I hope this finds everyone doing well and gearing up for the post season, which is quickly approaching. There are a few things that I want to address as well as pass along some information that I hope you find useful.

Regional Team Assignments Posted Thursday
Regional team assignments will be posted Thursday, October 16. Regional sites were posted several weeks ago.

State Swimming & Diving Auto Qualifiers
Congratulations to all the swimmers that have reached the time standards to qualify for the 2025 State Meet. The list can be accessed by clicking here. This year also marks the first time divers have had the opportunity to qualify for the state meet during the regular season. The first qualifying meet was held last month, and Marshalltown hosts the second meet on Saturday. Thank you to Waukee Northwest, Waukee and Marshalltown for hosting these inaugural diving meets! 

Diving Information Needed
If you have divers, please email me the number of divers you anticipate competing in regionals. This information helps determine regional sites assignments. I will do my best to keep each diving regional from having cuts, so your input is very helpful. Please email me your divers by Wednesday at noon if possible.

Electronic Devices
A reminder that team personnel may use electronic devices to transmit or record information pertaining to a competitor's performance, provided the location does not interfere with administration  of the meet as determined by the meet referee. Electronic devices shall not be used to transmit information to the competitor(s) during the race or dive. The question has come up if a diver can view videos of their dives while competition is taking place. The answer is yes. 

Results Need to Be in Bound
A reminder that all swimming and diving results must be entered in Bound. If you need assistance uploading your meets, contact me or someone at Bound for help importing your times and power points.

Backstroke Ledge
It appears that many facilities have purchased and implemented the new backstroke ledges. The ledges will be used at all six regional swimming sites and at the State Meet in Iowa City. Anytime new equipment is introduced; new rules accompany it to address proper technique. Since 2025 is the off year for rules book, many coaches have not read the guidance provided for backstroke starts with the ledges. The following rule appears in the 2026 NFHS Swimming and Diving Rule Book:

“… For the backstroke start, swimmers shall step into the water feet first and face the starting end with both hands in contact with the end of the pool or the starting platform. Upon the starting command “TAKE YOUR MARKS,” swimmers shall promptly assume a stationary position. When all swimmers are stationary, the starter shall activate a starting device. Prior to the command “TAKE YOUR MARKS” and until the feet leave the wall at the starting signal, the swimmers’ feet, including the toes, shall not be above or curl over the lip of the gutter or pool edge. Standing in or curling the toes over the lip of the gutter or touchpad before the start, is prohibited. When a backstroke ledge is used, at least one toe of each foot must be in contact with the end wall or face of the touchpad at the start.  (Rule 8-1-2)

It appears that many swimmers, coaches and officials were unaware of the requirement that at least one toe of each foot must be in contact with the end wall or touchpad at the start when using a ledge.

Officials, if you observe a competitor not complying with the new rule, please take the time to correct the swimmer during this first year. We aren’t looking to disqualify swimmers who are unaware of this rule, but we do want them to understand and follow it. 

Downloading the 2026 Rule Book
For those that would like a digital copy of the 2026 NFHS Swimming and Diving Rulebook, download the NFHS Digital app from your preferred app store. You can purchase the rulebook through the app for $10.

Diving Referees
A reminder to diving coaches: it is the diving referee’s responsibility to call an unsatisfactory dive. Diving referees should clearly state during the pre-competition meeting with coaches that they will make the final and appropriate calls. If the referee does not make a call, then judges can deduct as they see fit for the dive.

Swimsuit Coverage
There have been a few instances this season where swimsuit coverage - or lack thereof - has been brought to my attention. This topic is sensitive and difficult to enforce, but the rule book provides clear guidance. It’s worth reviewing the expectations and procedures. 

The rulebook states “Suits shall be of one piece. Males shall wear suits which cover the buttocks and shall not extend above the waist or below the top of the kneecap. Females shall wear suits which cover the buttocks and breasts and shall not extend the shoulders or below the top of the kneecap, nor cover the neck.”

Penalties: When an official discovers a competitor wearing illegal attire as described in Article 2, the official shall:

1. when observed prior to the start of the heat/dive, notify the coach of the competitor to make the suit legal before becoming eligible to compete. If the competitor cannot comply without delaying the start of the heat/dive, the competitor is disqualified from the event/dive and shall not be eligible for further competition until in legal attire. 

2. When observed after the heat officially begins, disqualify the competitor at the completion of the heat/dive: nullify the competitor’s performance time/score and the competitor shall not be eligible for further competition until in legal attire.

There have been instances this season where an official has notified coaches that their athlete’s suit was not in compliance with the NFHS rule, and the coaches told the official that they would NOT be informing their athlete their suit was noncompliant.

This is not acceptable. Officials are not actively looking to disqualify athletes when they arrive at a contest, nor are they trying to be “the uniform police”. Their job, however, is to enforce the rules that are written in the rule book. The current rule book has clear guidelines for swimsuit coverage. If, in the judgement of the official, these rules are not being followed and the coach is approached about correcting a uniform problem, the expectation is that the problem will be addressed. 

Having coaches blatantly refuse to comply with a request - especially one that is sensitive to begin with - puts our officials in a difficult situation. It undermines their authority, and it places them in a no-win situation. In a sport where there are currently around 50 registered officials, continuing to make officials’ jobs harder than necessary risks leaving us without enough officials to cover our contests.

Enjoy the Rest of the Regular Season
Thanks for reading. There will be more information regarding regional meets and state meets in the coming weeks. I’m posting a Swimming and Diving Tournament Central page on the IGHSAU website. Be sure to reference the page for daily updates.

Jason Eslinger
Associate Director/Swimming and Diving Administrator