Swim Team Rules & Regulations
Below you will find links to the official rules and regulations provided by the USASwimming.org website. Our coaches are also a great resource if you have any questions that you can't find the answer to here.
USA Swimming Rules for 2024: A Quick Guide
Basic Swimming Strokes:
01. Freestyle
You can swim any style you want, but most people choose the front crawl because it's the fastest. You must touch the wall at the end of each lap with some part of your body.
02. Backstroke
Swim on your back the whole time. You have to stay on your back except for the turn where you can roll onto your stomach to do a flip turn.
03. Breaststroke
You swim with both arms moving in a half-circle simultaneously and your legs doing a frog kick. Every lap must end with both hands touching the wall at the same time.
04. Butterfly
Both arms move together over your head while your legs do a dolphin kick. Like breaststroke, you must touch the wall with both hands at the same time at each lap.
Starting the Race:
01. Freestyle, Breaststroke, Butterfly and Individual Medley
You start on the starting blocks for freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly, and individual medley races.
02. Backstroke and Medley Relays
For backstroke and medley relays, you start in the water.
Turns and Finishes:
01. Freestyle and Backstroke
You can do a flip turn at the wall to change direction quickly.
Make sure to finish by touching the wall.
02. Breaststroke and Butterfly
You must touch the wall with both hands at the same time before turning.
Make sure to finish by touching the wall.
Relays:
01. Race
Each swimmer does one part of the race.
02. Race Legs
Make sure you don’t start the next leg of the relay until the swimmer before you touches the wall.
The USA Swimming website has all the official rules, regulations and information about any proposed changes to them. This is always a great resource for any of your swimming questions
This is the official abbreviated version of the full rulebook that is available on the usaswimming.org website.