Welcome to Officials

As a parent of a swimmer you have the opportunity to be involved with your child and their sport in various ways. One very instrumental way is by being trained, certified, and working as an Official. Officials are present at all competitions to implement the technical rules of swimming and to ensure that the competition is fair and equitable to everyone. Click below to read more about:

Officials Certification Standards revised 2/8/24
How to Become an Official revised 2/8/24

Apprentice Official Check Sheets to be Brought to Meets

Stroke and Turn Certification Check Sheet revised 3/8/24
Chief Judge Certification Check Sheet revised 3/8/24
Starter Certification Check Sheet revised 3/8/24
Admin Official Certification Check Sheet revised 3/8/24
Referee Certification Check Sheet revised 3/8/24

Documents for Knowledge of Each Position

Professional Stroke and Turn Official
Professional Chief Judge
Professional Starter
Professional Administrative Official
Professional Referee

Officials attend clinics, receive training and are certified by USA Swimming. Apprentice officials generally start as Stroke and Turn Officials whose job it is to observe the swimmers in their assigned lanes from the time they take their first arm pull after entering the water or beginning a race through the completion of their race. Stroke and Turn Officials ensure that the strokes, turns and finishes comply with the rules applicable to each stroke. If strokes, turns or finishes are executed in a manner which is out of compliance with the rules, in the spirit of fairness they document information to disqualify a swimmer from a race.

There are many levels of officiating that require different degrees of involvement and time. Stroke and Turn Officials learn the ropes by attending clinics, using self-study materials, and working on deck under the supervision of a trainer. Those who are interested move up the ladder to serving as a chief judge, starter, admin official, and referee, learning through a combination of clinics, self-study materials, and on-the-job training.

 

NEWS

Opportunity to Officiate at Championship Meets

Certified Stroke and Turn Officials are invited to officiate at the upcoming LSC Championship Meet Spring Far Western Championships. This meet is a preliminary and finals meet. The Far Western Championships has been designated an Official Qualifying Meet (OQM).  National evaluations will be taking place.  At Far Western Championships, Saturday between preliminaries and finals, officials are invited to a catered BBQ luncheon (Officials' Appreciation). Officials’ Briefings for each of the championship meets, will take place one (1) hour prior the start of each session. The dress code is: for preliminary events, white polo type shirt, blue pants, shorts, or skirt, and white closed toe athletic shoes. For final events, the bottoms are blue pants or skirt. Shorts are not permitted.

Application to Apply:

Spring Far Western Championships, April 4-7, 2024, Pleasanton Seahawks:

Apply: Click Here Far Western Championships


Opportunity for National Certification at Spring Far Westerns
 
Officials wishing to be evaluated at Spring Far Westerns must apply to the Meet Referee Michael Davis (mekidadad1@yahoo.com) before the Meet by email or when they first arrive at the Meet and attend pre-session meetings. Please send in your application prior to the Meet by email because we may not be able to accommodate applications submitted at the Meet due to resource limitations. The briefing will occur one hour before the start of both Trials and Finals. For an N3 evaluation to be valid it must be done over 4 sessions in the position. N2 evaluations must be done over 3 sessions in the position. Recertification evaluations must each be done over two sessions. However, the official must work at least 4 sessions at the meet for advancement or recertification evaluation(s) to be valid. The application form can be found below.
 
 

2023-24 Meet Assignments (updated 2/27/24) - Pacific's major meet assignments for the 2023-24 swim y/ear are available. Click here to view.


Request for Reimbursement

For requesting reimbursement from Pacific Swimiming for National Meets Travel and Lodging. Note that tax identification number and current address must be provided before any payment for services provided to Pacific will be made. (Updated 9/6/22). Click here to view.


Officials Apparel - Our inventory is fully stocked again and we are happy to be able to maintain the same prices for all items except jackets. We have also added a knit beanie cap for those cold, winter meets and, by request, a XS Ladies SS and LS polos. Please use this current form to order any items. Thank you for your patience!

Officials Apparel Form 9/2023


Athlete Protection Training - USA Swimming's Athlete Protection Training course is available by clicking here.


Officials Background Checks - The current amount for background check renewal is $18. DO NOT let your background check expire! See your Zone Officials Chair or visit USASwimming.org to begin the background check process.


No-Show Penalty No Longer Applies to Zone Awarded Meets Swimmers in zone-awarded age group meets who miss an event they have checked in for are no longer penalized by the loss of the next event they have entered.
 
No-show penalties still apply in Pacific-awarded meets, including senior meets, JOs, and Far Westerns.