Pacific Swimming Officials Newsletter Spring 2018 Notes from the Officials Committee Michael Davis, Pacific Swimming Officials Chair This is the first of quarterly newsletters that will highlight upcoming events, spotlight traveling officials, provide information regarding new rules, and notes from the Officials Committee. Upcoming Meets: The following upcoming meets are accepting applications to officiate. 2018 Western Zone CA/NV Summer Sectionals in Santa Clarita: July 19-22, 2018 2018 Western Senior Zones: July 31-August 4, 2018 2018 Santa Clara Futures Meet: August 2-5, 2018 2018 Western Age Group Open: August 8-11, 2018 The applications are attached. (The application for the Futures Meet in Santa Clara is on the USA Swimming website.) Both the Western Senior Zone and the Western Age Group Open have a Mentor/Mentee Program that provides monies to Officials to offset travel expenses. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this program.
Notes for Meet Referees: In speaking with various coaches, the Officials Committee has determined the following warm down times to be provided after the last event of the day. For any event that is 500 yards/400 meters or less the warm down will be 10 minutes. For events of 1000 yards/800 meters events the warm down will be 15 minutes. For the 1650 yard/1500 meter events the warm down will be 20 minutes. All Meet Referees are encouraged to notify the Meet Director/Lifeguard staff of the warm down times prior to the completion of the day s competition. Responsibilities of the Head Starter: Officials often wonder What does the Head Starter do? First and foremost, the Head Starter is the Meet Referee s right hand. The Meet Referee will direct the Head Starter to be their designee in various roles. It is important for the Meet Referee and Head Starter to communicate prior to the meet to discuss the Deck Protocols that will be used. The Head Starter will put together the Deck Referee/Starter Teams and rotations and send them to the Meet Referee for review and comment and then send the assignments out to the Starters and Deck Referees. This includes scheduling the Invigilators during the warm-up sessions. The Head Starter also has the responsibility of making sure the pool is ready for competition and the starting system is ready. In regards to the pool, the Head Starter or their Designee, shall check the starting blocks for stability, check the backstroke flags for location and height (always have a tape measure in your bag) and verify that the 15 meter floats are straight. Also, during warm-ups, check that the lane lines are not loose. Report any concerns to the Meet Director. Fixes can be done during warm-ups or just after the pool closes after warmups prior to the start of the competition. Always check the Starting System before each session for sound. Have an official go out to the starting blocks to verify the Speakers are working and the volume is correct for the Starter s voice. Also, it is the Head Starter s responsibility to have all Distance Counting Sheets, False Start Slips and No Show Slips (if required) at the meet. The Head Starter also verifies there is a Bell for the Distance Events. (Two if two courses) Lastly, the Meet Referee may ask the Head Starter to evaluate the Starters and possibly the Deck Referees. Please have the Pacific Evaluation Forms with you.
Traveling Officials: Numerous Pacific Swimming Officials will be working at the TYR Pro Swim Series at Santa Clara including Jeanette Soe (Head Starter), William Chong (Starter), Mary Ruddell (Administrator), Sarah Obbagy and Michael Davis (Chief Judges). Among others, Jeanette Soe (Meet Referee), Michael Davis (Head Starter), Jay Rowland, Curtis Kikuta, Gary Arita and others will be attending the Western Zone CA/NV Summer Sectionals in Santa Clarita in July (Applications are still open). Congratulations to everyone that was accepted to the Meets noted above. Please remember that there is a stipend program in Pacific Swimming to help defray some of the costs of working a Meet outside of LSC. As always thank you to all Pacific Swimming Officials for all of you work throughout the year! See you at a pool somewhere! Michael Davis Pacific Swimming Officials Chair