WANT TO BE AN OFFICIAL

Click HERE To Learn How

LSC Officials' Certification Standards AND Frequently Asked Questions

Be sure you are receiving officials emails from: [email protected]

2026 USA Swimming Rulebook Order

The 2026 USA Swimming Rulebook will be available sometime late December, early January. 

To help expedite the process, please complete this order form no later than than Monday, December 1, 2025 to request a FREE copy. 

After this date, they may be purchased through SwimOutlet.

UPDATES FOR ALL OFFICIALS

Information from USA Swimming regarding 12 and Under Tech Suit Requirements.

Learn about high school swimming and how to get involved.

CONCUSSION TRAINING

If you have not completed your Concussion Protocol Training please do so as soon as possible.  Follow this link to the USA Swimming website.  There you can choose from two training options.  Once you have completed the training and receive your certificate, please email it to Dick Cavanah: [email protected], to be put in SWIMS.  Once in SWIMS, your Deck Pass will be updated.  If you have questions, please review this document.

National Certification

The Officials Committee encourages our Officials to improve their craft. One way to do this is to advance from your FGC certification to the N2 and N3 Level.
 
Follow this link and see if you are ready for the next level or recertification.

Click here to go to the USA Swimming Web Site Officials Page.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR OFFICIAL NAME TAG

Officials Committee 

Officials Chair

 Kathy Fish [email protected]
Assistant Chair Steve Goldman [email protected]
At-Large Allan Golding [email protected]
Athlete Representative Reese Rosenthal  
Broward Felix Gonzalez [email protected]
Broward Mary Ross [email protected]
Miami-Dade & Monroe Juan Pelaez [email protected]
Miami-Dade & Monroe Dana Sibley [email protected]
Open Water Hector Acevedo [email protected]
Palm Beach Scott Boggs [email protected]
Palm Beach David Katz [email protected]

 

Introduction

Welcome to the world of swim officiating! This page contains all the information you need to become an entry level swim official. If you have any questions, or for more information, please contact Kathy Fish.

 

Why Be An Official?

There are lots of great reasons to become a swim official…

  • We need you! Maybe it looks to you like we have plenty of folks on deck…but the fact is that at most meets we have about half the number of folks we need to effectively officiate!

  • Contribute meaningfully to the sport! Sitting in the stands or in a lawn chair on deck is better than not showing up for your children, but becoming an official demonstrates to them the kind of parent you are --- caring and active.

  • Great view! You are right there at the point of the action.

  • Hospitality! At most all meets you are ‘fed and watered’ to your hearts content.

  • Camaraderie! Meet and make friends with lots of other folks from all over your area and the state, and enjoy the energy and spirit of the officials group.

  • We are NOT little league…in swimming, unlike many sports, we pay for professional coaching, and rely on volunteer officials…that’s the way it should be, not the other way around!

 

What do ‘Stroke and Turn Judges’ do?

The officials help the coaches and swimmers by maintaining a fair competitive environment. Stroke and Turn Judges (S/T) will observe the swimmers after the start and report any violations of the stroke and turn rules to the Referee. Officials should never incorrectly report a violation of the rules, as it is expected that all reports are based on 100% certainty that what is reported as a disqualification is a violation of the rules. The swimmers ALWAYS get the benefit of the doubt!

 

Officials—Levels

Swimming officials are divided into several levels, and once you have become a S/T judge, you can choose to progress to additional levels if you wish. There is no level more important than the Stroke and Turn level, but you learn additional skills at each level. The additional levels are:

• Starter

• Deck Referee

• Meet Referee

• Clinical Instructor (someone who teaches clinics)

Officiating Videos from USA Swimming

Butterfly
Backstroke
Breaststroke
Freestyle
Individual Medley
Relays

Officials Documents & Forms from USA Swimming

Officials Training Resources:

Officials Clinic & Briefing Resources

Situations & Resolutions

Professional Documents for Each Position

Forms For Officials:

Deck Organization

Relay Takeoff Slips

Split Record Forms

Certification-Recertification Templates

Stroke and Turn Judge

Starter

Administrative Official

Stand-Alone Certification if only working dry side

Referee

Must have Administrative Official Certification before receiving Referee Certification

Chief Judge