Risk Minimization Focus of 2023-24 High School Swimming and Diving Rules Changes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Sandy Searcy
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 13, 2023) — Swimming stroke changes and a new penalty for close diving board proximity stand out among the high school swimming and diving rules changes approved for the 2023-24 school year.
Risk minimization was a top priority, leading to eight rules changes brought forth by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Swimming and Diving Rules Committee, which held its annual meeting March 19-21 at the Conrad Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. The NFHS Board of Directors approved all eight rule change submissions.
Several technical rules changes were made to breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly. “We removed rules that do not present a competitive advantage, are rarely seen today, and make sense for high school swimmers,” said Sandy Searcy, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee.
Backstroke swimmers are now permitted to submerge at the backstroke flags and be completely underwater at the finish due to changes in Rule 8-2-1g. The change allows the official to concentrate on the finish at the wall and aligns with national trends. The rule applies to all backstroke finishes including the medley relay and the individual medley.
Changes to breaststroke (Rule 8-2-2d-h) and butterfly (Rule 8-2-3c, e, g) provide clarity, consistency and remove elements of the turn and finish which were difficult to officiate. Alterations are not expected to provide a competitive advantage for athletes.
“Factors at the forefront of our discussions were fair play, risk minimization and awareness of national trends,” said Rod Garman, chair of the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee and assistant executive director of the Kansas State High School Activities Association.
A penalty will now be imposed if the diver’s head is too close to the diving board according to changes in Rule 9-7-4C. A penalty was already in place for when a diver hit the board. Diving referees will determine the new penalty call and should sit in line with the end of the board to see where divers enter the water in relation to the board.
“We wanted to make it clear that safety is paramount and that we have a penalty in place that elevates the divers’ and coaches’ awareness of entering the water from an appropriate distance from the board,” Searcy said. “It is important that the NFHS provide educational resources to illustrate what is too close and specify the referee’s vantage-point.”
Three diving positions were removed with changes to Rule 9-5. The committee determined that performing these dives in the straight position was too dangerous at the high school level due to the close placement of the diver’s head in relation to the board. The difficulty level was such that divers were not typically performing the dives, according to Searcy.
Finally, an editorial change was made to Rules 3-3 and 3-3-2 to clarify uniform accommodations related to suit permeability, compression and buoyancy.
A complete listing of the swimming and diving rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Swimming and Diving.”
According to the 2021-22 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, swimming and diving is the 10th-most popular sport for boys with 123,208 participants in 7,831 schools, and the eighth-most popular sport for girls with 149,751 participants in 8,079 schools.
Pool Markings Focal Point of 2022-23 High School
Swimming and Diving Rules Changes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 19, 2022) — A collection of new markings for pool facilities constructed or renovated after January 1, 2023, stands out among the high school swimming and diving rules changes approved for the 2022-23 school year.
The markings, placed in a Table within Rule 2-4, were the most notable of the three rules changes brought forth by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Swimming and Diving Rules Committee, which held its annual meeting March 20-22 at the Conrad Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. The NFHS Board of Directors accepted all three rule change submissions.
The table includes four new measurements that constitute changes of the width of the line along the pool bottom, longer cross lines, shorter end wall targets below the water, and an exact listing for the distance between the end of the line on the pool bottom and the end wall.
The width of that line can now be anywhere from 8 to 12 inches rather than the previous range of 10 to 12 inches. The cross line has been extended from 36 inches to 3 feet, 4 inches (1 meter); the end wall targets below the water have been reduced from 3 feet, 6 inches to 3 feet, 4 inches (1 meter); and the space between the end of the pool line and the end wall should now be 6 feet, 7 inches (2 meters).
“Nationally recognized standards for newly constructed or renovated facilities after January 1, 2023, provides consistency for high school swimming,” said Sandy Searcy, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee. “Facilities constructed prior to this date will remain in compliance in accordance with current specifications and will not require prior mutual consent of the competing teams unless state association regulations determine otherwise.”
Updated dimensions pertaining to the non-slip surface on the end wall were written into Rule 2-3-1. In addition to reaching 0.8 meters (2 feet, 7½ inches) below the water level, the non-slip surface should also extend at least 2 inches above the water beginning with the 2022-23 season. Additional new language in Rule 2-3-1 reads: “for pools constructed or renovated after January 1, 2023, it is recommended the end walls extend no less than 0.8 meters (2 feet 7½ inches) below and no more than 0.3 meters (12 inches) above the water surface.”
Finally, an editorial change was made to Rule 2-4-4, as it no longer includes the information referencing end wall height above the water now found in Rule 2-3-1.
