Virginia High School League

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2009-10 VHSL SWIM DIVE RULES CLINIC
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Purpose

• Review important VHSL policies and information
• On-site registration of officials who are not
  affiliated with USA Swimming
• Review this years NFHS Swim Dive rule changes
• Answer any relevant questions you might have

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Purpose

• This is NOT a training clinic for coaches or
  officials.
• Each official is responsible for completing their
  certification and education
• Study and learn NFHS rule book
• Work meets

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Purpose

• Coaches must read the rule book and review the
  PowerPoint
• Rule books for coaches were mailed to each
  VHSL-member school
• Additional rule books may be purchased directly
  from the NFHS (nfhs.org)

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Clinic Attendance

• Each school must be represented by one boys
  coach and one girls coach
• Non-USA Swimming officials must attend each year
  to be eligible for varsity and post-season
  consideration

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Penalties for Non-Attendance

• Coach
• Letter to principal
• 50 fine
• Head coach must take NFHS Swim Dive rules exam
• Officials who are not USA Swimming certified
• Cannot work varsity meets
• Officials who miss the clinic in two consecutive
  years may not officiate VHSL meets at any level.

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NEW

• Coaches or officials who are unable, due to
  extreme or unusual circumstances, to attend one
  of the VHSL Rules Clinics, MAY be given an
  opportunity to meet the clinic requirement by
  viewing the PowerPoint presentation online.

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NEW

• The request for an official must come from a VHSL
  Principal or his/her designee.
• The request for a coach must come from his/her
  Principal/AD.
• Requests must be in writing (email is OK).
• Past clinic attendance and present circumstances
  along with any additional pertinent information
  will be considered in the decision to grant or
  deny the request.

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NEW

• If the request is granted
• The coach/official must pay a 25 administrative
  fee to VHSL in order to receive credit for
  attendance.
• The requesting school must verify that the
  official/coach did in fact view the presentation.
• The coach must take the online exam.

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USA Swimming Officials

• Certified stroke turn, starter and referee
  officials are exempt from the VHSL rules clinic
  requirement.
• Must register with Virginia Swimming or Potomac
  Valley Swimming and pay the VHSL 30.00 fee
  (includes insurance)
• Are recognized by VHSL
• May work in any position for swimming during the
  regular season.
• Diving judges and diving referees must attend the
  annual VHSL rules clinic.

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Important Dates

• First Practice Date
• First Contest Date
• District Deadline
• Regional Deadline

• Nov. 16
• Dec. 2
• Feb. 6
• Feb. 13

Local restrictions may apply
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Important Dates

• VHSL Championships
• Feb. 19-20
• AA Meet Old Dominion University (Lafayette
  H.S. hosts)
• AAA Meet -- Princess Anne Recreation Center
  (Kellam H.S. hosts)

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Contest Limitations

• Regular season meets . . . . 10
• No participant may exceed 10
• No team may exceed 10
• Local restrictions may apply

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Pre-Season Conditioning

• Must be open to entire student body
• May include weight training and/or running
• Cannot be sport-specific

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EXAM

• ALL non-USA Swimming officials must take and pass
  the exam to be eligible to work VHSL meets.
• Minimum score of 70 for regular season
  eligibility
• Minimum score of 80 for post season eligibility

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EXAM

• All officials who wish to be eligible for
  District, Region or State level events must take
  and pass the exam
• Coaches who miss the clinic must take the exam
• Exam will be taken online -- exams.nfhs.org
• VHSL will provide a link to the NFHS site from
  the Swim Dive landing page of the VHSL web site.

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USA Swimming Officials

• Certified stroke turn, starter and referee
  officials must take and pass the NFHS Swim Dive
  exam to be eligible for District, Region and
  State meets.
• Score of 80 or higher is required.
• Diving judges and referees must also take and
  pass the exam.
• Score of 80 or higher is required.

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EXAM

• Exam opens on Nov. 1, 2009
• Exams completed by Jan. 17, 2010 no fee
• Exams completed after Jan. 17, 2010, but before
  Feb. 1, 2010 - 50.00 fee must be paid to VHSL
  before credit will be given
• Exams completed after Jan. 30, 2010 - 75.00 fee
  must be paid to VHSL before credit will be given

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EXAM

• You must have your VHSL ID to take the exam
• Officials should have only ONE VHSL ID,
  regardless of the number of sports you officiate.
• If you do not have a VHSL ID, contact Carolyn
  Shifflett at the VHSL office.
• Registration fees must be paid prior to receiving
  a VHSL ID.

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EXAM WEBSITE

• If you took ANY NFHS/VHSL exam online last year,
  you already have an exam website username and
  password.
• Bring up exams.nfhs.org and sign in.
• Swim Dive landing page on VHSL website will
  have a link to the exam site.

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Existing Account
EXISTING ACCOUNT
If you already have an ID and password for the
exam site.
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NEW USERS

• If you have never taken an NFHS/VHSL exam online,
  you will need to create a username and password.

