Official's Dress
The official's dress for 2009 as approved by the SCHSL is white shirts and blue bottoms.
Recommended Safety Procedures for Meet Warmup
The following procedure was adopted by the SC Swimming Coaches Association for use on a trial basis for the 2009-2010 season. It is a recommended meet warmup procedure adopted mostly from the NFHS rulebook. The intent is for us to try this procedure this season. It is not mandatory and is not part of the rules. After the season, the section will be modified as required and voted up or down by the members of the Association.
It is strongly recommended that the following meet warmup safety procedures are utilized for every meet:
a. Prior to any athletes entering the water to begin warmups, there shall be a meeting including head coaches and captains from each team and officials. The criteria to be reviewed should include, but is not limited to: warmup procedure, pool environment, water depths, jewelry and uniform rules, starting platforms, lane selection, emergency procedures, lifeguard responsibilities, and other pertinent issues.
b. Warmup procedures:
i. The host team is responsible for determining detailed warmup organization and for ensuring that the meet warmup rules are followed.
ii. A designated supervisor whose sole responsibility is to observe the warmup procedures shall be on duty prior to any athletes entering the pool/diving well and throughout the entire warmup period.
iii. Warmup sessions should be designed to limit the number of anticipated participants to 10 swimmers per lane. If more than 10 swimmers per lane are anticipated, then split warmup sessions should be used.
iv. Swimmers shall enter the water feet first in a controlled manner except for starts which are limited to specific lanes and times. “A controlled manner” means entering the water feet first, from the end of the pool.
v. Coaches shall directly supervise and verbally start swimmers for sprint or pace work.
vi. Swimmers shall not be allowed on a starting platform when a backstroker is executing a start in the same sprint lane.
vii. The pool shall be closed during the coaches’ meeting.
viii. Jewelry shall not be worn during warmups.
c. Meet management or their designee(s) may remove a swimmer, coach and/or team from the deck for violations of these rules.
2009-10 Major Rules Changes
2009-10 Swimming and Diving Rules Interpretations
Publisher's Note: The National Federation of State High School Associations is the only source of official high school interpretations. They do not set aside nor modify any rule. They are made and published by the NFHS in response to situations presented. Robert F. Kanaby, Publisher, NFHS Publications 2009
SITUATION 1: In a race being timed with automatic timing, a swimmer touches the finish end, but not the finish pad, and the timers stop their watches or backup buttons when the timing pad: (a) has moved out of position during the race; (b) has fallen off the gutter during the race; (c) does not cover the width of the lane. RULING: (a), (b) and (c) correct procedure. The referee has the discretion to use backup times in these instances. COMMENT: It is intended that touch pads should cover the entire width of the lane. If they do not and a swimmer touches the end wall beside the pad, but within the confines of the lane, it is a legal finish. (8-1-7)
SITUATION 2: Following the turn in the breaststroke event, the swimmer's hands separate slightly after the swimmer's feet leave the wall, after which the swimmer does a downward butterfly kick before beginning the arm pull. The swimmer is disqualified. RULING: Incorrect procedure. COMMENT: Any separation or drifting of the hands/arms prior to the kick constitutes initiation of the arm pull, after which the butterfly kick may occur. After the start and after each turn, any lateral or downward movement of the hands or arms is considered to be the initiation of the first arm pull. (8-2-2)
SITUATION 3: For the backstroke start in a deck-level pool ("rim flow" or "rollout" gutter), the swimmer in lane 4 has his/her toes above the deck after the starting signal is activated, but before leaving the wall. The swimmer is disqualified from the race. RULING: Proper procedure. COMMENT: Rule 8-1-2 does not permit a swimmer to have his/her toes above the gutter or pool deck. In the case of a deck-level pool, the swimmer's toes must be below the pool edge. (8-1-2)
SITUATION 4: The diver mounts the board and the announcer gives dive 401C Inward Dive Tuck. The diver assumes a set position on the back of the board, takes three steps, approach and hurdle. The diver lands the hurdle at the end of the board, stops, turns around and assumes a set position again and performs dive 401C. RULING: Balk, Rule 9-5-5. COMMENT: In the diving referee's opinion, it is a balk as the diver assumed the starting position and from that position interrupted the continuous execution of the dive prior to entry into the water. (9-5-5)
2009-10 Swimming and Diving Points of Emphasis
1.) Posting and announcing of meet scores - While it is recommended the meet score be posted and announced during meets, it is no longer required. At some meets, there may be no announcer or PA system available and there may be limited personnel helping conduct the meet, which would make posting and announcing the score impractical. Coaches typically keep team scores themselves, but a coach should be able to approach the scorer's table during the meet to inquire about the score. If scores are not posted or announced, the referee may want to periodically ask the scorer for the team score. Whenever practical, the meet score should be posted and/or announced. This will keep coaches and athletes apprised of the progress of the meet, as well as keeping the fans informed and involved with the competition between teams.
2.) Legal competitive suits - The option to wear a two piece suit has become outdated from a competitive suit manufacturer's standpoint. Competition suits for swimming and diving are made as one piece. The recreational two piece suit is not appropriate for the interscholastic competition. If it is desired to wear a second suit, this would be allowed by rule, provided it is a one piece suit over another one piece suit.
3.) Pistol used as sounding device - For all practical purposes, it is inappropriate to use a pistol capable of discharging live ammunition as the sounding device at an education based interscholastic athletic event. Should a pistol be used as the sounding device, it shall be disabled from being able to fire live rounds. Most states, by state law, prohibit firearms on school grounds and school events.
4.) Lead-off swimmers establishing an official time - It has been common practice to accept the time swum by the first swimmer of a relay as an official time for that comparable individual event. This is possible due to the first swimmer being able to execute the swim using a legal start, meet stroke requirements and have a legal finish. Subsequent swimmers in a relay will not meet all three of these requirements for a legal swim as in the comparable individual event. When a relay team is disqualified for a violation by swimmers two, three or four, such as an early start, turn or stroke which results in the relay disqualification, the split time for the lead swimmer shall still be recorded as official. However, should the relay team be disqualified for a conduct violation under Rule 3-5, the split time of the lead swimmer shall be nullified. In high school swimming, proper sporting conduct is paramount and should it become inappropriate by rule, no mark shall stand.
5.) Compliance with entry rules when using electronic meet management software - The use of electronic meet management software has certainly made it more efficient for those managing swim meets. This software has also created some minor issues when implementing NFHS rules related to entry procedures. For swimming, host schools may ask for visiting team rosters in advance of the meet so entries can be entered into the computer. For diving, there is a concern about properly identifying the voluntary dives on the diving scoresheet. State associations, or meet management, should communicate with participating schools on how entries will be submitted when electronic meet management software is used to be within the intent and spirit of the rule. The use of electronic meet management software does not change the rules or time frame in which coaches have for making changes in their entries.
SC High School Swimming-Starters' Protocol.
The use of verbal preparatory commands remains in effect for all high school meets. See "Suggested Guidelines for Starters' Protocol - Use of Verbal Preparatory Commands" in the NFHS Swimming and Diving and Water Polo Rules Book.