As we inch closer to the Tokyo Olympics, we’re hoping for fast pools and record-breaking performances. If recent history is any indication, we think the pools in Tokyo will produce more than a few memorable moments.

The Ramaker team has been thinking a lot about competition pools lately. Over the past year, we’ve partnered with local municipalities, high schools, and universities not only to design new pools but also to verify that their existing pools align with USA Swimming’s regulations and standards. At the beginning of these competition pool surveying projects, the same question seems to occupy the minds of aquatics managers: What makes a competition pool a competition pool?

According to USA Swimming, it takes more than the presence of a few swim teams to call a pool a certified competition pool.

Grab your goggles and plug your nose. It’s time to plunge into the deep end of pool surveying. Why is it important? What is the certification process for competition pools? We’ll take on these topics—and more—over the course of this post.

Why certifying competition pools matters

The answer is relatively simple: USA Swimming certification is good for competition.

Swimmers competing at a certified site can rest assured that the pool doesn’t give any competitor a unique advantage over the rest of the field. All lanes meet length requirements, no starting blocks are illegally positioned, and backstroke platform grips are stationed at regulation height.

Plus, certification protects potential records. Swimmers can enter meets knowing that their potentially record-breaking performances won’t be ignored due to irregularities in pool design. Just think about it. Although an inch or two discrepancy between lanes may not seem like a big deal, that distance adds up over the course of a longer race—and such an advantage could produce surprising results!

Although USA Swimming technically doesn’t require pools to be certified before hosting sanctioned meets, certification preserves the integrity of the sport. That’s why municipalities, high schools, and universities partner with pool surveying specialists to make sure their pools meet regulations and are safe for competitions.

Next comes water depth. Per USA Swimming, “minimum water depth for racing starts during practice and competition shall be measured for a distance 3 feet 3½ inches (1.0 meter) to 16 feet 5 inches (5.0 meters) from the end wall.” Licensed surveyors should not only evaluate the pool’s water depth but also confirm that local, state, and municipal statutes do not conflict with USA Swimming’s requirements.

While we still have our toes in the water, it’s worth noting that USA Swimming also regulates lane width (a minimum of 2.5 meters or 7 feet), the diameter of floating lane dividers (between five and 15 centimeters), water temperature, and the placement of markers that help swimmers determine their place in the pool, such as backstroke flags and 15-meter markings.

The point here is that competition pool surveying is a highly specialized job. USA Swimming expects most design elements of competition pools to meet meticulous standards. In fact, we’ve only provided a broad outline in this post. Want to dive even deeper into the world of competition pool certification? You can find a complete list of USA Swimming’s guidelines here.