Swimming and Diving Rules and Procedures

_(2011-2012)

GENERAL INFORMATION:

A. Swimming and Diving is a classified event with two state championships (AAAAA and the combined AAAA/AAA/AA/A).

1. Boys and girls compete for separate championships in each class.

2. Beginning and ending dates for practice and competition can be found at the front of this publication.

3. The maximum number of contests for swimming is ten (10) exclusive of the state meet.

4. For divers, the maximum number of dual meet competitions is as follows:

(a) Six-dive format: ten (10) competitions AND/OR

(b) Eleven-dive format: five (5) competitions

5. Only one meet may be held per week on a night preceding a school day. A night meet is defined as beginning at 6:00 p.m., or later.

6. It is permissible for coaches to use "split squads" during the regular season. However, the use of split squads will count as two (2) of that school's maximum allowed competitions.

B. The National Federation Swimming Rules shall be the official rules for all GHSA competitions with the exception of any special regulations found in this section.

C. In those school systems where facilities are limited and one coach is hired to coach more than one high school team, or coaches from several schools use the same facility, the gathering of these students for practice purposes will not violate GHSA regulations. Competitions between schools during these practice sessions must be avoided unless they are counted within the number of allowable contests.

D. Each school with a participating student(s) must have a school representative present at all GHSA meets.

E. ORDER OF EVENTS: (boys events precede girls events)

1. 200-yard Medley Relay

2. 200-yard Freestyle

3. 200-yard Individual Medley

4. 50-yard Freestyle

5. 1 Meter Diving

6. 100-yard Butterfly

7. 100-yard Freestyle

8. 500-yard Freestyle

9. 200-yard Freestyle Relay

10. 100-yard Backstroke

11. 100-yard Breaststroke

12. 400-yard Freestyle Relay

STATE MEET (GENERAL INFORMATION):

A. In order to participate in the State Swimming and Diving Meet:

1. A participant must qualify at a meet governed by National Federation and GHSA rules.

2. Qualifying times are listed at the end of this section, and entry deadlines must be met.

3. Proof of performance (POP) for swimming events must be verified by two GHSA coaches who are in attendance at that meet.

B. All eligible relay swimmers must be listed on the entry form. It shall not count as an entry unless the competitor actually competes in the event. Any individual listed on the entry form may swim in the prelims, swim-offs, and/or finals provided he does not exceed the permitted entry limit for the meet.

C. Qualifying standards for the State Meet will be established by the GHSA Executive Director.

D. A coaches' meeting will be held at the site preceding both the diving competition and the swimming competition.

E. Only the coaches/faculty members listed on the entry form will have access to the pool deck.

F. Rules and Restrictions for Meet Entries:

1. A school may enter only one (1) relay team per event.

2. A school may not have more than four (4) entries in an event in which the contestants compete as individuals.

3. A contestant may enter a maximum of four (4) events, no more than two (2) of which are individual events.

G. No team points will be allowed to a swimmer or relay team if the qualifying standard for that event is not met or bettered in either the prelims or the finals. No team points will be awarded to divers if they do not equal or better the qualifying point total for eleven (11) dives.

H. Reservation of seating space for spectators is not allowed.

I. The 2011-12 State Swimming & Diving Championships will be held at the Campus Recreation Center on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology in the following format:

J. Team championships will be determined by scoring sixteen (16) places as noted in the National Federation Swimming Rule Book. The top eight (1-8) qualifiers will compete in the championship heat, and the next eight (9-16) will compete in the consolation heat.

K. The lead-off 50-yard Freestyle split in the 200-yard Freestyle Relay, and the lead-off 100-yard Freestyle split in the 400-yard Freestyle Relay will be considered for State records in their respective events. NOTE: If the relay team is disqualified for any reason, the lead-off time will not count for qualifying or for a state record.

L. Admission fee for the GHSA State Swimming and Diving Championship is $10.00 per day.

M. Free admission will be allowed for the following: 1. Swimmers and divers qualified and entered in the State Meet; 2. Coaches that are listed on the Swimming and Diving Coaches list; 3. Four girls and four boys designated as substitutes by the coach on the team list; 4. Two team attendants or trainers as listed on the team roster; 5. Those normally allowed free admission, such as with GHSA passes, will continue to be admitted by signing the pass list.

