Long Course VS Short Course by Vera Soukhanovskii

 Long Course VS Short Course by Vera Soukhanovskii

Have you ever noticed that pools used in high school swimming competitions seem much smaller than those used at the Olympics, or other professional and advanced meets? This is because they are different types of pools: short course pools and long course pools. The main difference between these two types of pools is their length, with SCY (Short Course Yards) being 25 yards, and LCM (Long Course Meters) pools measuring 50 meters long. Most often, high school and college meets and competitions use SCY, while LCM is primarily used during international competitions. 

Of the two, SCY is considered to be faster due to each race having more walls and turn opportunities. These push-offs from the walls generate bursts of speed and allow swimmers to use their underwater kicks before resurfacing and becoming prone to water resistance. Up to 60% of a SCY race can be spent underwater, while LCM only offers up to 30% of underwater swimming. This is important as turns help swimmers maintain constant speed and momentum, and the time spent underwater is usually faster than above water swimming. Long course, on the other hand, requires more strategic pacing and better endurance, as the wall to wall distance is much longer. LCM swimmers focus more on stroke efficiency, and also need to work on their breathing due to more time spent above water. SCY times are also faster because yards are shorter than meters. For example, 100 meters is equivalent to 109 yards, and along with speed lost due to less walls, long course times are always a few seconds slower than their short course event equivalents. 

Another thing to keep in mind when training for the different pool types is stroke rate, and also considering fatigue and tiredness. Stroke rate is how quickly swimmers take strokes, but the faster your stroke rate is, the earlier fatigue begins to set in. Long course swimming is more tiring since swimmers have to maintain a faster stroke rate for longer periods of time due to less recovery time on walls. Therefore, maintaining a higher stroke rate in LCM races is a lot more difficult than a SCY sprint. 

SCY pools are primarily found in the US. This is due to the US never changing to the metric system, so they use yards to measure distance instead of meters. The NCAA, or the National Collegiate Athletic Association, is a student athletics program in schools in the US. They host the largest SCY meet every year for the fastest high school and college students to compete in a 25 yard pool. Most meets in other countries are usually measured in LCM. 

My personal experience with SCY and LCM is a little different. For my swim team, we split the year up into two main seasons, each dedicated for the two different pool measurements. From September to March, we train in SCY yards pools and all of our meets are in 25 yard pools. During practices, we focus more on our turns, faster movements and the shorter sprint races. From April to July, our main priority is endurance and efficient swimming during our LCM season. Additionally, our practices are very different, as we also prioritize exercising outside of the pool more to build our endurance. We cycle through these seasons yearly, and spend a lot of time getting to know the differences between SCY and LCM pools. 

Works Cited

Biskaduros, Paige Walters. “How to Race Short Course vs Long Course in Swimming.” How to Race Short Course vs Long Course in Swimming, MySwimPro, 3 June 2024, blog.myswimpro.com/2024/06/03/how-to-race-short-course-vs-long-course-in-swimming/.

“Reddit - Please Wait for Verification.” Reddit.com, 2026, www.reddit.com/r/Swimming/comments/vkrbos/why_do_they_swim_yards_in_ncaa/. Accessed 29 May 2026.

Tseng, Megan. “Long Course vs. Short Course: A Look at Some Differences.” Swimming World News, 3 Nov. 2021, www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/long-course-vs-short-course-a-look-at-some-differences/.

The Four Swimming Strokes by Vera Soukhanovskii

 The Four Swimming Strokes by Vera Soukhanovskii

The earliest records of people swimming comes from Egyptian tomb art from 2000 BC. These drawings, along with others from different countries and cultures, depict people swimming doggie paddle and early forms of breaststroke. Official swim races are thought to have begun as early as 36 BC in Japan, with people doing their best to get across water as fast as possible. Soon, different strokes began to develop, along with rules and regulations to ensure fair advantages for everyone. In this article, we will be discussing some of the origins of the four main strokes and the events highlighted in swim races today, along with some of the unique rules that were added later on.

