10.4. Referee. The Referee shall:
10.4.1. Have full authority over all officials and shall assign and instruct them prior and during the meet. The Referee shall have authority to decide any questions relating to the actual conduct of the meet.
10.4.2. Signal the starter, before each heat, when the pool is clear and ready for competition with the Stroke and Turn Judges in position.
10.4.3. Determine the final decision on any point where the opinions of any other official differ.
10.4.4. Sign off on all Disqualification slips (DQ) ensuring each is properly filled out. If in the opinion of the Referee, the DQ is not valid for any reason, then the Referee shall overrule the decision of the signatory official.
10.4.5. Prohibit the use of any bell, siren, horn or any other artificial noisemaking device, if in his/her opinion it is interfering with the course of the meet.
10.4.6. Disqualify any competitor for any personally observed rules violation.
10.4.7. Have the authority to interpose in a competition at any stage after the start of the meet to ensure competitive racing conditions and rules are observed.
10.4.8. Sign the score sheet at the conclusion of the meet.

10.5. Starter. The Starter shall:
10.5.2. Take a position within 10 feet of the starting edge of the pool, in a position so as to provide all timers with an unobstructed view of the starting device.
10.5.3. Upon clearance from the Referee, assume full control of the competitors until a fair start has been achieved.
10.5.4. Direct the competitors into their starting position and issue final instructions to include:
10.5.4.1. The distance to be covered.
10.5.4.2. The stroke(s) to be swum and in what order.
10.5.4.3. The number of lengths to be covered.
10.5.5. Follow the instructions above with the command, "TAKE YOUR MARK." Sufficient time should follow this command to enable all competitors to assume a starting position. All competitors must assume a still position prior to the use of the starting device.
10.5.6. With the concurrence of the Referee, adapt any starting procedure to accommodate a
handicapped competitor.
10.5.7. With the concurrence of the Referee, disqualify competitors for delaying the start by entering the water while assuming a starting position, or for willfully disobeying an order on the start, or for any other misconduct observed while in the starting area.
10.5.8. If in his/her opinion a false start has been committed, the Starter shall immediately recall the swimmers using the starting device again and/or a recall rope (if available).

10.6. Stroke & Turn Judge. The Stroke and Turn Judge shall:
10.6.1. Observe the competitors in his/her assigned area to ensure all applicable rules pertaining to the stroke being swum are performed.
10.6.2. Upon sighting a violation, immediately raise a hand to signal the infraction.
10.6.3. The Stroke and Turn Judge will then fill out a DQ slip and will present it to the Referee for concurrence.
10.6.4. Insofar as possible every effort should be made to explain to the competitor the reasons for their disqualification.

10.9. Head Timer. The Head Timer shall:
10.9.1. Prior to the start of the meet he/she shall group and instruct the timers on their responsibility and procedures for timing. This meeting should also include a test to verify the accuracy of all watches to be used.
10.9.2. Assign 3 timers to each lane.
10.9.3. Designate one of these timers as the official recorder for that lane.
10.9.4. Signal the Referee that all timers are ready after all times have been recorded and time cards have been collected. The command to signal the Referee will be, "TIMERS CLEAR YOUR WATCHES."
10.9.5. Be responsible for delivering to the scorers, via the runner, all official time cards as completed by the lane recorder. This is to include the time cards of any disqualified swimmer.
10.9.6. Shall start his/her watch(es) on every race. The Head Timer's watch shall be used in the event of a failure for any reason of an official lane timer's watch.

10.10. Lane Timers. The Lane Timers shall:
10.10.1. Perform their duties in the lane assigned to them by the Head Timer.
10.10.2. Look at the starting device after the Referee gives control of the competitors to the Starter. Upon sighting the flash from the starting device they should start their watch. The only time sound should be used to start a watch is when the starting device does not have a visual signal.
10.10.3. Stop their watch immediately when any part of the competitor's body touches the pool or course.
10.10.4. Promptly report the time listed on their watch to the lane recorder and if asked, present the watch for inspection.
10.10.5. Not clear any time from their stopwatch until after all times (from their respective lane) have been recorded on the time cards.

