Officials

Officials are volunteers who help run galas. More than 20 officials are needed for each session of a gala.
The assistance of parents is essential and each club is required to provide a number of officials based on the number of swimmers entered. The first job that most parents will be asked to do is timekeeping.

Types of roles

Timekeepers are positioned  in each lane use stopwatches to accurately record the time of each swimmer. For higher level galas there is also electronic timing.

Recorders gather the information from electronic timing and timekeepers to produce results.

The referee is in overall charge of the gala ensuring that all swimmers are treated fairly, that all start at the same time and the stroke rules are obeyed. Only the referee can decide that a swimmer should be disqualified for breaking a stroke ruleTo help the referee there is a starter who gives the command "take your marks" and then sounds the start, and stroke judges and turn judges who report any infringements of stroke rules to the referee.

Marshalls or call stewards gather swimmers before their race and deliver them to the start.Information is distributed by programme sellers and the announcer.

The progression of officiating is turn judge, stroke judge, strarter, referee. There is a seperate pathway for those interested in recording which consists of time slip recording, electronic timing, Hy Tek recording

To find out about training to be an official contact the Swim Ulster Office 02890667546