Does anyone know the rationale behind USMS rule 103.13.1(B)(1)? Specifically, this says that in order for an initial distance split to count as an "official time" (and thus, eligible for records, top-ten, etc.), the swimmer must notify the meet referee in writing before the end of the meet.
Does anyone know why we insist on this level of administrivia? This means that, technically, even as a meet director... if I notice that someone's 1000 split on their 1650 would be a new record... it's not a new record unless I remind the swimmer him/herself to write down on a piece of paper "Please make my split time count", and hand it to the referee. Before they leave the pool at the end of the meet.
In USA Swimming, the paperwork isn't necessary. Your 1000 split counts, without any paperwork, as long as it's valid, you finished the event, etc., etc. But you don't need silly paperwork.
So why do we insist on this paperwork in USMS? This seems like something that is doing us all a massive disservice as I'm sure many many potential records and top ten performances are being missed. If you swim a 1650, and your initial 1000 was a certain time... then your initial 1000 was that time, regardless of any paperwork you submit by the end of the meet.
(This is separate from setting up an expectation that these splits will be automatically submitted. That's a separate issue. My only issue is that if the swimmer does not write something down on a post-it note, that the window of opportunity closes, and there is no way to un-close the window the way the rulebook is written.)
I suppose the solution is to amend the disclaimer/waiver language for our meet entries to include a sentence "I HEREBY REQUEST TO THE REFEREE THAT EVERY INITIAL DISTANCE OF EVERY EVENT THAT I SWIM BE CONSIDERED AS AN OFFICIAL TIME.", and then that part of the rule is satisfied. If the USMS Rules Committee insists, I can photocopy all of our entry forms, and hand them to the Referee before the end of the meet.
-Rick
I again want to be absolutely clear about two different issues here, and that I'm only arguing about one of them.
The issue I'm interested in is the "validity of official time".
The issue I'm not (yet!) interested in is "what is the expectation of what is automatically processed, etc. for top-10 times, etc.".
The scenario I care about is this:
Swimmer goes to a meet, swims the 1650 free. Maybe sets a local record, maybe sets a national record. Whatever. There's no doubt about the validity of their 1650 finish time.
Swimmer gets home, after the meet is over, looks at the results, and realizes "Wow, my 1000 split was also a regional record!". However, it's now after the meet is over. Since the swimmer did not write down a trivial request on a post-it note and give it to the referee before leaving the pool, the window is forever closed, and this 1000 split can never be recognized as a record, since it cannot, by rule, be considered an "official time".
All I'm saying is that after-the-fact, we should be able to recognize that 1000 split as a fully official time. It satisfies every other requirement for "official time", except that the swimmer did not make a request to the referee in writing before the end of the meet.
I'm not getting into anything about whether we should be automatically culling for splits. I'm just saying that if one is discovered, it shouldn't be invalid because a piece of administrivia was not followed at the meet.
-Rick
I again want to be absolutely clear about two different issues here, and that I'm only arguing about one of them.
The issue I'm interested in is the "validity of official time".
The issue I'm not (yet!) interested in is "what is the expectation of what is automatically processed, etc. for top-10 times, etc.".
The scenario I care about is this:
Swimmer goes to a meet, swims the 1650 free. Maybe sets a local record, maybe sets a national record. Whatever. There's no doubt about the validity of their 1650 finish time.
Swimmer gets home, after the meet is over, looks at the results, and realizes "Wow, my 1000 split was also a regional record!". However, it's now after the meet is over. Since the swimmer did not write down a trivial request on a post-it note and give it to the referee before leaving the pool, the window is forever closed, and this 1000 split can never be recognized as a record, since it cannot, by rule, be considered an "official time".
All I'm saying is that after-the-fact, we should be able to recognize that 1000 split as a fully official time. It satisfies every other requirement for "official time", except that the swimmer did not make a request to the referee in writing before the end of the meet.
I'm not getting into anything about whether we should be automatically culling for splits. I'm just saying that if one is discovered, it shouldn't be invalid because a piece of administrivia was not followed at the meet.
-Rick
