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
The thing is, the rule must be loosened at a national level to allow for LMSCs to have the ability to loosen the rules at the LMSC level.
Right now, if one LMSC wants to make this looser, they are not allowed to do that. Not legally anyways.
The point that I think people keep missing is that there are two separate things going on. One is the constitution of an "official time". The second is any rules, procedures, and policy around Top Ten and Records, etc. They do not have to be the same polices. In fact, they're not right now.
Even if I do follow the rule on "Official Time", and make the request in writing before the end of the meet, that doesn't automatically make it a National Record. There is other paperwork that has to happen. If I don't submit that paperwork within a finite timeframe, the record doesn't count.
So I may have set a national record a year ago in my lead-off 500 split on my 1000 free. The time is official. I made the request in writing before the end of the meet. But the paperwork wasn't processed in time. No record. But the time is still an "Official Time".
Official Times are not only used for TT and Records. For example, it's not explicitly stated, but my assumption is that your entry times for USMS Nationals are expected to be "official times", especially where it comes to events that you need to make the NQT (national qualifying time).
What this means is that, technically, I could not enter USMS Nationals with my 500 split if I didn't request it in writing before the end of the meet I did the split at. Since it's not an "Official Time", it's not valid for any purposes, including USMS Nationals entry.
(I don't know if those entry times are validated against anything... they're probably not. But just because they may not be checked doesn't make it and less illegal by the rule book.)
-Rick
The thing is, the rule must be loosened at a national level to allow for LMSCs to have the ability to loosen the rules at the LMSC level.
Right now, if one LMSC wants to make this looser, they are not allowed to do that. Not legally anyways.
The point that I think people keep missing is that there are two separate things going on. One is the constitution of an "official time". The second is any rules, procedures, and policy around Top Ten and Records, etc. They do not have to be the same polices. In fact, they're not right now.
Even if I do follow the rule on "Official Time", and make the request in writing before the end of the meet, that doesn't automatically make it a National Record. There is other paperwork that has to happen. If I don't submit that paperwork within a finite timeframe, the record doesn't count.
So I may have set a national record a year ago in my lead-off 500 split on my 1000 free. The time is official. I made the request in writing before the end of the meet. But the paperwork wasn't processed in time. No record. But the time is still an "Official Time".
Official Times are not only used for TT and Records. For example, it's not explicitly stated, but my assumption is that your entry times for USMS Nationals are expected to be "official times", especially where it comes to events that you need to make the NQT (national qualifying time).
What this means is that, technically, I could not enter USMS Nationals with my 500 split if I didn't request it in writing before the end of the meet I did the split at. Since it's not an "Official Time", it's not valid for any purposes, including USMS Nationals entry.
(I don't know if those entry times are validated against anything... they're probably not. But just because they may not be checked doesn't make it and less illegal by the rule book.)
-Rick
