Swim Meet Chief Judge Radio Role Play Exercise

Last updated on July 7th, 2021 at 10:14 am

Athletes count on a well-trained Chief Judge and accurate, well-processed calls. Linda Eaton, of Colorado Swimming, created this role-play exercise to help swim meet officials practice Chief Judge radio skills.  The exercise may be done as part of a clinic with others, or for personal review. It is helpful to use radios during the exercise to hone good technique. PDF and Word files of the role-play exercise are available at the end of the post.

Deck Configuration and Jurisdiction For Radio Role Play Exercise

Pool is Short Course Yards (SCY) 10 lanes with lane 10 used as a continuous warm-up/down lane during competition. Pool has 2 diving boards along the lane 1 side; walking stroke is not possible.

Deck Referee and Starter are located at the start end of the pool by Lane 1.

Start end: Chief Judge (CJ) #1 near the Starting area (lane 1 side) watching official for lanes 1-5; Stroke and Turn (S&T) Judge #1 has responsibility for start end lanes 1-5; S&T Judge #2 has responsibility for start end lanes 6-9 + lane 10; CJ #2 on the lane 10 side of the pool watching official for lanes 6-10;

Turn end: CJ #3 on the lane 10 side of the pool watching official for lanes 6-9 + lane 10; S&T Judge #3 has responsibility for turn end lanes 6-9 + lane 10; S&T Judge #4 has responsibility for turn end lanes 1-5; CJ #4 on the lane 1 side of the pool watching official for lanes 1-5;

Each S&T Judge has jurisdiction for ½ the length of the pool for their assigned lanes.

(Questions last updated on March 26, 2018)

Question #1 (Individual Medley: Backstroke Finish)

Chief Judge

Question 1: Event #3, Heat 4

• Report on Radio:
  • Possible disqualification, Start end, lanes 6-9 (Event #3, Heat 4 is in the water when the hand goes up)
• Questions to Ask Stroke & Turn Judge
  • What lane?
  • What is the call?
  • When did it happen?
  • What did you see?
• Once you have a clear picture of what was seen and what the call is, report it to the Deck Referee on your radio.
  • Event, heat, lane, infraction, and your recommendation: “Recommend Acceptance” or “Needs Further Discussion”

Stroke and Turn Judge Response

Question 1: Event #3, Heat 4

• What lane?: Lane 6
• What is the call?: Shoulders past vertical toward the breast prior to the finish touch
• When did it happen: On the finish of the backstroke leg of the IM
• What did you see: The swimmer’s upper left shoulder rolled forward toward the breast, well past the lower right shoulder, as the right arm was reaching for the wall; then I looked at the wall and saw the hand was still about 3 inches away from touching on the finish.

Question #2 (Individual Medley: Breaststroke Start)

Chief Judge

• Report on Radio:
  • Possible disqualification, Start end, lanes 1-5 (Event #4, Heat 1 is in the water when the hand goes up)
• Questions to Ask Stroke & Turn Judge
  • What lane?
  • What is the call?
  • When did it happen?
  • What did you see?
• Once you have a clear picture of what was seen and what the call is, report it to the Deck Referee on your radio.
  • Event, heat, lane, infraction, and your recommendation:  “Recommend Acceptance” or “Needs Further Discussion”

Stroke and Turn Judge Response

Question 2: Event #4, Heat 1

• What lane: Lane 3
• What is the call: Stroke out of sequence; two butterfly kicks after the initiation of the pullout and prior to the breaststroke kick.
• When did it happen: On the Start of the breaststroke part of the IM
• What did you see: During the pullout, one butterfly kick all the way down followed by a second butterfly kick at the completion of the pullout prior to the breaststroke kick.

Question #3 (Individual Medley: Backstroke)

Chief Judge

• Report on Radio:
  • Possible disqualification, Turn end, lanes 6-9 (Event #4, Heat 2 is in the water when the hand goes up)
• Questions to Ask Stroke & Turn Judge
  • What lane?
  • What is the call?
  • When did it happen?
  • What did you see?
• Once you have a clear picture of what was seen and what the call is, report it to the Deck Referee on your radio.
  • Event, heat, lane, infraction, and your recommendation: “Recommend Acceptance” or “Needs Further Discussion”

Stroke and Turn Judge Response

Question 3: Event #4, Heat 2

• What lane: Lane 7
• What is the call: More than 1/4^th of the race is in the style of the backstroke.
• When did it happen: Turn 1 of the Freestyle leg of the 400 IM
• What did you see:  When the swimmer’s feet left the wall, I looked up the body to see the swimmer in a streamline position toward the back while doing alternating kicking with the feet. I could see all of the swimmer’s chest and none of his back. The swimmer did not turn past vertical toward his breast until he was about 5 meters out from the wall.