As mentioned earlier, people began swimming for fun many years ago, but the first official stroke was breaststroke. A book written in 1696 recognized breaststroke as the first official stroke, and became most commonly used in both competitions and leisurely swimming. In 1904, men raced breaststroke at the Olympics for the first time, but the stroke looked a little different Today, breaststroke is done in two primary movements: a pull and a kick, with a glide in between cycles. To pull, swimmers perform a sweeping motion with both arms simultaneously, raising their chest and head above the water to breathe. After shooting their hands forward and lowering back into the water, they then kick their legs outwards, similar to a frog. The main difference between this and breaststroke of the past is the head positioning. Before a new rule in 1987, swimmers had to keep their head above water at all times. This was removed after realizing that it’s easier to hold a streamline and therefore go faster with your head in line with the rest of your body. Today, the most common distances for breaststroke at competitions are the 100 and 200 meters, along with an occasional 50 meter sprint. Swimmers today also focus more on the explosive movement between stroke cycles to prioritize swift movement through the water, unlike the relaxing strokes done years ago. For me personally, breaststroke was one of the first strokes that I mastered when learning how to swim. I especially enjoyed doing the frog-like kick, as it is both powerful and fun. 

Freestyle, also known as the front crawl, is the fastest, the most efficient, and also the most commonly used stroke. Technically, freestyle events allow swimmers to use any stroke they chose, but nearly all competitors swim the front crawl due to its efficient speed. This stroke combines alternating arm movements, similar to a windmill, and a fast flutter kick, where swimmers rapidly kick their legs up and down to propel themselves forward in the water. Unlike breaststroke, freestyle allows swimmers to constantly move forward without slowing down during the glide. According to historians, early forms of freestyle were used by Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Australians, and then were adopted by Europeans with slightly modified technique. The modern technique was introduced and popularized by an Australian swimmer named Richmond Cavill in the 1900s, which allowed for greater speeds to be achieved when swimming this stroke. Freestyle has also been included in every modern Olympics and covers a variety of different distances. Sprinters, swimming the 50 meter and 100 meters, focus on fast, explosive, and constant speed, and keep each movement as quick and powerful as possible, along with a powerful kick to propel them forward. Distancers, on the other hand, swim events ranging from the 200 meter to the 1500 meters, and prioritise endurance, pacing, and efficient strokes. 

There is only one stroke that is not swum on your stomach, and that is backstroke. Hence the name, it is done entirely on the swimmers back. Like freestyle, swimming backstroke utilizes alternating arm movements and a flutter kick, but swimmers face upward instead of downward. To prevent crashing into walls, swimmers rely on flags that are strung above the pool five meters before each wall. Before competitions, they usually do a few practice turns in which they count the number of strokes it takes for them to reach the wall to enable safe and quick turns. Backstroke technique has also changed throughout the years. Over time, people found that rotating their bodies side to side while slightly bending their arms underwater made their strokes feel stronger and more efficient. Backstroke starts are also unique to the stroke, as swimmers do not dive into the water. Instead, they start already in the water and push off the wall backward, while arching their backs. To gain speed after the start and turns, backstrokes use powerful dolphin kicks on their backs to propel themselves forward underwater. Today, the most common distances swam in competitions are the 100 meter and 200 meter races, along with an occasional 50 meter sprint. 

The most physically challenging and demanding stroke is considered to be butterfly. Butterfly was developed initially as a breaststroke variation in the 1930s, when swimmers tried experimenting with recovering their arms over the water instead of under. At first, this new movement was paired with the already familiar breaststroke kick, but eventually the dolphin kick was developed to form the butterfly stroke swimmers use today. Dolphin kicking uses up and down hip movements, similar to the movements of a dolphin. In 1956, butterfly officially became an Olympic event, with the most common distances being the 100 meter and 200 meter races. The stroke requires swimmers to move both arms out of the water at the same time, while also propelling forward with the dolphin kick. Butterfly is also known for their powerful rhythmic movements, as body coordination is necessary to keep a steady tempo. Butterfly is also considered to be one of the most visually impressive strokes due to its unique movements. For many swimmers, this stroke is both physically and mentally challenging as well, as longer distances have a large aspect of pushing through extreme exhaustion. 

