Introduction

Welcome to the Referee certification course. Congratulations on pursuing this level of Officials certification! 

By now, you’ve seen the importance of dedicated, involved officials creating a fair, competitive environment. While all officials work together to accomplish this, your role as a Referee is vital. You set the tone for how the meet is conducted. You ensure the safety of all athletes and meet participants. You are responsible for the enforcement of all rules and regulations. 

While on deck in previous roles, you’ve interacted with the Referee and seen many perform their duties. But you might not always understand the context of what the Referee is doing and why. This context will help you learn how to execute the decisions referees need to make. 

As you begin the process of becoming a Referee, this course provides an overview of your preparation before a meet, your responsibilities during the meet, reflections after the meet, and wraps up with your next steps to certification.

One of the most important parts of the course is the Certification Assessment. You will answer 60 questions. You must score an 80% or greater to pass. You have unlimited attempts to pass and no time limit to take it. You may go back and review the content at any time.

You may also use your USA Swimming Rulebook as a resource. Many questions have rule references for you to use.

As you move forward in this course and certification process, stay grounded in the foundations of officiating.

Rulebook

It’s important to review the USA Swimming Rulebook 102.11 for a description of the responsibilities of a Referee. There were a few references in the Introduction video, but there are many other important responsibilities within rule 102.11. Additionally, Referees should be familiar with all of the technical rules established in Part One of the Rulebook, but the Referee is responsible for the enforcement of all rules and regulations in play at a meet.

While you don’t need to memorize it all, you should be aware and able to reference the Rulebook quickly and efficiently as needed. 

Referee Subroles

While “Referee” is one role in the Rulebook, there are subroles that surface as the meet and/or your officials’ team gets larger. These subroles take on particular tasks and duties within the Referee role. If there is only one Referee overseeing the meet, that singular person takes on all roles.

Much of the time, your initial experiences as a Referee will likely be in the role of Deck Referee. This gives you an opportunity to get comfortable with this subrole and take on some of the responsibility of the Referee. Use this time to not only enhance your skills as a Deck Referee, but to recognize what the Meet Referee (and, if applicable, the Administrative Referee) are responsible for at the meet. 

Safety

A primary responsibility of the Referee is ensuring the safety of all athletes and meet participants. This includes physical safety and the swimmer’s well-being.

There are Safe Sport (EFSL Code of Conduct) and general security guidelines to follow regarding the venue. These include (but are not limited to):

• Restricted access points to the deck

• Well-marked bathrooms for adults

• Separate bathroom and locker room access for athletes

• Private spaces to change for those under 18, if there are athletes 18 and older.

These guidelines can be tricky for some venues and may require more planning with the Meet Director and the facility.

Once on deck, take all opportunities to discuss the safety of athletes. Remind officials of your collective Safe Sport (EFSL Code of Conduct) responsibilities. Be sure the Starter, or designee, covers this in their Timer’s briefing. Remind coaches to guide their athletes to the appropriate facilities, especially for athletes over 18, and that deck changing is prohibited. Direct Meet Marshals (safety representatives/security) to monitor and alert the Referee to any issues. 

As the Referee, you should spend time walking the deck prior to the meet to check for safety concerns. During the meet, you will always be alert for any emerging problems. People fall on wet decks, a block can break mid-meet, or a swimmer stops in the middle of a swim with an asthma attack.

You may be the first person to notice and must decide what comes next.

The safety of the athletes is paramount. Adopt a proactive approach in your planning before the meet. Ensure all officials and volunteers understand and follow the guidelines. Stay aware during the meet. Understand your reporting requirements should any incidents occur at the meet.

Conduct of the Meet

Referees are responsible for the conduct of the meet. This includes everything from setting up protocols, to staffing officials, enforcing technical rules, and your appearance and attitude. You will interact with officials, other volunteers, coaches, and athletes. This requires lots of oversight and interpersonal skills.

Referees do a lot of work ensuring rules are followed and meets run as expected, particularly regarding the safety and experience of the athletes. For each meet, you will establish the expectations for the team and set the tone.

If you are relaxed and confident, everyone else can fall into that same mode.

Leadership skills are key here. Consider yourself a team builder as well as a team leader. This starts with putting the right people in the right positions to succeed. Set everyone up for a great meet and expect your team to help each other succeed. 

Good communication goes a long way. Be supportive and encouraging as you communicate with others on deck, particularly your officials team. You want them to continue to volunteer their time and efforts. 

Good communication builds trust and relationships, especially with coaches. Set the tone for coaches as “I’m here to help you. What do you need?” You are all on the same side - working as a team for the athletes.

A good relationship with coaches benefits athletes.

Coaches are smart when it comes to their swimmers and swimming – take advantage of that. Keep that line of communication open, and that should go both ways. You may need to consult with coaches in your decision-making or problem solving. They should feel comfortable coming to you with questions and issues. Be sure to listen to what they have to offer. 

Any communication with athletes should be age appropriate. Talking to very young children is different from a teenager who is nearly an adult. Make sure you adjust. 

Introduction Wrap Up

As you might guess, there’s a lot of information to take in as you move forward in the Referee Certification Course. It may be helpful for you, as you move through this course, to keep a list of any questions you may have. While there will be full explanations with video of the rules, you still may have questions to discuss with your trainers or mentors as you move into your on-deck training and beyond. This list can be your place to start.

It's possible by the end of this course you won't need more information. But make sure you are prepared to ask questions as you start the on-deck training part of your certification.

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