Officials and Officiating - Recent Threads

Officials needed for Sunday, November 23, 2025 - New York

02Y0P — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 17:53:48 GMT

Looking for officials for Annual Dr Bill Ross Memorial Masters Meet in East Meadow, New York. Please contact meet director: Bob Kolonkowski at rpk248@gmail.com if you can assist. Thank you!

2024 Officiating: I’m a SoCal Stroke/Turn Judge, how do I get assigned to meets?

Courtney BirnBUM — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 04:58:39 GMT

I’m winding down the swim season as a high school coach and want to officiate some masters events in Southern California! I’m not part of a particular club this year because I’ve been busy coaching. Please let me know of ways I can get involved in meets! So far I’m a stroke and turn judge but will be working on more certification.

Earrings/Piercings In Meets?

Michelle — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 14:58:36 GMT

This may be a simple question, but I wasn't able to find anything about it in the USMS rule book. I'm coming out of "retirement" to start swimming competitively again for the first time since high school, and there were rules on all piercings needing to be removed at that age level (at least for our state). Is that the case for USMS meets?

Thanks, all! :)

Archives of Masters swim Meet Results

08BVK — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 18:57:25 GMT

At a recent Masters Swim meet, a swimmer told me that there was an archive of all masters meets. He said he was able to retrieve results of a meet he was in in 1971!! As I have looked at the USMS Historical Database, the oldest meet I found was in February 2004. Does anyone know whether USMS has an archive of meets older than 2004? If so, how does one get access to it?

Application To Officiate for 2018 Spring Champ is live!

Teri White — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 06:47:36 GMT

The Application to Officiate for the 2018 Spring Championships in Indianapolis IN is now available on the USMS meet website, left column, or here: www.usms.org/.../ All interested officials are welcomed to apply via this application. Teri White Chair, USMS Officials Committee

Officiating at Nationals in Indy?

Mark Usher — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 02:06:13 GMT

I'm planning to swim at Indy in May, but am also interested in the possibility of helping to officiate during my "off" sessions. I'm a Certified Starter and N2 Stroke & Turn Judge. Is there a procedure or application process required to officiate? Thanks, Mark

Get meet over or get it right?

Viva O Fear — Tue, 06 Dec 2016 08:07:36 GMT

I attended the SPMA zone meet December 2nd 2016 in Commerce Ca. I only swam day 1, 1500 free, 200IM, 100 free and 200 Back. I was on 800 free relay at end of day 1 as well. I arrived at meet at 8:10 am just as heat 1 of 12 for 1500 started. All my events went well and was headed for the starting blocks early and my mind froze. Earlier I knew I was in heat 3 lane 5, but somehow I thought heat 3 lane 3. When they called up the teams, there was another swimmer and referee came over and said it was Rose Bowl lane 3. I was still uncertain and then looked what and I saw empty lane 5, I headed over and the starter called up the swimmers and started they race, I was frantically waving my arms and asking him to stop. The heat left and my team mates told me to go, so I did and the team completed the relay. We were disqualified, I felt terrible. This was about 5 pm. I was exhausted and disappointed and hoped the points lost wouldn't change anything. Unfortunately at end of the meet my team was 3rd overall by 4 points. We would have scored 16-18 points in that event. So extra time is given to get swimmers out of the pool at end of races, why don't starters help get swimmers to the right blocks. I wear bifocals, was in low light indoor pool, I was tired from the long day my mind wasn't 100%. It would have been 10 more seconds to get us in right lane why the hurry? If they don't want to get the swimmers in right spot why have the meet. They were determined to get meet over. Very disappointing officials, no objectivity obviously there was some confusion and an open lane. They were determined to finish the meet and if you needed a little extra help, no way....

Officiating at the Orlando Grand Prix

Shifu — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 11:34:50 GMT

I'll be Officiating at the Orlando Grand Prix in March. Is there any where I can swim in the mornings close to the YMCA on International Blvd? I am a Masters Swimmer. Thanks Jim Green

Meet warm ups?

Viva O Fear — Sun, 27 Jul 2014 03:42:29 GMT

I was informed today by meet official no equipment allowed in warm ups. Meet was cancelled in a rare San Diego Lightning storm in La Jolla. Last meet I didn't swim enough warm up so toady I was going through a better warm up and brought my equipment. There was only 3 swimmers in my lane. I never use to use any equipment during warm up ever. Never heard of the rule. Can anyone explain the rational of why?

