National Federation of State
High School Associations
2013-2014
Swimming and Diving
Rules Changes
Major Editorial Changes
Points of Emphasis
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Start Dates
1st Day of Practice:
- No earlier than Oct. 30th
Date of 1st Contest:
- No earlier than Nov. 18th
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Dates
Reporting Deadline Saturday, Jan. 25th the week prior, 6:00pm
Regionals - **Added 3A Central Regional**
Jan. 31st- Feb. 1st (diving normally the day
before)
State- 1A/2A-Feb. 6th, 4A-Feb. 7th, 3A –Feb. 8th
Diving: Prior day
Please refer to the NCHSAA Web Site: www.nchsaa.org
For schedule of events (Swimming/Diving Page)
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Reminders
Dead Periods:
-Fall Try Out Dead Period
August 1st through Sept. 1st
-Spring Try Out Dead Period
Feb. 12th through March 15th
Season Limitation:
All regular season meets and conference tournaments must
be completed before the playoff reporting deadline.
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Reminders
Noise makers are prohibited at swimming meets
No Face/Body Paint is allowed (spectators or
swimmers/divers)
Promoting good sportsmanship is everyone’s
responsibility.
Coaches set the example and tone for their athletes
and fans.
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Reminders
Coaches working with outside organized club team
(USA) may not coach the team during the dead periods
if any swimmers/divers on the team are from his/her
school.
Also, coaches (head, assistant, or volunteer) working
with outside organized teams during school year are
limited to no more than 6 swimmers (6 girls and 6 boys)
or divers from their high schools.
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Reminders
 Coaching Requirement: All coaches must still attend
a required meeting with Athletic Director to view the
eligibility power-point presentation prepared by
NCHSAA Staff
 Concussion Rule: Gfeller-Waller Law must be
observed;
o Yearly review and signatures required
o RTP updated on the website
o EAP must be updated and shared with staff at your
school
--Suppose to be reviewed by a licensed athletic trainer
--There is a list posted on the website-Health and Safety –
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
of
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Reminders
Eligibility Power Point Requirement: All coaches must still attend a
required meeting with Athletic Director to view the eligibility power-point
presentation prepared by NCHSAA Staff; includes safety slides which
address concussions
Concussion Rule: Gfeller-Waller Law must be observed;
• Yearly review and signatures required
• RTP updated; on the website
• EAP must be updated and shared with staff at your school
-Supposed to be reviewed by a licensed athletic trainer
-There is a list posted on the website-Health and Safetyof names of persons who can review your EAP
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Reminders
 Sportsmanship: If student or coach is ejected or
DQ’ed, still must complete the Star Sportsmanship
course on-line before returning to competition in addition
to serving the contest penalty. Remember: there is a $7
fee. Additionally, if a fighting ejection, head coach must
take the “Teaching and Modeling Behavior” NFHS
course; cost is $20; must be completed before coaching
next game.
 Middle School Students: Are not allowed to practice
and/or swim against high school students during open
facility or skill development sessions
year
Take during
Part. Getschool
Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Reminders
 Now a $400 fine for non-compliant uniform
 Coaches Education Requirement:
• All non-faculty (non-teaching, certified personnel) and all newly hired
coaches (new to your LEA, and has not passed the course) must
complete and pass the NFHS “FUNDAMENTALS OF COACHING”
certification course within sixty (60) days of hire. This is for head
coaches, assistant coaches, including volunteers.
• If currently a non-faculty coach, certification course must be completed
prior to first day of practice.
• Course is an online offering through the National Federation
(NFHS). To access and complete the course, go to nfhslearn.com .
Cost of course is $35 and is a one-time completion requirement to be
nationally certified.
• NCHSAA Board of Directors has recommended 100% of coaching
staff(s) complete the “FUNDAMENTALS OF COACHING” certification
in three (3) years: Target date is August 1, 2015.
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Reminders
Divers must have successfully competed in at least one meet during the
regular season in order to enter regional competition.
A printed copy of the Direct Athletic entries and a copy of the NCHSAA
Swimming and Diving Eligibility Sheet must be signed by the principal, and
coaches must present this at check in at 1A/2A and 3A and 4A regional
meets (diving competition too). Divers must be entered in Direct
Athletics with a score.
