It’s the Championship Season
March means championships—and lots of them! PVS athletes of all ages have been working hard and gearing-up for these meets all season. There will definitely be some fast times and memorable races this month! We need you to make the meets a success for our swimmers. Championship meets require championship officiating—can we count on your help?

Upcoming Meets

March 2011
Date	Meet	Location	Officials Contact
10-13	PVS Senior Championships	GMU	Tim Husson
10-13	PVS Junior Championships	GMU	Art Davis
12-13	RMSC Mini Championships	Olney Swim Center	Scott Witkin
17-20	PVS 14 & U Junior Olympic Championships	Fairland	Scott Robinson
24-27	Speedo Championship Series Eastern Zone Southern Sectional Meet	Christiansburg, VA	Eastern Zone
25-27	RMSC Spring Finale	Germantown
25-27	MSSC Spring Championships	Fairland	Lynne Gerlach
26-27	MAKO Spring Invitational	GMU	Tony Fitz
31-2	Eastern Zone SC Championships	Webster, NY	Eastern Zone

Spring Championship Meets
Short course season culminates with several championship meets this month. It all begins with PVS Senior Championships, March 10-13 at George Mason University in Fairfax. Officials wishing to work at this meet should submit the application found on the PVS website. You must apply no later than March 3 for specific deck positions. However, late applications and walk-ins are also welcome and will be assigned to available positions.

Concurrent with Senior Champs, PVS Junior Championships will likewise be held March 10-13 at George Mason University. Officials wishing to work at this meet should submit the application found on the PVS website. You must apply no later than March 3 for assigned deck positions. This meet is separate from Senior Champs and is held under a separate sanction, although the finals sessions will be swum combined with the finals of Senior Champs.

On the following weekend, March 17-20, PVS 14 & Under Junior Olympic Championships will be held at Fairland Aquatic Center. The application to work at this meet can likewise be found on the PVS website. You must apply no later than March 10 for specific deck positions. Once again, late applications and walk-ins are welcome and will be assigned to available positions.

PVS Senior Championships and PVS 14 & Under Junior Olympic Championships are “Officials Qualifying Meets,” offering the opportunity for formal evaluation at the N2 level (JOs) and the N2 and N3 levels (Seniors). Any official interested in being evaluated at these championship meets must apply in advance.

But Wait . . . There’s More
Are your children swimming at the RMSC Mini Championships, MSSC Spring Championships, or the MAKO Spring Invitational? We need your help at these meets also. See the schedule above to contact the meet ref.

For Your Information
Recently there have been some questions regarding the legality of swimmers wearing two swim caps in competition. The Chair of the USA Swimming Rules and Regulations Committee, Dan McAllen, has replied that “wearing two caps is NOT a violation of USA Swimming rules.”

You Make the Call
A coach tells you that his swimmer has sprained an ankle and is unable to turn his foot out in the breaststroke kick. The coach says that, because of this sprained ankle, the swimmer should be considered disabled. Should the swimmer be disqualified for not turning his foot out in the propulsive part of the kick, or is he excused because of a disability?
See the answer at the bottom of this newsletter.

Did You Know . . .
In some volcanic areas such as Iceland, the temperature rises beneath the surface of the earth as high as 680 degrees F (360 degrees C) that engineers can tap the geothermal energy by piping hot water from underground to warm nearby homes, offices and factories. An outdoor swimming pool in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik is heated so effectively by this method that it remains open and in use all year round.

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.

What is an Officials Qualifying Meet?
Officials Qualifying Meets are approved by USA Swimming for the evaluation of officials seeking advancement and re-certification at the N2 and N3 levels. They may include Regional, Zone, Sectional, Grand Prix, and other meets which satisfy the criteria set by USA Swimming. Among the criteria: The meet format must include at least 4 sessions with prelims and finals. It must include a broad range of senior events, and it must be expected to attract and include national caliber swimmers (capable of achieving National Championship and Junior Championship qualifying times). National Evaluators must be present during all evaluation sessions. There are requirements for minimum numbers of officials, as well as for the Meet Referee’s qualifications. The meet announcement must contain a notice that the meet has been approved, or application has been made for approval, as an Officials Qualifying Meet as well as information outlining how officials will be considered for evaluation.

Resolution to ‘You Make the Call’
The swimmer should be disqualified. A sprained ankle does not qualify as a disability, which is defined in Article 105.1.1 as “a permanent physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” No exception to the breaststroke rule is warranted in this situation.