Officiating summer club

Former Member — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 15:00:35 GMT

Well my ex started my girls in a country club swim team this summer and I offered to volunteer. They then asked me what experience I had and liked my resume enough to put me in the officials spot. They have not yet sent me any guidelines so I wanted to hear from some here as I know some of you have had kids just starting out. Some real concerns for me is for instance the 8 and under age group. these are new swimmers and obviously their strok is not legit. *** stroke kicks are mostly all going to be flutter. 2 hand touches (yeah right) etc. I guess I am just worried about either being too relaxed or too strict. The coaches are telling the kids at practice that they will be DQd for flutter kick but still they just can't all get it right. Any thoughts? Should I just DQ kids that touch the bottom and let the rest go as long as they are making an honest effort. Thanks

LMSC Officials Chairs Peer-to-Peer teleconference notes

Paige — Sat, 31 May 2014 09:08:14 GMT

Several LMSC Officials Chairs met by teleconference on April 22, 2014 to discuss common issues and solutions. Pay for officials by the LMSCs in attendance was covered among other topics. See the attached pdf for notes of the conversation. -Brought to you by the LMSC Development Committee

Pay for Officials

Former Member — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 07:41:01 GMT

Hi, My team is looking at putting on a one-day meet and we were wondering how much is acceptable to pay the starter, referee and stroke/turn judges? Thanks!

Thank you!

Nichollsvi — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 03:56:39 GMT

I swam my first ever in my life meet this weekend. Officials/refs (not sure what you call them LOL) were very helpful and kind. Thank you to those of you who make it possible for us to swim. Btw, I didn't DQ and that's not why I'm saying this. I was on the very kind and receiving end of some helpful hints/tips, and everyone else was kind enough to help show me ropes when needed. Your first time is a bit stressful, you guys helped along with a bunch of others to make me feel welcomed.

2012 Summer Nationals - Application to Officiate

esaltzman — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:20:23 GMT

Application to Officiate for Summer Nationals Application to Officiate at USMS Summer National Championships is attached. We expect that this meet will also be designated for observation of officials wishing to earn advanced (N2/N3) certification. Please pass along to any and all interested officials. Summer Nationals - Omaha, Nebraska July 5-8, 2012 (LCM) This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. the U.S. Masters Nationals will be held in the same temporary facility as the 2012 USA Olympic Trials. Masters will occupy the facility just days after the Olympic Trials conclude. The pool will remain in the same configuration used at trials including the high speed timing cameras. If you don't get selected for Trials; this is the next best thing. Who knows - you may spot a few Olympic Team members still wondering around the facility. Meet Referee - Jacki Allender jallender@marykay.com Attached Files __________________ Ed Saltzman USMS Officials Committee Chair

2012 Spring Nationals - Application to Officiate

esaltzman — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:15:14 GMT

Application to Officiate for Spring Nationals Application to Officiate at USMS Spring National Championships is attached. We expect that this meet will also be designated for observation of officials wishing to earn advanced (N2/N3) certification. Please pass along to any and all interested officials. Spring Nationals - Greensboro, NC April 26-29, 2012 (SCY) This is a brand new Aquatic Center built as a state of the art facility for hosting large National level meets. This was designed as a fast pool and therefore you can expect to see a lot of records fall. Meet Referee - Joel Black joelblack@minspring.com Attached Files __________________ Ed Saltzman USMS Officials Committee Chair

Entry Deadlines for Sanctioned Meets

NJMastR — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:51:44 GMT

Are there any rules that stipulate that meet directors must enforce the entry deadline documented on the entry form? Or, is it assumed that entries received may be accepted at the discretion of the meet director if postmarked after the deadline?

Becoming an official - how to get started?

Former Member — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 10:22:45 GMT

Hi, How do I get back into being an official? I'm living now in CT, but was a carded official in CA about 10 years back. I did Stroke & Turn, with some experience with the other roles. I also haven't been swimming, which puts me further out of the loop. So start at the beginning and share whatever you can, please. Thanks in advance.

Rulebook - 2008 USA-S/USMS differences

pakman044 — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:53:33 GMT

From the 2008 USMS Rulebook, a new USMS/USA-S difference has entered the rulebook: MS1.3 Backstroke—Note: The swimmer who turns past vertical and, in a continuous motion, grabs the wall before pushing off with the feet while on the back is considered to have executed a “continuous turning action”. But it seems to me that this isn't really a difference. In the USA Swimming Stroke & Turn Situation Resolutions: 6. During the 50-yard backstroke a swimmer in lane 4 approaches the turn. When the swimmer moves past vertical towards the *** to make a flip turn, he finds himself in contact with the wall. With out doing a flip turn the swimmer leaves the wall past vertical towards the back. What action should the turn judge take? Recommended Resolution: No action is required. During the turn the shoulders may be turned past vertical toward the *** after which a continuous single arm pull or a continuous double arm pull may (not required) be used to execute the turn. As the turning action was continuous, there should be no disqualification. Applicable Rules: 101.4.3 The USMS portion would appear to be an insignificant textual difference, and seemingly the same rule: the codification of a standing USA Swimming interpretation. (It is a good thing though that it's explicitly stated!) Or am I missing something here? Patrick King