Do not fax diving sheets to regional directors. The diving entry form can
be found on online at:
www.diverline.com/EZMEET/DiveVerifierProgram.htm
Remember: (2) copies must be brought to the meets
Regional 3A and 4A Central Regional divers must register with divemeets.com
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
Swimming Regional Entries
with Direct Athletics
 Sign into www.directathletics.com
Sign
In
Here
You may sign in and out changing times
and updating entries until the
entry deadline of 6pm on Saturday, January 26.
Swimming Regional Entries
with Direct Athletics
 Update Contact Information
Select:
Contac
t Info
Select:
Setup
When you register your contact information with Direct
Athletics, make sure you are giving the coach’s phone
number where he/she can be reached on January 26th
or 27th. If there are any issues with your entries, this is
the number we’ll call.
Swimming Regional Entries
with Direct Athletics
Register the appropriate information for all your
athletes (SWIMMERS AND DIVERS!).
Select:
Team
Select:
Women’s
Or Men’s
Make sure you hit the “SUBMIT” button each and
every time you update information so that it’s saved.
Swimming Regional Entries
with Direct Athletics
Upcoming Meet:
(Will show up in early January)
Select to enter
Swimmers/Divers in their
events.
 ENTRIES MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE
ENTRY DEADLINE OF:
SATURDAY, January 26 @ 6:00
P.M.
Swimming Regional Entries
with Direct Athletics
 Swimming Entries:
• Make sure all athletes are entered
in ONLY 2 INDIVIDUAL EVENTS.
• Be sure to enter your RELAY
EVENTS
• Teams may enter no more than four
swimmers per individual event and
no more than one team per relay
Swimming Regional Entries
with Direct Athletics
 Diving Entries
• Divers must have successfully
competed in at least one meet
during the regular season in order
to enter regional competition.
• Enter best diving score from season
into Direct Athletics.
Swimming Regional Entries
with Direct Athletics
A printed copy of the Direct
Athletic entries must be
signed by the principal, and
coaches must present this at
check in at 1A/2A and 3A and
4A regional meets.
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Officials
 Dual meets: referee and two stroke and turn judges required for times to count
 Meets involving more than two teams must use a referee and three other
officials.
 If meet is using manual timing and only 1 timer per lane, meet may be conducted
but the times cannot be used for regional entry
 A flat fee of $45 is to be paid one referee and a flat fee of $20 to be paid to the
other required officials (stroke and turn judges or the three officials—(starter and
S&T).
 Schools- must recruit their own officials to register with the NCHSAA (register @:
officiating.nchsaa.org)
 Registration is open NOW!
 The S&T exam and the NCHSAA Referee exam taken online no later than Dec. 5.
 The S&T exam taken by ALL officials (including referees).
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Officials
The Referee Exam is required for officials working towards
the two (2) year criteria to become a referee, as well as
current referees. USA Swimming referees may work without the 2 yr.
requirement, but must take the referees exam, as well as the S & T exam.
Verification Forms:
Forms must be signed at each meet the official works. The
form must be returned to the NCHSAA Office by March 2,
2014
Official’s Qualification Data:
Information, grades and referee status can be found on
www.nchsaa.org, click on the Swimming and Diving Tab (left
hand side of the home page)
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Qualifying Times
There are automatic and consideration times again for all classes, 1A/2A,
3A and 4A Regionals. All swimmers with automatic qualifying times will be
accepted into the meet regardless of the number of swimmers who qualify.
If there are any empty lanes in the slowest heat of any event, the
swimmers or relay teams with the fastest consideration times will be
accepted to fill out the empty lanes.
QUALIFYING TIMES can be found on the web site: www.nchsaa.org , under
Swimming & Diving Page.
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Reminders
QUALIFIERS TO STATE CHAMPIONSHIP:
Top-eight fastest times from each 3A and 4A regional (East, Central and West)
Top-twelve fastest times from each1A/2A regional (East and West)
In order to qualify for and advance to State Championships each swimmer or
relay team must have achieved the Regional Qualifying standard (automatic or
consideration) during either the Preliminary or Final competition.
No split times or aggregate times are allowed for
qualifying relay teams
Check the NCHSAA website on an ongoing basis for any updates. You must
refresh your computer to make sure it shows the new changes
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Reminders
*
** Schools fielding a team must compete as a team
during the regular season and times must be achieved
in high school competition.
**Individuals representing their school, where no team is
fielded, must achieve qualifying times in high
school competitions.
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
NCHSAA Board Approved Items:
 2 dead periods for the summer:
(1) week of July 4th (if 4th on Saturday, week
before; if 4th on a Sunday, then it’s the week
after)
(2) week of the coaches clinic, which we are
now in.
