Coach's Guide to USA Swimming Age Group 18 and Under 2026

Under Article 103.2 (a mandatory rule for all competition and practice):

• Teaching depth: teach all racing starts, from blocks of any height, backstroke ledges or the deck, only in water at least 6 feet (1.84 m) deep, measured from 1.0 m to 5.0 m from the end wall.
• Supervision: teaching must be under the direct supervision of a USA Swimming member coach. "Teaching" covers everything until you certify the swimmer as proficient, plus any later instruction that changes their basic technique.
• Before certification: all racing starts must be in the water, without the backstroke ledge, whatever the pool depth.
• After certification: swimmers can practice racing starts in water 4 feet (1.22 m) or deeper.
• Shallow starting end (less than 4 feet): in practice and competition, swimmers must start in the water, and backstroke ledges aren't permitted.

Local, state or municipal rules may set stricter depth limits.

Your swimmers must have a USA Swimming member coach. At a sanctioned meet, athlete members must be supervised by a USA Swimming member coach during warm-up, competition and warm-down (Article 202.5.3).

If you can't attend, another member coach can supervise. The Meet Director or Referee may help arrange this, but it's the swimmer's responsibility to sort it out before the meet starts.

Also:

• Everyone acting in any coaching capacity at a sanctioned meet must be a USA Swimming coach member (202.5.5).
• Warm-up procedures and the schedule must be posted and announced, and are monitored by the Meet Director and Meet Referee (202.5.10).
• Marshals enforce warm-up procedures and can remove anyone behaving unsafely, with the Referee's agreement (102.18).

Daily limits on individual events (Article 102.2):

• Timed finals meet: 6 individual events per day.
• Prelims/finals meet: 3 individual events per day.
• Mixed format: 3 per day, unless the swimmer is entered only in timed finals that day.
• Weather postponements, and finals swum on a later day than their prelims, don't count toward the limit.

The meet announcement can set tighter limits, and the limits apply across classifications, separate meets or time trials held together.

Over the limit: unless the meet announcement says otherwise:

• if it's found before seeding, the extra events are scratched in the order they're swum
• if the swimmer has already swum them, those swims are administratively disqualified

Other entry rules:

• In a mixed classification meet, a swimmer entered in the same event in two classifications must use the same entry time.
• If there are no time standards, a swimmer can enter with no time, unless the meet asks for estimated times.
• Check-in and scratch procedures and their penalties are set by the meet announcement (102.4).

Yes. Under amended Article 102.6, a swimmer in a freestyle or other long-distance pool event of 400 meters/500 yards or longer may appoint one counter.

• Verbal counters: one per swimmer, stationed at the end opposite the start. They may use a watch and signal split times to the swimmer.
• Visual counters (lap cards): at the end, or on either side beyond the halfway point toward the turn end. Cards may be lowered into the water at the end of the lane if, in the Referee's opinion, they don't physically help the swimmer, interfere with another swimmer, or create a safety hazard.
• The count can go up or down.
• The swimmer is responsible for swimming the full distance, even if the counter or an official makes an error.

A warning signal (whistle or bell) is also given in individual freestyle events of 400 meters/500 yards or longer, when the leader has two lengths plus 5 yards/meters left (101.1.4).

USA Swimming amended several 2026 rules to match World Aquatics. The amendments are effective immediately and override the printed and PDF rulebook:

• Finish submersion (butterfly 101.3.5, backstroke 101.4.2 and .4, freestyle 101.5.4): once some part of the swimmer's head has passed the final 5-meter or 5-yard mark just before reaching for the finish, the swimmer may be completely submerged.
• Breaststroke (101.2.2): after the turn, the body must be on the breast before any stroke or kick after leaving the wall.
• IM freestyle turns (101.6.3A): the swimmer must return to the breast before any kick or stroke after leaving the wall.
• Warning signal (101.1.4): given in freestyle events of 400 meters/500 yards or longer, when the leader has two lengths plus 5 yards/meters to go.
• Counters (102.6A): allowed in freestyle or other long-distance pool events of 400 meters/500 yards or longer.
• Swimwear (102.8.1E): therapeutic elastic tape is prohibited. Taping no more than two fingers or toes together for an injury is allowed. Data-collection devices may not transmit to the swimmer.

Other 2026 changes include: the Starter or Stroke and Turn Judges can enforce the starting position (101.1), and swimmers must finish in the lane they started in (102.21.5).

Under Article 205.3.1F, except at championship and open water meets:

• Events for swimmers 12 and under must be planned to finish in 4 hours or less per session (prelims, finals or timed finals).
• The same 12 and under swimmers are limited to one session per day. At prelims/finals meets they can swim one prelim session plus the related finals.

Development competitions (205.11) are for athletes 12 and under. Their sessions are capped at 2 hours, and each athlete swims in only one session per sanctioned competition. Events come from the development list: 25s and 50s of each stroke, the 50 and 100 free, the 100 IM, and 100 or 200 relays.

When an age group meet runs over two weekends, the younger age groups must compete on the first weekend (205.2.3).

Tech suits: no technical suit may be worn by a 12 and under athlete at any sanctioned, approved or observed meet, except at Junior Nationals, the U.S. Open, National Championships and Olympic Trials (Article 102.8.1F). A technical suit is:

• any suit with bonded or taped seams, or
• any suit with woven fabric that extends past the hips.

