How to swim a medley relay
A medley relay is comprised of 4 swimmers: A backstroker, a breaststroker, a butterflyer, and a freestyler. Each swimmer swims their respective stroke the same distance as all of the other swimmers. 10-and-under swimmers each perform a 25 (one length of the pool) of their respective stroke, and 11-and-up swimmers each perform a fifty of their assigned stroke. The relay is a single race, so each of the four swimmers in a relay are competing in the race together as one unit. Four swimmers, one race. The race is performed in succession, meaning the swimmers will swim their stroke one person at a time, and directly following the completion of the same distance by the swimmer in front of them. So once the person before your child touches the wall, he will then enter the pool and complete his leg of the relay.
Order
The race will begin with the backstroke. He will leave the wall as he would with a normal race, following the whistles and the starter's horn. The next three swimmers will only leave the wall when the swimmer before them completes their leg by touching the wall.
The order goes as follows:
- Backstroke
- Breaststroke
- Butterfly
- Freestyle
IMPORTANT FOR 10-AND-UNDERS!
Where should you be before your race?
The backstroker and the butterflyer will need to line up on the starter side of the pool, the side where all of the individual races begin. (If the pool has starting blocks it is that side).
Freestyle Relays
Freestyle relays are very similar. If there is a 1 or a 3 by the swimmer's name, then that swimmer will line up on the starting side of the pool. If the swimmer has a 2 or 4 next to their name, then (s)he will line up on the sit-dive side of the pool.
