Meet Officials: Keeping the Competition Fair

 USA Swimming meets wouldn’t be possible without officials. These trained volunteers ensure every race follows the rules and that all swimmers compete on a level playing field. 

Certain roles do require training, but we'll help you every step of the way, and the team will cover the costs. 

Here's some of the different official roles. 

We provide two place judges at each meet. No training is required for this role. Their job is to watch the finish of each race and record the order swimmers finish, just in case there’s a timing issue. It’s a simple but important backup role. 

The meet marshal helps keep things safe and orderly on deck. No training is required for this role. A female marshal is required at away meets, and a male marshal is required at home meets. Marshals help remind swimmers and spectators of deck rules and keep the meet running smoothly. 

Watch swimmers during their races to make sure each stroke (freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly, and backstroke) is performed legally and that turns and finishes are done correctly. We provide two Stroke & Turn judges at every meet, but if we can provide 4 then no one has to work the entire meet. 

Work with the referee to start each race fairly. They ensure every swimmer has a fair start and is ready before the race begins. Generally only the home team provides a starter, and the starter serves as a stroke and turn judge at away meets. 

 Oversees the entire meet. The referee is responsible for all decisions related to the competition and ensures everything runs smoothly and according to USA Swimming rules. Generally only the home team provides a referee, but referees generally serve as a stroke and turn judge at away meets

 Handle the paperwork and results. They verify times, check disqualifications, and ensure accurate final results are recorded.