Meet Situations

cockrell — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 03:07:02 GMT

Several meet situations have arisen recently of which we want officials to be aware. The following has been provided to LMSC officials Chairs and we have asked them to pass these along to Meet Referees as points of emphasis in pre-meet briefings. 1. There is still some confusion on the use of relay lead-off splits for official purposes. Please remind Meet Referees that USMS does not permit the use of relay lead-off splits if the split was obtained using semi-automatic (buttons) or manual (watches) timing. FINA does permit the use of lead-off splits for World Records obtained with semi-automatic timing using three buttons or manual timing using three watches. Therefore, this is a difference of which officials need to aware for short course meters or long course meets. As a general point, Meet Referees should always ensure that they have appropriate procedures and have instructed administrative officials on identifying USMS and FINA records and that we have the appropriate documentation when the meet is concluded. This should also include the procedures to handle timing system malfunctions and corrections, handle swimmer requests for lead-off and initial splits, and verify bulkhead placement via a pool measurement at the end of the session. (These are necessary for all swims, not just records) These administrative points should be part of our pre-meet briefings and checklists just as the “wet” side of the rules are covered for deck officials. 2. We need to remind officials and swimmers that it is not a given that times achieved in USMS sanctioned meets will be valid for USA-Swimming meet entry or qualifying purposes. The meet must be approved by the responsible LSC for observation. If you have swimmers who swim both USMS and USA-Swimming meets in your LMSC, I urge you to coordinate this process with your USA-S counterparts and I have a packet from USA-S that describes the process if you are interested. Typically, it is necessary to observe butterfly and IM swims due to rules differences. Freestyle swims should also be observed at the start since USMS rules permit the use of a backstroke start in freestyle events where USA-Swimming rules do not. If the meet is approved for observation, officials will need procedures to handle swimmer requests and for placement of officials to observe swims. 3. A recent article in USMS Swimmer magazine contained incorrect information on the use of watches in competition. This is a situation that is likely encountered more in masters meets than in age group or collegiate meets, so some officials may not be up to speed on the latest guidance, which we are following from the USA-Swimming Rules Committee. Simply wearing a watch in competition does not constitute a disqualification. However, use of a watch as a pacing device is an infraction. As with any other disqualification, a clear and definitive observation is required that the swimmer used the device for this purpose. In the interest of preventative officiating, it is acceptable for officials to remind swimmers that they may not use a watch during competition if you observe a swimmer wearing one prior to a race. It is not acceptable, however, to ask a swimmer to remove a watch since wearing one is not necessarily illegal. (Just as it is not acceptable for officials to advise a swimmer that they were “close” to a DQ since “close” is not illegal.) Kathy Casey and I worked with Bill Volckening on a correction to be included in the next issue. 4. A question recently came to me regarding the start sequence. What if a swimmer steps onto the blocks prior to the long whistle signal? Should the officials ask the swimmer to step down or just proceed? My answer follows below. This is also a situation where there are some unique aspects in dealing with older swimmers or those who may be unfamiliar with the rules. It is not uncommon to see the occasional swimmer who is not familiar with the starting sequence step up before the long whistle. How the Referee and Starter elect to handle this situation is a judgment call and depends on the circumstances. If the officials are ready to proceed with the heat, the most expeditious way to handle it may be to simply let it go and remind the swimmer later. Asking the swimmer to step down and then immediately step back up at the long whistle could create an issue for swimmers who may not be as stable on the blocks as others or could create an unnecessary delay in the meet. The officials could consider a general announcement to educate swimmers on the starting sequence if it is becoming a routine issue during the meet. There are other times, however, where we do not want swimmers stepping up onto the blocks only to have them remain there for an extended period because we are not ready to start the next heat. If this is the case, the Referee or Starter should ask the swimmers to step down until the Referee gives the signal. If necessary, we should also alert the timers and other officials behind the blocks that there may be some swimmers who need assistance in stepping up or down. Starters The bottom line is that the officials should be aware that they can use their discretion to some degree and it is not always necessary to ask swimmers to step down if they happen to step up early. 5. It also came to my attention that in at least one location, Referees were still using 3 short blasts for the “readiness” signal as part of the starting sequence. While not specified in the rules, the generally accepted protocol is 5 or more short blasts. There have been cases where facilities use the 3-short-blast as a type of emergency activation signal and so using 3 short blasts in the starting sequence has created an issue in some locations. This is also a good reminder for Meet Referees that they should have a plan on how to handle emergency situations (lightning, sudden power loss, medical emergency, etc.). This should be coordinated with the facility prior to the meet. Think about questions such as…..In what situations would it be necessary to stop a race and remove swimmers from the water? If so, how will you alert officials and who is responsible for removing the swimmers? If you are outdoors in the summer, how will you handle inclement weather? Does the pool deck need to be cleared? If so, who will do it? Where are the lifeguards stationed? Do they have the ability to interrupt the meet if deemed necessary? Who will call for medical assistance if needed? These are all things we should have worked out in advance of the meet. Best Regards, Charlie Cockrell USMS Officials Committee Chair

