Vestal Area Swim Team

Ready Bench (Seeding area) – An area at the meet where swimmers report before their event to be arranged into their heat and lane assignments

Referee – The official who has the authority over all other officials at the meet. He/she makes all the final decisions and sees to the efficient running of the meet.

 Relay – An event in which four individuals on each team swim with the same stroke or, in prescribed order, one of the four different strokes. Each competitor swims one-quarter of the race distance.

Sanction – A permit issued by Niagara Swimming or USA Swimming to conduct an event or meet. (Note: All athletes participating in any USA Swimming sanctioned swim meet must be registered USA Swimming swimmers.)

Scratch – Withdrawal of an entry from competition. The coach should be notified in the case of a scratch. Proper withdrawal procedures must be taken.

Seeding – Distributing the swimmers among the required number of heats or lanes, according to submitted or preliminary times. Heats may be pre-seeded heats or deck-seeded heats.

Pre-seeded Heats – Swimmers are arranged in heats or events according to submitted times, and heat sheets are prepared listing lane and heat assignments.

Deck Seeded Heats – Swimmers are called to report to the clerk of course for their event on the day of the meet. After scratches, remaining swimmers are seeded in the proper heats.

Senior Nationals - The highest level of meet in the US. To qualify for this meet swimmers must have achieved Senior National Qualifying times as defined by USA Swimming.

Set – A specific segment of a daily practice

Short Course – Refers to competition conducted in 25-meter pools

Split– An intermediate section of a race. Often used by the coaches to teach the concept of pacing.

Sprint – Describes the shorter events (50 and 100). In training, it means to swim as fast as possible for a short distance.

Starter – The official at a meet responsible for starting each heat and calling the next to the blocks

Streamline – The position used to gain maximum distance during a start and/or push-off from the wall

Stroke Judge – A certified official who determines the legality of swimmers’ strokes and disqualifies those who do not conform to swimming rules

Submitted Times – Times previously accepted

Swim Bench – A piece of equipment used for dry land training that allows the swimmer to exercise on land using actual pulling patterns.

Taper – The resting process in training. Prior to major competition, training is completed in a rested state.

Time Trials – An event or series of events where swimmers may achieve or better a required time standard.

Timed Finals – Competition in which only heats are swum and final placing determined those heats.

Time Standards - qualifying times usually grouped by gender and age group. LSC time standards are set by Niagara Swimming, national standards are set by USA Swimming.

Touch Pad – The part of an electronic timing system that rests in the water at the finishing end of each lane. Times are recorded electronically as the pad is touched.

 ‘A’ Time Standards- Single "A" time standards, set by USA Swimming, are grouped by age and gender, and are used to help swimmers set goals.

‘AA’ Time Standards – The double "AA" time standards, set by USA Swimming, are grouped by age and gender, and are a faster standard than the "A" standard  

‘AAA’ Time Standards- The triple "AAA" time standards, defined by USA Swimming, are grouped by age and gender, and is a faster standard than the "A" and "AA" standards

‘AAAA’ Time Standards- The quadruple "AAAA" time standards, defined by USA Swimming, are grouped by age and gender, and is a faster standard than the "A", "AA", and "AAA" standards

Age Group Qualifying times (USA) - A set of time standards, defined by USA Swimming, to enable goal-setting by under-18 swimmers. These standards are also used to control the size of the top national meets for swimmers under the age of 18

Age Group Qualifying times (Niagara) - A set of time standards, defined by Niagara Swimming, to enable goal-setting by under-18 swimmers. These standards are also used to control the size of the top LSC meets for swimmers under the age of 18 (Silver, Gold, Zones) 

Age Group Championships(USA) - Hosted by USA Swimming , the Age Group Championships, are USA's premier championship meets for under-18 swimmers. Swimmers must achieve qualifying times  to be eligible to attend this national level meets (Speedo Sectionals, Futures, Junior Nationals)

Age Group Championships(Niagara) - Hosted by Niagara Swimming, the Age Group Championships, are Niagara's premier championship meet for under-18 swimmers. Swimmers must achieve qualifying times to be eligible to attend this high level meets (Silver, Gold, Zones)

Block – The starting platform

Bulkhead – A wall constructed to divide a pool into different courses, such as a 50-meter pool into two 25-meter courses

Carbohydrate – Primary source of energy used by athletes in workouts and meets. Foods such as cereals, fruits, breads, pasta, and vegetables are excellent sources of carbohydrates

Chase Meet - Occasionally long-course meets may be run as "chase meets" for events 100 m or more. Starting blocks are located at each end of the pool (usually referred to as the shallow-end blocks and the deep-end blocks). Swimmers for the shallow end race start from the shallow end blocks, swim to the other side, turn and head back to finish on the shallow end. Swimmers of the next race at the deep end step up to the blocks after those swimmers make their turn. As the shallow end swimmers near the last quarter or so of their race, officials will start the swimmers at the deep end starting blocks. At this point there are two swimmers in the land, one "chasing" the other. The shallow end swimmers finish their race and quickly exit the pool. The deep end swimmer continues his/her race. Another shallow end set of swimmers will begin their race before the deep end swimmer is done

Check-In – The indication that a swimmer intends to participate in the meet or event

Circle Swimming – Performed by staying to the right of the black line when swimming in a lane to enable more swimmers to swim in each lane

Consolation Finals – The competition for the fastest remaining swimmers of those who fail to qualify for Championship finals

Course – Designated distance over which there is a competition (Long course = 50 meters, short course = 25 yards or meters)

Cut – Slang for qualifying time (a time standard necessary to attend a particular meet or event)

Disqualification (DQ) – When an official determines that a swimmer has violated a swimming rule, he or she may disqualify that swimmer. Typically, swimmers are disqualified for an illegal stroke, turn, finish, or false start

Drag – The extra clothing swimmers may wear to create resistance while practicing, often in the form of shorts or multi-layered suits that may have rips or tears

All swimmers and parents should read and discuss the "VEST Electronic Communication Policy" and the "VEST Action Plan to Address Bullying" documents. 

The "VEST medical form" and the "VEST swimmer form" should be filled in and returned.