🎁 Benefits of Becoming a USA Swimming Meet Official

Becoming an official is rewarding in many ways:

✔️ Support Fair Competition & the Sport

Officials ensure swim meets run safely and correctly — without them meets cannot be sanctioned or scored. 

✔️ Develop Deeper Knowledge of the Sport

You gain a strong understanding of technical rules, race management, and competitive procedure.

✔️ Community and Camaraderie

Officials form strong networks and friendships with others involved in the sport.

✔️ Best Seat in the House

Right on deck for all the action.

✔️ Free Food

Hospitality rooms hosted with some delicious food and refreshments.

✔️ Volunteer Perks

Officiating can count toward your volunteer points or trade them for Bingo Shifts once eligible!

✔️ Ringing the Bell

You get to ring the bell!!

Need more reasons to volunteer?  We've got them! Contact our ODAC Officials Coordinator:

Lauren Mattheay
757-572-4121
[email protected]



 

📌 Types of USA Swimming Meet Officials

USA Swimming offers certifications for a range of official roles — from entry-level to advanced:

Technical Officials (Wet Deck)

• Stroke & Turn Judge — Entry-level role observing swimmer strokes and turns. 

• Starter — Responsible for administering fair and proper race starts. 

• Deck Referee — Oversees officiating calls during a session. 

• Referee — Lead official with final authority on rule enforcement. 

Administrative Officials (Dry Side)

• Administrative Official (AO) — Manages entries, timing issues, results, and meet paperwork. 

National Certification Levels

For advanced officials, USA Swimming’s National Certification & Evaluation program recognizes higher-level proficiency (e.g., N2 and N3) for roles such as Stroke & Turn, Starter, Deck Referee, Administrative Referee, and Chief Judge — useful for high-level meets and assignments. 

 

How to Become a USA Swimming Official

To officiate at USA Swimming meets you’ll follow a structured training and certification path through USA Swimming and Virginia Swimming Committee (LSC):

1. Register as a USA Swimming Official

• Start by creating or logging into your USA Swimming account.

• Register for an Official (Non-Athlete) membership. This is required to access officials training and to be eligible to officiate at meets. 

👉 Official USA Swimming Officials page: https://www.usaswimming.org/officials
👉 How to Become an Official (step-by-step): https://www.usaswimming.org/officials/how-to-become-an-official

2. Complete Mandatory Safety and Protection Training

Before going on deck, you must complete:

• Level 2 Background Check (through your USA Swimming account) 

• Athlete Protection Training (SafeSport) (free online) 

• Concussion Protocol Training (required training) 

3. USA Swimming University Courses

USA Swimming University (free to members) provides essential online certification courses. These include:

• Foundations of Officiating

• Stroke & Turn Certification

• Administrative Official Certification

• Starter Certification

• Referee Certification (recently added) 

👉 USA Swimming University (Official training): https://university.usaswimming.org/landing

Complete the courses and pass the associated exams — then progress to on-deck training with certified officials. 

4. On-Deck Training (Apprenticeship)

After course completion, you’ll begin on-deck sessions under mentorship at sanctioned meets. These apprenticeships are required to gain practical experience and are signed off by certifying officials. 

5. Local Certification

Your Virginia Swimming (LSC) certifies you for the position you’re training for once requirements are met. Certification must be renewed annually.