News
Swimming and Diving Memo
May 19th, 2025
Swimming and Diving Update
Good afternoon. I hope this finds many of you preparing to enjoy a great summer. I wanted to share with you some updates on swimming and diving that our Board of Directors approved at their May meeting.
Backstrokes Ledges Now Legal: The NFHS approved the use of backstroke ledges at their annual rules meeting in March. The advisory committees of the 91海角社区 and IHSAA have recommended allowing the use of ledges for the upcoming swimming and diving season. To utilize the ledges in the postseason, all six sites would need to have the ledges available for use. The University of Iowa does have the ledges. If your school plans to have the backstroke ledges for next season, please email me.聽
Scrimmages Allowed:聽Beginning this season, schools may participate in up to two scrimmages. Scrimmages between member schools shall聽be permitted聽between the date of first legal practice and the final day of the State Swimming and Diving Meet. Teams may travel for scrimmages, provided it聽is done聽without loss of school time.
If a school is scrimmaging at an out-of-state school, the scrimmage rules of that state shall apply. Iowa scrimmage rules will apply for scrimmages held in Iowa.聽A scrimmage is defined as聽that which聽takes place between member schools at one site on one calendar day, as well as an established definition relating to the mandatory absence of scorekeeping and spectator聽charge.聽For a player to聽be charged聽with a scrimmage, she must have participated in the scrimmage. Times from scrimmages are not eligible for inclusion on the regular season state qualifying list.聽
2025 Time Standards: The regular-season time standards for the 2025 season have been approved. The time standards聽are developed聽by taking the 16th-place time (the last scoring placing) from the previous five state meets, compiling the average time from those five meets, and using that average as the time standard. Standards for the 2025 season are:聽聽
200 IM 2:12.65
50聽Freestyle :24.92
100 Butterfly 1:00.19
100聽Freestyle :54.55
500 Freestyle 5:21.03
100 Backstroke 1:00.19
100 Breaststroke 1:07.65
200 Free 1:57.88
Starting Commands:聽There have been some inconsistencies in the use of聽starting聽commands, and the Swimming and Diving Advisory Committee recommended the following protocol聽be adopted聽for starts beginning for the 2025 season:
聽Verbal Preparatory Commands聽
Protocol for the forward start when there is only one official (referee/starter):聽
To bring the swimmers to the starting area, the referee/starter announces the event/distance/heat, 鈥�200-yard freestyle鈥�.
Referee/starter blows a long whistle
When swimmers are stationary, give the command, 鈥淭ake your marks鈥�
If the heat needs to reset, use the command 鈥淪tand聽please鈥�.
Use the 鈥淩elax please鈥� instruction when there will be a prolonged period before the starting sequence聽will begin.
When swimmers are stationary, activate the starting signal.聽
Protocol for the backstroke聽start聽when there is only one official (referee/starter):聽
To bring the swimmers to the starting area, the referee/starter announces the event/distance/heat, 鈥�200-yard medley relay鈥�.
Referee/starter blows a long whistle.
When the swimmers have surfaced, instruct the swimmers to 鈥淧lace your feet鈥�.
When swimmers are stationary, give the command, 鈥淭ake your marks鈥�.
If the heat needs to聽reset聽use the command 鈥淪tand Please鈥�.
Use the 鈥淩elax please鈥� instruction when there will be a prolonged period before the starting sequence聽will begin.聽The 鈥淩elax鈥� instruction should not be used聽in place of a 鈥淪tand Please鈥� instruction for backstroke starts.
Observe whether any feet or toes are above or curling over the gutter or pool鈥檚 edge.
When swimmers are stationary, activate the starting signal.
Note:聽If a swimmer(s) has not responded to the whistle indicating聽he/she聽should step up or step in, the referee/starter should give the verbal commands.聽
Judging Diving:聽The topic of judging diving has been a recurring issue at our advisory committee meetings for many years, particularly in efforts to achieve consistency in judging among both officials and coaches.聽The NFHS has developed an outstanding video course:聽鈥淛udging Springboard聽Diving,鈥澛爓hich, beginning with the 2025 season, will be required viewing for diving officials and聽diving聽coaches.聽The direct link to view the course聽is:聽聽聽The course is free,聽and聽a PDF completion certificate can聽be saved聽as proof that a coach or official has viewed the course.
Regular Season State Qualifying Diving:聽There will be two diving-only meets during the regular season where divers will have the opportunity to qualify for the state meet before the regional meets. There will be two diving-only meets during the regular season designated for divers to qualify for the state meet. In each meet, the top five finishers will聽qualify聽for the state meet, resulting in a total of 10 regular-season state qualifiers. Regular season qualifiers must still compete at the regional meet. Both meets will utilize the same panel of coaches and officials to ensure consistency at both meets. Coaches and officials selected to judge in the panel are required to have completed the NFHS Judging Springboard Diving online course. Locations of the regular season qualifying meets will聽be posted聽later.
State Meet News:聽Plans have already begun for the 2025 State Swimming and Diving Meet in Iowa City. A few things that have聽been decided聽鈥�
State Meet Now on Thursday and Friday: With the State Meet in Iowa City in the fall, there is always the prospect of the meet overlapping with the University of Iowa's聽home football games. To maintain consistency,聽the decision was made聽to hold the State Meet prelims and diving meet on Thursday, with the finals on Friday. The tentative schedule is as follows:
Thursday Prelim Meet
8:30 a.m.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽Pass gate opens for teams
9:45 a.m.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽Swimmers Meeting (on deck) NOTE: Coaches meeting will be a Zoom meeting the week of the State Meet.聽
10:00 a.m.聽聽聽聽Warm-ups
11:00 a.m.聽聽聽聽Doors open to the public (reserved seating)
11:45 a.m.聽聽聽聽Pool closes for swimmers
NOON 聽 聽 聽 聽聽 Parade of teams/IHSSCA Awards/Anthem/Start of meet
Thursday Diving Meet
12:30 p.m.聽聽聽聽Diving well opens for warm-ups
2:00 p.m.聽聽聽聽聽聽Doors open to the public (general admission)
2:50 p.m.聽聽聽聽聽聽Divers Meeting
3:00 p.m.聽聽聽聽聽聽State Diving Meet
Friday State Swimming Finals
8:30 a.m.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽Doors open for teams
9:00 a.m.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽Coaches meeting
9:30 a.m.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽Pool opens for warm-ups
11:00 a.m.聽聽聽聽Doors Open to the public (reserved seating)
Noon聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽Hall of Fame/Golden Plaque/Swimming Finals
As always, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Best wishes that you enjoy a tremendous summer. August will be here before you know it!!
Jason Eslinger
Senior Associate Director/Swimming and Diving Administrator
Published: May 19th, 2025 in Swimming & Diving