RSL - Duties of Referee

 

1.                  General 

1.                  Ensure a safe competition (know lightning rule, use safety marshals).

2.                  Enforce “no alcohol” and “no smoking” rules

3.                  Ensure a fair competition with an equitable application of rules (give the benefit of any doubt to the swimmer)

4.                  Keep the meet going (every minute wasted is a later finish)

 

2.                  Before the season starts:

1.                  Your decisions need to be based on the rules.  Know the rules, you are the authority. 

2.                  People ask you questions, you resolve disputes and protests (knowing the rules helps to avoid disputes)

3.                  Prepare a picture of your pool to use to tell judges where they are to be, and what jurisdiction they

4.                  have from that position for Stroke and Turn and Relay Takeoff.

5.                  Participate in official’s clinics

 

3.                  Before a Meet:

1.                  Dress to be easily found, RSL is providing tags

2.                  Have a copy of the USS Rules and RSL Rules

3.                  Check pool equipment (starting device, loudspeaker,..) and lane markings, DQ slips for judges, bring your referee’s whistle

4.                  Keep control of the meet, run on schedule, be LARGE AND IN CHARGE

5.                  Assign and Instruct Officials, they like you are volunteers, well intentioned and here for the swimmers.

 

1.                  Timers (could delegate instructions to reliable Starter or Head Timer)

1.                  Times determine order of finish, this is a very important job

2.                  Start and stop with index finger

3.                  Start on flash (better across the pool)

4.                  Stop on contact with the wall,

(1)               touch, (not past the plane)

(2)               any part of the body, don’t care if touch is legal!! (see S&T),

(3)               do not anticipate!

5.                  Do not shorten course for backstrokers

6.                  Check swimmers name

7.                  Put swimmer on block in proper heat (timers fault or swimmers fault, burden the timers, avoid DQ of a swimmer)

8.                  Record times always in same order

9.                   

2.                  Stroke and Turn judges:

1.                  Lane assignments and jurisdiction, uniform coverage, suggest rotate

2.                  All calls the same as finals

3.                  Backstroke turn will be judged using Virginia High School League (VHSL) Rules

(1)               Any part of the head past the flags, shoulder may rotate past vertical onto breast

(2)               One single or double arm pull allowed, May NOT start an additional arm pull

(3)               May kick or glide to wall while on breast

(4)               May flip or continue to wall

(5)               Must leave wall on back

4.                  Butterfly some part of the arm must break the surface

5.                  Referee will ask what the judge saw.  Looked different is not DQ

6.                  Must be past flags to judge turns and touches, use diagram.

7.                  DQ cards must be filled out properly.

8.                  Ask to meet second half or relief judges.

 

3.                  Relay Takeoff judges

1.                  Across the board dual confirmation, or sides

2.                  Stroke and turns on one end and ref & starter or ref & other official at opposite end

 

4.                              Starter (probably won’t instruct before every meet) critical to running on time and fairly

1.                  Referee will also recall false starts he sees

2.                  False start when starter AND referee agree (swimmer DQ’d on second false start)

3.                  How long to hold?  Until swimmers are “motionless”. Stand up if taking too long

4.                  After Referee whistle indicates ready to start, The starter takes control and consistently instruct swimmers,

             “Event 15, Heat 6, boys, 25 yard freestyle, 1 length of the pool, “pause” and in a calm voice, “take your mark”,

                        Clerk of course (probably won’t instruct before every meet) technical and crowd control, difficult job,

                         critical to running on time

5.                  If a discrepancy is noticed please contact referee for decision

6.                  Contact referee with any questions

 

5.                  Scorer (probably won’t instruct before every meet) may catch problems, last to finish working

1.                  If a discrepancy is noticed please contact referee for decision

2.                  Contact referee with any questions

 

6.                  Give runners instructions

 

7.                  Recall rope

 

8.                   

6.                  Meet with coaches

1.                  Does either team want intermission

2.                  Notify referee of any disabilities or special needs of swimmers (Rule 105)

3.                  Unsportsmanlike or unsafe behavior (Rule 102.10.3)

4.                  Coach can talk civilly to anyone, Until I see judge having trouble doing job.

 

4.                  During the meet

1.                  Start on time, don’t waste time, and finish as early as possible.

2.                  Maintain control of yourself, the meet and everything,  --  you can’t control chaos

3.                  Some things will come up (in no particular order)

1.                  Only one swimmer on blocks for heat,

1.                  Check lane timers, to see if they have entries

2.                  Check clerk to see if other entries

3.                  Combine/adjust heats as best you can on the fly; do not let swimmer compete alone

2.                  Protests - see USS Rules (Rule 102.11) and RSL Rules

3.                  Thunder and Lightning - see RSL rules

4.                  Official’s Judgement is FINAL, unless referee personally observes that it was not a violation.

5.                  Use the “Correction Note For Officials” appropriately

6.                  Coach can question referee on the rule/infraction, referee would overturn disqualification if judge

7.                  cites rules incorrectly (this won’t come up if referee has already questioned every DQ)

8.                  Swimmer competes in wrong heat

1.                  Unfair to other swimmers of different age/gender

2.                  Timers fault or swimmers fault (DQ)

9.                  DQ form incorrectly completed wrong name, wrong lane etc. no DQ, we DO NOT FIX

 

Contacts:

 

Gary Hild, 372-6786, ebenziohild@juno.com, RSL Officials Training