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CREATE ACCOUNT PROFILE
CREATE ACCOUNT PROFILE
To create an account, click this tab and fill in
the form.
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PROFILE INFORMATION
Profile Information
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DASHBOARD SCREEN
Dashboard Screen
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COMPLETED EXAMS
This will appear at the bottom and will show you
exams you have completed.
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OPEN SCREEN
Open Screen
This is the first screen you will see when you
open the exam the first time.
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EXAM QUESTiONS
Exam Questions
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FLAG FOR REVIEW
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DASHBOARD SUMMARY
Dashboard Summary Screen
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EXAM LAYOUT

• 100 True/False questions
• Order of the questions is random
• No two tests will be alike
• If you need to re-take the exam (because you
  failed on your first attempt), the questions will
  appear in a different order.

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RE-TESTING

• Officials who score less than 80 may take the
  exam a second time
• No additional attempts will be permitted
• Do NOT attempt the exam until you are prepared to
  take it.
• Officials who score 80 or higher on their first
  attempt are not permitted a second try.

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SPORTSMANSHIP
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VHSL PROGRAMS ARE EDUCATION-BASED
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SPORTSMANSHIP IS THE 1 PRIORITYOF
EDUCATION-BASED ATHLETICS
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Sportsmanship

• The sole purpose of VHSL and other
  education-based athletics and activities
  programs is to provide students with
  opportunities to learn skills that will make them
  better people.

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Sportsmanship

• More and more VHSL schools are realizing that
  sportsmanship is an issue that needs to be
  addressed
• VHSL has established sportsmanship guidelines for
  our championship events, and has encouraged
  schools to adopt the same or similar guidelines
  for regular season play.
• VHSL Handbook 27-13-1 thru 27-13-14
• Building better citizens!
• Good sportsmanship is simply having RESPECT for
  oneself, for others, and for the sport.

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Coaches are Teachers

• Coaches, if you are more concerned with wins and
  losses than with teaching your athlete skills
  that will make him/her a better person GET OUT
  OF HIGH SCHOOL COACHING!

NOW!
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Questions about Sportsmanship

• All questions regarding VHSL regulations should
  be directed to VHSL office not to contest
  officials
• Swim Dive officials do not determine the number
  of meets a swimmer will miss if he/she is ejected.

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Reporting Sportsmanship Problems

• ALL ejections must be reported to VHSL office
• Sportsmanship incidents must be reported to the
  VHSL office

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Its All About RESPECT

• Good sportsmanship is nothing more than having
  and showing respect for competitors, coaches,
  officials, each other, and the sport itself!
• Swim with honor!
• Player behavior mirrors that of his/her coach.

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Sportsmanship

• Officials you are the protectors of the
  sport.
• NEVER engage a spectator not before, not
  during, not after a meet
• NEVER bait a coach or participant
• ALWAYS behave in a professional manner
• You are always an official, whether you are in
  the grocery store or a spectator at your childs
  swim meet behave like one.

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Sportsmanship

• ALWAYS show respect for players, coaches and
  administrators.
• If you have an attitude about a coach or team,
  dont do their meets.
• If a question is asked in a respectful manner, it
  deserves an answer.
• What you permit, you promote.
• The meet is about the student athletes.

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2009-10 Swimming and Diving

• Rules Changes
• Major Editorial Changes
• Points of Emphasis

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(No Transcript)
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Posting of ScoresRule 2-7-9

• It is recommended that the score be posted and/or
  announced throughout the meet
• At many dual meet locations, there is no
  announcer or available PA system
• If not posted, it is important for coaches to
  have easy access to this information at the
  scorers table

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Competition SuitsRule 3-3-1

• Suits shall be of one piece
• A competitor shall not be permitted to
  participate wearing a suit that is not of decent
  appearance
• One piece suit - legal Two piece suit -
  illegal

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Officials UniformRule 4-1-5

• It is recommended that officials dress uniformly
  in white attire or such other attire that is
  approved by the state association

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Sounding DeviceRule 4-3-1b New Note

• NOTE The sounding device shall not be a pistol
  capable of discharging live ammunition

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Sounding DeviceRule 4-3-1b New Note

• Sounding Device Live Firearm
• Closed Barrel Open Barrel Pistol

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Backstroke StartRule 8-1-2

• Prior to the command Take your mark and until
  the feet leave the wall following the starting
  signal, the swimmers feet, including the toes,
  shall not be above or curling over the lip of the
  gutter or pool edge. Standing in or on the
  gutter, placing the toes above the lip of the
  gutter, or bending the toes over the lip of the
  gutter, before or after the start, is prohibited.

