Meet Marshals

All meets are required to have a meet marshal or safety marshal. At this time (December 2022) meet marshals are not required to be non-athlete members of USA Swimming. Clubs are required to have two meet marshals at swim meets -- one female and one male.

USA Swimming Meet Marshal Standards:   PDF (also shown below)

Safety Cards for Meet Marshals:   PDF   Word

Meet Marshal Standards:

Meet Marshals (“Marshal(s)”) are required for every meet and time trial. The total number of Marshals required shall be determined by the LSC. It is the recommendation of the USA Swimming Operational Risk Committee that a minimum of two (2) Marshals shall be on deck for a timed finals meet, with at least one of each gender, and a minimum of four (4) Marshals shall be on deck for prelim/final meets.

Requirements to be a Marshal at a USA Swimming sanctioned event:

• At least 18 years of age.

• Complete the Meet Marshal training program (to be released in January 2022) and submit completion certificate to the LSC registrar.

• Wear LSC-determined identifying attire (e.g., Marshal vest, ID, shirt, etc.).

Role of the Marshal (Reference Article 102.19 of the USA Swimming Rules and Regulations):

• Wear identifying attire.

• Enforce warm up procedures.

• Maintain order in the venue to ensure safety.

• Warn or order to cease and desist any unsafe activities in the swimming venue.

• With concurrence of the Referee, remove, or have removed from the swimming venue anyone behaving in an unsafe manner or using profane or abusive language or whose actions are disrupting the orderly conduct of the meet.

• Check athlete locker rooms for safety and compliance with the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (e.g., no use of cameras, no non-authorized individuals present, no one-on-one interactions between Adult Participants and minor athletes, Adult Participants are not showering with or in an impermissible state of undress around minor athletes, etc.).

• Monitor use of cameras, cell phones or recording devices when athletes are in a starting position or exiting the water.

LSC Responsibilities:

  • LSC meet sanction committee/office will verify that each club hosting a meet have the appropriate number of trained Marshals for that meet with the total number of marshals to be determined by the LSC.
  • Marshal names will also appear in the meet director/meet referee post meet report.
  • Only trained marshals are allowed to wear the LSC required identifying Marshal attire.