Short course vs long course swimming

The short answer

Swimming has two main types of pool courses. Short course means a short pool, commonly 25 yards or 25 meters long. Long course means a 50-meter pool, sometimes called an Olympic-size pool. The strokes and the basic rules are the same, but the pool length changes the number of turns and therefore the times.

What the terms mean

Short course yards (SCY)

A pool 25 yards long. This is very common in United States club, school and summer-league swimming.

Short course meters (SCM)

A pool 25 meters long. It is a bit longer than a yards pool, and it is common in many countries outside the United States.

Long course meters (LCM)

A pool 50 meters long. International competition is generally swum long course.

Turn

The move at the end of a length where a swimmer reaches the wall, flips or touches, and heads back. Each length ends in a turn, except the final one.

Which course a team uses depends on the pool available to it and the season. Many teams swim in a short pool for part of the year and a long one in another part, while others stay in one type all year.

Why times differ between courses

A swimmer pushes off each wall and gains speed from the push, then glides before swimming. In a short pool, there are more turns and more push-offs in a given race. Swimmers are usually faster off the wall than in open water, so the same event is generally swum faster in a short pool than in a long pool. A 100 in a 25-yard pool has more walls than a 100 in a 50-meter pool, which is why the numbers do not match.

Another factor is that yards and meters are different lengths, so the same number of laps covers different distances. A race labeled "100 yards" is shorter than a race labeled "100 meters." The events are close, but they are not identical.

How to compare times fairly

1. Compare a swimmer's times only against the same event, stroke and course type.
2. Keep separate lists of best times for each course type. Most team software and meet results label them.
3. If a swimmer moves from a short pool to a long pool, expect times to look slower at first. That does not mean a swimmer got worse.
4. If you see a conversion, treat it as a rough estimate only. Conversions are approximate and are not official times.

This matters most when you read results. See how to read a swim heat sheet and results for how to find the course label on a meet sheet.

How course length changes racing

A longer pool places more emphasis on steady pacing, since swimmers spend more time swimming and less time pushing off walls. A shorter pool rewards strong turns and underwater work. Young swimmers rarely need to think about strategy this deeply, but coaches adapt practice to the pool. A swimmer who is great at turns may look stronger in a short pool, while a swimmer with strong endurance may feel at home in a long pool.

What parents will notice

• A long course meet can mean longer waiting, as the pool is larger and the venue may be bigger.
• A swimmer's event may look different. Some distances are swum in one type of pool but not in another, so check the meet's event list.
• Swimmers may need a short adjustment to the larger pool. The first meet in an unfamiliar pool can feel odd.

Common mistakes

• Treating a long course time as a "slower" time and feeling disappointed.
• Comparing a swimmer's time to a teammate's time from a different type of pool.
• Assuming every pool is the same length. Always check the meet information.

When in doubt, ask your coach which course type the meet uses and which of your swimmer's times are the right ones to compare. For more beginner terms, read swimming terms for new parents.

Choosing and entering meets by course

When your team signs up for a meet, the entry information often shows the course type, such as short course yards. Coaches use that information to pick events and to choose entry times for each swimmer. If a swimmer's best time was swum in a different course, the coach may enter a converted time or no time, depending on the meet's rules. These choices affect seeding, but not the swimmer's actual race.

Parents do not have to do the conversions themselves. If you are curious, ask the coach how they choose entry times. It is a handy way to learn how seeding works, and the guide on how to choose a youth swim team explains more about what to ask a program before you join.

Quick reference

Remember that the exact mix of courses a team swims varies by region, season and the pools available. Your coach will tell you which one applies to each meet.

The takeaway for families is simple: label your swimmer's best times by course, celebrate improvement within each course and treat a first swim in a new pool length as a fresh starting point rather than a step backward. Over a season, the pattern of steady drops within one course tells you far more than any single number from a different pool.

Sources and further reading

1. Swimmers & Parents USA Swimming
2. Facilities Rules World Aquatics
3. Times USA Swimming

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between short course and long course swimming?

Short course uses a short pool, commonly 25 yards or 25 meters. Long course uses a 50-meter pool, so there are fewer turns in the same race.

Are swim times faster in a short course pool?

Generally yes, because swimmers get more push-offs from the wall. Times from different courses should be kept separate.

What does SCY mean in swimming?

SCY stands for short course yards, which is a 25-yard pool. Many American teams swim in this type of pool.

What is an Olympic-size pool?

It is a 50-meter pool, which is the long course format used in international competition.

Can I convert a swimmer's time between courses?

Rough conversions exist, but they are only estimates and are not official times. Compare a swimmer to their own times in the same course.