Swimming & Diving

the Eastern Officials Association (EOA) provides certified officials to various levels of competition throughout the greater Hampton Roads area including Northeastern North Carolina.

EOA officials officiate VHSL and VISAA (Virginia HS). Novice officials generally start as Stroke and Turn Officials whose job it is to observe the swimmers in their assigned lanes from the time they take their first arm pull after entering the water or beginning a race through the completion of their race. Stroke and Turn Officials ensure that the strokes, turns and finishes comply with the rules applicable to each stroke. If strokes, turns or finishes are executed in a manner which is out of compliance with the rules, in the spirit of fairness they document information to disqualify a swimmer from a race.

There are many levels of officiating that require different degrees of involvement and time. Stroke and Turn Officials learn the ropes by attending clinics, using self-study materials, and working on deck under the supervision of an experienced official. Those who are interested move up the ladder to serving as a Starter, then to Referee, learning through a combination of clinics, self-study materials, and on-the-job training.