Officiating Swimmers with Disabilities

1. Officiating Swimmers with Disabilities “It’s all about inclusion and creativity”

2. Some practical points • Swimmers with disabilities WANT and deserve to swim in our meets • Judged by USA Swimming Rules • Judge what works, by ability and intent • Want to be judged for their swimming abilities, just as able bodied swimmers do ISI Officials Recertification Clinics 2012

3. Some practical points • Coaches should notify Meet Referee of the needs of a disabled swimmer • Need for extra time on blocks or getting out of pool • Preference for an outside lane, or starting from the deck or in the water • Deaf starts and/or portable strobe • Tappers • Can also be done in meet entries, coaches meeting, or observations during warmups ISI Officials Recertification Clinics 2012

4. Accommodating swimmers with disabilities • All • Be sure everyone and everything is ready before whistling heat up on block • Prefer not to have to stand heat • Best to allow disabled swimmer to exit the pool after the race, rather than waiting for next heat to start • Doing this for several heats around the disabled swimmer’s heat calls less attention ISI Officials Recertification Clinics 2012

5. Accommodating blind swimmers • Blind swimmers • Tappers should be provided at each end of the pool • Expect that someone might help swimmer onto blocks Lt. Brad Snyder ISI Officials Recertification Clinics 2012

6. Accommodating deaf and hard of hearing swimmers • Deaf swimmers • Move to outside lanes to see starter better • Allow coach to do hand signals from other side of the pool or behind the blocks • PRACTICE deaf starts in advance • Make sure heat is ready before TYM; minimize stands • Referees • Be in position so you can see starter’s hand, and coach/nudge if necessary • Be aware that how you hand over the heat could be misinterpreted as a starting signal Marcus Titus ISI Officials Recertification Clinics 2012

7. Starting deaf swimmers 105.3 DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING .1 Deaf and hard of hearing swimmers require a visual starting signal, i.e., a strobe light and/or Starter’s arm signals. The Referee may reassign lanes within the swimmer’s heat, i.e., exchanging one lane for another, so that the strobe light or Starter’s arm signal can more readily be seen by the deaf or hard of hearing swimmer. Standard Starter’s arm signals are shown in Figures 1 and 2. A false start rope is required in the event of a recall, provided the meet host is notified by the entry deadline that a deaf or hard of hearing swimmer will be participating. ISI Officials Recertification Clinics 2012

8. Forward starts ISI Officials Recertification Clinics 2012

9. Backward starts ISI Officials Recertification Clinics 2012

10. Inclusion • Include language in your meet packet that swimmers with disabilities are welcome • For a time standards meet, waive requirements for some distances • Consider special seeding options • A disabled swimmer swims a 100 in a 200 event • Times moved to correct event • A disabled swimmer is entered with a younger age group ISI Officials Recertification Clinics 2012

11. Special Needs • Personal assistants • Deck access • Communication • Equipment • Strobes, mats, lifts, step stools • Facility • Slippery or crowded decks, sharp surfaces • Deck accessibility • Emergency plans ISI Officials Recertification Clinics 2012

12. More? • Consider getting involved with IPC officiating • Contact Marilyn Wieland (mtwieland@aol.com) • Keep your eyes and ears open for GLASA meets in the Spring • Highly rewarding • Makes you a better person – and a better official ISI Officials Recertification Clinics 2012