Some swimming races also allow swimmers to perform a combination of all four strokes, or a medley. The IM, or an Individual Medley, swimmers swim equal parts butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle, in that order. These events highlight versatility of athletes, along with endurance due to the requirement of being efficient in all components of the race. Swimmers have to master multiple techniques in order to excel in this event. Medal relay races, on the other hand, have one swimmer per event, with a slightly different order: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle. 

Swimming has greatly evolved. From its ancient origins to the highly technical events today, each of the four strokes has its own history, unique movements, and special rules. Efficiency, endurance, speed, power, and body positioning all shape these swimming strokes and demonstrate the different techniques. As swimming continues to evolve, new strategies and rule changes may further transport this sport for future athletes.  

Works Cited

Holmes, Taylor, and Taylor Holmes. “The History of Swimming Strokes - MySwimPro.” MySwimPro, 30 May 2023, blog.myswimpro.com/2023/05/30/the-history-of-swimming-strokes/?amp=1. Accessed 29 May 2026.

“Swimming 101: The Four Strokes.” NBC Olympics, 2021, www.google.com/url?q=www.nbcolympics.com/news/swimming-101-four-strokes&sa=U&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwjPl5bjtNqUAxW8WUEAHXY9NSQQFnoECEYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw12kzVgkVKOLBGeL5f0TpFp. Accessed 29 May 2026.

Zeng, Daniel . “Comparing and Contrasting: The Four Main Swimming Strokes.” Swimming World News, 26 Jan. 2021, www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/comparing-and-contrasting-the-four-main-swimming-strokes/.

Self-Care or Just Spending Money Again? by Shuxuan Chang

 Self-Care or Just Spending Money Again? by Shuxuan Chang

        “Well, I finished my homework and helped my mom clean the room… should I buy something as a reward?” When I was thinking, I immediately took out my phone and opened the shopping app as fast as I could.

         As soon as I opened the app, I saw so many new products I had never seen before. I added so many things to my cart. When I was scrolling through the shopping cart list, I deleted some products I had. Before I clicked “Buy,” it felt like there were two people in my mind. One was saying, “You should buy it. You did so many things today. You deserve it.” The other one was saying, “You just did normal things. Why are you spending money again?” Enmm, I honestly couldn’t figure out which one I should listen to. In the end, the first thought won.

       I also noticed that many people around me have the same habit. My friends sometimes talk about something they did that day, and they sound really proud of themselves because they solved a problem or finished something difficult.

      I feel happy for them too, but sometimes I wonder if we are rewarding ourselves for things that are actually just normal parts of life.

When You’re Kind of There, But Not Really There by Shuxuan Chang

 When You’re Kind of There, But Not Really There

         At the beginning of school, I was too shy to talk with anyone, even my teacher. I tried to talk to people who seemed nice to me, but most of the people already have their group, I don’t know how people get into friend groups so fast.

         This happened to me so many times, and honestly, I still don’t know how to fix it. I remember I thought I was getting closer with their group. They talked to me like a normal classmate, and maybe they even thought of me as a friend, but I still felt left out. One time during lunch, I sat with people I thought were my friends. I tried to join their conversation, but they just kept talking to each other like I wasn’t really there. I was sitting with the people that I think I’m their friend. I try to talk with them, they just annoy me, talk with other people, It made me feel like I was there physically, but not really part of the group. I finished eating and left early.

        After that, I started noticing that many people around me were also sitting quietly or staying alone. I just heard what they were talking about, but I didn’t make any comments. I didn’t say much because I was scared of sounding annoying or awkward. For now, I think being alone is sometimes better than forcing myself into a group where I don’t feel comfortable. Being around people but still feeling left out can feel even lonelier.

