| Hello Minnesota Swimming Community Members, Thank you to everyone in the swimming community for their efforts to build the officiating community and encourage new officials this fall season. We continue to be in need of shadow officials in the administrative official/referee positions - please consider becoming certified in this role or encouraging your club's members to shadow in this role. Below are a few officiating related reminders for the swimming community: November and December Officials' Clinics The Officials' Committee is excited to present the following clinics for November and December. Notably, we have two new clinics this month - Equipment 101 (focused on how the timing equipment for a swim meet works - officials and other club leaders are welcome to join) and Meet Referee 101. All clinics are at 7 PM on Zoom and last about an hour. All are welcome to join; please share these clinics with your club's membership! · Stroke and Turn 101 (Intro to Officiating) - Wednesday, November 9th - SIGN UP HERE · Starter 101 - Monday, November 14th - SIGN UP HERE · Admin 201 (Timing Reconciliations) - Monday, November 21st - SIGN UP HERE · Stroke and Turn 201 (Technical Rules) - Tuesday, November 22nd - SIGN UP HERE · Meet Referee 101 (Timed Finals Meet Referees) - Tuesday, November 29th - SIGN UP HERE · Equipment 101 - Thursday, December 1st - SIGN UP HERE Observed Meets - High School Section Meets Several high school section meets are still in need of observing officials to observe technical rule differences between USA Swimming and high school. To volunteer as an observing official, please complete THIS FORM. An up to date list of assigned officials and alternates will be posted HERE. Minnesota Swimming coaches should complete Form B (without including the names of the officials) to request a meet be observed and Form C to request swimmers' times to be entered into the SWIMS database and submit to Michael Bougie. Reminder - Deck Staffing Guidelines For intrasquad meets, dual meets, and timed final meets with more than two teams, please make every effort to have 1 Meet Referee, 1 Deck Referee, 1 Starter, 1 Admin Official/Referee, 4 Stroke and Turn Officials, and 1-2 officials for relief on deck at each session (the Meet Referee may also serve as the Deck Referee or Admin Referee). Although USA Swimming rule 102.10 does allow for fewer officials on deck, it is a best practice to have more than the minimum number of officials stipulated in the rules to allow volunteer officials to take breaks, to allow for officials to shadow in new roles, to ensure consistent deck coverage between meets, and to have leeway in the event of an official testing positive for COVID-19. Additionally, the Deck Referee may not also serve as a Stroke and Turn judge at a meet larger than a dual meet. Please see THIS DOCUMENT for a complete list of deck staffing guidelines. Please let me know if you have any questions! I look forward to seeing you on deck soon! Sincerely, Jack Swanson (he/him/his) MNSI Officials' Chair |