Question #4 (Butterfly)

Chief Judge

• Report on Radio:
  • Possible disqualification, Turn end, lanes 1-5 (Event #10, Heat 2 is in the water when the hand goes up)
• Questions to Ask Stroke & Turn Judge
  • What lane?
  • What is the call?
  • When did it happen?
  • What did you see?
• Once you have a clear picture of what was seen and what the call is, report it to the Deck Referee on your radio.
  • Event, heat, lane, infraction, and your recommendation: “Recommend Acceptance” or “Needs Further Discussion”

Stroke and Turn Judge Response

Question 4: Event #10, Heat 2

• What lane: Lane 1
• What is the call: Non-simultaneous arms on the butterfly
• When did it happen: On the swim
• What did you see: The left arm entered the water with the right arm trailing behind to the count of about 3 before it also entered the water.  This was repeated three times.

Question #5 (Butterfly)

Chief Judge

• Report on Radio:
  • Possible disqualification, Start end, lanes 6-9 (Event #10, Heat 3 is in the water when the hand goes up)
• Questions to Ask Stroke & Turn Judge
  • What lane?
  • What is the call?
  • When did it happen?
  • What did you see?
• Once you have a clear picture of what was seen and what the call is, report it to the Deck Referee on your radio.
  • Event, heat, lane, infraction, and your recommendation:“Recommend Acceptance” or “Needs Further Discussion”

Stroke and Turn Response

Question 5: Event #10, Heat 3

• What lane: Lane 6
• What is the call: Alternating kick on the butterfly
• When did it happen: On the start
• What did you see: The right and left feet were alternating positions for about 5 kicks as the swimmer was under the water prior to the head breaking the surface.

Question #6 (Butterfly)

Chief Judge

• Report on Radio:
  • Possible disqualification, Start end, lanes 6-9 (Event #10, Heat 3 is in the water when the hand goes up)
• Questions to Ask Stroke & Turn Judge
  •  What lane?
  • What is the call?
  • When did it happen?
  • What did you see?
• Once you have a clear picture of what was seen and what the call is, report it to the Deck Referee on your radio.
  • Event, heat, lane, infraction, and your recommendation: “Recommend Acceptance” or “Needs Further Discussion”

Stroke and Turn Judge Response

Question 6: Event #10, Heat 3

• What lane: Lane 7
• What is the call: Underwater arm recovery on the butterfly
• When did it happen: On the swim
• What did you see: The forearms were clearing the water as the arms were brought forward; the upper arms – from about the lower shoulder to past the elbow – were not visible.

Question #7 (Backstroke)

Chief Judge

• Report on Radio:
  • Possible disqualification, Turn end, lanes 1-5 (Event #18, Heat 6 is in the water when the hand goes up)
• Questions to Ask Stroke & Turn Judge
  • What lane?
  • What is the call?
  • When did it happen?
  • What did you see?
• Once you have a clear picture of what was seen and what the call is, report it to the Deck Referee on your radio.
  • Event, heat, lane, infraction, and your recommendation: “Recommend Acceptance” or “Needs Further Discussion”

Stroke and Turn Judge Response

Question 7: Event #18, Heat 6

• What lane: Lane 3
• What is the call: Failure to start turn on the backstroke
• When did it happen: Turn 3
• What did you see: The swimmer turned past vertical towards the breast, took one arm pull; when the arm stopped at the swimmer’s side, there was a glide for about 2-3 seconds with no visible movement on the body before the head lifted up to initiate the turn.

Question #8 (Breaststroke)

Chief Judge

• Report on Radio:
  • Possible disqualification, Start end, lanes 1-5 (Event #23, Heat 5 is in the water when the hand goes up)
• Questions to Ask Stroke & Turn Judge
  • What lane?
  • What is the call?
  • When did it happen?
  • What did you see?
• Once you have a clear picture of what was seen and what the call is, report it to the Deck Referee on your radio.
  • Event, heat, lane, infraction, and your recommendation: “Recommend Acceptance” or “Needs Further Discussion”

Stroke and Turn Judge Response

Question 8: Event #23, Heat 5

• What lane: Lane 4
• What is the call: Scissors kick on the breaststroke
• When did it happen: On the swim
• What did you see: The right foot was moving in an up and down motion during the kick with that foot pointed down; the left foot was moving in a normal breaststroke kick motion with the foot pointed out; then the feet were brought together at the end of the kick.