A complete listing of the swimming and diving rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Swimming and Diving.”
According to the most recent NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, swimming and diving is the 10th-most popular sport for boys with 136,638 participants in 7,704 schools, and the eighth-most popular sport for girls with 173,088 participants in 8,007 schools.
Swimming and Diving Rules Interpretations - 2025-26
BY NFHS ON July 30, 2025 | RULES, SWIMMING & DIVING
Download a PDF copy
Publisher’s Note: The National Federation of State High School Associations is the only source of official high school interpretations. They do not set aside nor modify any rule. They are made and published by the NFHS in response to situations presented.
Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff, Publisher, NFHS Publications © 2025
SITUATION 1: Meet management does not permit use of backstroke starting ledges during warm-up even though they will be available for use during competition. RULING: Inappropriate practice. COMMENT: For purposes of both athlete safety and competitive equality, it is essential that all equipment/facilities utilized during competition also be available for use during the warm-up period. (2-7-3)
SITUATION 2: The host school pool has water depth of at least 7 feet throughout the competition course. However, the host team chooses not to provide backstroke starting ledges for the competition. The visiting coach insists that the host team’s medley relays and backstroke swimmers should be disqualified because of the absence of the ledges, claiming it’s the host school’s obligation to provide the equipment if their facility is of legal depth. RULING: The coach is incorrect. Just as individual swimmers may decide not to use the backstroke ledges, host schools may likewise choose not to provide ledges even though their facilities are legal. COMMENT: Backstroke starting ledges are optional, not required, equipment. (2-7-3d)
SITUATION 3: The state association has not adopted any policy regarding the use of backstroke ledges in the medley relay and backstroke events. The host school, whose competition course is more than 6 feet deep throughout, provides ledges for swimmers’ use. The referee instructs the host school to remove the ledges. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: By rule, the use of ledges may occur ONLY when a state association has adopted a formal policy governing their use within the requirements specified in Rule 2-7-3. It is expected that the policy will provide necessary details about the equipment itself as well as its use, and where necessary specify sanctions for misuse. (2-7-3)
SITUATION 4: The day following competition, the meet referee is contacted by one of the schools to advise that a competitor participated in too many events the preceding day. The meet referee refuses to take action to change the meet results, indicating that since this is not a clerical error, the referee has no authority to alter the outcome. RULING: Incorrect procedure. Any confusion related to the nature of errors made during or following the competition has been eliminated by removal of the term “clerical”; thus, any errors, regardless of their nature, arising from matters over which the referee has jurisdiction before/during/after the meet are correctable, subject to state association policy. (4-1-4)
SITUATION 5: In the consolation finals of the 100 freestyle, the backplate/starting wedge detached from the platform at the start, clearly affecting the start of the swimmer in that lane. The referee determines that sufficient unfairness occurred and orders all competitors in that heat to re-swim the race at a later point in the competition. RULING: Correct procedure. In the championship round, it would NOT be appropriate to have only the affected swimmer re-swim and then insert her/his time into the final array; at that point, head-to-head competition is essential. However, if this incident had occurred during qualifying rounds, some other type of re-swim could be appropriate. Of course, all swimmers must be given ample rest time (25 minutes minimum) on either side of a re-swim. (4-2-2p)
SITUATION 6: The third swimmer on the 200 freestyle relay stands on the step at the back of the starting platform and develops momentum for the exchange by moving forward from that position. One foot contacts the flat surface of the top of the platform and the exchange is performed with final contact on the front edge of the platform. RULING: Incorrect procedure. COMMENT: As a matter of athlete safety, all momentum on a relay exchange MUST take place on the top surface of the block. Movement is permitted from back to front of the platform; movement from the pool deck is prohibited. This prohibition should be understood to include any other location except the top surface of the platform. If a wedge is used, the requirements of Rule 8-3-4c must be followed as well. (8-3-4)
SITUATION 7: In the 200-yard medley relay event, the meet referee requires one of the team members to remove the backstroke ledge after the race is started. The team in Lane 5 fails to remove the ledge and the referee disqualifies the relay. RULING: Incorrect ruling. COMMENT: The referee’s instruction is appropriate and within his/her responsibilities to assure an obstacle free competition course. Ledges should be removed immediately upon completion of the start, but there is no penalty for not removing the ledge (2-7-3). Any adjustments in competition results or sanctions for not removing the ledges will need to be established by state association policy. Swimmers may designate a team member, a timer or a coach to remove the ledge in that event.
The NFHS along with the WIAA offices continue to receive questions regarding the application of NFHS Rule 3-3-2b(2), school logo restrictions, to swimsuits with logos and mascots applied to the suit during construction.