Nobody Wants to Be “The Weird One” by Shuxuan Chang

 Nobody Wants to Be “The Weird One”

       “Wait… where are my friends? Are they all absent today? No way, I don’t want to be alone in gym class. That feels so weird. Maybe I should find someone I know to play with.”

        When I walked into the gym alone, I suddenly felt like everyone could notice me, even though they probably didn’t care that much. Sometimes being a teenager feels like everyone is secretly judging each other, even when they are probably thinking about themselves instead. I put my stuff in the girls locker room, went to find the person I was thinking of. I talked with them, and they said we can play together in the gym.

       There are so many times when things happen at the gym, not just at the gym. I think maybe being alone is awkward, but some of my friends don’t think so. Some of my friends actually enjoy being alone, and they don’t think it’s awkward at all.

 That is the way they do their life and they just like it. My other friends are the same as me, thinking being alone is so awkward. I think many people around me feel uncomfortable being alone because we worry other people will think we have no friends. 

         But maybe that’s not the real question. Maybe the real question isn’t why being alone feels awkward for some people. Maybe it’s why teenagers think about being alone so differently.

What I’ve Learned About Want vs. Need by Shuxuan Chang

 What I’ve Learned About Want vs. Need

        After lunch, I was lying on my bed, looking at so many products around me and some packages on the floor that I hadn’t even opened yet.I was thinking what was wrong with me, why that time I didn't stop to buy them.

        I'm starting to remember the reasons that let me buy so many products. Enmm, some beauty products my friend and I made together . Some of my friends have it, but I don't. I bought those things because I didn’t want to fall behind or feel left out when my friends talked about them. Sometimes when I feel stressed or upset, I just want to buy something that makes me happy. I love the feeling of opening a package and seeing something new. Social media also affects me a lot. When I see famous people or influencers using certain products, I start wanting them too just to see if they really work.

        After realizing this, I started a new habit: putting things in my shopping cart for two days before buying them. and after that I see them again, that can make me not waste the products and also save my money. Maybe buying things makes me happy, but happiness won’t stay long. When I was cleaning my room, I started to regret it. But it does not mean all the purchases are wrong, it means don’t do something you’ll regret, even though we are still young, we can make a budget to help ourselves. Yesterday, I was done with my budget, because I realized money is not that easy to get. Right now, I still can’t fully tell the difference between wants and needs, but I think I’m starting to understand it more than before.

Sleep Deprivation in Highschool by Ibrahim Rogers

 In my opinion, it feels like getting enough sleep while in high school has gotten extremely difficult. It's very common for students in high school to either stay up late to finish their work, or simply because they are procrastinating. Personally, I'm someone who stays up late often due to studying for exams, but sometimes due to procrastinating. More often than not, I plan on going to bed earlier, but end up staying up late. Many times, I've ended up falling asleep in my classes because of this, however, I know other people that have done the same thing. The funny part about sleep deprivation is the fact that it sometimes makes no sense. Sometimes, despite me getting enough sleep, I'll still feel extremely tired in class, yet, other times, I won't get enough sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. In my opinion, this might be the reason for students disregarding the effects of the lack of sleep on them. Many students joke about surviving on very little sleep; however, it can affect their focus and productivity for the entire day. Also, some students realize that they can survive on little sleep, leading to an increased amount of procrastination which is detrimental to their productivity and health.

According to the CDC, teenagers require about 8-10 hours of sleep daily. However, most of the teenagers get significantly less time than that. In my opinion, the main problem that influences the amount of sleep students get is the fact that they have too many responsibilities to deal with, such as school, extracurriculars, and a social life. Sleep deprivation almost seems to be a part of high school life which is why it is so common. 

CDC. “About Sleep.” Sleep, 12 Feb. 2025, www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/?CDC_AAref_Val=www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html?utm. Accessed 23 May 2026.