Changes arecoming to both the backstroke and diving events.
Effective beginning in the 2014-15 season, any part of a swimmer’s body must be on or above the water at the finish of the backstroke event. Previously, a swimmer could submerge on both the turn and the finish.
The changes were made during the National Federation of State High School Associations Swimming and Diving Rules Committee meetings in Indianapolis on March 30-April 1.
“There’s been a difference of opinion as to what constitutes a finish, and the committee believed it needed to be cleared up,” said Becky Oakes, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Swimming and Diving Rules Committee. “Clarification is going to focus on the finish and that the swimmer remains on the surface of the water.”
Previously, the diving finalist order used at the beginning of the meet was utilized throughout the competition. Rule 9-2-2 now allows an option for finalists to be seeded from lowest to highest based on their individual score in the semifinals.
“Divers in finals can be seeded based on their score, which can change the order from the starting order of divers,” Oakes said. “The committee felt that this option would add excitement to the meet. Divers with higher scores can see their competition.”
The scale for judges to score divers was also altered, as five of the seven categories were revised. New scoring is consistent with the NCAA, USA Diving and FINA. The scores are Excellent (10), very good (8.5 to 9.5), good (7 to 8), satisfactory (5 to 6.5), deficient (2.5 to 4.5), unsatisfactory (0.5 to 2) and failed (zero).