Officials are present at all competitions to implement the technical rules of swimming, to maintain a safe environment and to ensure that the competition is fair and equitable. Certified Officials must be present during all phases of a sanctioned meet in order for the insurance to be valid. Officials attend clinics, pass a written test, and work meets as trainees before being certified. All parents are encouraged to get involved with some form of officiating.

• Timers - operate timing devices (watches or automatic timing systems) and record the official time for the swimmer in his lane; do not need USA Swimming certification for meets below national level. See Section 10.5 for detailed timer instructions.

• Turn Judges - observe from each end of the pool and ensure that the turns and finishes comply with the rules applicable to each stroke.

• Stroke Judges - observe from each side of the pool and ensure that the strokes comply with the rules applicable to each stroke. The positions of Stroke Judge and Turn Judge may be combined into one position called the Stroke and Turn Judge.

• Relay Takeoff Judges - stand beside the starting blocks to observe the relay exchange, ensuring that the feet of the departing swimmer have not lost contact with the block before the incoming swimmer touches the end of the pool.

• Clerk of the Course - arranges the swimmers in the proper heats and lanes; does not need certification below national level meets.

• Starter - assumes control of the swimmers form the Referee, directs them to “take your mark”, and sees that no swimmer is in motion prior to giving the start signal.

• Referee - has overall authority and control of the competition, ensuring that all the rules are followed; assigns and instructs all officials, and decides all questions relating to the conduct of the meet.

• Deck Marshall – monitors the deck during all warm-ups, and while the meet is in progress; and conducts periodic sweeps of the bath/changing rooms. The Deck Marshall is responsible for ensuring that all safety rules governing the deck are followed and reports to the meet referee or meet director in the event of a problem. The Deck Marshall is a registered non-athlete member of the club.

Violations of the rules are reported to the Referee, and every reasonable effort will be made to notify the athlete or the athlete’s coach of the reason for the disqualification.

If your child is disqualified (DQ’d) in an event, be supportive rather than critical. A disqualification should be treated as a learning experience, not as punishment. A disqualification alerts the athlete and coach to what portions of the athlete’s stroke need to be corrected. They should be considered the same as an incorrect answer in schoolwork - they point to areas that need further practice. Remember that a .300 batting average is considered great, but when looked at from a different view it means that they failed 70% of the time.

The disqualification is necessary to keep the competition fair and equitable for all competitors. A supportive attitude on the part of the official, coach, and parent can make a positive experience for the disqualified athlete.