Pool Rules
For the enjoyment and safety of all users of the Morningside State School complex, please respect the following rules:
- Swimmers will be required to remain on the grandstand side of the pool unless they have been called to marshalling or are waiting for their race.
- The pool complex is a smoke-free zone. Smoking is not permitted within the grounds of any Queensland school or public sporting facility.
- Diving is restricted to shallow racing dives. Please note that the shallow end of the pool is 0.9 metres deep.
- Swim caps must be worn at all times in the pool.
- No glass bottles or containers are to be brought into the pool complex.
- Swimmers must not sit or lie on the lane ropes or the pool cover roller.
- Swimmers suffering from any potentially contagious ailment, e.g. discharging eyes, ears, nose or sores on any part of the body should not swim in the pool.
- The pool deck can become slippery. WALK, DON’T RUN! Children are expected to keep off the pool deck on club nights so that officials and swimmers may move in safety.
- Damage to any equipment or part of the pool complex should be reported immediately to the school Principal or a swimming club official.
- Competitors must remain in the water, in the lane in which they have swum until ordered from the water by the Referee.
- An extract from the Swimming Queensland “Swimming Rules Booklet” follows this section. Competitive swimmers should be familiar with these rules and raise any question with their coach or club night referee.
- Swimmers may be disqualified, and not awarded points for events where rules are broken.
- Rule tolerances will apply at the discretion of the referee. Rule tolerances are generally applied at club nights and carnivals for swimmers aged 9 years and under.
- Disqualifications from events may also occur for:
- Failure to report for any event in which the swimmer is nominated or are selected, or in any way delaying the start;
- Pulling oneself along the lane rope or side of the pool or dragging feet on the pool bottom;
- Disobeying official instruction or offensive language of any type; or
- Interfering with other competitors.
- There must be silence during the start of every race or whenever silence is called for.
- Members must at all times obey the instruction of any committee member/official/marshall. Willful or persistent disobedience of any official’s instructions or misconduct liable to bring discredit to the Club will result in the suspension of that member by the Senior Official present on that night.
- A suspended member may be summoned before the Committee to show due cause why their membership should not be terminated.
Swimming Rules
Extract from Swimming Queensland’s Swimming Rules Booklet
For further information:
Starting
The start in freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley races is by a dive. On the long whistle from the Referee, swimmers step onto the starting block. On the Starter’s command ‘take your marks’, swimmers take up a starting position with at least one foot at the front of the starting block. The position of the hands is not relevant. When all swimmers are stationary, the Starter gives the starting signal.
A swimmer may be permitted to start beside the starting block. Please notify the referee and/or starter if this is requested.
The start in backstroke and medley relay races is from the water. At the Referee’s first whistle, the swimmers enter the water. At the Referee’s second long whistle, the swimmers assume the starting position (facing the starting end, with both hands holding the starting grips). When all swimmers have assumed their starting positions, the Starter gives the command ‘take your marks’. When all swimmers are stationary, the Starter gives the starting signal.
Freestyle
Freestyle means that the swimmer may swim any style, except for in individual medley or medley relay events; freestyle means any style other than backstroke, breaststroke or butterfly.
Some part of the swimmer must touch the wall upon completion of each length and at the finish.
Backstroke
Swimmers must stay on their back for the duration of the race except at the turn
During the turn the shoulders may be turned over the vertical to the breast after which a continuous single arm pull or a continuous simultaneous double arm pull may be used to initiate the turn. The swimmer must have returned to the position on the back upon leaving the wall.
Breaststroke
After the start and after each turn, the swimmer may take one arm-stroke completely back to the legs during which the swimmer may be submerged. A single butterfly kick is permitted during the first arm-stroke, followed by a breaststroke kick.
The stroke cycle must be one arm-stroke and one leg kick in that order. All movements of the arms must be simultaneous and on the same horizontal plane without alternating movement. Hands must not go past the hips during the arm-stroke. The hands shall be pushed forward together from the breast on, under, or over the water. The elbows shall be under water except for the Final stroke before the turn, during the turn and for the Final stroke at the finish.
During each complete cycle, some part of the swimmer’s head must break the surface of the water. The head must break the surface of the water before the hands turn inward at the widest part of the second stroke. All movements of the legs must be simultaneous and on the same horizontal plane without alternating movement.
The feet must be turned outwards during the propulsive part of the kick. A scissors, flutter or downward Butterfly kick is not permitted. Breaking the surface of the water with the feet is allowed unless followed by a downward Butterfly kick.
It is not permitted for swimmers to roll onto their back at any time.
At each turn and at the finish of the race, the touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above, or below the water level. The head may be submerged after the last arm pull prior to the touch, provided it breaks the surface of the water at some point during the last complete or incomplete cycle preceding the touch.
Butterfly
Both arms must be brought forward together over the water and brought backward simultaneously throughout the race. All up and down movements of the legs must be simultaneous. The legs or feet need not be on the same level, but they must not alternate in relation to each other. A Breaststroke kicking movement is not permitted.
At each turn and at the finish of the race, the touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously, at, above or below the water surface.
It is not permitted for swimmers to roll onto their back at any time.
All strokes
Some part of the swimmer must break the surface of the water throughout the race, except the swimmer can be completely submerged during the turn and for a distance of not more than 15m after the start and each turn. By that point, the head must have broken the surface.
Swimmers must finish the race in the same lane that they started in.
Swimmers must not pull themselves along the lane ropes.