Question #9 (Breaststroke)

Chief Judge

• Report on Radio:
  • Possible disqualification, Turn end, lanes 6-9 (Event #24, Heat 2 is in the water when the hand goes up)
• Questions to Ask Stroke & Turn Judge
  • What lane?
  • What is the call?
  • When did it happen?
  • What did you see?
• Once you have a clear picture of what was seen and what the call is, report it to the Deck Referee on your radio.
  • Event, heat, lane, infraction, and your recommendation: “Recommend Acceptance” or “Needs Further Discussion”

Stroke and Turn Judge Response

Question 9: Event #24, Heat 2

• What lane: Lane 6
• What is the call: One hand touch on breaststroke, right only
• When did it happen: On the finish
• What did you see: The swimmer touched with his right hand while the left hand was down by his side at the finish.

Question #10 (Breaststroke)

Chief Judge

• Report on Radio:
  • Possible disqualification, Turn end, lanes 1-5 (Event #24, Heat 3 is in the water when the hand goes up)
• Questions to Ask Stroke & Turn Judge
  • What lane?
  • What is the call?
  • When did it happen?
  • What did you see?
• Once you have a clear picture of what was seen and what the call is, report it to the Deck Referee on your radio.
  • Event, heat, lane, infraction, and your recommendation: “Recommend Acceptance” or “Needs Further Discussion”

Stroke and Turn Judge Response

Question 10: Event #24, Heat 3

• What lane: Lane 3
• What is the call: Pulling past the hipline
• When did it happen: On the swim
• What did you see: The swimmer is continuously pulling past the hipline – all the way down on each pull; the hands are well past the hipline at the end of each stroke.

Question #11 (Backstroke)

Chief Judge

• Report on Radio:
  • Possible disqualification, Turn end, lanes 1-5 (Event #50, Heat 1 is in the water when the hand goes up)
• Questions to Ask Stroke & Turn Judge
  • What lane?
  • What is the call?
  • When did it happen?
  • What did you see?
• Once you have a clear picture of what was seen and what the call is, report it to the Deck Referee on your radio.
  • Event, heat, lane, infraction, and your recommendation: “Recommend Acceptance” or “Needs Further Discussion”

Stroke and Turn Judge Response

Question 11: Event #50, Heat 1

• What lane: Lane 5
• What is the call: 15 meter mark violation on the backstroke
• When did it happen: On the start prior to the head breaking the surface of the water
• What did you see: The head broke the surface of the water when the 15 mm was past the shoulders of the swimmer at about the waist area.

Question #12 (Breaststroke)

Chief Judge

• Report on Radio:
  • Possible disqualification, Start end, lanes 1-5 (Event #107, Heat 3 is in the water when the hand goes up)
• Questions to Ask Stroke & Turn Judge
  • What lane?
  • What is the call?
  • When did it happen?
  • What did you see?
• Once you have a clear picture of what was seen and what the call is, report it to the Deck Referee on your radio.
  • Event, heat, lane, infraction, and your recommendation: “Recommend Acceptance” or “Needs Further Discussion”

Stroke and Turn Judge Response

Question 12: Event #107, Heat 3

• What lane: Lane 1
• What is the call: Change in the horizontal plane of the arms
• When did it happen: On the turn off the wall for turn #4
• What did you see: After the feet left the wall on the turn, the swimmer began her pullout when the left arm was higher than the right arm by about a 45° angle (left arm clearly above the right arm) as she pulled herself to a horizontal position on her breast before the second arm pull.

Question #13 (Butterfly or Breaststroke)

Chief Judge

• Report on Radio:
  • Possible disqualification, Start end, lanes 6-9 (Event #108, Heat 3 is in the water when the hand goes up)
• Questions to Ask Stroke & Turn Judge
  • What lane?
  • What is the call?
  • When did it happen?
  • What did you see?
• Once you have a clear picture of what was seen and what the call is, report it to the Deck Referee on your radio.
  • Event, heat, lane, infraction, and your recommendation: “Recommend Acceptance” or “Needs Further Discussion”

Stroke and Turn Judge Response

Question 13: Event #108, Heat 3

• What lane: Lane 8
• What is the call: Non-simultaneous touch
• When did it happen: On turn #6
• What did you see: As the swimmer approached the wall, the left hand touched the wall just under the water and the right hand was still reaching for the wall; the right hand was about 3 inches away when the left hand made contact.

PDF and WORD Chief Judge Role Play Cards

Easily create cards for yourself or others to practice the above questions by clicking below.

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