Stroke & Turn Cheat Sheet
COMPONENTS OF A STROKE
The rules describe the stroke by the following components:
- START – from the start of the race until the head breaks the surface of the water
- SWIM – from head breaking surface until the beginning of the last stroke into the turn or finish
- TURN – from the beginning of the last full stroke into the wall until the head breaks the surface
- FINISH – from beginning of the last full stroke into the wall at the end of the prescribed distance
FREESTYLE
• Forward start
• At start and turn, head must break surface of water by the 15-meter mark
• Any stroke may be used
• Any kick may be used
• Swimmer must touch the wall at each turn and at the finish, any part of the body may be used
BACKSTROKE
• Start: in the water, with back to the course, feet and toes may not be in or bent over the edge of the gutter. If submerged at the start, head must surface prior to or at the 15-meter mark• Swim ON BACK, except for turns
• Any stroke may be used
• Any kick may be Used
• Swimmer must touch the wall at each turn and at the finish, any part of the body may be used.
- At the turn, the swimmer may turn onto their breast and use either a single or double arm pull during the turning motion
- Summer rules: the turn does not need to be in a continuous motion, but they cannot turn over onto their breast and kick into the wall prior to the flags
- At the finish, the shoulders cannot be past vertical
BREASTSTROKE - IS A "CYCLE” STROKE
• Forward Start
• Must swim on the breast; may take one pull past hips and one downward butterfly kick with or following the pull and prior to the breaststroke kick
• Head must break the water surface before the hands turn inward at the widest part of the second stroke
• Arms shall move simultaneously and in same horizontal plane
• Hands recover under, on, or over water from the breast
• Elbows must be under the water except at the touch
• Head must break the surface during each stroke cycle
• KICK: following single downward butterfly kick, movement shall be simultaneous and in same horizontal plane; feet turned out
• At turn and finish, body must be on breast, touch made by both hands simultaneously (not overlapping)
BUTTERFLY
• Forward Start
• Must swim on the breast
• If submerged at the start and following turns, head must break surface by 15-meter mark
• One arm pull under water is allowed, which must bring the swimmer to the surface
• Arms must be brought forward over the water and recovered simultaneously
• All up and down movements of the feet and legs must be simultaneous
• At turns and at finishes, body must be on the breast; the touch made with both hands simultaneously
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY (IM)
• Forward start
• ORDER: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle (“Butter Back Breast Free” or “There is a fly on my back but the breast is free”)
• Freestyle is any stroke other than the previous three
• Rules for each stroke apply
• In summer league, all 100 IM, so each “turn” is actually a finish. Judge the transition from stroke to stroke based on finish rules for each stroke.
MEDLEY RELAY
• ORDER: Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Freestyle
• Freestyle is any stroke other than the previous three
• Rules apply for each stroke
• No swimmer shall swim more than one leg
• Each swimmer must leave the pool immediately upon finishing his/her leg, except the last swimmer
INFRACTIONS: ALL STROKES APPLY TO ALL STROKES:
• Did not finish
• Walking on or pushing off the bottom
• Pulling on lane lines
• Not touching the wall at turn or finish
• Not starting and finishing in the same lane
• False start – starter/ref call
RELAY TAKE-OFF JUDGING
• Relay Early Take-Off is a DUAL VERIFICATION call
• The officials stand beside the blocks looking across the pool
• “Toes to Hands” Judge when the toes leave the block or wall, then look down to see if the incoming swimmer has touched
• If you observe and early take-off, mark an X on the swimmer # for that lane.
• Do not raise your hand
