News Summary

The National Federation of State High School Associations has announced that high schools may utilize backstroke ledges starting in the 2025-26 school year. This rule aims to enhance swimmer safety and performance, allowing athletes to have better support at the start of races. Each state association can adopt this rule, provided their facilities comply with specific requirements. Notably, swimmers can choose whether to use the ledges. These developments reflect the growing importance of swimming in high schools, as the sport gains popularity among young athletes.

Exciting Changes Coming to High School Swimming Competitions!

Indianapolis, IN – Get ready to make a splash, swimmers! The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has just dropped some big news: starting in the 2025-26 school year, high schools may be allowed to use backstroke ledges in swimming competitions. This change isn’t just a simple tweak; it could significantly turn the tide for competitive swimmers across the country!

What Are Backstroke Ledges?

First things first: you might be wondering, what exactly are backstroke ledges? These nifty devices are designed to provide swimmers with better support and grip when they start their races. They help prevent slips when athletes place their feet on the wall or touchpad, giving them a stronger and more stable start. The research backing this change suggests that using these ledges could improve overall performance while keeping safety in mind.

Details of the New Rule

This new rule, officially numbered Rule 2-7-3, was approved during the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee’s annual meeting held from March 23-25 in Indianapolis. Sounds like they were busy discussing how to make swimming competitions even better!

So, what does this mean for high schools? Well, each state association will have the option to adopt this rule, which allows for backstroke ledges in pools that meet specific requirements. The new ruling specifies that pools must have a minimum water depth of 6 feet from the starting end wall for at least 16 feet, 5 inches (that’s approximately 5 meters!). Plus, if a competition uses backstroke ledges, the host team has to provide identical ledges for all competing lanes to ensure fairness.

Swimmer Flexibility and Safety Considerations

Here’s something cool: even if backstroke ledges are available at a competition, swimmers are not required to use them. So, if a swimmer feels more comfortable starting without the added support, that’s totally their choice!

This exciting change follows many years of discussions among swimming officials and is part of a broader push towards aligning high school swimming with national and international standards. It’s reassuring to know that maintaining safety is a top priority, as the NFHS is also working on a recommended teaching protocol for the use of backstroke ledges.

Keep an Eye on Safety

Besides the new backstroke ledge rule, the rules committee also focused on other safety measures. They clarified Rule 8-3-4a, which pertains to relay exchanges and deck starts. The amended language now states that swimmers starting from the deck must have at least one foot stationary at the front edge of the deck. This little change aims to reduce any potential safety risks associated with those thrilling relay exchanges.

A Growing Sport

Swimming has become one of the top sports in high schools. In fact, it ranks as the 10th most popular sport for boys with over 116,799 participants and the 9th for girls with more than 138,174 participants according to the latest NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey. With these exciting rule changes, we may see even more young athletes diving into the pool!

Stay Updated

As always, you can stay in the loop with all the latest updates concerning swimming and diving regulations. A complete list of all new rule changes will be posted on the NFHS website. Be sure to mark your calendars for 2025-26, when the backstroke ledges may bring a whole new dynamic to high school swimming competitions!

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