December Officials Committee Minutes

cockrell — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 02:59:27 GMT

Minutes of the USMS Officials Committee Meeting for December 2007 are attached.

Application to Officiate for LC Nationals

cockrell — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 08:53:25 GMT

Application to Officiate at USMS Long Course Championships is attached. We expect that this meet will also be designated for observation of officials wishing to earn advanced (N2/N3) certification. Please pass along to any and all interested officials.

Use of Official Times

cockrell — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 09:20:58 GMT

Are swimmers permitted to use times swum in USMS meets for entry purposes in USA-Swimming meets? Times swum in USMS meets are not automatically accepted for reportable purposes by USA-Swimming. USA-Swimming has various provisions for accepting times swum in meets that are not sanctioned, including “approved” and “observed” meets. “Approved” meets are swum under USA-Swimming rules, but may be open to swimmers who are not members of USA-Swimming. “Observed” meets are meets which are swum under other rules, but are observed by USA-Swimming officials to determine if the swims meet the requirements for official time use. Examples of “observed” meets may be NCAA or High School Championship meets. USMS rules are identical to USA-Swimming rules for freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke. The rules vary for butterfly to allow the use of breaststroke kick. Therefore, butterfly and Individual Medley swims will need observation if swimmers wish to use these times to enter USA-Swimming meets. In the future, the officials committee intends to work with local hosts of USMS Championships to have the meet observed by USA-Swimming officials. Zone Championship hosts are strongly encouraged to contact the responsible LSC to determine if the meet can be observed. For other USMS meets, LMSC Officials Chairs are encouraged to contact their LSC counterparts to develop a local policy for observation of USMS meets. Swimmers who swim in both USMS and USA-Swimming meets should check with Meet Directors to determine if USMS meets which they enter are approved for observation. Please contact me at officials@usms.org for additional questions. Best Regards, Charlie Cockrell USMS Officials Committee Chair

Notes for Officials Chairs

cockrell — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 09:18:30 GMT

Officials Staffing Several questions have come up lately with respect to officials staffing. Attached are some frequently asked questions to help Meet Directors, Referees, and LMSC Officials Chairs. Comments are welcome. Rules Corner Kathy Casey, USMS Rules Committee Chair, provided the attached “Rules Corner” to address some questions directed to the Rules Committee recently. Please forward to Referees and Meet Directors and consider emphasizing these points in your pre-meet briefings for officials. Best Regards, Charlie Cockrell USMS Officials Committee Chair

Short Course Nationals Officials

cockrell — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 09:16:20 GMT

Officials Needed for Short Course Nationals USMS Short Course Nationals are coming up May 17-20 and the folks in Federal Way urgently need additional officials to fill all of the deck positions. All positions are open, but obviously Stroke and Turn Judges are always the biggest need. Please pass along this information to as many officials as you can in your LMSCs. If anyone is attending the meet as a swimmer, please let us know and consider officiating for part of a session. You can pass along to me (officials@usms.org) or contact Lee Carlson – who is handling officials recruiting for the meet – directly. Lee’s e-mail address is leedee17340@msn.com. Federal Way is a great facility and the meet promises to be a quality one, so we appreciate any support that anyone can provide. Charlie Cockrell USMS Officials Committee Chair

Next Edition of USMS Officials News

cockrell — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 07:48:20 GMT

I plan to do another USMS Officials Newsletter in the next few weeks. Some of the topics suggested are: 1. Reminders for officials on pool measurement issues. 2. Staffing guidelines for USMS meets. 3. The role of the USMS Observer for USMS-recognized meets. I would like to include any situations and resolutions that may be of interest and any other general topics that may be interest to swimmers and officials. Please feel free to post questions or suggested topics here or e-mail me at officials@usms.org. Charlie Cockrell Officials Committee Chair United States Masters Swimming, Inc.