"Around the Deck" masthead

December, 2010

Seasons Greetings
Happy Holidays from the PVS Officials Committee!

The weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s may be the busiest of the year. In the midst of all the holiday activity, a number of PVS meets (including several high-level invitational meets) are scheduled for December. Championship meets require championship officiating — can we count on your help?

May your holidays be slightly hectic and thoroughly enjoyable!

Upcoming Meets

December 2010
Date Meet Location Officials Contact
2-4 Short Course Natl. Championships Columbus, OH USA Swimming
2-5 Sport Fair Winter Classic GMU Brian Baker
3-5 Christmas Championships Fairland Lynne Gerlach
3-5 Turkey Claus Showdown Takoma Scott Robinson
9-11 Short Course Junior Natl. Championships Atlanta, GA USA Swimming
9-12 Tom Dolan Invitational GMU Art Davis
10-12 2010 Speedo Can-Am Para-Swimming Championships Toronto Swimming Canada
11-12 Reindeer Mini-Meet Providence Ben Holly
 

 

National Certification
USA Swimming recognizes two distinct levels of National Certification for officials: N2 and N3. N2, the first National level in a position, is administered by the National Officials Committee and recognizes that an official is experienced and has been evaluated as capable of working the position at Sectional, Zone, Grand Prix and similar higher profile meets. N3, the second and highest National level in a position, is likewise administered by the National Officials Committee and recognizes that an official has the experience, skills, and knowledge to be considered for selection to work National Championship level meets in the position. Requirements for progression to N2 and N3 levels in the positions of Stroke and Turn Judge, Chief Judge, Starter, Deck Referee, and Admin Referee can be found on the USA Swimming website.

 

New Officials / Advancing Officials
We’d like to welcome these new officials—and congratulate advancing officials—who have recently completed the requirements for first-time PVS certification in the following positions.

Stroke & Turn Judge: Starter:
Heekyong Ahn Ellen Colket (Transfer)
Sebastian Bendana Tom Fay
Sandy Boone (Transfer) Lou Pisone
Steve Brown  
Bryan Ciuffo  
Brian Forrest HyTek Operator:
Scott Hammond Janice Miller
Tom Nagle Jennifer Nagle
Christie Palmer  
Kelly Rowell  
Desiree Seaward Referee:
George Seaward Steve Green
Adi Van Krimpen (Transfer)  

 

Why N2 or N3?
The Tom Dolan Invitational Meet has been approved by USA Swimming as an Officials Qualifying Meet for N2 and N3 certification. The meet will include opportunities to be observed for N2 and N3 certification in all positions

Why would you want to attain National certification as an N2 or N3 official?

  • To have the satisfaction that you’re recognized as a highly motivated official who demonstrates superior performance standards on deck.
  • To receive practical constructive feedback regarding your performance from very experienced nationally-recognized officials.
  • To qualify to work at higher level meets. N2 certification recognizes that an official is experienced and has been evaluated as capable of working the position at Sectional, Zone, Grand Prix and similar higher profile meets. N3 certification recognizes that an official has the experience, skills and knowledge to be considered for selection to work at National Championship level meets in the position.
  • To be viewed as a mentor by your fellow officials.
  • To help insure that all swimmers, from novice to Olympian, will have the most professional, most consistent, and fairest officiating possible.

Requirements for progression to N2 and N3 levels in the positions of Stroke and Turn Judge, Chief Judge, Starter, Deck Referee, and Administrative Referee can be found on the USA Swimming website.

 

You Make the Call
A coach approaches the referee prior to the woman’s 100-yard breaststroke. The coach indicates that the stroke and turn judge with jurisdiction over lanes 7-8 had previously disqualified his swimmer in lane 7 for a breaststroke infraction in the 200 yard IM—a questionable call in the coach’s opinion. The coach asks that the judge be moved to a different lane stating that the swimmer would be “psyched out” by his presence at the end of the lane. What should be done?
See the answer at the bottom of this newsletter.

 

Are You New?
It can be easy to get lost if you’re a new PVS official, but your first point of contact should be your club’s Officials Chair. If you don’t know who that individual is, you can find the listing here. Your Club Officials Chair can provide you with additional information on what officiating positions are available, as well as when and where training clinics are held.

Just because your club doesn’t host meets doesn’t mean that you’re not needed. Many of our clubs don’t have enough officials to host a meet on their own. By working together and working at each other’s meets, we all make sure that we have a sufficient number of officials and that no particular individual is overworked.

 

Did You Know?
The first recorded swimming competition in the United States took place in 1883 at the New York Athletic Club.

 

Keeping Track of Sessions
Potomac Valley Swimming uses USA Swimming’s Officials Tracking System to maintain the records of sessions worked by officials at PVS meets. For each meet, the Meet Referee or the host club’s Officials Chair is responsible for recording the sessions worked for all officials at the meet. It is recommended that you verify your record in the OTS a week or two after the conclusion of the meet at which you work, to be sure that the information is correct. If there is a discrepancy, please contact the Meet Referee.

The complete User’s Guide for the Officials Tracking System can be found on the USA Swimming website. Information for Meet Referees regarding the simple procedures for recording officials’ participation at your meet can likewise be found on the USA Swimming website. View your history of meets, tests, and other activities by logging in to your account, and going to Member Resources > Officials Tracking System > View My History.

 

Experience is the Teacher
The new or inexperienced official often asks, “How long will it take me to become a good Stroke and Turn Judge?” It depends upon the individual, but it won’t happen overnight or without effort. Knowing the rules and attending clinics are a start, but experience gained by regularly working at meets is the only real teacher. Only experience can build the confidence the Stroke and Turn Judge requires before his/her performance becomes “automatic.” Even then, a continuing review of the rules and regular attendance at officials clinics are essential.

 

Feet First for Warmups
Did you ever wonder why we ask the swimmers to jump in instead of dive in during warmups? By jumping in feet first, your child is significantly reducing his/her chance of being injured. Although accidents are very rare in swimming, injuries do occur. The practice of jumping, rather than diving, is simply a safety precaution and a safety policy of USA Swimming. Diving is permitted only during coach-supervised sprint lane practice. It’s all about safety.

 

Questions? Suggestions?
Do you have a question about officiating or a tip you’d like to share? Is there a rule that you’d like to have clarified? Do you have a suggestion for a future item in this newsletter? If so, please send your questions/comments to the newsletter editor, Jack Neill.

 

Resolution to ‘You Make the Call’
We cannot assign officials on the pool deck to fit the wishes of a single swimmer or coach. Presuming that the referee was involved in the previous call and supported it, there is no reason to change the assignment of officials.