If you’re new to summer swim, you will likely see the letters “DQ” listed in place of a time on the results sheet at some point in your swimmer's season. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stand for Dairy Queen; it stands for disqualification. This means a swimmer’s time is not officially recorded due to a rules violation in their swim. 

Each of the four competitive strokes—freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly—has specific technique rules. If a swimmer unintentionally breaks one of these rules, an official (the white-shirted volunteer on deck) may issue a DQ. Some of the most common reasons include turning over too soon in backstroke, using an illegal kick (like a flutter kick during breaststroke or butterfly), bringing the hands past the hips in breaststroke, or not touching the wall correctly at the finish (such as missing a two-hand touch in butterfly or breaststroke).

Coaches work with swimmers every day in practice to learn and reinforce these rules, but it takes time, repetition, and race experience for everything to click. That’s why DQs are a very normal part of summer swim, especially for newer and younger swimmers. Summer swim is designed to be fun, supportive, and developmental, and DQs are simply one way swimmers learn proper technique and grow in the sport. With practice and experience, confidence will build, and DQs will become less common.

If your swimmer receives a DQ, encourage them to ask a coach or official what the violation was so they can understand and improve for next time. Turning a DQ into a learning moment helps swimmers stay positive and continue progressing. 

Below is a basic description of the technical rules for each stroke.

Freestyle (Front Crawl)

• Any stroke is allowed (most use front crawl)
• Must touch the wall at each turn and finish
• Cannot walk or push off the bottom
• Must stay in their lane

Backstroke

• Must stay fully on their back (except briefly during turns)
• Start is in the water, holding the wall
• Must finish on their back
• Can rotate to the stomach only during the turn

Breaststroke

• Arms move together at the same time 
• Hands cannot pull past the hips (arms should make little circles in front of the chest). 
• Legs perform a “frog kick” (no flutter kick; one small dolphin kick allowed off the start/turn)
• Hands must touch the wall at the same time on turns and finish (2-hand touch)
• Head must break the surface each stroke cycle

Butterfly

• Arms move together at the same time
• Legs move together in a dolphin kick (no flutter kick)
• Hands must touch the wall at the same time on turns and finish (2-hand touch)
• No alternating arms or kicks

You can also see the NWAL Infraction Cheat Sheet for more.

If you want a deep dive into proper technique for each stroke. See the NWAL Stroke and Turn lecture slideshow linked on the NWAL Resource page. 

A big part of a swimmer’s experience comes from how it’s framed at home. Here are a few ways to keep things positive and productive:

• Focus on effort and improvement, not just results
• Celebrate what went well in the race, even if there was a DQ
• Stay calm and encouraging—your reaction matters more than the result
• Let coaches handle the technical corrections
• Remind your swimmer that DQs happen to everyone (even experienced swimmers!)
• Reinforce that mistakes are part of learning and getting better

A DQ doesn’t define your swimmer—it’s just one step in the learning process. With encouragement, patience, and practice, they’ll keep improving and gaining confidence all season long.

And maybe a stop by Dairy Queen on the way home, will help ease the disappointment!