As a swimming club we need lots of volunteers through out the club but we need committed support in
one area in particular, Officials. We need officials for all team galas and we
are expected to provide officials for Open Meets we attend as well. The more
officials we have the better, we can then rotate the responsibility for team
galas more fairly.
Being an official also has big
advantages on occasion, you get in for free, get designated/free parking, get refreshments and often a meal, sometimes a generous gift and most importantly, you're that much closer to the action.
If you want to get involved
please contact Veronica Ristov.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BECOMING A TECHNICAL OFFICIAL
For every meet the Club enters
there is a requirement to provide Officials.
This is usually in
the form of timekeepers or judges. If we do not provide enough Officials the Club can
be fined or entries rejected. Also, if a Meet does not have enough Officials it may not receive
accreditation or could ultimately be cancelled. As a club we have always managed
to provide our expected officials but it has become more difficult recently as
many of our officials are parents of older swimmers. If a meet goes ahead without the necessary Officials,times will not go on GB Rankings.
We need a constant flow of new parents/grandparents getting involved.
More information can be found on
https://www.britishswimming.org/browse-sport/swimming/officials/officials-qualifications-training/
WHY DO WE NEED
TECHNICAL SWIMMING OFFICIALS?
Officials are a central part of every
swimming event and play an important role in ensuring the events run smoothly,
safely and within the sport's regulations.
A number of roles exist within
officiating, from Club Timekeeper, Judge 1, Judge 2, Judge 2S and Referee.
HOW DO YOU BECOME A
SWIMMING TECHNICAL OFFICIAL?
Firstly you must be a
member of the ASA so you are insured for your activity on poolside. The Club
will ensure that you are ASA registered when you participate in Officials training.
TIMEKEEPER
This is an introduction into the world of the swimming official. It covers the practical aspects of what is required of a timekeeper by means of a short theory session followed by a practical assessment.
The minimum recommended age for candidates to undertake this training is 14 years, and all need to be registered members of a British Swimming affiliated club or member of the Institute of Swimming (IoS).
JUDGE LEVEL 1 (J1)
January 2020 saw the launch of the new online theory modules for the training of the pool Judge 1 technical officials. This brings to a close a considerable amount of work in partnership with Swim England and the Institute of Swimming to ensure delivery of a quality product to volunteers.
Whilst the content of the training remains largely unchanged, the move to an online format is designed to allow volunteers to start the training at their own pace and to fit with all the other lifestyle commitments which we know our volunteers have.
Once their theory training is complete and registered, candidates will be provided with local contacts to guide them through their practical assessments. Training resources have been updated, and clear guidance is now included on suggested timescales for completing each competence, with a time limit of 11 months being introduced.
Upon completion of all Judge 1 training individuals will automatically be issued with their first licence, which will be valid for 4 years, which then enable them to apply to volunteer at all events up to and including National level.
The course can be accessed at www.swimming.org/ios/course/3143
Once booked, please send invoice to Club Treasurer for a refund.
JUDGE LEVEL 2 (J2)
This is the second level of qualification. It encompasses the role and duties in relation to all aspects of judging and the theoretical role and duties of Starter.
The minimum age to start training is 16 years and candidates must a have already qualified as Judge Level 1. The training is made up of formal instruction mentored pool side training with a workbook, followed by a practical assessment.
When qualified, candidates will be attributed with the qualification Judge Level 2 on the British Swimming Database.
JUDGE LEVEL 2S - STARTER (J2S)
Candidates wishing to qualify as a Starter will be required hold the Judge Level 2 qualification and have completed a minimum of 20 hours post qualification experience as Judge Level 2.
Training will consist of a prescribed number of practical experiences as a Starter before undertaking a formal practical assessment.
Successful candidates will be attributed with the Starter qualification: Judge Level 2.
REFEREE
The minimum age for training is 19 years providing the candidate is aged 20 years as at 30 November in the year of the theory examination.
This course contains theoretical instruction and specified practical experiences. It is followed by a formal examination in November after which successful candidates take a final poolside practical assessment leading to qualification as a British Swimming Referee.
Several months have been allocated between registration and the formal examination to enable candidates to undertake all the practical experience required to complete the course as well as the theoretical instruction.
Application forms must be submitted by 31 December of the previous year to allow sufficient time for completion of training in preparation for the November examination.
THE IMPORTANCE OF INSURANCE
All clubs, promoters and competition organisers are reminded that, for insurance purposes, all those officiating on poolside at any competition must be registered members of a British Swimming affiliated club or a member of the Institute of Swimming.