Dear Raleigh Rays Parents,

As parents new to swimming, it's common to have questions about swimmer disqualifications (or DQs). I want to provide you with information to help you understand and support your swimmer in their swimming journey.

DQs as a Learning Process:

• DQs are a standard aspect of the meet experience and are part of the learning process in swimming.
• Swimming is a technical sport that requires time, practice, repetition, and coaching feedback to develop skills in each stroke.
• Swimmers may start a race with a "legal" stroke but may lose technique as they tire or make mistakes during turns, finishes, or specific strokes.
• Trained officials observe swimmers during events and fill out DQ cards (green slips) if they observe a stroke infraction.
• Coaching staff often already knows about the infraction before seeing the card, as they provide feedback on specific issues during practice.
• DQ slips provide an opportunity to reinforce skills the swimmers are already working on.

Learning from Races:

• Coaches use each race as a learning experience, whether it results in a DQ or from other technical observations.
• Swimmers receive coaching feedback to improve their skills, race preparation, focus during practice, or make necessary stroke changes.
• Swimmers should check in with coaches before and after every race to receive reminders and immediate feedback for learning.
• Parents must refrain from giving race feedback, as it is the coach's role to provide specific swimming feedback.

Officials and Procedures:

• Officials are trained to give the benefit of the doubt to the swimmer.
• Any violation of an official call is based on what they saw, not what they think they saw.

Common DQs:

Freestyle:

• Failure to touch the wall at the turning end of the pool.
• Walking on the bottom or pulling on the lane lines.
• DQs in freestyle are rare.

Backstroke:

• Not staying on the back.
• Improper flip turn.

Breaststroke:

• Non-simultaneous 2-hand touch or 1-hand touch at turn or finish.
• Incorrect kicks, such as scissors or flutter kicks.
• Arm pull past waistline.
• Two arm pulls without intervening kick.
• Two kicks without intervening arm pull.

Butterfly:

• Arm(s) underwater during recovery, judged at the elbows.
• Non-simultaneous 2-hand touch or 1-hand touch at turn or finish.
• Incorrect kick, flutter kick, breaststroke kick, and non-simultaneous leg movements during kicks.
• Non-simultaneous arm movement.

Relay Races:

• Any stroke violation mentioned above.
• The swimmer leaves the deck before the previous swimmer touches the wall.
• Running start or swimmer is pushed at the start.

False Start:

• The swimmer starts the race before the starting signal is given.

Swimming's Benefits: 

We believe swimming is the best youth sport, offering valuable life skills, relationships with teammates, and long-term benefits for swimmers' lives.

Thank you for your support in helping your swimmer thrive in swimming. Should you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact the coaching staff.

Kind regards,

Amelia Garrelts, Wendy Waemess, and Tania Garrelts

Stroke and Turn Judges for Lifetime Raleigh Rays