1. 2016-2017 Swimming and Diving Rules Update
Kellie Doucette, Administrator
ext. 450
Florida High School Athletic Association

2. Florida High School Athletic Association
FHSAA Policy Changes
Policy 10.2 Team Participation
C: The minimum number of required interscholastic meets is now 5.
Policy 10.3 Individual Participation
: To be eligible for participation in the Florida High School State Championship Series in a sport, an individual student-athlete shall participate in a minimum of 5 meets.
Florida High School Athletic Association

3. Florida High School Athletic Association
Jewelry Rule
The FHSAA will adhere to the NFHS rule that no longer prohibits jewelry.
The wearing of jewelry IS NO LONGER PROHIBITED!
Officials should not delay the start of a heat or race in order for a competitor to remove jewelry.
If a competitor exits the water and it is discovered that he or she is wearing jewelry, the competitor shall not be disqualified.
Florida High School Athletic Association

4. NFHS Swimming Rule Changes
DEFINITIONS RULE (NEW) pg. 9
ART A deck change, in whole or in part, is changing into or out of a swimsuit when wearing just one suit in an area other than a permanent or temporary locker room, bathroom, changing room or other space designated for changing purposes.
This applies when competitors are only wearing 1 suit.
Female competitors can still wear a bikini top and take down the straps of their tech suits provided the bikini top is put on in the locker room or bathroom.
Florida High School Athletic Association

5. NFHS Swimming Rule Changes
CONDUCT RULE 3-6-1D pg. 31
ART No team personnel/competitor shall display unsporting conduct. This includes any act the referee deems unsporting, including, but not limited to, the following:
a. making insulting or derogatory remarks, gestures or acts including taunting;
b. trying to influence or showing disgust with officials’ decisions;
c. interfering with meet officials in the performance of their duties;
d. deck changing before, during or after the meet.
Florida High School Athletic Association

6. NFHS Swimming Rule Changes
TIMING AND JUDGING RULE 6-4-1B pg
The protocol for determining an official time when a touch pad malfunctions on a lane was changed. Backup buttons and/or watch times, as outlined in the protocol, will now determine the official time. New subsections (1,2,3,4) have been added.
This removes the need for lengthy calculations in the event of a confirmed timing malfunction on a lane.
Florida High School Athletic Association

7. NFHS Swimming Rule Changes
TIMING AND JUDGING RULE 6-4-1B pg
b. Malfunction on a lane: When a malfunction is confirmed on a lane, the time shall be determined as follows:
If two of the three valid button or watch times agree, that shall be the time for that tim­ing system;
If three valid button or watch times disagree, the time of the intermediate button or watch shall be the time for that timing system;
If only two valid button or watch times are available, the time shall be the average of those two buttons or the average of the two watch times. The digits represent­ing thousandths of a second shall be dropped with no rounding;
If only one valid button or watch time is available, the time of that button or watch shall be the time for that timing system provided it is supported by other information.
Florida High School Athletic Association

8. NFHS Swimming Rule Changes
FORM OF EVENTS RULE 8-2-4C pg. 61
ART The Freestyle:
The forward start shall be used;
Any body position, stroke and kick is permitted and any combination of styles may be used;
The turn requires that some part of the swimmer’s body contacts the end wall. The final leg of the individual medley and the medley relay requires the swimmer to be at or past vertical toward the breast before any stroke, kick, or propulsive motion.
Florida High School Athletic Association

9. NFHS Diving Rule Changes
9-4-7 Dive Table
Flying dives 212 and 312 have been removed from the NFHS Table.
Dive 5142 has been added
Florida High School Athletic Association

10. NFHS Diving Rule Changes
9-5-5
ART It is a balk if, in the diving referee’s opinion, after a diver assumes the starting position the diver makes an obvious attempt to start the approach or press and stops and from that position interrupts the continuous execution of the dive prior to the water entry. The balk shall be declared before the dive is scored.
Florida High School Athletic Association

11. NFHS Diving Rule Change
9-7-5q (NEW)
A dive is failed if, in the diving referee’s opinion, the diver performs an additional bounce(s) on the end of the board after the culminating hurdle.
Florida High School Athletic Association

12. NFHS Swimming Editorial Change
RULE 3-3-2C
ART The uniform consists of a suit and, if worn, cap(s).
a. The suit or cap(s) may display the name and/or number of the competitor, school or mascot.
b. Advertising or name other than that permitted in 3-3-2c is prohibited.
c. A single visible manufacturer’s logo/trademark/reference, no more than 2¼ square inches with no dimension more than 2¼ inches is permitted on each item of the uniform (suit and cap(s)).
This does not change the overall dimension of the manufacturer’s logo, it specifies the length of each side of the logo.
Florida High School Athletic Association

13. NFHS Swimming Editorial Change
RULE NOTE
ART No team personnel/competitor shall display unsporting conduct. This includes any act the referee deems unsporting, including, but not limited to, the following:
a. making insulting or derogatory remarks, gestures or acts including taunting;
b. trying to influence or showing disgust with officials’ decisions;
c. interfering with meet officials in the performance of their duties.
d. deck changing before, during or after the meet.
NOTE: The NFHS disapproves of any form of taunting which is intended or designed to embarrass, ridicule or demean others under any circumstances. including on the basis of relative ability, race, gender or national origin.
Taunting is not limited to those terms previously defined.
Florida High School Athletic Association

