WELCOME TO THE SOUTHERN ZONE OF USA SWIMMING AND OUR 15 LSC'S

BORDER,  FLORIDA GOLD COAST,  FLORIDA,  GEORGIA,  GULF,  KENTUCKY, LOUISIANA,   MISSSISSIPPI,  

NORTH CAROLINA,  NORTH TEXAS,  SOUTH CAROLINA,  SOUTH TEXAS,  SOUTHEASTERN, WEST TEXAS,  WEST VIRGINIA

 

Our Mission:
To develop athletes, coaches and officials who exemplify the highest levels of
sportsmanship, honesty  and  dedication in the pursuit of excellence

Our Vision:
To be leaders within USA Swimming

 

USA SWIMMING RULES CHANGE

Southern Zone Web

To: USA Swimming Board of Directors, General Chairs, Officials Chairs, Rules & Regulations Committee, USA Swimming Officials and USA Swimming Coaches, 

I hope you have been enjoying your time on and off the deck this season. I am writing to inform you of a change to the USA Swimming Rules to comply with World Aquatics Swimming Rule 6.3. Very recently World Aquatics changed their Swimming Rule 6.3 to allow athletes a greater distance within which they may resubmerge prior to a backstroke finish. Accordingly, effective immediately, we have amended our USA Swimming Rule 101.4.2 to include the additional language shown below in red.

  1. USA Swimming Rule USA Swimming Rule 101.4.2 (pp 24) – To Comply with World Aquatics SW6.3

 

Stroke — The swimmer shall push off on his back and continue swimming on the back throughout the race. Some part of the swimmer must break the surface of the water throughout the race, except it is permissible for the swimmer to be completely submerged during the turn and for a distance of not more than 15 meters (16.4 yards) after the start and after each turn. By that point, the head must have broken the surface of the water.  Additionally, once some part of the head of the swimmer has passed the 5 meter mark (long course and short course meters) or 5 yard mark (short course yards) immediately prior to reaching the finish, the swimmer may be completely submerged prior to the touch.


Dissimilarly from the rules addressed in my communication earlier this week, you will not see this additional language in your physical 2023 Rulebook. Regardless, the entire verbiage shown above (both black and red ink) is now the effective USA Swimming Rule 101.4.2 and will be available on the USA Swimming website in a dedicated section entitled “Additional 2023 Rulebook Changes” on the Rules & Policies Page. 

It has also been brought to my attention that our rules surrounding the Starter’s commands are slightly dissimilar to World Aquatics. Specifically, the “take your mark” command is “take your marks” throughout World Aquatics SW4. Accordingly, effective immediately, we have amended our rules to use the “take your marks” verbiage. This appears in several places in our rulebook and a separate communication is being sent to all officials to ensure consistent starting language across all our decks. For now, please simply expect to start hearing this command at our meets.

If you have any questions or concerns about either of these changes, please do not hesitate to reach out to your LSC Officials’ Chair, Matt Wilson, your USA Swimming Officials’ Chair, or me.

Thank you for your time and your dedication to our sport.

With best regards,

Derek Paul
Chair, USA Swimming Rules & Regulations Committee