Woven suits with sewn seams that stop at the hips, and knit suits with sewn seams that stop at the knees, are fine.

Tape and devices (2026 amended 102.8.1E):

• Therapeutic elastic tape is prohibited.
• For an injury, you may tape together no more than two fingers or toes. Any other tape needs the Referee's approval.
• Data-collection devices are allowed, but they can't transmit data, sounds or signals to the swimmer or help their speed.

Other rules: one suit only (one set of modesty undergarments is allowed in age group meets), no more than two caps, and no arm or leg bands.

Under Articles 101.7 and 102.3:

• Same club: relays can't swim unattached. All four swimmers must be USA Swimming members of the same club (except LSC teams at Zone or all-star meets).
• Two or more teams in one event are entered as Team A, Team B and so on, with an entry time that can't be changed for seeding.
• Names and order go to the clerk of course or head lane timer. Any change must be declared to the head lane timer before the heat starts. No changes are allowed after that.
• Prelims to finals: the lineup can change. If a relay is disqualified in prelims, all four swimmers are barred from that event's finals.
• Each swimmer swims only one leg. Swimmers 2 to 4 can't start until the incoming teammate touches, and can't start from on top of the adjustable back plate.
• Mixed relays need two men and two women. Below LSC championship level, other combinations are allowed if the meet announcement says so, but those relay times aren't loaded into SWIMS (eligible lead-off times are).
• A relay swimmer's lead-off split can count as an official time, even if the relay is later disqualified for a teammate's infraction.

Under Article 102.22:

• Judgment calls by the starter or by stroke, turn, place and relay take-off judges can be considered only by the Referee, and the Referee's decision is final.
• Eligibility protests before a race go to the Referee in writing. If they aren't resolved, the swimmer competes under protest, and this is announced before the race.
• All other competition protests go to the Referee in writing within 30 minutes after the race in question. The Referee may appoint a jury of 3 to 5 people, including at least one coach and one athlete.
• Appeals: protests about how the technical rules (Parts One and Seven) are interpreted go in writing to the Rules & Regulations Committee Chair within 10 days. That ruling is final. Other appeals go to the National Board of Review.

While a protest is pending, the results of that race aren't announced, and its awards and points are held.

MAAPP electronic communication rules apply to every adult in the program:

• One-on-one messages to a minor athlete must copy a parent, guardian or another adult family member. If the athlete messages you privately first, copy the parent on your reply. Only use platforms that allow open and transparent communication.
• Team or group messages to minor athletes must copy another adult in the program.
• Hours: only between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. in the athlete's local time, except in an emergency or during competition travel.
• Social media: no private social media connections with minor athletes (end any existing ones), and no direct or private messages through social media.
• Content must be professional.
• If a parent asks in writing that their child not be contacted electronically or appear in social media posts, you must comply except in an emergency.

The copy-a-parent and social media rules don't apply in an emergency (copy rule only), when there's a dual relationship, or under the close-in-age exception.

Yes, but only under MAAPP conditions:

One-on-one interactions with a minor athlete must be observable and interruptible by another adult. The exceptions are an emergency, a dual relationship, or the close-in-age exception (you're no more than four years older and have no authority over the athlete).

Meetings:

• Another adult should be present, and the meeting must be easy to observe.
• If it's one-on-one, leave the door unlocked and open. Use a room with windows if one is available, and keep the blinds open.
• Never meet in a hotel room or other overnight lodging during travel.

Individual training sessions outside regular practice:

• They must be observable and interruptible (same exceptions).
• You need advance written consent from a parent, at least once a year, with a copy to the club.
• Parents must be allowed to watch.

Under USA Swimming's Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP):

• Consent: a parent or guardian must give written consent, at least once a year, for all team travel and lodging.
• Driving: don't drive a minor athlete one-on-one. Always have at least two minor athletes (each at least 8 years old) or another adult in the program. The exceptions are an emergency, a dual relationship, the close-in-age exception, or a parent's written consent (renewed at least yearly).
• Rooms: an adult must not share a room or lodging (hotel, rental or billet) with an athlete, unless a parent has given advance written consent and either a non-coach dual relationship applies (such as a parent) or the close-in-age exception applies. All contact in lodging must be observable and interruptible.
• Room checks: two adults should be present (two-deep leadership), and the check must stay observable and interruptible.
• Meetings: never in an adult's or athlete's hotel room.
• Pairing: minor athletes should room with athletes of the same competition category and similar age.
• Chaperones and team managers who travel or lodge with athletes must be USA Swimming non-athlete members.

Under Article 306.1, every member must report any incident of child abuse, including physical or sexual abuse, immediately (within 24 hours) to both:

• law enforcement, and
• the U.S. Center for SafeSport: 720-531-0340, or https://uscenterforsafesport.org/report-a-concern

The duty applies when you have firsthand knowledge, or when you receive specific and credible information from a victim or a knowledgeable third party. State law may also require a report to a child protection agency.

• No civil or criminal statute of limitations applies to reports of sexual abuse (306.3).
• Knowingly false allegations are prohibited and subject to discipline (306.2).
• Retaliating against anyone who reports in good faith is prohibited.