Indiana Swimming
Level 3

Becoming an Official with USA Swimming & Indiana Swimming

Are you interested in becoming an official?  Becoming an official enables you to become more involved with your child’s sport.  You will spend time on deck with your child while fulfilling volunteer requirements and helping out BA.  Without officials, we cannot run sanctioned meets.  There are two types of officiating we encourage you to pursue, and both are briefly described below.

Officials Trainings are Coming Up for September & October 2023! RSVP Now!

Below are two of the most commons types of training our parents work to get to help serve the team.  As with all training, the official source of information is IN Swimming: www.inswimming.org

Technical Official: Stroke and Turn Judge

Stroke and turn judges are the eyes of the referee on deck. Other than the referee, stroke and turn officials are the only officials who can make a call without dual confirmation, and the referee very rarely exercises this authority. Referees and chief judges will ask questions when a stroke and turn judge makes a call, but the referee can only overrule the call on a point of rule interpretation, or for an action which the referee has personally observed. Well run meets and good competitive results are directly related to good officiating. This requires a thorough knowledge of the rules and the ability to apply them fairly and consistently. It can only be attained by studying the rules, attending training sessions, and working regularly at meets.

Like all training, part of it is administrative/ ‘off deck’ training, while completion is done through an apprenticeship process as outlined below.

  1. Create an account online with USA Swimming
  2. Attend a IN Swimming Administrative Official Clinic (dates available online)
  3. Complete open book Administrative Official test online
  4. Register online
  5. Pass the Level 2 Background Check (BA will reimburse costs)
  6. Complete the Athlete Protection Training

Apprenticeship Training: Stroke & Turn

Four training sessions are required. Each session you will work with an Administrative Referee that will help mentor you through the duties of a Stroke and Turn Judge.  They will guide you in the correct method for making timing adjustments, handling positive check-ins, scratches, seeding and disqualifications, reviewing heat sheets, checking results and scoring, etc.  Admin Referee may discuss maintaining proper back-ups and ways to create a paper trail for any possible post session or meet corrections that may develop.  After satisfactory completing the requirements for certification, you must email your completed on-deck apprentice card to the Training Coordinator. Once the Training Coordinator verifies the requirements and reviews have been met, he/she will certify you as an Stroke and Turn Judge/Technical Official.   After a few weeks, you will receive an official name badge.

Administrative Official

Administrative officials perform many key tasks associated with meets, such as timing adjustments, handling positive check-ins, scratches, seeding and disqualifications, reviewing heat sheets, checking results and scoring, and coordinating information from various sources during a meet. Below is a brief outline on what is required to become an Administrative Official.

Like Stroke and Turn training, part of it is administrative/ ‘off deck’ training, while completion is done through an apprenticeship process as outlined below.

  1. Create an account online with USA Swimming
  2. Attend an IN Swimming Administrative Official Clinic (dates available online)
  3. Complete open book Administrative Offical test online
  4. Registrer online
  5. Pass the Level 2 Background Check (BA will reimburse costs)
  6. Complete the Athlete Protection Training

Apprenticeship Training: Admin Official

Four training sessions are required. Each session you will work with an Administrative Referee that will help mentor you through the duties of an Administrative Official.  They will guide you in the correct method for making timing adjustments, handling positive check-ins, scratches, seeding and disqualifications, reviewing heat sheets, checking results and scoring, etc.  Admin Referee may discuss maintaining proper back-ups and ways to create a paper trail for any possible post session or meet corrections that may develop.  After satisfactory completing the requirements for an AO certification, you must email your completed on-deck apprentice card to the Training Coordinator. Once the Training Coordinator verifies the requirements and reviews have been met, he/she will certify you as an Administrative Official.   After a few weeks, you will receive an official name badge.

USA Swimming: www.usaswimming.org

Indiana Swimming: www.inswimming.org

As a token of our appreciation to all of our volunteer officials, BA will offer a discount on fees. A certified USA Swimming official will receive $100 discount for one certification and $25 for each additional (up to $225 for all 6 certifications).


List of official certifications:

  • Stroke & Turn
  • Administrative Official
  • Chief Judge
  • Starter
  • Deck Referee
  • Admin Referee

The discount is a one-time discount per family and available every year so long as the referee officiates at least 5 meets BA hosts or participates in (development meets do not count) within the full swim season (short course + long course: e.g. Sept- Aug)