ALL ABOUT MEETS

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• Backtstroke - BK
• Breaststroke - BR
• Butterfly - FLY or FL
• Freestyle - FR

Click HERE for video explanations of each stroke.

A race or stroke over a given distance. For example, the 100m Backstroke, is an individual event.

Look for the abbreviation IE

A relay is a swimming event in which four swimmers participate as a  team with each person swimming an equal distance of the race. To earn awards in the EFSL, relay teams must include two boys and two girls.

There are two types of relay events

• Medley Relay – Each swimmer swims a different stroke in this order: Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Freeystyle
• Freestyle Relay – Each swimmer swims Freestyle

At this time, the EFSL offers Mixed Relays (boys & girls). Other leagues may include additional relay options, such as the Men's 4x100m Medley

An event that encompasses all four swimming strokes in this order:

• Butterfly
• Backstroke
• Breaststroke
• Freestyle

Age Groups

• 12 & under may compete in the 100m IM (25m of each stroke)
• 13 & up may compete in the 200m IM (50m of each stroke) and the 400m IM (100 of each stroke)

Look for the abbreviation IM

• DQ: Disqualify. When an official spots an infraction where the swimmer is not following one of the rules for the stroke. Disqualifications are a large part of the learning process for new swimmers and are a major focus for each season. 
• Event: This is defined by the age group, sex and swimming stroke, such as Boys' 9-10 100m 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.
• Exhibition: To swim an event without being eligible for points, awards, medals, or ribbons. Times from exhibition swims ARE eligible to be used as official/qualifying times. Look for the abbrivation EXH or X on the heat sheet.
• 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: Also called the Meet Program. This is the official schedule of swimmers in their assigned events, heats, and lanes drawn up by the statistician. EFSL uses the Meet Mobile app to publish digital heat sheets. See below for more information.
• 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. 
• Marshaling: Calling swimmers to  wait in a specified area before their event starts. At most meets, swimmers are marshaled 3-5 events before they swim. Each hosting team marshals differently, so it is important for swimmers to pay attention to announcements, signage, or notifications sent out via WhatsApp.
• No Show: A DQ that is issued when a swimmer misses their event without notice or valid excuse. In some cases, after a no show, swimmers might not be able to participate in subsequent events. Please check with your coach or meet referee/statistician.
• QT / Qual Time: Qualifying times are published times necessary to enter certain meets or events.
• Seed: To distribute swimmers among the required number of heats and/or lanes, according to their submitted entry times. See below for more information.
• Scratch: Scratching an event is declaring that, while you are at the meet and intend to race in other events, you will not be participating in a particular race. This must be done as early as possible, preferably before the meet start. No penalty is issued for a scratch, so swimmers may participate in the other events they have entered.

 A swimmer's event entry time. The seed time is the fastest time the swimmer obtained in the past for that particular event. This time determines who the swimmer competes against, which heat they compete in, and which lane is assigned to them. All entries and seed times are compiled into one document known as a heat sheet (see below).

A heat sheet is a document that lists the order of events and includes the heat (individual race) and lane assignments for each swimmer. These sheets are usually distributed to coaches and officials before the start of the meet. You can find the heat sheet on MEET MOBILE, in the #meet channel on Slack, or sometimes on display at the meet venue.

If you'd like more information, please see the article below.

How to Read a Heat Sheet - Wandering Swimmer 

Download the MEET MOBILE APP to get live results delivered to your phone. Often, hosting teams post printed copies of the results in a central location.

A couple of days after the meet, you can find results listed in your Swim Portal and on SwimCloud.

Registered Sea Dragons are invited to sign-up for swim meets by logging in to your Swim Portal.

Find more information on the #meet channels in the Sea Dragons' Slack workspace.

• Clerk of Course/Head Marshal: Responsible for checking swimmers into the marshaling area and controls swimmers from the time they are checked in until they are turned over to the Referee; organizes swimmers into their appropriate event, heat, and lane based on the published meet program.  
• Chief Timer: Oversees all lane timers. On the starting signal, starts a watch(es) on every race. The time of this watch shall be used if a Lane Timer’s watch fails. 
• Lane Timer: A volunteer who uses a stopwatch to record a swimmer's time during a swim meet.
• Meet Director: The Meet Director is the organizer and coordinator of all meet activities. 
• Referee: Sometimes referred to as the Head Official in the EFSL. Responsible for ensuring safe, fair, equitable meet. Is the senior official responsible for the conduct of the meet. 
• Starter: The official responsible for sending swimmers off the block and making sure each swimmer leaves on time. If a swimmer jumps early, the starter may penalize him or her for a false start.
• Statistician: Team volunteer who manages meet entries, seeding of the meet, adjudication of results, and maintaining team statistical records.
• Stroke and Turn Judge/Official: A trained volunteer who determines if swimmers are swimming each stroke legally within the guidelines set by EFSL & USA Swimming, a stroke judge determines if a swimmer will be disqualified. 

Just like an announcement for other events, the swim meet  announcement tells people about the meet. The meet host creates it before the meet and shares it with those who might attend. 

Meet announcements include:

• Date & time
• Invited teams
• Location
• Pool course (LC or SC, # of lanes, etc.)
• Eligibility
• Entry limits, seeding, scoring, and other rules
• Events offered and split times
• Proposed Schedule

There is A LOT of information in a meet announcement. Please check with your coach or team statistician if you have questions.

Meet announcements and other information can be found in the #meet channel on Slack.

In  a pentathlon, swimmers participate in FIVE competitive  events, which include Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Freestyle, and the Individual Medley to earn a combined  total score.

• 12 & under swim 50 of each stroke, plus a 100m IM.
• 13 & up swim 100 of each stroke, plus a 200m IM.

If a swimmer is not ready to compete in all five events, they may choose to compete in individual events during the pentathlon but would not be eligible for pentathlon awards.

Look for the abbreviation PENT

LONG DISTANCE TIME TRIAL — an intrasquad event conducted independently of a meet where the swimmer races against the clock to establish an official time. Awards (ribbons or medals) are not issued at an LDTT. 

LDTT's are rare events that the Sea Dragons do not normally host or participate in.

ELIGIBLE EVENTS:

10 & under

• 100m BK BR FL*
• 200m FR*
• 400m FR
• 800m FR
• 4X100 FR RELAY*
• 4X100 MEDLEY RELAY*

11-12

• 100m BK BR FL*
• 400m FR
• 800m FR
• 1500m FR
• 400m IM
• 4X100 FR RELAY*
• 4X100 MEDLEY RELAY*

12 & up

• 200m BK BR FL*
• 800m FR
• 1500m FR
• 400m IM
• 4X100 FR RELAY*
• 4X100 MEDLEY RELAY*

*New events in 2023

LDTT's do not count toward the minimum meet requirement to compete at Short Distance Champs.

Our league, the EFSL, has teams at NATO and military installations all over Europe, including Belgium, France,  Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Before making travel arrangements, always verify the pool address. Some teams (like the Sea Dragons) use alternate locations to hold meets, which may require additional travel.

Competition pools in Europe are measured in meters and are either 25 or 50 meters long. The Sea Dragons use a 25m pool for daily practice.

• Short Course Meters (SCM): 25 meter pool (most common)
• Long Course Meters (LCM): 50 meter pool (Olympic length pool)
• Short Course Yards (SCY): 25 yard pool only in the USA (22.86 meters)

Look for the abbreviations SC or LC