Stroke and Turn
Stroke and Turn Resources
Official's Briefing and Starter Cheat Sheet
Please reference the following resources for a stroke and turn self-certification or refresher.
USA Swimming Documents and Forms
USA Swimming Official's Briefing (Concise resource)
USA Swimming Stroke and Turn Playlist (YouTube)
USA Swimming Stroke and Turn Clinic PowerPoint
Unofficial Heats and Younger Swimmers
Stroke and Turn volunteers often ask how to handle DQ calls for younger swimmers or unofficial heats. Please keep in mind that a swimmer's time is used to qualify them for both A and B Championship events regardless of whether that time was accomplished swimming an official or unofficial heat. This means that a slower swimmer with a legal stroke may not qualify for Champs when another swimmer with an illegal stroke logs a faster time without a DQ.
Swimmers improve with feedback from their coaches and parents. A disqualification is not intended to be a punishment but rather a way to help a swimmer improve and grow with feedback from their parents and coaches.
An 8-and-under struggling with an illegal stroke can easily become a 10, 12, and 14-and-under still struggling without the benefit of a DQ, feedback, and stroke correction early in their swimming career.
That said, the benefit of the doubt always goes to the swimmer. Only call what you are sure you saw!!
Videos
Backstroke
Breaststroke
Butterfly
Freestyle