• We sent a clarification to athletic directors;
hopefully they shared with you as coaches
 Students participating in summer
workouts must have an up-to-date
physical on file
NCHSAA Board Approved Items:
 Now have a Transfer Policy; posted on web-site
under school central:
• If you make a bona fide change of residence, no
transfer waiver required for satisfying residence
eligibility
• All non-traditional member schools will be
treated as its own LEA
• LEA’s must have a policy to govern inter-system
transfers; if no policy, then sit for 365 days
• All waiver requests from one LEA to another will
be handled through NCHSAA
NCHSAA Board Approved Items:
 Board made some strong recommendations for
the following: (SMAC recommendations)
• At least one member of coaching staff must
take and pass NFHS 1st Aid for Coaches, be
CPR/AED certified and be present at all
contests and practices
• If event has 3 or more teams in attendance
must have LAT/Certified 1st Responder on
site
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
Uniforms
Rule 3-3-2 PENALTIES
 Clarifies the penalties for a swimmer/diver wearing
illegal attire, such as a cap issue, from the penalties
for wearing a suit of illegal construction
 When an official discovers a competitor wearing
illegal attire as described in Article 2, the official shall:
• When observed before the start of the heat/dive
notify competitor to make uniform legal
• If can’t be done without delaying the start the
competitor is disqualified from heat/round until
legal
Uniforms
Rule 3-3-2 PENALTIES
 When observed after start of heat/dive the
competitor is disqualified at completion of the
heat/dive
 Performance results nullified and competitor
is not eligible until in legal attire
Uniforms – Use of Tape
Rule 3-3-4
 Tape is permitted to treat a documented
medical condition
 At no time can use of tape cause a competitor
to have advantage over remainder of field
 Signed documentation from appropriate
health-care professional shall be presented to
referee prior to competition
Uniforms – Use of Tape
Rule 3-3-4
 Situation: A swimmer from Team A cuts
his/her foot needing to be treated and taped
to allow for further competition in the meet.
The swimmer is treated by (a) host school
medical personnel or (b) Team A’s medical
personnel. The meet referee accepts the
treatment and allows the athlete to continue
in competition.
 Ruling: Correct procedure providing
treatment is from appropriate health-care
provider onsite.
Uniforms – Use of Tape
Rule 3-3-4
 Reminder: Preventive taping by divers to
support their wrists requires no medical
documentation
Form of Individual Events
Rule 8-2-1f
 In the breaststroke turn, it is legal for initiation
of the turn to be accomplished by an upward
or downward, underwater movement of the
head if the arm(s) pull is absent
Form of Individual Events
Rule 8-2-2c
 After the initiation
of the arm stroke,
and before the
breaststroke kick
a single butterfly
kick is permitted
Form of Individual Events
Rule 8-2-2c
 In the breaststroke, on the start or turn, the
initiation of the arm stroke for the underwater
pull shall be accomplished by a discernible
horizontal separation of the hands
Form of Individual Events
Rule 8-2-2c
 The initiation of such
arm stroke shall be
accomplished by a
discernible
horizontal separation
of the hands
• Streamline position
Form of Individual Events
Rule 8-2-2c
 The initiation of such
arm stroke shall be
accomplished by a
discernible
horizontal separation
of the hands
• Discernible
horizontal
separation
Managing Diving Competition
Rule 9-2-2
 In championship meets or meets conducted
under championship format, the order of
divers, as determined by the meet director,
shall be by:
• Lot
OR
• Seeding based on diver’s best competitive 11
dive score
 Should the meet director take no action the
default method for determining the order of
diving shall be by lot
National Federation of State
High School Associations
2012-13
Swimming and Diving
Major Editorial Changes
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
Uniforms
3-3-3c
 In regard to swim suit
construction, suits with
a FINA mark and or
individual bar code
shall be legal for NFHS
competition
Diving Approach
Rule 9-5-2
 . . . The diver may use additional steps, hops,
leaps and or jumps during the initial steps and
before the culminating hurdle
• A leap could occur between the initial second
and third steps of the dives
National Federation of State
High School Associations
2012-13
Swimming and Diving
Points of Emphasis
Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
Shaving Onsite Prohibited
Rule 3-5-7
 Shaving onsite is prohibited
 Sports Hygiene
• Concern spreading of communicable diseases
• Sharing of razors
• Cuts and bleeding with failure to follow the
appropriate procedures to clean affected area
 Coaches must take initiative to educate
athletes of the rule and enforce at practice
and at all competitions
Suits with FINA Barcode
 Suits displaying FINA mark/barcode meet or
exceed all NFHS construction and design
requirements in Rule 3-3-3
 FINA mark is not required but when observed
by officials they will know suit meets
construction requirements unless altered
 Suits approved by FINA at any time during
the year are eligible for use in high school
competition and do not have to be approved
by beginning of school year
Relay Team Attire may be
Adjusted to Become Legal
 Should relay team member two, three or four
be in violation of uniform and/or jewelry
rule(s) the meet officials may:
• Let the swimmer who has not swum be aware
of the violation and he/she can make
adjustment to become legal
• Must do so before entering water and without
delaying the meet
Relay Team Attire may be
Adjusted to Become Legal
 Preventive officiating can many times allow a
competitor to make adjustments in attire to
become legal without delaying the
competition
 Ultimate responsibility for being in legal attire
remains with the coach and individual athlete
Scoring – Triangular Meets
Rule 7-1-2f
 f. triangular meets with two or more
entries per team per event: scoring shall
follow 7-1-3a and 7-1-3b; only two relay
entries per team shall be scored.
