Frequently Asked Questions

Becoming an Official:

Q: How do you become an certified official?
A: You need to first become a Stroke and Turn Judge (Link to more information)

Q: What are the levels of officials on deck?
A: Meet Referee, Deck Referee, Starter, Stroke and Turn, Administrative Official, Timers, Clerk of Course, Computer Operator, Meet Marshall.

Q: Which position must be certified?
A: From the question above Meet Referee to Administrative Official

How do I become a Stroke and Turn?

How do I become an Administrative Official?

How do I become a Starter?

How do I become a Deck Referee?

How do I become a Meet Referee?

Where do I find the next swim clinic?

How do I recertify as a Stroke and Turn?

How do I recertify as an Administrative Official?

How do I recertify as a Starter?

How do I recertify as a Deck Referee?

How do I recertify as a Meet Referee?

How to check my OTS certification?

Forms:

DQ slips?
DQ Slips

Lap count sheets
Lap Count Sheets Universal 2-up and 3-up

Membership:

How do I transfer to another team?

Sanctioned or Approved or Observed Meets What are they???

Do you get recertification credit???

USA Swimming Sanctioned, Approved and Observed Swims

This summary is intended to help clarify the key differences about the various types of swims generating "official" USA Swimming times and is designed for use by the LSC Sanction Chair. More detailed information is available in USA Swimming Rules and Regulations (Article 202) in which requirements and conditions for sanction, approved competitions and observed swims are defined.

SANCTIONED EVENT (Officials In CT get OTS and recertification credits)
- Meet must be conducted under USA Swimming technical and administrative rules.
- All times achieved will be recognized by USA Swimming.
- All participants must be registered members of USA Swimming (including meet host, meet director, safety director, marshals, coaches, officials (excluding timers), athletes, and participating clubs).
- Full insurance coverage is in effect (excess medical and general liability) for all registered members of USA Swimming. General Liability coverage is in effect for the meet host and volunteers.
APPROVED COMPETITION (Officials in CT ONLY get OTS credits)
- Meet must be conducted under USA Swimming technical rules, including time resolution.
- A request must be made to the LSC within its parameters for Approval.
- All times achieved will be recognized by USA Swimming, although only times of USA Swimming members are eligible for incorporation into the SWIMS database.
- There are no requirements for membership in USA Swimming for participation in meet.
- Insurance: If hosted by a USA Swimming member club/organization, full insurance coverage is provided for all registered members of USA Swimming and general liability coverage is provided for the hosting entity. If hosted by a non USA Swimming entity, full coverage is provided for the USA Swimming member coaches and athletes who are participating as a USA Swimming entity.
OBSERVED SWIM(S) (Officials in CT ONLY get OTS credits)
- Meet is conducted under other than USA Swimming technical rules (e.g., high school, NCAA, YMCA, IPC).
- A request must be made to the LSC within its parameters for Observation.
- Only those times from swim(s) observed and approved by USA Swimming appointed and certified officials acting as observers are recognized by USA Swimming. Only times of USA Swimming members are eligible for incorporation into the SWIMS database.
- There are no requirements for membership in USA Swimming for participation in meet.
- There is no medical or liability coverage for participants or host. Excess medical is provided to designated LSC NTV Observers only while observing swims on the LSC's behalf.

Observing CIAC - what we need to watch

The strokes that we observe are Butterfly, Breaststroke, Backstroke, Individual Medley, and the Medley Relay. Within those events we only observe the elements that differ and would merit disqualification in a USA-S meet.

Butterfly - The stacked hands touch at the turns and finish is legal in high school but is a violation in USA Swimming.

Breaststroke - The same situation with the touch as in Butterfly.

Backstroke - During the turn kicking and/or gliding following the continuous turning action is allowed during high school swimming. This is a violation in USA Swimming. If a swimmer misses the wall during a backstroke turn in high school they may scull back and touch the wall. Also a violation in USA Swimming.

Individual Medley - We observe all the above for each of the individual strokes within the race.

Medley Relay - Relay times are not observable but the lead-off leg may be used so only the backstroke turn should be observed.

Kinesiology Tape - Although legal in High School with appropriate medical documentation, the use of kinesiology tape is not allowed under any circumstances in USA swimming and would merit disqualification.

Protocol

Designate one of the observing officials as the lead official. Have that official obtain heat sheets from the meet director. That official will also assign coverage for the observing officials.

Always give preference to the association officials (in this case High School) as to deck positioning. They are the officials for the meet, we are just invited guests.

Observe only those areas where the strokes differ. Just step back from the pool when not observing the above areas.

While actively observing, note on the heat sheet any violations of USA swimming rules only for those areas of the strokes listed above. At the conclusion of the meet the designated lead official should consolidate any notes on the heat sheets and provide an update to the CT Swimming office, the officials chair, and program operations. If everything was clean and there were no violations (very common) they still need to know.

Never raise your hand for something you have observed. Simply note on the heat sheet.
Never discuss with swimmers anything about their strokes.
Never discuss with association officials or coaches anything that you observe pertaining to strokes being swum.