A process known as "sublimation" allows colors, designs, prints, etc. to be dyed into the fabric to be used for suits in a pre-construction phase. Using "sublimation," colors or designs, such as a school mascot, are dyed into the fabric and the textile material remains 100% permeable.
The restriction of a single, post-construction, impermeable school name or logo, not to exceed 9 square inches, does not apply to suits using sublimation for the process to include a school mascot, name and/or logo on the suit. This means that if a school desires more than one logo, or a logo and school initials on their sublimated suits, this is legal and allowable.
The single, post-construction, impermeable school name or logo, not to exceed 9 square inches, only applies to post-construction logos which render the material to no longer be 100% permeable.
If you have any questions regarding this interpretation, Tom Shafranski, WIAA Assistant Director and Swimming/Diving Liaison, can be contacted at
[email protected].
Tom Shafranski, WIAA
Assistant Director
Question:
Swimmer two in the 200 freestyle relay started with one foot behind the wedge and one foot in front of the wedge, stepping over the wedge with her back foot as she moved forward for a legal relay exchange. The wedge was 2/3 of the way to the back on the block. Neither foot was on the wedge and both feet were on the surface of the starting block. Rule 8-3-4c, page 68, does not seem to prohibit this action. But some of our officials thought it was an unsafe act, and therefore should result in disqualification. According to the girl who did this at our clinic, it was allowed at the state USA (club) meet. Because were use NFHS rules, that don't address this action, is it legal?
Response:
Starting wedges are permitted by rule 2.7.2. Relay exchanges are governed by rule 8.3. 8.3.4 provides that moving from the back to the front of the starting platform is permitted. 8.3.4 c requires the swimmers in relay starts to have at least one foot in contact with the surface of the starting platform in front of the wedge during takeoff.
While the use of wedges may be unsafe, the rules permit wedges to be installed. There is no rule prohibiting the movement of the contestant from the back to the front of the starting platform during relay exchanges/starts.
There are many risky components in a swim and dive meet. Use of starting platforms may be considered ‘high risk’ in some one’s opinion. We don’t prohibit use of these platforms since the rules provide for its use.
While risk minimization is paramount in high school sports, we permit coaches and athletes to determine the safest practices in the pool arena.
We cannot prohibit use of starting platforms or wedges that are allowed by rule.
Meet Official Responsibilities and Communication Clarified in High School Swimming and Diving Rules
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Sandy Searcy
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 11, 2024) — Language in the 2024-25 NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Book will be changed in an effort to ensure consistent notification protocols when violations regarding swimming attire are detected.
This revision was one of two changes recommended by the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee at its March 17-19 meeting in Indianapolis. All changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
The change comes in conjunction with one of the committee’s fundamental goals, which is to increase communication between coaches and officials to promote the flow of a swim meet.
“One thing I love about the committee is all the different perspectives, from coaches representation to officials representation and even administrative representation,” said Rod Garman, chair of the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee and assistant executive director of the Kansas State High School Activities Association. “I think our sport is in a great spot.”
In Rule 4-4-2e, language was changed to bring the rule in line when violations of Rule 3-3-2 are detected. Rule 3-3-2 describes the types of legal suits for males and females. According to the new language, the referee shall advise the coach that the swimmer may not compete until their suit is made legal.
This change ensures that the referee directly communicates with the head coach of the athlete if there is a violation and will bring less disqualifications if an athlete has an illegal uniform. Previously, if the coach of the athlete was not able to be reached without delaying the meet, a verbal announcement of the violation sufficed.
Sandy Searcy, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee, said the committee believes that the consistency of language between rules will help bring a better meet experience.
In Rule 4-1-4, the word “clerical” was removed to help clarify the authority of a meet official. This change is intended to create a more efficient and effective process for fixing problems that may arise during a swim meet.
“The committee believes that the majority of problems that arise during a meet are minor and can be easily fixed if the official’s authority stays consistent with the scope of their authority during the actual competition – without having to be addressed by outside entities, including state associations,” Searcy said.
A complete listing of the swimming and diving rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Swimming and Diving.”
According to the 2022-23 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, swimming and diving is the 10th-most popular sport for boys with 116,741 participants in 7,831 schools, and the ninth-most popular sport for girls with 140,711 participants in 7,937 schools.
The NFHS is providing FREE Rules Revisions Posters for the new high school swimming and diving season. If you are a coach, administrator, or state association representative, click the link below to download the PDF file.
Print as many as you need. Hang them up in the locker room, hallway, office or anywhere else the student-athletes can see these posters!
Download the Poster (11”X 17”) PDF here.
