SWIM TERMS
AGE GROUPS
8 & Under - Anyone 8 years old or less
10 & Under - 9 and 10 year olds
12 & Under - 11 and 12 year olds
14 & Under - 13 and 14 year olds
OPENS
15 years and up including those who graduated in the June immediately preceding that summer season.
Age groups are determined by the age of the swimmer as of May 31st. Each age group has a male and female category.
DIVISIONS
The Lancaster County Swim League is made up of three divisions. The higher the division the better and more competitive the teams are, first being the top division. At the end of the season the team which finishes at the bottom of a division may trade places with the team which finished at the top of the preceding division. Ranking within a division is determined by each teams' win-loss record.
DUAL MEET
Two teams in the same division compete against each other. Admission is free. These are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Start of actual racing is 6:15 PM and takes about 2 1/2 hours ending with relays.
DIVISIONALS
This meet takes place after the regular dual meet schedule. All the teams from the same division compete against each other.
LEAGUES
The end of the year swim meet in which all the Lancaster County teams from the three divisions participate. Relays are held Friday night. 12 & Under, 14 & Under, and Opens compete individually Saturday morning. 8 & Under and 10 & Under compete Saturday afternoon. This is all weather permitting.
SCORING
Individual events - 1st place=5 points, 2nd place=3 points, 3rd place=1 point.
A team may not sweep a race. The team which does not place automatically gets 3rd place.
Relays - 1st place receives 7 points. No other places receive points.
A swimmer may be entered in up to 3 events, individual or relay.
LIVE HEAT
Races in which points count towards team scores. There is only one live heat per individual category.
EXHIBITION HEATS
Races which do not count towards team scores. There will be as many exhibition heats needed as to let all swimmers at every capability compete against each other.
INVITATIONALS
Optional swim meets against other swimmers from teams invited to compete in that event. Swimmers are seeded by their times. The heats are run from slowest to fastest times with the fastest swimmers competing in the last heat of an event. Swimmers must pay entry fees per event in which they will be swimming. Entry fees must be paid even if a swimmer who is entered does not atend since this is done in advance. There is an admission charged for all non-swimmers, since invitationals are also fund raisers for the pool hosting them. Heat sheets are available for purchase. They tell when a swimmer will race and the swimmers' seeded times. Bring lawn chairs and snacks/lunch. Food is available for purchase. There is usually a vendor there so you may purchase any swimming needs (i.e. suits, goggles, shirts).
STROKES
Freestyle
The crawl stroke is used for this because it is the fastest but technically any stroke may be done. Swimmers may not touch the bottom of the pool or they will DQ.
Backstroke
Swimmers must remain on their back the entire length or they will DQ.
Breaststroke and Butterfly
Must be performed in a strict manner or a DQ will occur.
The order of strokes at dual meets are: free, back, breast, fly, and free relays.
DISQUALIFICATION (DQ)
This will happen if a stroke is performed incorrectly as per the judge. The swimmers place and time do not count. DQ's also happen when a member of a relay team leaves the starting block before the swimmer in the water touches the wall.
TIMING
Manual Timing
Requires the use of hand-held, battery powered, digital read-out stopwatches. Lane timers perform the "start" and "stop" actions.
Semi-Automatic Timing
Activated by an electronic pulse from a starting device or transducer. Finishes are recorded by buttons pushed by timers at the swimmer's finish touch.
Automatic Timing
Activated by an electronic pulse from a starting device or transducer. Finishes are recorded by the swimmer's contact with the touchpad.
Primary Timing System
The timing system (touchpads, buttons or watches) from which the swimmer's Official Time will be determined unless that equipment has malfunctioned. When watches or buttons are used as the primary timing system, at least two watches or buttons must be used. Three watches or buttons per lane are highly preferable.
Secondary Timing System
A system used to verify the proper operation of the primary timing system or to provide backup times in the event that the primary timing system malfunctions. Automatic and semi-automatic electronic equipment must always be backed up.
Tertiary Timing System
Unless the primary timing system consists of manual watches or the secondary system includes at least one manual watch per lane, a tertiary system of at least one watch per lane must be provided. Both secondary and tertiary timing systems provide verification and backup times for the primary timing system.
|
|
