GHSSCA

Items of Interest:

Reminder: Fall GHSSCA meeting to be held at Westminster Schools on September 13, 2008 at 10:00am in the Kellet Theater which is in the Broyles Art Center across the field from the front of Turner Gymnasium. We will have the first GHSA Rules Clinic and an in-the-water clinic in the pool to finish out the day.

2008-09 NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Changes
2-4-3: When practical, the numbering of lanes should be from right to left as the swimmer stands facing the course.

Rationale: This addition to the rule provides direction for consistency in the numbering of lanes, which is already a common practice. If there is an individual facility constraint preventing right-to-left numbering, the language will accommodate such situation.

2-7-4: Requires a recall device be provided for recalling a race but no longer specifies a recall rope.

Rationale: There is no need to reference a recall rope as it is one of several recall devices that may be used when necessary to recall a race.

3-3-4 new Penalty: The penalty for a subsequent violation of the uniform/jewelry rules by the same competitor is disqualification in the heat/round and ineligibility for the remainder of the meet if not corrected. This is a change from the previous penalty of potential disqualification from the meet under unsporting conduct rules.

Rationale: Although the wearing of jewelry and/or illegal attire is not a frequent occurrence, once a competitor and a coach have been notified of a violation there is no justification to allow the competitor to continue in the competition without penalty if observed by an official a subsequent time. The penalty is now disqualification from the event/round rather than the meet for unsporting conduct. The penalty is more appropriate for the severity of the violation and can be more consistently enforced and administered by the meet referee.

4-2-2k: Clarifies that when there is dual confirmation it is not the proper mechanic for the officials to raise their hand for a violation for relay takeoffs and the no-recall false start.

Rationale: There was a need to clarify an additional situation when the official's hand should not be raised upon observation of a specific violation when dual confirmation is being used in the meet.

6-3-4: In order to consider a potential timing system malfunction, there must now be a difference of more than 0.3 seconds between automatic and backup times.

Rationale: Current meet administration software and timing systems now recognize a potential timing malfunction to occur with more than a 0.3 difference between automatic and backup times. The change allows meet administration to utilize current technology for efficient meet administration.

8-1-2: Clarifies on the backstroke start the competitor shall become stationary immediately after the starting command, "Take your mark," and is consistent with the starting procedure for the forward start.

Rationale: This has been the procedure for the backstroke start that had not previously been included in Rule 8-1-2.

9-1-1f: Clarifies the water depth for diving at any point 2 to 5 feet in front of the end of the board is 12 feet, with an exception for any pool constructed prior to January 1987 being 10 feet. This is just a reversal in order as new pools in which diving is conducted are to be 12 feet in depth.

Rationale: Enough time has elapsed to amend this rule so it is clearly indicating the standard for new pools in which diving is conducted is the depth of 12 feet. The exception is only for older pools constructed before 1987 (20-plus years ago) to maintain the 10-feet depth. This language is more current for communicating pool depth in today's competitive swimming and diving world.

Congratulations to Kathleen Hersey for her outstanding swimming over the past several weeks in the Pan American Games and in our U. S. Nationals just last week in Indiana. This is the latest example of what our Georgia high school swimming is producing. Kathleen's gold medal in the 200 meter butterfly with a time of 2:07.19 is simply off the chart. Kathleen you are a true champion but more importantly you have the heart of an angel.

