes drawn up by the coaches. |
| Heat Winner | This is the person who comes in first in a particular heat of an event. This does not automatically mean that the swimmer has also won the event, since there are usually multiple heats for any event |
| IM (Individual Meadly) | An event that encompasses all four swimming strokes including Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Freestyle. Lengths may vary from 100 yards/meters (one lap of each stroke) to 400 yards/meter (four laps of each stroke) |
| Meet | A competition between two (dual meet) or more teams with individual swimmers, relays, place ribbons and team scores |
| Relays | Relay races are sometimes offered at the beginning or end of a meet. Medley relays feature 4 swimmers each swimming a different stroke beginning with back, breast, fly and free. Free relays feature 4 freestyle swimmers |
| Seeding | This refers to the heat and lane assignment of the swimmer. Swimmers are arranged (seeded) by the best times, with the slowest swimmers in heat 1 and so forth. Further, the fastest swimmers are seeded in the middle of the pool outward |
| Starts | This is the entry into the water (generally a dive) or the beginning of the backstroke (push off back dive) at the sound of the starting buzzer |
| Streamline | Position a swimmer assumes at the start of a lap in which their body and arms are straight with the elbows behind the ears arms squeezing the back of the head |
| Stroke Clinic | A practice with a specific goal of improving technique on one or more specific strokes |
| Turns | A swimmer who is swimming more than one
length of the pool in an event must perform a legal turn at each wall to
continue the race. Each stroke has its own turn requirements, which are
taught in practice. Turns are needed in the individual medleys, and 50 yard
distances for the older swimmers |
| Warm-ups | Each meet begins by having a warm-up period. This is very important so that swimmers do not pull muscles and also allows swimmers to get familiar with the pool. |
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