Swimming competitions don’t happen by themselves.

Swimming competitions rely on more than swimmers and coaches. Parents, officials, Team Leaders and volunteers all play an important role in helping meets run safely, fairly and efficiently. Training and guidance are provided, so you do not need to arrive with experience.

Become an official: start on a stopwatch,
finish as a referee.

Officials help ensure that every race is conducted correctly and that every swimmer receives a fair and accurate result. Starting as a Timekeeper is often the first step, with opportunities to learn and progress into other officiating roles as your knowledge and confidence grow.

Open a role to see what it involves.

Interested? Start here.

Timekeeper
Provides essential manual backup timing for each lane. This is where most officials start, and training takes one morning.
Chief Timekeeper
Coordinates and supports the timekeeping team through the session.
Stroke Judge
Observes swimmers to ensure the stroke rules are followed.
Turns Judge
Observes turns, wall touches and other assigned technical requirements.
Finish Judge
Provides an independent observation of the finishing order.
Starter
Ensures swimmers are ready and starts each race fairly.
Technical Referee
Receives and checks technical reports before they are referred to the Referee.
Referee
Has overall authority over the race and makes final decisions regarding disqualifications.
Call Room Supervisor
Organises swimmers into the correct heats and lanes before they reach the starting area.

Become a Team Leader: the link between the deck and the stands.

Team Leaders provide an important link between clubs, swimmers, coaches and competition organisers. They help swimmers know where they need to be, assist with meet administration and ensure important information reaches swimmers and parents quickly.

By taking care of key organisational tasks, Team Leaders also allow coaches to focus more fully on coaching and athlete support.

One session at a time

Commit to a single session or a whole meet. Both help.

Training provided

Courses run through the season — free to parents of registered swimmers.

A better view of the sport

A better understanding of competition rules, procedures and the work behind the scenes.

A stronger community

A stronger swimming community and a better competition experience for every swimmer on pool deck.

Ready to get involved?

Volunteering gives parents and supporters a better understanding of competition rules, procedures and the work that happens behind the scenes. Most importantly, it helps create a stronger swimming community and a better competition experience for every swimmer on pool deck.

Tell us below how you would like to help, and EGA will connect you with volunteer and officials training opportunities.

Why You Should Volunteer (DOCX) Understanding the Roles of Swimming Officials (DOCX)

Volunteer interest form