2007-2008 Swimming & Diving Rule Changes

1-3-4 Further defines that a race officially beings when the swimmers are called to the blocks by the referee's long whistle under both verbal and whistle commands.
Rationale: Rule 1-3-4 although defining the start of the race was unclear as to the actual start based on which preparatory command protocol is being used in the competition. The use of the referee's long whistle will be standard under both styles of preparatory commands.
3-3-4 Clarifies how illegal attire and jewelry shall be handled by the official and more clearly describes the wearing of a medical alert item and a religious medal. The NOTE includes the procedure the official follows when illegal attire or jewelry i s observed being worn during a heat/round of competition.
Rationale: Clearly prohibits the wearing of jewelry and illegal attire by a competitor and identifies medical and religious medals as not being jewelry. Wording is clearer as to what is not jewelry and procedure to follow if the event is in progress and the wearing of jewelry is observed. This is similar to other NFHS rules on jewelry.
3-5-3 Penalty 2 New c States a specific penalty of disqualification for a competitor in diving who enters the water without the diving referee's permission.
Rationale: Previously there was not a clearly defined penalty for a competitor entering the water without permission from the diving referee in the event of diving. this penalty is more appropriate for the event of diving rather than having the swimming event penalty apply.
5-1-1 Changes the metric race equivalent of the 500 yard freestyle to 400 meters.
Rationale: The standard length for high school swimming is 500 yards. When converting to meters the 400 meter race is closer to the actual distance of 500 yards. 500 meters is actually a longer race the 500 yards. This change now gives relevance to the metric distance.
8-1-3 Penalties 1 and 2 Changes the current order of infractions and false starts to reflect the order in which the action would occur and revises the penalties to accurately reflect the no recall false start in non-championship and championship meets.
Rationale: With the adoption of the no recall false start the language in penalties 8-1-3 needed to be revised to indicate when a swimmer who is disqualified for a false start shall not compete and when the race shall continue and notice of the disqualification to be at the end of the race.
8-1-6 Penalty Dual confirmation may be used in any meet for a false start, therefore, the phrase, "in championship meets," was deleted.
Rationale: The no recall false start has been adopted for all meets. The second PENALTY portion of 8-1-6 was not previously updated to reflect this adoption.
8-2-2c Clarifies the dolphin kick may be executed after the initiation of the arm stroke and before the breaststroke kick.
Rationale: The wording clarifies the original application of the rule that the dolphin kick can be executed at any point after the initiation of the arm stroke but before the breaststroke kick.
9-3-6, 9-3-6 New Penalty 1 Restricts a change in the position of a voluntary dive if the change would make the true DD total for the five voluntary dives exceed 9.0 and should the change not be detected before the next dive(s) being performed a potential of a failed dive exists.
Rationale: This change serves to prevent an oversight during competition by a diver changing positions to a higher DD that would result in a total exceeding 9.0. It also prevents a diver from listing a lower DD then changing position to receive higher scores even though scored at the original degree of difficulty.
9-5-1 Allows the diver to have the arms in the position of his/her choice for the forward starting position.
Rationale: Many divers, when using a forward start, prefer to have their arms in a variety of positions when they assume the starting position. What is important to officials is not where the arms are but, rather, having the arms in a set position so that the officials know when the starting position is achieved. This change in other rule codes has proven to be advantageous for the diver to be able to start from a more comfortable position.
9-6-3b, and Note Eliminates the announcer displaying awards given by the diving judges and includes the option when an electronic scoreboard is used, with all judges' awards displayed, for the announcer to announce only the total Award received for the dive.
Rationale: The announcer should not have the responsibility to display scores. When all the judges' awards are displayed electronically and plainly visible for all to see, it is not required to announce each individual award for every dive and will assist in efficiency of the event administration.
Protocol for Automatic Relay Judging Changes when the relay takeoff judge is to signal an observed violation to coincide with the re quirement in 4-6-4c, "last competitor is in the water before signaling".
Rationale: The rule change aligns the protocol with requirements and language in NFHS Rule 4-6-4c.

2006-2007 NFHS Swimming/Diving Rule Changes

Eight rules changes in high school swimming and diving were approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Swimming and Diving Rules Committee at its March 27-28 meeting in Indianapolis. The rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

One significant change eliminates the recall of all swimmers in a race when one or more of the competitors gains an unfair advantage at the start of the race. The offending swimmer or relay team now will be disqualified at the completion of the race. The referee/starter may recall a heat under certain conditions. This change followed a year of experimentation with the procedure conducted by six NFHS member state associations.

Rule 8-2-2c was changed to allow a single downward dolphin kick at the start and at each turn in the breaststroke with all other stroke cycles of the swim using the breaststroke kick.

Another rule change now requires that a referee notify an athlete’s coach when the athlete has been warned for wearing jewelry/illegal attire during competition, emphasizing the coach’s responsibility to ensure that athletes are properly attired.

Due to the increased availability of pools with more than six lanes and the desire to allow for greater participation, Rule 7-1-2f now allows triangular meets to accommodate as many entries as the host school deems appropriate.

Other rules focused on clarifications – Rule 1-3-7 explains tha t triangular meet involves three teams competing for the same points, and Rule 8-2-2f clarifies when the single downward butterfly kick is permitted in conjunction with the breaststroke. Rule 3-3-3 Note clarifies that with written approval from the state association, competitors with disabilities who do not require equipment may be granted reasonable accommodations in the start, strokes, turns, etc. Furthermore, Rule 4-6-4c clarifies that violations observed by any relay takeoff judges must be reported in writing.