Transcript Stroke and Turn Judges

Referee Clinic
Stroke and Turn Judging
Code of Conduct
Some Thoughts from “Officiating
Swimming: A training manual for
officials of USA Swimming”
David Coleman
Introduction
Well run meets depend upon well
prepared officials
They have studied the rules
They have attended training sessions and
clinics
They work all levels of meets regularly
They assist the referee in creating a fair
and equitable competition.
Benefit of any doubt goes to
the swimmer!!!
Fairness to all competitors, giving the
benefit of the doubt, in every instance
to the swimmer.
Ugly is not necessarily illegal.
Basic Concepts
Take officiating
seriously and work
hard at it.
Study the rules
Call violations as
seen
Be consistent
Disregard
swimmer’s age,
identity, or club
Be fair and unbiased
Work regularly at
the job.
We need practice,
just as the swimmers
do.
Regular work
increases confidence
Keep with the rule
changes
No substitute for
experience!
Basic Concepts
Be Professional in
manner.
Make decisions
quickly and
decisively.
Avoid coaching
swimmers.
Refrain from
cheering: control
your emotions
Be Professional
Don’t fraternize with
swimmers, coaches,
or spectators during
the competition.
Admit a mistake if
wrong …
Give undevided
attention to your
assignment: start to
finish.
Stroke Judge
Responsible for observing the 15 meter mark
for all strokes except breaststroke at the
start.
Stroke judges walk the side of the pool
observing the swimmers in your jurisdiction.
Breaststroke and Butterfly: walking abreast or
slightly behind the swimmers.
Pace: stay up with the swimmers
Don’t loose contact with the lead swimmers, while
staying slightly ahead of the trailing swimmers
Turn Judge
Turn judges are positioned at either end of
the pool.
When judging multiple lanes, the official will have
to adjust her/his position to best observe all
assigned lanes.
See the attached debate on such movement
At the start, the turn judge steps forward to the
side of the pool to observe the first strokes and
kicks. Do not block the view of the timers before
the start.
Reporting Violations
Only the Referee and the stroke and
turn judges can disqualify for stroke,
turn or finish violations.
Upon observing a violation in your
jurisdiction, you must raise one hand
overhead..
There is no violation if this is not done, unless
the Referee personally saw the violation and
raise her/his hand.
Reporting Violations
Violations are reported to the referee
who must confirm the violation.
Chief Judges, if present, will record the
violation on a DQ slip when possible.
Be ready to answer the “3 Questions”
Where were you? (jurisdiction)
What did you see? (description)
What rule was broken? (infraction)
Reporting Violations
After listening to
your answers, don’t
take it personally if
the referee disallows
the DQ. They need
to do their job too.
Every reasonable
effort will be made
to notify the
swimmer or coach
of the DQ and the
reason for it.
Disqualifications
Only made by an official who has
jurisdiction
Must be a personal observation
Give the swimmer the benefit of the
doubt
Apply this test: Be sure the DQ
occurred, understand clearly what it is,
and be prepared to explain it.
Disqualifications
Unsportsmanlike or unsafe conduct observed
by the Stroke and Turn Judge shall be
reported to the Referee.
The swimmer must start and finish in the
same lane. Interference with another
swimmer shall be reported to referee if
observed.
Standing on the bottom of the pools during
freestyle shall not be a DQ. In other strokes,
except during the turns, standing on the
bottom of the pool is a DQ.
Disqualifications
A swimmer who enters the pool or
course in the area where a race is being
conducted before all the swimmers
have completed their race, shall be
barred from her/his next individual race
on that day or the next meet day.
Dipping goggles or splashes shall not be a
DQ unless the action interferes with the
competition.
Disqualifications
No swimmer shall wear any devise or
substance which improves buoyancy or
speed during a race.
Goggles may be worn and rubdown oil
applied if not considered excessive by the
Referee.
Swimmers may not wear the insignia/logo of
another club in competition if that other
club objects.
Mental Traps in Judging
Advantage vs. disadvantage
That the swimmer should not gain “unfair
advantage” in the mission statement of
swimming has led to some problems.
There is no intention that this phrase excuses
judges from calling infractions that are
observed “because no advantage was gained.”
This leads to sloppy officiating
Whether an advantage is gained or not,
observed infractions must be reported.
Mental Traps in Judging
The “Twice Theory”
Do I wait to see if the swimmer does the
infraction again?
You either saw the infraction or you did not; “twice
theory” is a crutch
The official who is certain of the observation, was in the
proper position to observe it, and know what the rule is,
shall make the call.
If you are uncertain, the benefit goes to the swimmer.
Don’t go back “Looking” for the infraction that you think
you may have seen: give all competitors equal coverage.
Mental Traps in Judging
We don’t disqualify 8 & unders.
This assumes that the role of judging is punitive.
DQ’s protect the other athletes in the competition
DQ’s are source for the education of the athlete
Not all 8 & unders are new to the sport; not all
15-16’s are experienced.
Feeling that you will traumatize the child is
ludicrous. Children learn from constructive
corrections.
Mental Traps in Judging
Don’t ask me to judge my child.
