Update from SC Officials Chair

Welcome to new officials and congratulations to advancing officials (please let me know if I inadvertently left your name off of the list):

Meet Referee:

·Ken Christensen - CAT

Starter:

·Denise Teasley – CAC

·Lisa Warwick – MPSC

·Lawrence Langdale – CAC

·Steve Savage - MPSC

Stroke and Turn:

·Cathy Worrall – MPSC

·Carol Moore – YSSC

·Dennis Taylor – CAT

·Carol Moore – YSSC

·John Gould – CA

·Christine Wilson – TG

·Thomas Wheeler – YSSC

·Jay Baker – CA

As we approach the beginning of 2013 I would like to remind everyone to:

·Review their current official’s certification expiration dates. I have attached the Official’s section of the October 2012 Policy and Procedures guidelines. This includes all info regarding official’s certification renewals. Briefly, if you take the test of your highest level of certification, your renewal will be for a two year period. If you have only met your sessions’ minimums and choose to not retake a test, your recertification will be for a one year period. There has been some confusion regarding recert dates. The one that matters the most is your highest level of certification achieved, but I will be updating all levels to eliminate any confusion.

·Apply for your 2013 USA Swimming Non-athlete membership. Everyone must renew their membership (2013 form is attached) and mail this form into the LSC with payment of $59 or make sure your team has your completed form for mailing if your team pays for your non-athlete membership.

·Background checks are expiring for some of us, so make sure you renew your background check. Make sure you click on RENEWAL, $19 charge, not NEW. (link to background check renewal http://www.usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId= 1678&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en-US)

·Everyone will have to reprint their official’s cards because everyone will have at least one date changing – 2013 non-athlete membership dates will change once you renew your membership. Deck and Meet ref’s please make sure you carefully review all cards at the beginning of the new year. Members – please make sure you do your housekeeping before you get to your first meet of 2013.

Publication Notes:

·USA Swimming is asking for Meet and Deck Ref’s to eliminate the USA Swimming ID column on session sign in sheets. It has been noted this ID contains personal information and is unnecessary on the sign in sheet as long as you PRINT your names legibly on all sign in sheets so the Meet ref is able to identify your name in the OTS system on the computer. If your name cannot be matched to the name in the Official’s Tracking System you will not receive credit for your sessions worked at a meet. The form on the LSC’s website will be changed.

·Mark Posey has been instrumental in developing comprehensive training programs for S&T, Starter and Ref. To date, great feedback has been received. You can expect training clinics at next year’s All-State banquet using his training tools. Once again, thank you, Mark, for your incredible time investment!

·I recently attended an official’s clinic in Savannah hosted by USA Swimming. It was very informative and worthwhile. I would like to share some key items discussed:

oUSA Swimming suggests LSC’s consider not including the swimmer “death” penalty in most LSC meets. Discuss eliminating the clause regarding swimmers being barred from the rest of the meet if they miss a finals event with your team if you host prelim/finals meets. This penalty was not intended for most LSC competitions.

oKeep stroke briefings “brief”. Use the USA Swimming published stroke briefing. This is meant to be a “brief” review of the strokes, not a lengthy and detailed opportunity to express the rules of swimming.

oExpect a new ruling to be released in May, 2013, regarding the breast stroke and the timing of the initiation of the dolphin kick.

oNew rule regarding deck changing. Review meet information of meets you are working. Discuss in advance how the meet ref would like to handle issues related to swimmers deck changing. The meet ref may have different approaches if deck changing is “not recommended” vs. “prohibited”. Do not feel you have to be the deck changing police.

oUSA Swimming is asking LSC’s to create criteria for Administrative Officials and Non-Starter Referee’s. Criteria needs to be established by 09/01/13. Basically, USA Swimming wants more meet administrative folks registered as non-athlete members and they also want LSC’s to explore adding a certification level for folks that may not have the talent to Start, but would make very effective Deck and Meet Refs. More will be forthcoming from our LSC once USA Swimming provides some beginning guidelines for these positions.

oMuch time was discussed regarding DQ’s and DQ slips. The basic message was don’t let yourself or a coach get caught up in semantics or details of items on a DQ slip. If an infraction occurred but a wrong box was checked, then rewrite the slip, not pocket the DQ. The boxes regarding Swim, Turn or Finish are just “indicators” of where the infraction occurred, not gospel. These boxes were added only as an indication of where the swimmer was in the pool not a reason to overrule a DQ.

·Meet Ref’s please send me a listing of your clinic attendees. I have put together an email for attendees giving them a step by step of “What’s Next”.

·The State Short Course championship meet is not too far off. An advanced sign up registration will be emailed in mid-January and this will also be an evaluated meet. Review your national certification expiration dates and consider getting re-evaluated or attaining a national certification level. Team Greenville will be hosting this year’s LC Zones’ championship and your officiating help is needed.

·I would like to share an interesting survey Mark Posey conducted. He interviewed various coaches regarding their expectations of an official. Here are his results:

o1.EDUCATED= Coaches expect officials to be competent on all the rules, regulations and procedures that they are judging the swimmers on. Simply educated on what they are doing.

o2.TALK TO SWIMMERS ASAP= If possible – talk to the swimmers that were disqualified. Coaches realize the size and pace of the meet dictate whether an official can talk to a swimmer or not. If possible, it’s a good thing. If it’s not possible to talk to the swimmers, get the DQ slip to the coaches as soon as possible. Why? The sooner and official and coach can talk to the swimmer – the fresher it is in everyone’s mind. It is more effective to address it with the swimmer as quickly as possible rather than go back the next session or the next day or the next week.

o3.KNOW FOR SURE= remember benefit of doubt goes to swimmer. If not sure, don’t call it.

o4.BE CONSISTENT= being educated should be the most important item for officials. But it is assumed by all coaches that officials are all educated. With that being said, I would say the majority of complaints that you ever hear from coaches would have to do with being consistent. Be consistent with what you are calling, how you are running the meet, what you are calling and looking for in DQ’s etc… Especially when it comes to race starts and delay of meet, false starts, letting kids get back up on the block etc…. Be consistent.

I wish each of you a Happy Holiday Season!! I appreciate your continued support of our LSC and commend each of you on making a difference for our swimmers.