Southglenn Gator Pond
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Stroke Rules

 

Breaststroke
Start The forward start shall be used.

Stroke From the beginning of the first armstroke after the start, and after each turn, the body shall be kept on the breast and both shoulders shall be in line with the water surface. The arms shall move simultaneously and in the same horizontal plane without any alternating movement. Hands shall be pushed forward together from the breast, and shall be brought back on or under the water surface. Hands shall not be brought beyond the the hipline except during the first stroke after the start and each turn. Some part of the swimmers's head shall break the water surface at least once during each complete arm stroke cycle.

Kick All vertical and lateral movements of the legs shall be simultaneous. The feet must be turned outward during the propulsive part of the kick movement. Not permitted: scissors, flutter, or downward butterfly kick.

Turns At each turn, the touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above, or below the water surface, and the shoulders hall be in line with the water surface. Once a touch as been made, swimmer may turn in any manner desired. The shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the breast when feet leave the wall.

Finish The touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above or below the water surface.


Butterfly
Start The forward start shall be used.

Stroke After the start and after each turn, swimmer must remain on the breast and is permitted one or more leg kicks, but only one arm pull under water, which must bring swimmer to the water surface. Both arms must be brought forward over the water and pulled back simultaneously. Shoulders must be in line with the water surface from beginning of the first arm stroke after the start and after each turn.

Kick All up and down movements of the legs and feet must be simultaneous. The position of the legs or feet need not be on the same level, but shall not alternate in relations to each other. No permitted: scissor or breaststroke kicking.

Turns At each turn, the body shall be on the breast and the shoulders in line with the water surface. The touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above, or below the water surface. Once the touch as been made, the swimmer may turn in an manner desired.

Finish The touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above, or below the water surface.


Backstroke
Start Swimmers shall line up in the water facing the starting end, with both hands on the gutter or the starting grips. Prior to the command "take your mark" and until the feet leave the wall at the start signal, swimmer's feet, including toes, shall be under the water surface. Standing in or on the gutter or curling toes over the lip of the gutter is not permitted at any time before or after the start. A backstroke starting block may not be used.

Stroke Swimmer shall push off on his back and continue swimming on the back throughout the race Some part of the swimmer must break the surface of the water throughout the race, except it shall be permissible for the swimmer to be completely submerged during the turn and for a distance of not more than 15 meters (16.4 yards) after the start and each turn. By that point, the head must have broken the surface of the water.

Turns Upon completion of each length, swimmer's head, shoulder, and foremost hand or arm must touch the wall. During the urn, the shoulders may turn past the vertical toward the breast. If swimmer turns past vertical, such motion must be part of a continuous turning action and the swimmer must return to a position on the back before the feet leave the wall.

Finish Swimmer shall have finished the race when any part of the body touches the wall at the end of the course.


Freestyle
Start The forward start shall be used.

Stroke Freestyle means that in an event so designated, swimmer may swim any style, except that in a medley or individual medley event, freestyle means any style except butterfly, breaststroke or backstroke.

Turns Upon completion of each length, the swimmer must touch the solid wall or pad at the end of the course with some part of the body.

Finish The swimmer shall have finished the race when any part of the body touches the solid wall or pad at the end of the pool.


Individual Medley
Swimmer shall swim the prescribed event distance in the following order:

Order Stroke
The first one-quarter (1/4) Butterfly
The second one-quarter (1/4) Backstroke
The third one-quarter (1/4) Breaststroke
The fourth one-quarter (1/4) Freestyle

  1. Stroke and turns shall follow prescribed rules for each stroke.
  2. Turns from one stroke to another shall be considered turns, not finishes, and are as follows:
    1. BUTTERFLY TO BACKSTROKE - Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner desired. The swimmer must have returned to a position where the shoulders are at or past the vertical toward the back before the fee have left the wall.
    2. BACKSTROKE TO BREASTSTROKE - Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner desired. The shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the breast when the fee leave the wall.
    3. BREASTSTROKE TO FREESTYLE - Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer mat urn in any manner desired.
  3. Finish - The swimmer shall have finished the race when any part of the body touches the wall at the end of the pool.



Freestyle Relay
Four swimmers on each team to swim one-fourth of the prescribed distance using any desired stroke(s).

Finish The swimmer shall have finished the race when any part of the body touches the wall at the end of the pool


Medley Relay
Four swimmers on each team, each to swim one-fourth of the prescribed distance continuously in the follow order:

Order Stroke
The first one-quarter (1/4) Butterfly
The second one-quarter (1/4) Backstroke
The third one-quarter (1/4) Breaststroke
The fourth one-quarter (1/4) Freestyle

The rules pertaining to each stroke and the finish of each stroke shall govern.


Rules for Relay Races

  1. No swimmer shall swim more than on leg of the race.
  2. Swimmer must touch the touchplate in their lane at the end of the pool to have finished their leg of the race.
  3. A swimmer other than the first swimmer shall not start until the teammate has finished their leg of the race.
  4. Any relay team member shall be disqualified from a race if a team member other than the one designated to swim that leg of the race shall enter the pool.
  5. Each relay team member shall leave the water immediately upon finishing their leg of the race, except the last member of the team.
  6. Team of a swimmer whose feet lost touch with the starting platform (ground or deck) before their preceding teammate touches the wall shall be disqualified.