CFB Kingston Sharks Swim Club

SWIMMING: THE SPORT

The Skills

The four competitive strokes are freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.

The Competition

Participants compete in different age groups and meets, depending on their achievement level and how old they are - usually on the first day of the meet. Provincially recognized age groups are 11&under, 12-13, 14-15, 16-17, and Senior. Local   meets may also offer 10&under events.

In freestyle events, one may swim any stroke one wishes; however, almost always, the stroke used is the crawl. This is characterized by an alternating over-hand motion of the arms and an alternating up-and-down flutter kick.

In the backstroke, the stroke consists of an alternating motion of the arms with a flutter kick. On turns, some part of the swimmer’s body must touch the wall.

The breaststroke pattern requires simultaneous movements of the arms on the same horizontal plane. The hands are pulled from the breast in a heart-shaped pattern, and are recovered under or over the surface of the water. The kick is a simultaneous, somewhat circular motion, similar to the leg action of a frog’s. No flutter, scissor, or dolphin kick is permitted. On the turns and at the finish, the swimmer must touch the wall with both hands at the same time..

The butterfly is the most beautiful of all four strokes. It features a simultaneous over-hand stroke of the arms, combined with an undulating dolphin kick. The swimmer must keep both legs together and may not use the flutter, scissor, nor breaststroke kick. The butterfly was developed in the early 1950’s as a variation of the breaststroke. It became an Olympic event in 1956 (Melbourne).

The individual medley, commonly referred to as the I.M., features all four strokes in the order of butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle. Each stroke is performed for one fourth of the distance to be swum.

The freestyle relay events consist of four athletes, each swimming one quarter of the total distance of the event.

In the medley relay, all four stokes are swum. The first athlete swims backstroke, the second does breaststroke, the third swims butterfly, and the final athletes uses the freestyle.

Many races are won or lost by a swimmer’s performance on the start or turn. On the start, the swimmer is called to the staring position by the starter, who visually checks that all swimmers are motionless. When all athletes are set, the gun or starting horn is sounded to start the race. If the starter feels that one of the swimmers has moved, left early, or received an unfair advantage, the race continues and the offending swimmer is disqualified upon finishing.