[Vbsl] Relay Starts

[Squires, John]

All,
   I hope things went well for everyone this weekend.  Below is some important information. 

Please pass this information to all your officials and referee's.

	A rule change has been submitted to rules committee in regards to relay starts.  Since the season has started and this is a change in wording to our rules we will complete this change in the off-season.  With that in mind the executive board is issuing some interim guidance in regards to relay-starts that will be used for the remainder of the 2007 season to include divisional and All-Star meets.

Relay Starts:
 	Standard starting practices will be used for the first swimmer.  Swimmers 2-4 shall be allowed to take a single step-up start if desired.  No swimmer shall be allowed to take a "running start" or take more than one step during a relay start.  If an official witness's a start in their jurisdiction that involves more than a single step-up a disqualification may be recommended, and then awarded by the referee.  
	This guidance is in line with the USA rule book.  USA starting rules are defined as the swimmer starting on the starting "platform" (in USA swimming that is the starting block).  The starting "platform" in VBSL can have varying meanings (depends on pool deck size etc).  Anything beyond a single step would be outside the typical starting platform, be unsafe, and provide unfair advantage to swimmers who may not have the additional room behind the starting area.

Any questions please feel free to contact me via email or phone. 

John Squires
VBSL President
757-686-4253(work)
757-438-6424(cell)