Announcer: Uses a public address system to communicate meet information to teams, swimmers, spectators. This position keeps the meet running smoothly by announcing the start, calls for groups to report to the clerk of course and periodic announcements regarding the score and any team or pool records broken.
Best time ( or personal best time): An improvement over the best time swam to date. Baseline times are established during time trials or the first time a swimmer swims an event. Any improvement during the course of the season establishes a new best time.
Clerk of Course: The clerk of course is responsible for lining the main events in order according to event slips. The clerk will also organize the swimmers in heats to maximize lane space by spreading out swimmers from both teams to any empty lane, but also will ensure that there are a minimum of 3 swimmers per heat so that no one swims alone. This can be achieved by spreading out the last 2 heats of swimmers into all lanes available.
Co-Chairs: Responsible for communication between Club management, pool management and the team for smooth functionality throughout the season.
Disqualification Slip: A disqualification will be written for main event swimmers who have disqualified. This slip is presented to the scorer to make adjustments to finishes of races. The DQ slips will go back to the coaches to make improvements with the swimmers technique..
Disqualify (DQ): When a stroke and turn judge observes something that is not permitted according the rules for a start, stroke technique, turn, or finish of a race they issue a disqualification for that swimmer. A DQ, while disappointing for a swimmer, should be viewed as an opportunity for improvement.
Double Winner: A 6 & under swimmer who successfully (without DQ) places first in both main events they swam. 6 & under swimmers participate only in freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke. They may swim only in 2 main events, the other event they participate in a heat for their 3rd stroke.
Event Slips: Written by the coaching staff and given to the clerk of course. They show the swimmers who will participate in the main event. The event slips go from coach to clerk to runner to recorder to runner to scorer to ribbon writer. The are the paper trail necessary to score the meet.
Event: The specific age, gender and stroke to be swum. It is announced as 7/8 girls 25 yard freestyle or 13/14 boys 50 yard butterfly.
Finish (heats): Each heat will have 1 swimmer finishing first; this swimmer will receive a heat winner ribbon (or prize/treat). All other swimmers in the same race will receive a participation ribbon.
Finish (main event): Each main event is watched by place judges and stroke and turn judges. It is important to note that main event swimmers do disqualify from time to time and that will change the order of the finish. For example, if the finish order is lane 3, then 4, then 2, then 5 but swimmer 4 disqualifies; the official finish order will be Lane 3, 2 then 5. It is also important to note that when a tie occurs, it leaves an empty space in the finish order. For example if lane 3 and 4 tie for first, lane 2 finishes second, lane 5 finishes third, the official results will reflect Lane 3 and 4 finishing first, lane 2 finishing 3rd and lane 5 finishing 4th. There is no second place finish.
Heat: The subset of an event that will enter the water at the same time. The number of heats fluctuate with the number of swimmers. The first heat of each event is also called the main event.
Kid Pusher: Kid pushers are responsible for getting the swimmers to the clerk of course in the order laid out in the line-up. This includes all individual events and relays for the age group/gender the kid pusher is responsible.
Legal: To swim the entire race without infractions. This includes the start, stroke, turn and finish must be swum within the rules for that stroke.
Line-up: The order the swimmers in a meet. This is created by the coaches based on best time, legality of stroke, maximum number of main events per swimmer, and scratches
Main Event: The first heat of each event. It is the only heat that is scored, placed, and observed for disqualifications.
Medley Relay: Comprised of 4 swimmers, each swimming a separate stroke. It is swum as backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly then freestyle. 7/8 and 9/10 swimmers each swim 25 of a stroke, backstroke and butterfly enter the water at the start end of the pool, breaststroke and freestyle at the finish end of the pool Eleven (11) and older swimmers all swim a 50 of a stroke and all enter the water at the start end of the pool Each swimmer enters the water as the person before them touches the wall to avoid a DQ.
Meet Director: Responsible for the functioning of a meet.
Meet Vests: Vests worn by various people during the course of the meet. This allows swimmers, officials, and spectators to easily identify meet volunteers and their positions.