14. NFHS Points of Emphasis
Backstroke Ledge:
The backstroke ledge is currently prohibited in high school swimming.
Florida High School Athletic Association

15. NFHS Points of Emphasis
FASTENING SYSTEMS
Swimsuits using fastening systems (such as tie backs) are not legal for competition.
Tie front on boys swimsuits are ok.
Florida High School Athletic Association

16. Florida High School Athletic Association
Legal Swimwear
The suits shown above are legal provided the manufacturer’s logos are no more than 2 ¼ square inches with no dimension being more than 2 ¼’’ .
Florida High School Athletic Association

17. Florida High School Athletic Association
ILLEGAL Swimwear
Illegal due to multiple logos
Illegal due to tie back
Florida High School Athletic Association

18. Florida High School Athletic Association
Swim Caps
Legal
ILLEGAL
A swim cap, as shown below with one manufacturer’s logo is legal provided the manufacturer’s logo is no more than 2 ¼ square inches with no dimension being more that 2 ¼”:
A swim cap like the one shown below with a manufacturer’s logo on each side is illegal:
Florida High School Athletic Association

19. NFHS Points of Emphasis
PHOTOGRAPHER GUIDELINES:
Guidelines for photographer access should be clearly defined prior to the swimming and diving event.
It is recommended that event hosts consider the areas, and specifically the angles, for photography of swimmers that they consider appropriate/inappropriate and set reasonable guidelines.
Florida High School Athletic Association

20. NFHS Points of Emphasis
PHOTOGRAPHER GUIDELINES
Due to the swimmer attire and the starting position in the sport, media access in the starting area may not be fitting. It may be more appropriate for media to be limited to areas adjacent to the starting area.
When there is not a designated area for media, press, etc. photographers can be limited to taking photos from the side and/or the end of the competition pool.
Florida High School Athletic Association

21. Florida High School Athletic Association
FHSAA Reminder
If, at Districts or Regionals, you have an athlete fail to appear, NS for an event even if they are present at the venue, swim in the wrong lane, etc. that athlete is disqualified and will not be moving on as in individual or on a relay even if they have already qualified in an event.
Per policy 10.7 there is a $50 penalty for this unless the reason for failing to compete is approved by the FHSAA office.
This is not a new rule but did cause some confusion last year.
If they have earned points the points will still count and their time will still be recorded, but they will not advance in any capacity.
Florida High School Athletic Association

22. Florida High School Athletic Association
FHSAA Reminder
The following statement was added to the existing rule Entries by team in a state finals series in 2015:
An Exception Report will be run prior to the start of all Florida High School State Championship events, in the event that a team over-enters participants, the first four participants listed alphabetically by the team will be advanced where an over-entry was discovered and any remaining individuals will be disqualified.
Florida High School Athletic Association

23. Florida High School Athletic Association
FHSAA Reminder
The following statement was added to the existing rule Entries by individual in 2015:
In the event of an individual over-entry, all events in which s/he competed in excess of two individual events would be disqualified, in addition to any relays on which the over-entered individual competed.
Florida High School Athletic Association

24. Florida High School Athletic Association
FHSAA Reminder
3-2-1 (a). The following was added to the existing exhibition rule in 2015:
No exhibition events or entries are allowed during post season events.
Florida High School Athletic Association

25. Florida High School Athletic Association
FHSAA Reminder
The following was added to the existing uniform rule in 2015:
Uniforms: All uniform rules are to be followed when a competitor is present at any interscholastic competition site, including, but not limited to, warm-up periods at all regular season and post-season events. NO TWO-PIECE OR BIKINI STYLE SUITS will be allowed during warm-up periods during the FHSAA State Finals; a competitor found in violation of this uniform policy will not be permitted to warm-up until the offending attire is replaced.
… competitors found to be in violation of the uniform policy after entries have been submitted will not be permitted to warm-up until the offending attire is replaced.
Florida High School Athletic Association

26. Florida High School Athletic Association
FHSAA Reminder
(addition to b. Coaches Meeting was made in 2015):
Contestants withdrawn are also disqualified from participating on relays on succeeding levels of the FHSAA State Series.
(additions to (c) Squads (1) are underlined made in 2015):
A contestant who is entered into an individual event in the FHSAA State Swimming & Diving Series on any level and is later scratched (removed) from any event, or is a no show for an individual or relay event, will be disqualified from participating in all remaining events (individual and relay events) in that meet and on succeeding levels.
Previous  performances are not nullified. Points earned and times achieved are still recorded.  
Florida High School Athletic Association

27. Florida High School Athletic Association
FHSAA Reminder
( addition of #5 under (c) Squads ) was added in 2015:
Medical Scratches. Any competitor who requests a medical scratch at any meet held during the FHSAA State Series must be accompanied by a note from a doctor or certified Athletic Trainer. Once a medical scratch is accepted by the Meet Referee the competitor may not compete in any individual or relay event in that meet. If the competitor does participate in any individual or relay event the penalty shall be disqualification of the individual and relay.
Florida High School Athletic Association

28. Kellie Doucette 352-372-9551, Ext. 450 kdoucette@fhsaa.org
Florida High School Athletic Association