2007-08 Swimming and Diving Points of Emphasis

1) Championship Meets. Championship meets are culminating meets which may include league championships, conference championships, district championships, regional championships, state championship series, etc. Invitational meets, and other multiple team meets, may use the championship meet format as determined by the state association or host meet management. Meet management of non-championship meets has the option of using dual confirmation, entry deadlines, etc. as stipulated in the meet contract or meet information. Meet format and other modifications should be stipulated in the meet contract or meet information.

2) Swimming Pool Dimensions. Rule 2-2 requires swimming pools to be either 25 yards or 25 meters in length. In order for national high school records to be set the length of the pool must be no less than 25 yards. Contractors constructing new swimming pools must take into consideration the thickness of timing pads and pool liners, if used, when determining the actual length of the pool so the competitive distance from end wall to timing pad or liner is no less than 25 yards. All national records require the pool dimensions to be verified for accuracy to ensure rule requirements are met.

3) Water Conditions. It is the responsibility of the host school to make sure the rules regarding water conditions are met. When water conditions do not meet rule requirements the meet referee may declare the meet will not be conducted. The referee does not have any responsibility for taking corrective actions to be sure water conditions meet the rule. S/he is only responsible for enforcing NFHS rules.

4) Unnecessarily Delaying the Start of the Race. When swimmers are prepared for the start of the race, the starter gives the command, "Take Your Mark", and all swimmers shall assume the legal starting position. If a swimmer(s) does not assume the legal starting position, the starter should give the command, "Stand Up/Down" and remind all swimmers of the legal starting position. The starter again gives the "Take Your Mark" command. If the swimmer(s) does not assume the legal starting position for the second time, the starter may disqualify the swimmer(s) for unnecessarily delaying the start of the race, or may release all swimmers a second time and remind that particular swimmer(s) of the legal starting position. Once again the starter gives the "Take Your Mark" command. If the swimmer(s) still does not assume a legal starting position the swimmer(s) is disqualified for unnecessarily delaying the start of the race, and shall not swim.

5) Penalties for Starting Infractions and False Starts. With the implementation of the no recall false start last year, it is important to clarify when a swimmer who is disqualified for a starting infraction or false start is prohibited from competing and when the swimmer is allowed to compete with disqualification notice being given at the end of the race. Rule 8-1-3 states swimmers who commit an infraction before the starting signal is given should be warned, or disqualified and not allowed to compete, depending on the infraction. If the starting signal has been given before the disqualification has been declared the race shall continue without recall and the swimmer and/or coach notified of the disqualification at the end of the race.

6) Divers Changing Dive Position to a Higher Degree of Difficulty Than Listed on the Score Sheet. Rule 9-3-6 allows divers to change the position of a voluntary dive if the listed position is protested to the diving referee before the dive is performed. This rule also states if the change in position results in a higher degree of difficulty than the dive originally listed on the diving score sheet the original DD will be used when scoring the dive. Rule 9-4-1a requires the total DD of the five voluntary dives to be a sum total of 9.0 or less. In championship meets, divers are not permitted to change the position of the dive if the listed degree of difficulty of the new position would make the true DD for the five voluntary dives greater than 9.0. It will be very important for the diving referee to communicate with the diving scorer to immediately recalculate the true degree of difficulty total any time a dive position is changed to one where the listed DD is higher than that originally listed on the diving score sheet. If it is not detected prior to the next dive(s) being performed that a change in dive position has caused the true DD to exceed 9.0, the voluntary dive causing the DD to exceed 9.0 will be failed. (See situation 9.4.1D for clarification.)