Numbers: Assigned to each swimmer based on the age group they participate. Boys will have odd numbers, girls even. These numbers are written down by the timers after a swim so personal best can be reflected for the year.
Place Judge: Responsible for watching the swimmers during main events and communicate to the recorder which lane finished in the place they represent. 1st & 2nd place judges time swimmers for the scorer to assess new pool/team records. Times are never uses in determining the placement of finishes, it is by sight only (per TSA rules).
Place: The order of finish of a main event as determined by place judges and adjusted by the scorer for any disqualifications.
Pool and Team Records: Historical data representing the best times ever swum by MDST at MDCC (team records meters); MDST at other venues (team records yards); All teams at MDCC (Pool records).
Recorder: Responsible for recording the results of a main event as determined by the places judges. Also records the stop watch times of the 1st & 2nd place judges on to the event slips so the scorer can determine if a new pool or team record has been set.
Recorder: Watches the places judges and records the finish of each main event and the times as recorded by the 1st & 2nd place judges on to the event slips.
Ribbon Distributor: Pass out either heat winner or participation ribbons to the appropriate swimmers in non-main events at the conclusion of each race. Ribbons are not distributed to main event swimmers at the conclusion of their race because the will receive place ribbons at some point after the meet.
Ribbon Writers: Responsible for transferring information from the event slips to the appropriate place ribbons. Ribbons are given to team representatives, not swimmers, at the conclusion of the meet.
Runners: Responsible for the flow of paper across the pool deck. From the clerk of course to the recorder to the scorer and from the stroke and turn judges to the scorer.
Score: Each main event is scored. The score is determined by the top 3 finishes. A total of 9 points total is awarded; 5 to 1st, 3 to 2nd, 1 to 3rd. If a tie occurs points are combined and divided evenly between swimmers.
Scorer: Awards points based on finishes as determined by the place judges, and incorporates any DQs. Also determines if a new pool or team record has been set.
Scratch: The opting out of a meet by the Monday morning prior to the meet. This will allow the coaching staff to prepare line-ups and relays accurately.
Starter: Responsible for preparing the swimmers of every heat and main event to race and start the race by using verbal commands and a starting device. A starter will ask the swimmers to step up (or step in for backstroke), ask the timers and judges if they are ready (and wait until they indicate readiness), ask the swimmers to take their mark, wait to be sure the swimmers are “on their mark”, then press the starting device.
Stroke and Turn Judges: Certified by TSA to observe main event swimmers and look for disqualifying motions during the course of a main event. When a swimmers start, stroke technique, turn or finish is not done legally this judge issues a disqualification for that swimmer. Heats are not judged.
Tarheel Swimming Association (TSA): The governing body of summer leagues swim teams within Wake County.
Timer sheets: The sheets are provided at the volunteer check-in for each lane. The timer will transfer the number of a swimmer with their corresponding time to these sheets. Every swim in a lane should be recorded, including opposing team swimmers. Times for opposing team members can be given to those timers at a calm moment during the course of the meet.
Timers: Responsible for using a stopwatch to time each swimmer in their lane and record the time and the swimmer number on the timer sheets. The stopwatch is started with the starting device and stopped when the swimmer touches the finish mark. Times are recorded exactly as they appear on the stopwatch without rounding up or down.
Triple Winner: A 7 and older athlete who successfully (without DQ) places first in all 3 main events they swim. 7 & older swimmers participate in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly individually. The may swim only in 3 main event strokes. The 4th stroke is swum in a heat. Medley Relays and Free Relays do not count in the determination of triple winners.
TSA Reps: Available from each team at every meet. They are there to ensure that the meet operates within TSA rules. They also are there to handle any disputes or issues that may arise.
Volunteer Coordinator: Responsible for staffing each meet with volunteers, checking-in volunteers at a meet, and distributing and collecting equipment at a meet.
Watches (Stopwatches): The device a timer uses to time the swimmers.