10.11. Scorekeepers.
10.11.1. Each team will provide one scorer, one recorder and one data checker.
10.11.1.1. The scorers will be jointly responsible for:
10.11.1.1.1. Overseeing the entire scorekeeping process.
10.11.1.1.2. Determining the official times.
10.11.1.1.3. Sorting entry cards by order of finish.
10.11.1.1.4. Determining and posting individual team scores and results.
10.11.1.1.5. Informing the clerk of the course of any entry changes and/or scratches.
10.11.1.1.6. Confirming record breaking time cards have the required 3 recorded times.
10.11.1.1.7. Marking DQ and attach the DQ slip to an entry card where an infraction was recorded and countersigned by the referee.

10.11.5. The Recorders shall jointly be responsible for:
10.11.5.1. Entering changes in event results at the direction of the Referee.
10.11.5.2. Making corrections to either the score sheet or the software program in the event errors are detected.
10.11.5.3. Producing the meet results.

10.11.6. The Data Checkers shall be jointly responsible for:
10.11.6.1. Determining the official order of finish in each event.
10.11.6.2. In the event of the use of computer scoring, the data checker will verify the entry cards and timing sheets are correct.
10.11.6.3. In the event the meet is scored by hand, the data checker will verify the score sheets have the properly awarded points and the times listed agree with the official time on the entry card.
10.11.9. At the conclusion of the swim meet, the home team is responsible for providing, to the RSL record chairperson:
10.11.9.1. A list of identified triple winners and/or RSL record breakers. The information should include competitor's name, event with description, gender of the competitor, type of pool (yards or meters), official time, and the team affiliation. This list shall be reviewed by the scorers and signed.
10.11.9.2. All entry cards including scratches, disqualified entry cards and DQ slips.
10.11.9.3. Meet entry event planners from both teams.
10.11.9.4. An electronic data backup of all meet results, or a copy of the meet score sheet.
10.11.10. If the meet is scored by hand, the data must be entered into the league database in such time as to be ready for the league seeding party. At the discretion of the League it may be necessary to have the teams in question verify the data entered.
10.11.11. The Scorer, Data Checker and Referee shall each sign the Official score sheet at the end of the meet. No changes to the final score will be allowed after that point, unless by official protest by the Team Representative.
10.11.12. Are responsible that all time cards, score sheets and event planners be delivered to the President of the RSL, Inc., or his/her designee. These records will be kept for the entire swim season.

10.12. Clerk of the Course. The Clerk of the Course shall:
10.12.1. Be provided with an area clearly marked as "CLERK OF THE COURSE" where all competitors must report as soon as their event is called to report.
10.12.2. Collect the entry cards from each team. Entry cards will then be placed in order from fastest to slowest, as designated by the number in the upper right hand corner of the card. (1 = fastest competitor)
10.12.3. Collate the entry cards into events, heats and lanes.
10.12.4. The entry cards marked as slowest will be placed in the first heat with the subsequent heats containing faster competitors.
10.12.5. Lane assignments:
10.12.5.1. In a 4-lane pool the home team will use lanes 1 and 3. Lanes 2 and 4 will be used by the visiting team.
10.12.5.2. In a 5-lane pool, the home team in heat 1 will have lanes 1, 3, and 5. The visiting team will use lanes 2 and 4. In heat 2 the home team will swim in lanes 1 and 3. The visiting team will swim in lanes 2, 4, and 5.
10.12.5.3. In a 6-lane pool, the home team will use lanes 1,3, and 5. The visiting team will use lanes 2,4, and 6.
10.12.5.4. Relay lane assignments:
Relay Team 4 and 5 lane pool 6 lane pool
Home A relay 3 3
Home B relay 1 5
Visiting A relay 2 4
Visiting B relay 4 2

10.14. Announcer. The Announcer shall:
10.14.1. Announce the following before the start of the meet:
"This meet is hosted and sponsored by the Rappahannock Swim League, Incorporated. All spectators, athletes and coaches are reminded the RSL is committed to the development of sportsmanship, teamwork, dedication and a love for the sport of swimming."
10.14.2. Announce on two other occasions the following:
"This meet is hosted and sponsored by the Rappahannock Swim League, Inc.
10.14.3. Announce a running score as given to him/her by the scorer, ensuring that such announcement does not interfere with the starter or any other official.
*These positions require a minimal amount of advanced training, which is provided free of charge by the RSL at local pools in early June.
 

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page last updated: May 25, 2008