Judges sometimes think that the perception will
be that my child got away with something
because I was the judge. Or
Judges feel that they don’t want to have to
explain to their child why she/he was disqualified.
REMEMBER Professionalism: we treat all equitable
and fairly all the time.
The judge must separate herself/himself from
their parenting role and accept the responsibility
of being a USA Swimming judge.
Mental Traps in Judging
Don’t Infer or Extrapolate
YOU CAN ONLY CALL WHAT YOU SEE
NOT WHAT YOU EXPECT TO SEE
NOT WHAT YOU ASSUME HAPPENED
YOU MUST SEE THAT THE SWIMMER’S RIGHT
HAND DID NOT TOUCH THE WALL
SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE LEFT ON
BREASTSTROKE TURN.
Don’t look for reasons to disqualify. Just
observe the swim and report what you see.
Judging Swimmers with
Physical Disabilities
Judge in accordance with USA
Swimming rules, any part of the body
that is used.
Do not judge a part of the body that
cannot be used.
Base your judgment on the actual rule,
not the swimmer’s technique.
Conclusions
Officiating can be an enjoyable
experience.
Self-satisfaction at a job well-done
Being well prepared and participating with
the athletes is very rewarding.
Reassess your own performance so
improvement continues
Continue to review the rules and attend
clinics and training sessions.
Code of Ethics
Membership is a privilege.
It may withdrawn or denied if a
“member’s conduct is inconsistent with
the mission of the organization or the best
interest of the sport and those who
participate in it.” 304.1
Code of Conduct
“Any member or prospective member of USA
Swimming may be denied membership,
censured, placed on probation, suspended …
fined or expelled from USA Swimming if such
member violates the provisions of the USA
Swimming Code of Conduct … or aids, abets
or encourages another person to violate any
provisions of the USA Swimming Code of
Conduct.” 304.2
Code of Conduct
304.3.1: Violation of the right to
compete provisions found in Sections
301.1 through 301.4
301.1: right to compete
301.2: right to compete internationally and
limits placed on educational institutions
seeking to limit that right
301.3-4: due process rights
Code of Conduct
304.3.2: Violation of anti-doping
provisions set forth in Section 303.4 or
303.5
304.3.3: discrimination based race,
color, religion, age, sex, or national
origin.
Code of Conduct
304.4: violation of Athlete Protection
Policies (see Article 305)
304.5: violation of Sexual Misconduct
Reporting Requirements (see Article
306)
Code of Conduct
304.3.6: Conviction of, imposition of a
deferred sentence for, or any plea of guilty
or no contest at any time, past, present, or
the existence of any pending charges, for:
Any felony
Any offense involving use, possession,
distribution or intent ot distribute illegal
drugs or substances
Any crime involving sexual misconduct
Code of Conduct
304.3.7: Bullying is prohibited …
Severe or repeated use by one or more USA
Swimming members of an oral, written, electronic,
or other technological expression, image, sound,
data, or intelligence of any nature, … or a physical
act or gesture … directed at any Member
Causes reasonable fear of harm, actual harm,
hostile environment, infringing on rights of
Member, disrupts training process.
Code of Conduct
304.3.8: any inappropriate sexual
conduct or advance, or other oral,
written visual, or physical conduct of a
sexual nature directed towards an
athlete by a coach or other non-athlete
member, or by any adult participating in
any capacity whatsoever in the activities
of USA Swimming …
Code of Conduct
304.3.9: “The sale or distribution of
illegal drugs or the illegal sale or
distribution of any substance listed on
FINA’s recognized list of banned
substances”
Code of Conduct
304.3.10: “The use of illegal drugs in
the presence of an athlete, by a coach,
official, trainer of, or a person who, in
the context of swimming, is in a
position of authority over that athlete”
Code of Conduct
304.3.11: “The providing of alcohol to
an athlete by a coach, official, trainer,
manager or any other person where the
athlete is under the legal age allowed to
consume or purchase alcohol in the
state where the alcohol is provided”
Code of Conduct
304.3.12: “The abuse of alcohol in the
presence of an athlete under the age of
18, by a coach, official, trainer of, or a
person who, in the context of swimming,
is in a position of authority over that
athlete”
Code of Conduct
304.3.13: “Physical abuse of an athlete
by any person who, in the context of
swimming, is in a position of authority
over that athlete”
304.3.14: “Any act of fraud, deception
or dishonesty in connection with any
USA Swimming-related activity”
Code of Conduct
304.3.15: “Any non-consensual physical
contact, obscene language or gesture,
or other threatening language or
conduct directed towards any meet
official and which is related to any
decision made by such official in
connection with a USA Swimmingsanctioned competition”
Code of Conduct
304.3.16:
Recruiting or even encouraging registered
swimmers to leave their present clubs and
join a new club are prohibited.
Permission to recruit must be obtained from
the athlete’s present coach. Athletes, their
parents, or representatives may initiate such a
contact.
Code of Conduct
304.3.17: “Violation of any team
misconduct rule as established by the
USOC, USA Swimming, any Zone or LSC
team authority”
304.3.18: “Any other act, conduct or
omission which is detrimental to the
image or reputation of USA Swimming,
a LSC or the sport of swimming.”