Swim Meet Chief Judge Binder

Last updated on February 6th, 2024 at 04:12 pm

As an experienced Team Lead Chief Judge at large championship meets, Linda Eaton of Colorado Swimming, likes to keep a binder with her before and during the meet. In it, she keeps the following resources to help her succeed in this role.

What Type of Binder?

Linda prefers a 1-inch flexible side 3-ring binder. This is because it weighs less and fits well in her backpack. They are often available at dollar or discount stores.

When To Prepare the Binder?

Linda recommends preparing the binder as much ahead of the swim meet as possible. By starting early, it serves as a collection place for the things she needs to do a good job as Team Lead Chief Judge.

What to Include in a Team Lead Chief Judge Binder?

In Linda’s binder, some things are standard and some change with each swim meet. She tries to anticipate what she’ll need.  She also talks with the Administrative Referee to find out what they will be providing.  This way, she does not bring any unnecessary forms.  After all, the binder is just 1 inch thick. These are the tabs she uses and what she puts in each section.

Lead Chief Judge

This section has information relevant to the Team Lead Chief Judge role including:

• Relevant emails about the meet
• Correspondence from the Meet Referee, Administrative Referee, Team Lead Starter, etc.
• Agenda/daily topics to cover in the Chief Judge and officials’ meetings
• Blank paper used to write notes on things she wants to change, or bring up in the next meeting, etc.
• Speaker Information: Are various speakers scheduled to come to officials’ briefings?  If so, Linda notes the details here. These might include: when to expect them, if they need to leave at a specific time, introductory information, etc.
• Notes from the Meet Referee’s pre-swim meet meeting with the assigned team.  This includes key pieces of information on how the meet will run, who does what, and other notes.  For example:  Who will write up Declared False Starts before the session begins? Who will read the reports if using relay take-off pads? etc.

Chief Judge Job Assignments

This section is the “workhorse” of the binder. It has:

Charts

• A chart of all the officials working the meet and their information. Linda first sorts the names by the assigned team and then groups them by their job. The Stroke and Turn Judges follow in alphabetical order. The chart includes a column for each session of the swim meet and lists when each person works. It also gives their shirt size.
  • This is the list the Chief Judges work from when setting the deck for each session.
• One Deck Assignment Sheet for each session, and a duplicate set — just in case.
  • Linda likes to tentatively set up each session before the swim meet with the information she has from the above chart. These sheets are the ones the Chief Judges work from to set the deck for each session.
  • She also keeps these assignment sheets set up in Excel, and then fills them in as the meet progresses. By doing so, she maintains a correct electronic copy to send to the Meet Referee if asked.  It is a complete version of who worked where for the entire meet.
• List of Starter/Referee teams and their specific assignments
• List of Chief Judge assignments by session, including their deck location and how the rotation worked from day to day.

Notes

• An ongoing list of things to bring up with Chief Judges or at the meetings.
• Notes which the Team Lead Deck Ref/Starter hands out.  Since the Chief Judges works with this group, it’s important to know what their guidelines are.

Information

• Stroke Briefing bullet point list
• Standard National Championship protocol/jurisdiction document
  • She uses it in the Chief Judge meeting and discusses how they’ll tweak it to fit their specific meet. She also includes any specific instructions from the Meet Referee.
  • For basics on jurisdiction and protocol, see Swim Meet Officials: Jurisdiction, Placement and Protocol
• Tax Letter to hand out at the meet. (Used by officials when writing off volunteer expenses associated with the meet on their taxes.)
  • Confer with Meet Referee before meet to find out who produces this letter and receive any needed guidance on its distribution
• Pre-scratch timeline of each session
  • To help gauge how long officials will be on deck and what kind of relief they will need
• Original officials list from Meet Referee
  • The amount of information received from the Meet Referee varies from meet to meet
• Chief Judge Responsibilities list
  • Radio Protocol
• Advice on what makes a good Chief Judge

Meet Announcement

• Cull through the meet announcement looking for anything that will impact your Chief Judge job and highlight it. This makes it easy to find the information later if needed. For example:
  • Distance freestyle events: Put the distance tasks on the Chief Judge Deck Assignments sheet for those sessions.
  • Information about Time Trials:  This is because the Chief Judges have to get deck help for that.
  • Start times: Schedule Chief Judge and officials meetings based on session start times.

Administrative Procedures

This section is where Linda puts the following. All of these and more are found on the USA Swimming National Certification and Evaluation page.

• Request for Evaluation forms
• Evaluation and Certification Requirements
• Any other evaluation documentation

Meet Forms

Here, Linda keeps at least one copy of all the standard forms Chief Judges need.  She brings them as a backup in case the Administrative Referee forgets to bring something. She also has these documents on a flash drive and her laptop which come to the meet with her. Swim meet forms include the following. All of these and more are available on the USA Swimming Officials Documents and Forms page.

• Relay take-off slips
• Counting sheets for distance freestyle events
• No Show slips
• Time Trial entry form

Travel

Linda keeps her personal travel information and Application to Officiate here, including:

• Flight information
• Hotel confirmation
• Rental car reservation
• Personal Application to Officiate, etc.

Summary

Your Chief Judge binder is a tool to help you succeed in that role. Include anything you think will help you be a better Chief Judge. Linda Eaton, an experienced Chief Judge includes information relevant to the Team Lead Chief Judge if she’s functioning in that role. She also includes information pertaining to job assignments, the meet announcement, administrative paperwork, meet forms, and travel information. The key is to have what you need easily organized and ready to go when you or someone else needs it.

Preparing for a swim meet? Check out The Ultimate Swim Meet To-Do List. Then, get a bird’s eye view of Who does What at Swim Meets. Both include easy-to-follow links to related information. Doing a smaller, simpler meet? Host a High School or Developmental Swim Meet will help.

Need more help? See 20+ Ways to Get Swim Meet Timers and Officials: 20+ Ways to Get them for Swim Meets. 

Also, discover a few things you can do to Increase Safety at Swim Meets. Find ideas to implement before your meet as well as last-minute quick and easy tips!