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Chief Judge Certification

Chief Judge Certification Requirements

Prerequisites (need to be completed before you can begin on deck training):

  • Age - 18 years or older
  • USA Swimming member in good standing (current registration, APT and BGC)
  • Previous certification as Stroke & Turn Judge
  • Session requirements: Minimum 16 sessions as S&T Judge

Certification Requirements (completed within one year of clinic attendance)

  • Complete a Chief Judge Clinic (online or in person)
  • Have read the Chief Judge Professional Documents.
  • Minimum of four apprentice sessions at sanctioned or approved meets
    • At least two different meets
    • Completion of Chief Judge Evaluation Form after each session affirming satisfactory performance
    • Evaluation Session may be done any time after the 3rd apprentice session (Evaluator List) Note that the evaluation session must use radios.
    • Note that if evaluation is not successful, the evaluator must submit to the apprentice a written action plan within two weeks and copy the Officials Chair.
  • Must complete certification within one year of month of the clinic
  • After successful completion of evaluation, submit the Certification Request Form.
  • Certification until: December 31st two years after the year of certification if the certification occurred between January 1st and June 30th of the year of certification. December 31st three years after the year of certification if the certification occurred between July 1st and December 31st of the year of certification

Chief Judge Recertification Requirements

  • Continue to be a USA Swimming Official in good standing (current registration, APT and BC)
  • Qualified recertification sessions required: 16 sessions per year with at least8 as a CJ or Referee.
  • USA Swimming recertification test every 3 years for the highest certification held (note that there is no USA Swimming Chief Judge test)
  • Submit the online Officials Recertification Request Form
  • Recertifying extends your certification until December 31st two years after the year of certification if the certification occurred between January 1st and June 30th of the year of certification. December 31st three years after the year of certification if the certification occurred between July 1st and December 31st of the year of certification and recertifies S&T Judge.
  • Recertifying for Referee will recertify CJ if the official is a CJ. Starter will NOT recertify CJ.

** Qualified Recertification Session: Qualified Recertification Sessions are Sessions officiated by certified officials which count towards the Recertification requirements listed in this document. In order for a Session to count as a Qualified Recertification Session, it must meet the following criteria: 1) the Session must include strokes and/or relays; 2) the Session must not be a Time Trial; 3) the Session must not contain only freestyle events, even if including both individual freestyle events and freestyle relays; 4) the Session must occur at a meet which is either a Sanctioned USA Swimming meet, a YMCA meet for which an LSC has issued an approval (as defined in USA Swimming Rule 202.6), or, for no more than 25% of any official’s total required Qualified Recertification Sessions, an NCAA National or Conference Championship meet.