Saxon Crown Lane Etiquette

Listen to the Coach

Our Coach on the day prepares and sets up our training sessions.  It is important to listen to instructions and when feedback is given.  

If something is not clear, make sure you speak up and ask for the instructions to be repeated. 

Sharing a Lane

  • We swim clockwise or anti-clockwise, depending on the lane.  The result is that we will be swimming alongside the swimmer in the next lane over – this avoids clashing arms/hands with them.  Check before the start of a session – and also especially if a public session is in the next lane – and ask the coach to intervene if needed. 

  • Swimmers set off in speed order, fastest at front.  If you are not sure, start at the back and move forward as appropriate for the lane as a whole.  Change lanes if necessary, or when asked to do so by the coach. 

  • You should ask and go in front of someone if you are catching up the swimmer ahead in a set; equally the swimmer in front should keep an eye out and suggest you go in front if they see they’re being caught up. 

  • When tumble-turning make sure you come out on the opposite side you were swimming to avoid the swimmer behind you.  And, do not move into the opposite part of the lane at the end of the lane unless the in-front swimmer has cleared away from the wall.

  • Do not stop before the end of the lane; if you need to take a break - do it at the wall.  Keep out of the way of other swimmers who are doing turns at the wall. 

  • Don’t coast into the wall – swim all the way to the end, and then move across to enable other swimmers to also swim all the way to the wall. 

General Rules

  • We generally allow 5 seconds between swimmers.  

  • Swimming fly –be aware of people coming the other way. 

  • Swim the set specified by the Coach, and don’t swim a different stroke to everyone else (unless choice of stroke has been set by the Coach, or you have an injury and have told the Coach – and adjust your position in the lane accordingly).

  • In longer distance sets: if you want to overtake, tap the swimmer in front on the foot.  At the end of the lane they will wait for you to swim past.  But make your intention clear.  The swimmer in front may reasonably assume that you just got too close. 

  • If you stop at the end of the lane, wait for a large enough space to continue. Do not set off just as another swimmer is coming into the end of the lane to turn.

  • Don’t hang on the lane ropes. 

March 2023