Scoring – Triangular Meets
Rule 7-1-3b

ART. 3 . . . In championship and other multiple team meet scoring, including
 triangular meets, points are awarded for places as follows:













a. Individual Events
Places 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th
17th18th19th20th
564321
6754321
78654321
897654321
9 10 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
10 14 11 10 9 8 6 4 3 2 1
12 16 13 12 11 10 9 7 5 4 3 2 1
14 18 15 14 13 12 11 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1
16 20 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 9 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
18 22 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 10 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
20 24 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 11 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

b. For
all relays, double the individual points possible for
that place.
Starts and Finishes
Rules 2-7-8, 8-1-7
 In the finishing of races a
swimmer must touch the
pad or end wall between
the lane lines where touch
pad should be located
 Touch pads need to be in
the proper position
 Rule 2-7-8
• Pads for automatic
timing shall be
centered in the lanes
• Recommend that the
touch pads cover the
entire width of the
lane
Starts and Finishes – Backstroke
Rules 8-1-7, 8-2-1g
 Backstroke Finishes
• Swimmer must touch
the pad or the finish
end by any part of the
body
• If swimmer misses the
wall by going over the
top of the gutter it is
not a completed finish
Starts and Finishes – Backstroke
Rules 8-1-7, 8-2-1g
 With what
part of the
body will this
swimmer
most likely
touch the
finish pad?
Timing – Pad Malfunction
Rules 4-8-3, 6-3-4, 8-1-7
 What is a pad malfunction?
• Could be considered if the following occurs:
• Time difference between the pad time and the back
up time of more than 0.3 seconds (plus or minus)
• An observed soft touch by the head timer or timing
system operator
• Pad misplaced or not properly located on the wall
Starts and Finishes
Rule 8-1-7
 What constitutes a
pad surface?
• The entire pad is
live
• Front surface of the
pad
• The top of the pad
• The wall surface
between the lanes
if the pad does not
extend to cover the
entire wall between
lane lines
Meet Committee
Rule 4-1-2
 When to call the meet committee and what is
its responsibility?
• Meet committee is only called when:
• Some situation is not specifically covered in the
rules
• Misapplication of a rule during a meet
• Judgment calls are NOT subject to review by this
committee
 Decision of the meet committee is final
NFHS Swimming and Diving
Publications
 The Rules Book, Scorebook
and other swimming and diving
materials can be ordered:
• online at www.nfhs.com
• by calling 1-800-776-3462
Swimming and Diving Officials’
Guidelines Manuals
 The revised manuals are available August 1
on the following Web site locations:
http://www.nfhs.org/Swimming/
https://nfhs-swimming-
diving.arbitersports.com/front/105415/Site
New Courses at nfhslearn.com!
• Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment
• Addresses hazing, bullying and cyber bullying, inappropriate relationships and social media
• Strength and Conditioning
• Content from NSCA, designed to educate coaches to how to properly train students
• A Guide to Acclimitization and Heat Illness Prevention
• Available now at www.nfhslearn.com!
FREE!
-Visit the NCHSAA website often
-Coaches sign the coaches’ clinic
attendance sheet to receive credit for
attendance and to avoid $400 fine for
your school;
-Officials sign the officials’ attendance
sheet to receive credit for this state
clinic.
Have a Great Season!