6  Conduct of Interpool Meets

This section establishes the procedures and requirements for conducting GPSA dual meets.

6.1 Scheduling and Postponements

  1. Start Time: League scheduled meets are to be held as scheduled and will start at 6:00 pm. The meet is considered to have officially begun when the Referee signals the start of the first event.

  2. Warm-up Times: Both teams shall be given equal warm-up time prior to the meet, with a minimum of 20 minutes per team. The home team shall warm-up first, followed by the visiting team. The Referee and both GPSA Representatives may agree to shorter warm-up periods when necessary.

  3. Meet Delays: In the event of inclement weather or minor facility issues that arise before or during a meet, every effort should be made to run the meet as planned. The Referee and both GPSA Representatives shall confer and may temporarily delay the start or suspend the meet (e.g., in 30-minute increments) to await safe, competitive conditions.

  4. Postponement: A meet that cannot be safely started or continued may be postponed.

    1. Weather/Facility Postponement: If conditions are clearly unsafe or the facility is unusable, the home team must notify the visiting team’s GPSA Representative and the GPSA Publicity Committee as soon as possible.

    2. Mutual Agreement: A meet may be postponed at any time with the unanimous agreement of both teams’ GPSA Representatives.

  5. Rescheduling Process:

    1. Upon postponement, the GPSA Representatives’ first priority is to agree on a date to hold the meet as soon as reasonably possible (e.g., the next day).
    2. If an immediate alternative date cannot be mutually agreed upon, the meet shall be held on the next available official league rain date.
    3. A final, rescheduled date must be confirmed by both Representatives within 24 hours of the initial postponement.

  6. Defining a Completed Meet:

    1. A meet that is stopped and cannot be resumed is considered complete if all events through event 30 (15-18 50M Breast) have been swum.
    2. If a meet is stopped before the completion of event 30, it is considered a suspended meet and must be rescheduled and completed at a later date.
    3. Notwithstanding the above, the two GPSA Representatives may mutually agree that a meet is complete at any point after it has begun.

  7. Failure to Reschedule:

    1. The collaborative rescheduling of a suspended meet is a primary responsibility of both GPSA Representatives, who are expected to begin discussions on the night of the postponement.
    2. If the Representatives fail to agree on a reschedule date within the 24-hour period required by rule 5.c, the meet shall be declared a loss for both teams.

  8. Postponed Meet Entries: In the event of a postponed swim meet, each team’s entries shall remain unchanged and saved in Meet Maestro until the resumption of the meet. Changes may be made in accordance with the substitution rules.

6.2 Venue and Code of Conduct

  1. Smoking and Alcohol Prohibition: Neither smoking nor the consumption of alcoholic beverages will be allowed in the pool area during swim meets. The exact boundaries of this area will be determined by the Referee and both GPSA representatives.
  2. Behavioral Standards: Profanity, vulgarity, or disruptive behavior will not be allowed.
  3. Recording Device Restrictions: The use of any audio or visual recording devices, including cell phones, is strictly prohibited in changing areas, rest rooms, locker rooms, or behind the starting blocks.

6.3 Team Responsibilities

  1. Officials and Equipment: Each team shall furnish the following officials and equipment:
Home Team Visitors
One referee One timer per assigned lane
One starter Two S&T judges
Two S&T judges One sweep judge
One timer per assigned lane One scorekeeper
One Head timer Ribbon writer
One sweep judge One stopwatch per assigned lane
One scorekeeper One stand-by starting horn / whistle
Ribbon writer
Two runners
One stopwatch per assigned lane
One additional stopwatch
One starting horn / whistle
Certified Lifeguard
Marshal (optional)
Table for scorekeepers
Chairs for sweep judges
Laptop/Tablet for Meet Maestro
Six (6) printed heat sheets

*stopwatches are recommended as backup even if using a timing system

*it is recommended for the visiting team to also bring a laptop/tablet for their scorekeeper to use Meet Maestro

  1. Alternative Official Assignments: By mutual agreement of both GPSA Representatives, teams may share qualified officials across home and visiting team positions to meet operational needs.