STATE MEET (ELIGIBILITY/PROCEDURES):

DIVING

A. A diver may become eligible for the State Meet using a 6-dive sheet or an 11-dive sheet.

1) 6-DIVE FORMAT: This format is slightly different than the normal 6-dive dual meet format as defined in the NFHS

Rules Book. If the 6-dive format is utilized and submitted, the first dive will continue to be from the group as specified by the NFHS and in the NFHS Rules Book. The first dive will maintain its assigned degree of difficulty, unless it is more than 1.8, in which case it will receive no more than 1.8 degree of difficulty. Dives 2-6 shall be one dive from each of the five (5) groups (forward, backward, reverse, inward, and twisting). The degree of difficulty of dives 2-6 when totaled shall be equal to or greater than 10.4 for both boys and girls. The score to be achieved must be 200 points or more.

2) 11-DIVE FORMAT: If the 11-dive format is utilized and submitted, it shall be on the official 11-dive sheet. For girls, the minimum degree of difficulty for optional dives shall be 11.5 when totaled, and the score to be achieved must be 270 points or greater. For boys, the minimum degree of difficulty for optional dives shall be 12.0 when totaled, and the score to be achieved must be 270 points or greater. NOTE: The official 11-dive Checklist as well as the 6-Dive and 11-Dive Forms can be found on the GHSA web site (www.ghsa.net).

B. In both the 6-dive and 11-dive formats, the meet must be scored by at least, but not limited to, three (3) judges. The official dive sheet that is submitted must be completed with all necessary signatures and information provided, such as phone, and e-mail information for the coach and diver, within one (1) week of the performance.

C. Proof of Performance:

1. Only one Proof of Performance (POP) dive sheet per diver may be submitted by fax (678-395-4475), mail (2010 Willshire Glen, Alpharetta, GA 30009) or scanned and e-mailed (GHSA_diving@hotmail.com).

2. If the diver's POP is accepted and approved, the name of the diver and school affiliation will appear on the GHSA web site (www.ghsa.net). If the POP dive sheet is in any way incorrect, the coach will be notified and one (1) additional POP may be submitted, if desired.

3. Dive sheets with electronically generated scores will not be accepted.

D. State Meet Dive Sheets:

1. To prepare for the diving competition, the 11-dive sheet to be used in the State Meet must be submitted for the eligible diver by fax (678-395-4475), mail (2010 Willshire Glen, Alpharetta, GA 30009) or scanned and e-mailed (GHSA_diving@hotmail.com) by 4 p.m., on Wednesday, February 1, 2012.

2. The format and criteria required for the state dive sheet shall comply with Section 4 - Choice of Dives that is detailed in the current NFHS Rules Book for championship meets. The sheet must be completed with the signatures, phone number and e-mail address of both the diver and coach.

3. A diver will be automatically entered in the State Meet upon receipt of the actual dive sheet by the deadline and approval of the dive sheet by the GHSA.

4. The deadline for changing a dive sheet is Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 4 p.m. Changes are to be e-mailed only once to dive_changes@hotmail.com or faxed to 678-395-4475.

5. Confirmation of receipt will be sent only for dive sheets and changes submitted via e-mail.

6. Changes may be submitted only by the diver or school official.

E. If a school has more than four (4) divers per gender that have been deemed eligible after official approval of the POP dive sheet, the school may submit a maximum of four (4) and only four (4) dive sheets per gender by the deadline.

F. The Meet Director for the State Diving Meet will have jurisdiction over the method of announcing the diving.

G. If possible, the championship venue(s) shall provide two (2) hours of practice time to State Meet participants the week of the State Meet.

H. Boys will dive first in the odd-numbered years (2013, 2015), and girls will dive first in the even-numbered years (2012, 2014).

I. For questions or concerns about State Meet eligibility and proceedures, contact the State Diving Coordinator, Vicky Sanchez Tuymer, (GHSA_diving@hotmail.com).

J. The diving information found on the GHSA web site supersedes all other sources of information.

SWIMMING:

A. Coaches shall submit all of their Proof of Performances on the Georgia High School Swimming Coaches Association (GHSSCA) web site found at www.ghssca.com. All eligible relay swimmers must be listed on the site. It shall not count as an entry unless the swimmer actually competes in the event. Detailed submission instructions are also

available on the web site. At the end of the dual meet season, the web site will be closed to accepting new submissions and time will be given for coaches to make their final entry decisions. The coach must make the actual entry for the swimmer to compete in the State Meet on the GHSSCA web site by Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 4:00 p.m.

B. Qualifying times are as follows:

DEADLINES: