BACKGROUND: Swimming technique is influenced by multiple factors and results from a culturally determined pattern. Technical assessment is essential for coaches to monitor swimmers` progression; however, inconsistent observation criteria may affect the reliability of these evaluations. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of standardizing observation and evaluation criteria for front crawl technique on the inter- and intra-rater reliability of swimming coaches. METHODS: Two competitive swimming coaches, both holding degrees in Physical Education, postgraduate qualifications in aquatic sports, and at least three years of coaching experience, evaluated the front crawl stroke technique of 44 competitive age-group swimmers (9-11 years old). The coaches evaluated anonymized videos and were blinded to the swimmers' identities, competitive level, and performance history. Assessments focused on the right arm stroke and were performed through video analysis using a checklist previously described in the literature. The study consisted of three stages: (1) standardization meetings involving theoretical discussions, video analysis, and checklist familiarization; (2) inter-rater reliability assessment; and (3) intra-rater reliability assessment. RESULTS: Inter-rater reliability ranged from low to small agreement (* = 0.08-0.38). In contrast, intra-rater reliability ranged from reasonable to almost perfect agreement (* = 0.65-0.92), with higher consistency observed within individual coaches than between coaches. CONCLUSIONS: The standardization procedure alone was insuficiente to improve agrément between coaches. Additional strategies may be necessary to achieve greater consistency among evaluators.
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