Oak Flats Swimming Club Team Information (Helping you enjoy every aspect of swimming competitively as part of the OFSC Team Environment)
WHY PARTICIPATE IN SWIMMING CARNIVALS Carnivals are usually a great day or week end away where our swimmers have fun competing and cheering on friends in races. Parents/caregivers also have a good social day, getting enjoyment from watching their own children, including their friends, striving to reach their full swimming potential. The following information is designed to help guide you in what to expect at carnivals and meets. Please speak with your coach if you re not sure about any aspect of swimming competitively. Our coaches are here to help you along your swim journey!
KEEP YOUR BELONGINGS SAFE AND SECURE Meets and Carnivals usually run over a day or weekend. Nowadays, children will usually bring a mobile device or portable game to keep themselves entertained and play with others. Make sure you secure or leave any items of value (cameras, cell phones, mobile devices, jewellery or clothing) with your parent or caregiver. Do not leave any items unattended that you don t want stolen.
IT WILL BE CROWDED Be polite, stick together, do not stand around or hang on to the wall or you ll find yourself on the kicking-end of another swimmer. Diving is allowed only when and where the officials announce. Listen to your coach at all times. If you re not sure about anything, ask the question. WARM UP
TIPS MARSHALLING Watch carefully for your marshalling to event number, the board tends to jump unexpectedly. If your number has passed get moving! When your number comes up go to the marshalling table. Look and listen for instructions on where you should wait and where you should go. Pay attention to the order of how things are moving ahead of you. When the race before you leaves the blocks, you should be ready behind the blocks in your correct lane. Do not wait till you re on the blocks to put your goggles and cap on.
THE START 1. The starter will blow a long whistle climb onto the blocks and get your feet into the correct position 2. On the starter's command take your marks immediately take up a starting position with at least one foot at the front of the starting platforms. 3. When all swimmers are stationary, the starter will give the starting signal. 4. If you move before the starting signal you will be disqualified for a false start.
BUTTERFLY Your dive should be powerful and streamlined. Enter the water with distance and speed. You may glide up to 15 metres underwater with dolphin kick only.
BUTTERFLY STROKE, TURNS & FINISH In a competition, remember to touch with two hands once you hit the wall, and push off. Not doing a two hand touch will result in a disqualification. Also, do an open turn. Touch with both hands and lift one arm over your head and your other arm down through the water simultaneously and make your body follow it. Then, both your arms will meet and connect to push off the wall in a streamline position. This is the fastest way to get off a wall. Butterfly is a very tiring stroke, so be sure not to eat too much before swimming, to avoid cramps. Do not be discouraged; although this is a hard stroke for most, you are fully capable of achieving a 50 metre competitive swim with practice.
BACKSTROKE 1. At the first long whistle, jump into the water. 2. At the second long whistle, move to your starting position. 3. On the starter's command take your marks pull your body partly out of the water 4. When all swimmers are stationary, the starter will give the starting signal. 4. If you move before the starting signal you will be disqualified for a false start.
Backstroke Your start should be powerful and streamlined. Focus on speed, not distance. You may glide up to 15 metres underwater with dolphin or flutter kick. You may NOT do any double-arm pulls underwater, or when you surface.
BACKSTROKE TURNS Count your strokes from the flags at race pace. Take a big breath. Roll onto your front and take no more than ONE pull on your front. If you are too far from the wall, glide without stroking till you are close enough to flip. Flip, place your feet firmly, push off powerfully and keep your body streamlined. You may glide up to 10 meters underwater with dolphin or flutter kick. You may NOT do any double-arm pulls underwater, or when you surface.
BACKSTROKE FINISH You must finish on your back. You may tilt your head back with the last stroke or two (same stroke count as turns) to attempt to see the starting block. Use this to judge your distance to the wall so you can reach out and finish by touching the wall, not the pool deck. Rule requires a swimmer to have some part of their body still on the surface of the water and not completely submerged when they touch the wall. It can be a toe, the head, an arm something, but the swimmer cannot have their entire body under the water at the finish.
BREASTSTROKE START & STROKE 1. Use the momentum from your dive to glide in a streamlined position. 2. After the start and after each turn, the swimmer may take one arm stroke completely back to the legs during which the swimmer may be submerged. At any time prior to the first Breaststroke kick after the start and after each turn a single butterfly kick is permitted. 3. Translates as: If used, a single butterfly kick may take place before, during or after the first arm pull but must be completed before the first breaststroke leg kick. 4. For those who do not realise, there is no underwater distance restriction in breaststroke start and turns i.e. you can go as far as your underwater phase will take you, staying within the rules above.
BREASTSTROKE TURNS & FINISH 1. Touch the wall with both hands 2. Turn, to look at the other end of the pool. Place your feet on the wall. 3. After the start and after each turn, the swimmer may take one arm stroke completely back to the legs during which the swimmer may be submerged. At any time prior to the first Breaststroke kick after the start and after each turn a single butterfly kick is permitted. 4. When your hands touch the wall at the turn and at the finish one hand must not overlap the other. [Rules SW 7.6 & SW 8.4] 5. After you touch the wall on your breast you can turn any way you like so long as you leave the wall on your breast. [Rules SW 7.2 & SW 8.1]
Freestyle Your dive should be powerful and streamlined. Enter the water with distance and speed. You may glide up to 15 meters underwater with dolphin or flutter kick. You may NOT do any double-arm pulls underwater.
FRESSTYLE TURNS Take a big breath one or two strokes before you hit the wall. Swim into the wall at full race pace. Begin your flip with both arms at your hips. When your feet touch the wall, take a second to make sure you re pointing in the correct direction and you have firm footing Push off hard and streamline your body. Kick underwater for up to 15 metres. NO DOUBLE ARM PULLS.
AFTER YOUR RACE There are two options: 1. You must leave the pool as soon as possible once the Event Referee has given two short blasts on his whistle to signal the swimmers to leave the water. You should be ready to exit the pool immediately after the last swimmer of your race finishes and the Referee has signalled, or 2. If you are told the meet will be starting over the top then you should wait in the water until the next race starts, then get out immediately when instructed to do so (unless the next race is backstroke, in which case you will be asked to move to the backstroke flags and leave the water once the next event has commenced and you are instructed to do so.
IF YOU ARE DISQUALIFIED If an official tells you that you are disqualified, then you are disqualified. 1. LISTEN to why you are disqualified (and REMEMBER WHY for step 2) 2. Say thank you and immediately inform your coaches. 3. Do not argue, do not discuss, do not explain, do not reason, do not give attitude, do not grumble about unfairness, do not complain about lousy judging, do not comment on the judge s eyewear
BEFORE AND AFTER YOUR EVENT Before you proceed to Marshalling area for your event, make sure you see your coach. After every event, proceed immediately to see your coach who will speak with you about your event. Remember, if you are not sure about something, always see your coach first.
THIS GUIDE IS DESIGNED TO HELP ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT SWIMMING COMPETITIVELY ALWAYS SPEAK WITH YOUR COACH IF YOU NEED HELP