  2. Timer Configuration: By mutual agreement of both GPSA Representatives, teams may use two or three timers per lane instead of the standard one timer per lane.

6.4 Swimmer Participation and Entries

  1. Age Group Flexibility: Swimmers are allowed to participate in any event in age groups older than their actual age.
  2. Individual Event Limits: A swimmer is allowed to participate in no more than three (3) individual events and one (1) relay event (not including exhibition).
    1. Event 0 (Mixed 8&U 100M Free Relay) does not count against a swimmer’s event limits.
    2. For a team with fewer than 64 swimmers on its official roster, swimmers in an age/gender group with three (3) or fewer swimmers may compete in up to four (4) individual events.
    3. If a swimmer is found to have exceeded these limits, they shall be disqualified from all events in which they were entered, and scores shall be adjusted.
  3. Maximum Scoring Entrants: Each team is allowed a maximum of two (2) entrants in any individual event and one (1) relay team in any relay event to be eligible for scoring. All other entrants from a team shall be marked as exhibition.
  4. Starting Procedures: Unless otherwise specified, starts shall be conducted in accordance with Article 101.1 of the current year’s USA Swimming Rulebook.
  5. Backstroke Equipment Restrictions: Towels may not be used at the starting end for backstroke events.
  6. Swimmer Absence: A swimmer who is not present when the starter takes command of an event shall not be allowed to swim that event at the discretion of the referee.
  7. False Start Disqualifications: Two false starts by the same swimmer in any one event disqualifies that swimmer. A swimmer may be disqualified after one false start if, in the opinion of the starter and referee, the swimmer deliberately false started.

6.5 Substitutions

  1. Three-Event Rule: No substitutions will be allowed for the next three events after an event is in the water.

    1. Example: If event 1 is in the water, no substitutions can be made in events 2, 3, and 4.

  2. Submission Process: Only the coach or coach’s designated representative may approach the scoring table and present a written note bearing the event number, lane number, and name of the swimmer for the desired substitution.

  3. Postponed Meet Exception: In the event of a postponed swim meet, substitutions may be made at the beginning of the restarted meet for all events not previously swum, in which case the three-event rule does not apply.

  4. Injury/Illness Exception: The referee may allow substitution for an injured or sick swimmer outside the three-event window. In this case, the event counts as an event swum for both the original swimmer and the substituted swimmer.

6.6 Meet Operations

6.6.1 Pre-Meet Requirements

  1. Entry Deadline: Teams shall be marked as “Ready to Merge” no later than 12:00 PM on the day of the meet.
  2. Meet Preparation: The home team GPSA Representative shall merge entries at 12:00 PM on the day of the meet.
  3. Meet Review and Optimization: After merging entries, the home team GPSA Representative shall:
    1. Review the meet for accuracy and proper event seeding.
    2. Work with both teams’ coaches to consolidate heats and/or relocate exhibition swimmers where possible.
  4. Required Materials: Both teams shall prepare all necessary heat sheets, place judge forms, scoring materials, and official documentation as specified in the GPSA Meet Preparation Guide.

6.6.2 Swimmer Readiness

  1. Coach Responsibility: It shall be the coaches’ responsibility to keep the swimmers for the next two consecutive events or heats behind the starting blocks or in the designated locations.
  2. Lane Slip Submission: When using lane slips, the swimmer shall provide the lane slip to the lane timer when taking their place behind the blocks.
  3. Lane Timer Sheets: When using lane timer sheets, the lane timers shall have the necessary forms with swimmer information ready.
  4. Identity Verification: Timers shall verify the swimmer’s identity matches the documentation provided (lane slip, lane timer sheet, or heat sheet). Names shall match the documentation, though initials may be used.