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Backstroke StartRule 8-1-2
Toes under water
Legal
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Backstroke StartRule 8-1-2
Toes out of water
Legal
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Backstroke StartRule 8-1-2
Toes curled on top of gutter
Illegal
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Finishing the RaceRule 8-1-7

• To finish the race, the swimmer shall contact the
  finish end in the manner prescribed. When
  automatic timing/judging equipment is used, the
  swimmer must contact the touch pad or end wall
  between the lane lines where the touch pad should
  be located, when in the proper position.

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Finishing the RaceRule 8-1-7
Pad in proper position
Pad moved out of proper position
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In-Water StartsRule 8-3-5 Note

• For in-water starts, the second, third and fourth
  swimmers need only maintain contact with the end
  wall with a foot until the previous swimmer has
  finished

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Relay Lead-off Swimmer Official TimeRule 8-3 New
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• The lead-off swimmer on a relay may be credited
  with an official time for his/her relay leg
  provided all requirements of the start, stroke
  and finish are legal.
• a. A lead-off time remains valid if the relay
  team is disqualified due to a violation (other
  than conduct) by one of the subsequent relay
  competitors.
• b. A lead-off time shall be nullified should
  the relay team be disqualified for Conduct, under
  Rule 3-5.

• Stroke Violation Disqualification Lead-off time
  will stand
• Starting Violation Disqualification Lead-off
  time will stand
• Conduct Violation (Rule 3-5) Lead-off time will
  be nullified

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2009-10 Swimming and Diving

• Major Editorial Changes

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Editorial Changes

• Rule 3-2-7 Clarifies physician is MD/DO
• Rule 4-1-3 Change championship to
  NOTE nonchampionship
• Appendix C Starting Position Forward-A.2.a Dive
  r should demonstrate good posture with arms
  in a position of divers choice

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2009-10Swimming and Diving

• Points of Emphasis

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Points of Emphasis - Posting and Announcing of
Meet Scores

• It is recommended the meet score be posted and/or
  announced
• When not practical, for reasons such as no PA
  system or limited personnel to work the meet, the
  score does not have to be posted or announced
• Coaches must be able to approach scorers table
  to confirm score

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Points of Emphasis - Posting and Announcing of
Meet Scores

• Referee should periodically verify score with
  official scorer
• The posting and announcing of the score keeps
  coaches and athletes apprised of meet progress
• Keeps fans involved and informed of competition
  between teams

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Points of Emphasis - Legal Competitive Suits

• Wearing a two piece suit is outdated
• Competition suits are manufactured as one piece
• The recreational two piece suit is not
  appropriate for high school competition

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Points of Emphasis - Pistol Used as Sounding
Device

• Inappropriate to use a pistol capable of
  discharging live ammunition in an educational
  setting
• If a pistol is used as the sounding device, it
  shall be disabled from being able to discharge
  live ammunition
• Most states, by state law, prohibit firearms on
  school property and at school events

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Points of Emphasis Lead-off Swimmers
Establishing Official Time

• When using fully automatic timing, the lead-off
  swimmer of a relay may record an official time
  for the individual event of the same distance
• Legs two, three and four may not record an
  official time for comparable individual events
• Should the relay team be disqualified, the
  lead-off swimmer may retain an official time
  provided the disqualification was not for conduct
  violations under Rule 3-5

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Points of Emphasis Compliance with Entry Rules
Using Electronic Entry

• Use of electronic software for entries and meet
  management is popular and efficient
• Merging electronic entries with NFHS rules may
  create a few administrative issues
• The state association, or meet management, should
  communicate with participating schools on how
  entries shall be submitted within the spirit of
  the rules
• Use of electronic meet management software does
  not change rules for coaches being able to change
  entries even though they may have been submitted
  earlier

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OTHER STUFF
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Uniform for Officials

• White tops, navy bottoms, white shoes and socks.
• VHSL patch must be worn on the shirt
• VHSL certification card should be carried

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Handouts

• VHSL Referee Reminders
• Preventive officiating is important
• Meet with coaches and captains before warm-ups
• Referee Motto -- Semper Gumby Always flexible

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Handouts

• VHSL Meet Administration Recommended Procedures
  and Guidelines
• VHSL Typical Starting Sequence
• NFHS rules for whistle preparatory commands
• Common additional Starter commands

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Handouts

• VHSL Tips for Starters
• VHSL Common Stroke Turn Disqualifications
• VHSL Diving Hints
• VHSL High School Diving How-To Manual

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State Event Passes

• Officials may purchase through association
  commissioner.
• Cost is 15.00
• Admittance to ALL VHSL state tournament level
  events in all sports.

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Clinic Cards

• MAKE SURE YOU TURN IN YOUR ATTENDANCE CARD!

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Clinic Cards

• Please PRINT legibly if we cant decipher it,
  you werent here!
• One card per person fill out both sides if you
  officiate and coach

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QUESTIONS?
Tom Dolan VHSL Assistant Director Swim Dive
Program Administrator Email tdolan_at_vhsl.org Geo
rge Homewood VHSL Swim Dive Clinician Email
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THANK YOU!