Officials Update #2
In this issue:
Fairly Officiating
Proper Documentation
The Value of a Meeting
Questions
Fairly Officiating
There have been a number of questions posed about Midlakes and how to officiate fairly. So please consider this a friendly reminder on a couple of points:
1) While we are a recreational league and wanting to making competitive swimming fun, we also have rules that we follow. If a swimmer makes an observed infraction, there are a number of folks expecting an official to make a disqualification call – the swimmer, their competitors, the coaches, the parents and the other officials (both at the meet and at other meets). There would be nothing sadder than a swimmer to get to Prelims/Champs and to be disqualified for something they have been doing all season.
2) All heats of all events (including exhibition and 8&U) are judged according to the rules. It’s OK to DQ a swimmer; while many volunteers struggle with a little “guilt”, as I said in training “the swimmer DQ's themselves and the official just documents it”. Every now and then calls get missed by a stroke & turn official (or a starter), but the expectation is that all competition is treated consistently and fairly.
3) All teams officials are expected to have attended training and been briefed on the rules – not only the differences between Midlakes and USA Swimming but also the rules differences implemented this year (both USA Swimming and Midlakes rules and interpretation). As we work through this season, please be sure to encourage the officials volunteers to attend the training sessions every year (and plan ahead for next year) – if nothing else, it’s a good refresher.
Proper Documentation
Sometimes it’s hard to decide how to document the DQ and use the correct terminology. Do the best you can (as quickly as you can) to describe the infraction in the fewest words. For example:
|
Infraction |
Documentation |
|
A breaststroke swimmer swimming multiple strokes |
2 strokes underwater |
|
A breaststroke swimmer who kicks then pulls |
out of sequence |
|
A butterfly swimmer using a breaststroke kick |
breaststroke kick during fly |
|
A butterfly swimmer using a flutter (freestyle) kick |
alternating kick during fly |
|
A backstroke swimmer who rolls to their breast (during the swim or at the finish) |
shoulders past vertical |
If you have some specific things you saw but weren’t sure how to write up, send them my way and I can include them in a future Update.
The Value of a Meeting
Coaches and officials Meetings should be held before each meet – 1 each with both – to review and discuss any rules questions, jurisdictions or any specific things that need to be noted about the pool or the participants in that day’s events. Because each venue is unique, there should be one held for EVERY meet – very similar to what we do for Prelims and Champs (but without the Scratch meeting). Coaches and officials should expect a meeting - or ask for one - to discuss such items.
One subject that would likely come up is the pool depth for diving at the “shallow” end for the 100 Yard Relays. As discussed at both the training and at the Midlakes Coaches Meeting, the rule is that a 4 feet minimum depth is required for dives at the "shallow" end. There are only 4 Midlakes venues where this would be allowed - Edgebrook, MI Beach Club, Plateau Club, and 6 of the 8 lanes at MI Country Club. Since we're having Prelims at 2 of these pools (Edgebrook and MIBC - Jr. Boys @ Samena is the exception) and as Champs @ KCAC is 9 feet deep, this won't be a factor. So, during the dual meet season, all other pools would need to have “in the water starts” for these events. Holding a meeting to review this would be a good idea – and also a reminder to both coaches and officials that swimmers starting in the water are expected to have their hand on the wall until the incoming swimmer touches.
Questions
Q1: Is there a DQ when relay swimmer #3 enters the pool while #2 swimmer is still ½ way down the lane (and eventually colliding with the incoming swimmer)? If so, what is the call?
A1: While you can turn back in an individual freestyle event, you cannot turn back in any other event including relays. So, yes there is DQ –the obvious one is the relay take off judges call an early take off; the other would be a disqualification called by the Referee/Starter or Stroke & Turn official based on the following relay rules:
101.7.3C In relay races a swimmer other than the first swimmer shall not start until his/her teammate has concluded his/her leg.
101.7.3D Any relay team member and his/her relay team shall be disqualified from a race if a team member other than the swimmer designated to swim that leg enters the pool in the area where the race is being conducted before all swimmers of all teams have finished the race.
Q2: Can swimmers “swim up” AND swim multiple times in an event?
A2: Yes, swimmers can “swim up” one age group and their time and performance count towards the score – provided that swimmer has not achieved a B-DQ time in that age-group event in the case of a B-meet swim. But they cannot “swim up” to swim the event multiple times - the intent is for an individual to only swim once in each individual stroke, IM, and relay. Swimmers are limited to 4 events total – and a maximum of one medley and one freestyle relay.
Midlakes Swim Operating Plan, Section F, Paragraph 7: In dual meets, all individuals are limited to a total of four events, inclusive of relays. An individual may swim a maximum of three individual and one relay, or two individual and two relays (one medley and one freestyle relay). The first four races swum will be counted. If a swimmer is disqualified for any reason, that event is counted. Exhibition must be clearly indicated in the Meet Manager entries file or it will be counted as an event swum.
I know that there are more questions out there – send me an email and we’ll do our best to get it addressed. I hope that all this makes sense - feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions or need further clarification.
Scott
Allen
Midlakes Swim League
Officials Chair