6.6.3 Event Procedures

  1. Referee Signals: The Referee shall signal the commencement of each event in accordance with USA Swimming Article 101.1.2:
    1. A short series of whistles inviting swimmers to get ready at the starting end.
    2. One long whistle indicating swimmers should take and maintain their positions on the starting platform or deck.
    3. For backstroke and medley relay events, a first long whistle for swimmers to enter the water, followed by a second long whistle to return to the wall and assume starting position.
    4. An outstretched arm signal to the Starter indicating the swimmers are under the Starter’s control.
  2. Starter Commands: When the swimmers and officials are ready, the Starter shall:
    1. Issue the command “take your marks” in a clear, conversational tone.
    2. Allow swimmers to assume their starting position and become stationary.
    3. Give the starting signal (horn or whistle) when all swimmers are stationary.
    4. Issue the command “stand up” if any swimmer does not respond promptly, releasing all swimmers to step off the blocks.
  3. Recall Procedure: If a false start or other starting infraction occurs:
    1. The Starter shall observe and identify any swimmer(s) who started before the starting signal.
    2. The Referee shall independently observe to confirm the Starter’s observation.
    3. The heat may be recalled by mutual agreement of both the Starter and Referee if they determine a fair start was not possible.
    4. If the heat is recalled, the Referee shall determine an appropriate rest period before restarting the heat, based on the distance the swimmers covered.

6.6.4 Time Recording

  1. Recording Method: Swimmer times shall be recorded using one of the following methods:
    1. Electronic Timing System (Time Drops): Times are automatically captured and transmitted to Meet Maestro.
    2. Lane Slips: Written cards containing team name, swimmer name, lane number, and event number.
    3. Lane Timer Sheets: Timing forms that may be used in lieu of lane slips or as backup with electronic timing systems.
  2. Time Collection Process:
    1. Upon completion of the event, the timer records the swimmer’s time to hundredths of a second using the designated method.
    2. The runner collects all time records for the event and delivers them to the scorekeeper to be entered into Meet Maestro.

6.6.5 Place Recording

  1. Sweep Judge Determination: The sweep judges shall independently observe and determine the order of finish for each scoring heat.

  2. Place Judge Form:

    1. The scorekeeper shall print a Place Judge Form from Meet Maestro for each heat of Heat 1 of all scored events (events 1-56).
    2. If the sweep judges concur on the order of finish, they shall record the order on the Place Judge Form.

  3. Referee Review:

    1. The sweep judges deliver the Place Judge Form to the referee (directly or via runner).
    2. The referee reviews the order of finish and adjusts for any disqualifications.
    3. The referee initials the Place Judge Form to confirm accuracy.

  4. Final Recording:

    1. A runner delivers the initialed Place Judge Form to the scorekeeper.
    2. The scorekeeper enters the order of finish into Meet Maestro for Heat 1 of all scored events (events 1-56).

6.7 Protests

6.7.1 Authority to Protest

  1. GPSA Representative Authority: The GPSA Representative is the sole representative authorized to file a protest on behalf of their team.

6.7.2 During-Meet Protests

  1. Competition Protests: Protests arising from events during the meet shall be filed with the Meet Referee within 30 minutes of the alleged infraction.

  2. Immediate Resolution: The referee shall resolve the protest immediately and may stop the meet to do so.

6.7.3 Post-Meet Protests

  1. Appeal to Rules Committee: Any protest resolved by the referee may be appealed to the Rules Committee if:

    1. The protest determined the winning team of the meet, or
    2. The GPSA Representative believes the referee’s decision warrants further review.
    3. Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the Rules Committee within three (3) days of the meet.

  2. Swimmer Eligibility: Protests concerning the eligibility of any swimmer to compete in an event shall be submitted to the Rules Committee within three (3) days of the meet.

  3. Post-Meet Review: Protests arising from review of meet results after the meet has concluded shall be submitted to the Rules Committee as follows:

    1. Initial notification to the Rules Committee within 24 hours of meet completion.
    2. Formal written protest within three (3) days of meet completion.

6.7.4 Rules Committee Authority

  1. Final Rulings: All rulings made by the Rules Committee shall be final.

  2. Score Adjustments: If the Rules Committee sustains a protest, meet scores and awards shall be adjusted accordingly.

  3. Conflict of Interest: No Rules Committee member may vote on a decision involving a team with which they are affiliated.