Welcome to Officials

As a parent of a swimmer you have the opportunity to be involved with your child and their sport in various ways. One very instrumental way is by being trained, certified, and working as an Official. Officials are present at all competitions to implement the technical rules of swimming and to ensure that the competition is fair and equitable to everyone. Click below to read more about:

Officials Certification Standards
How to Become an Official
Officials Code of Conduct

Apprentice Official Check Sheets to be Brought to Meets

Stroke and Turn Certification Check Sheet
Chief Judge Certification Check Sheet
Starter Certification Check Sheet
Admin Official Certification Check Sheet
Referee Certification Check Sheet

Documents for Knowledge of Each Position

Professional Stroke and Turn Official
Professional Chief Judge
Professional Starter
Professional Administrative Official
Professional Administrative Referee
Professional Deck Referee

Officials attend clinics, receive training and are certified by USA Swimming. Apprentice officials generally start as Stroke and Turn Officials whose job it is to observe the swimmers in their assigned lanes from the time they take their first arm pull after entering the water or beginning a race through the completion of their race. Stroke and Turn Officials ensure that the strokes, turns and finishes comply with the rules applicable to each stroke. If strokes, turns or finishes are executed in a manner which is out of compliance with the rules, in the spirit of fairness they document information to disqualify a swimmer from a race.

There are many levels of officiating that require different degrees of involvement and time. Stroke and Turn Officials learn the ropes by attending clinics, using self-study materials, and working on deck under the supervision of a trainer. Those who are interested move up the ladder to serving as a chief judge, starter, admin official, and referee, learning through a combination of clinics, self-study materials, and on-the-job training.

 

NEWS

Certified Stroke and Turn Officials are invited to officiate at the two (2) upcoming LSC Championship Meets, Spring Age Group Championships and Spring Far Western Championships. Each meet is a preliminary and finals meet. The Far Western Championships has been designated an Official Qualifying Meet (OQM). National evaluations will be taking place. At Far Western Championships, Saturday between preliminaries and finals, officials are invited to a catered BBQ lunch (Officials’ Appreciation). Officials’ Briefings for each of the championship meets, will take place one (1) hour prior the start of each session. The dress code is: for preliminary events, white polo type shirt, blue pants, shorts, or skirt, and white closed toe athletic shoes. For final events, the bottoms are blue pants or skirt. Shorts are not permitted during finals.

APPLICATIONS TO APPLY:

Spring Age Group Championships, March 14-16, 2025, Pleasanton Seahawks

Apply:  https://forms.gle/kSfyuzSKhZo1EMi1A
 

Spring Far Western Championships, April 3-6, 2025, Pleasanton Seahawks

Apply:  https://forms.gle/mirxFAksJfaDTZ5q9

 
2024-25 Meet Assignments (updated 2/6/25) - Pacific's major meet assignments for the 2024-25 swim y/ear are available. Click here to view.
Request for Reimbursement

For requesting reimbursement from Pacific Swimiming for National Meets Travel and Lodging. Note that tax identification number and current address must be provided before any payment for services provided to Pacific will be made. (Updated 1/20/25). Click here to view.

Officials Apparel - Our inventory is fully stocked again and we are happy to be able to maintain the same prices for all items except jackets. We have also added a knit beanie cap for those cold, winter meets and, by request, a XS Ladies SS and LS polos. Please use this current form to order any items. Thank you for your patience!

Officials Apparel Form 9/2023

Athlete Protection Training - USA Swimming's Athlete Protection Training course is available by clicking here.

Officials Background Checks - The current amount for background check renewal is $18. DO NOT let your background check expire! See your Zone Officials Chair or visit USASwimming.org to begin the background check process.

No-Show Penalty No Longer Applies to Zone Awarded Meets Swimmers in zone-awarded age group meets who miss an event they have checked in for are no longer penalized by the loss of the next event they have entered.
 
No-show penalties still apply in Pacific-awarded meets, including senior meets, JOs, and Far Westerns.

Important Links

USA Swimming Officials Information

Rule Books

General

Safety