Guide to Becoming a Swim England Technical Official with Saxon Crown

All the competitive galas run and attended by Saxon Crown need qualified officials. Without them the galas can’t run and times (PBs and qualifying times can't be recorded as being official times).

Becoming a Swim England Technical Official is a rewarding way to support competitive swimming by ensuring that events are run fairly and in accordance with regulations.

Below is the start of the routes for becoming qualified. It seems a bit intimidating at the outset but it's well supported by current officials in the club and the Kent regional officials. There is no requirement to do lots of extra training once you have a basic level qualification. We have a number of officials at Saxon Crown with a variety of qualification levels. If you have a child (or partner) who competes this is better fun than sitting in the gallery, plus you get a nice lunch at the galas!

Benefits of Becoming a Swim England Technical Official

  • Support the sport and your children in contributing to fair competition.
  • Develop skills in decision-making, teamwork, and event management.
  • Travel opportunities to officiate at regional, national, and even international events.

If you want more information please feel free approach one of us at any training sessions or at a gala / club championships. Alternatively email [email protected] and put 'Enquiry' in the title subject.

  1. Understanding the Role of a Swim England Technical Official

Swim England technical officials (the people in whites poolside) oversee competitive swimming events, ensuring that races are conducted according to the World Aquatics (formerly FINA) and Swim England rules. Each gala needs  20+ officials to be run as a licenced gala. Club championship events need 12+.  Officials may take on roles such as:

  • Timekeeper – Records swimmers' times.
  • Judge (Level 1 & 2) – Observes turns, strokes, and finishes.
  • Starter – Ensures a fair start.
  • Referee – Manages the competition and makes final decisions.
  1. The Pathway to Becoming a Technical Official

Step 1: Becoming a Timekeeper

Entry Requirement: None (Recommended for age 14+)

  • Complete the Swim England Timekeeper course, an online learning module followed by practical experience at a swimming event.
  • This role is the first step into officiating, allowing you to assist in competitions by recording times.
  • https://instituteofswimming.org/course-information/swimming-technical-officials-timekeeping/

Step 2: Judge Level 1 (J1)

Prerequisite: Timekeeper qualification (this can be bypassed in reality if you do the online theory course first)

  • The Judge Level 1 course involves online learning and practical experience at swim meets. https://instituteofswimming.org/course-information/swimming-technical-officials-judge-1-theory/
  • You will learn the rules for strokes, turns, and finishes.
  • Once all competencies are assessed, you qualify as a Judge Level 1 official, allowing you to judge at local and regional meets.
  • The modest cost of this can be reimbursed from Saxon Crown on completion of the online part of the course.

There are further training pathways all the way up to becoming a full referee.

For more information, visit www.swimming.org and check the officials’ section for training opportunities.