BSL regularly needs officials to host meets and run the consistent and high-quality competitions we have become known for. Each BSL meet must have certified USA-S certified officials conducting the meet for each swimmer to receive official credit for their swims/times.
A Few Reasons to Become a BSL Official
Swimming relies heavily on volunteers to work as officials in order to conduct fair and equitable competition for our athletes. BSL needs to grow with the city's capacity for competition.
In other words, we need your help!
If you are considering officiating for swimming but are still not quite sure, check out the Top 10 reasons why you should:
10. You’re at the meet anyway - why not?
9. Swimming is a family sport that is volunteer intensive. Officiating counts towards your volunteer requirements at BSL hosted meets.
8. Free food at meets - home and away (Free is good).
7. BSL covers USA-S Officials registration (Free is good).
6. Being on deck provides a shorter walk for your swimmer(s) to come to you looking for money….
5. Possible tax deductions when working away meets (Most teams are 501c3. Please consult applicable state & federal tax laws.)
4. You become more educated and informed on the sport (you DO NOT have to be a current or former swimmer).
3. You have the satisfaction of knowing you are contributing to your child’s swimming efforts.
2. When you become a USA-S certified official, you are qualified to officiate for Alabama High School Swimming, JSSC Summer League, and ARPA. USA-S also has a reciprocal agreement with the YMCA.
1. Best seat in the house! (The bleachers get crowded and really aren’t all that comfortable).
Southeastern Swimming Officials Mission
| To develop and conduct mentoring programs to recruit, educate, train and certify USA Swimming officials to provide high quality and consistent officiating for our athletes. | |||||||||||
| The goal of having these minimum standards for certification of officials is to set standards, that when applied, will accomplish the following: | |||||||||||
| * | ensure a clear and consistent knowledge of the rules | ||||||||||
| * | provide sufficient time in training to assure familiarity with all levels of competition | ||||||||||
| * | provide opportunity to work on the deck and advance through the certification process | ||||||||||
| * | create a foundation from which our officials can readily advance through all levels of USA Swimming | ||||||||||
| * | ensure professionalism in all aspects of the word “team” while in attendance at a swim event both on and off the deck | ||||||||||
| The sessions referred to in the minimum standards should be of duration to assure sufficient time to observe a significant number of swimmers and should contain a complete schedule of events to provide the opportunity to observe all strokes. | |||||||||||
| All certified officials must be Registered, have a current Background Check, and have completed | |||||||||||
| the Athlete Protection Training. | |||||||||||
| Uniform | - | White polo shirt with sleeves, tucked into khaki shorts, pants or dress for timed finals and prelim portions of a meet; light blue shirt, tucked into khaki pants or dress for Finals. Meet Referees may deviate from this dress code for a particular meet as long as all officials at the meet comply with the revised dress code. | |||||||||
| SES SWIMMING MINIMUM STANDARDS | |||||||||||
| Position | Min Age | Education and Training | Evaluation and Certification | Renewal | |||||||
| Stroke & Turn Judge | 18 | Must pass the USAS Stroke & Turn test prior to apprenticing. Must attend a stroke and turn clinic. Must apprentice a minimum of six (6) on-deck training sessions in at least two USAS sanctioned meets. We recommend a different colored shirt other than white while apprenticing. | Evaluation by trainer and/or Meet Referee. Certification approved and issued by the Officials Committee. Certification mus t be completed within one year of taking the USAS Stroke and Turn test. | 1 - Attend a Stroke & Turn clinic prior to recertification every three years. | |||||||
| 2 - Pass the S & T recertification test after one year and every three years thereafter. | |||||||||||
| 3 - Work a minimum of six sessions per year. | |||||||||||
| Chief Judge | 19 | Must be an EXperienced S & T Judge. | Must be a EXperienced S & T Judge. | Concurrent with recertification as Stroke and Turn Official. | |||||||
| Starter | 18 | Must have worked a minimum of ten sessions as a S & T Judge, must attend a Starter clinic and must pass the USAS Starters' test. Must apprentice for a minimum of six (6) sessions in at least two (2) USAS sanctioned meets with at least two (2) different mentors. | Certification is based upon the recommendation of the trainer(s) and/or the Referee(s). The certification is approved and issued by the Officials' Committee. | 1. Pass the Starter recertification test after one year and prior to recertification every three years. | |||||||
| 2 - Attend a starter clinic prior to recertification (every three years). | |||||||||||
| 3 - Work a minimum of six sessions per year, four of which are as a Starter or above. | |||||||||||
| Admin Official | 18 | Must review an administrative official clinic (AO PowerPoint on web) and must pass the USAS Administrative Official test. Must apprentice a minimum of two sessions under supervision of an EXperienced Referee or Experienced AO within 12 months. | Certification is based upon extensive knowledge of the timing system used, meet management software and corrective actions to be applied to timing system errors. | 1- Completion of the Administrative Recertification test every three years. | |||||||
| 2- Work a minimum of six sessions per year, three of which are as an Administrative Official. | |||||||||||
| 3. An Administrative Official can work as an Assistant Admin at a LSC Championship meet, but not as the lead Admin. | |||||||||||
| Deck Referee | 21 | Must be an EXperienced S & T Judge and have completed the following. Attend a Starter Clinic. Must pass the Starter Certification test. Must apprentice as a starter for a minimum of three sessions. The Referee apprentice must be familiar with the positions of Clerk of Course, Timer, Timing Judge, Meet Marshal, S & T Judge, Starter, Announcer, Chief Judge, and Admin Official and must pass ALL tests within the past 24 months. The apprentice must attend a Referee clinic and apprentice for a minimum of eight (8) sessions at three sanctioned meets with at least two (2) different referees. At least two (2) sessions must be as an Assistant Admin Referee. | Certification is based upon the recommendation of the Referee trainers. The certification is approved and issued by the Officials' Committee. | 1 - Attend a Referee clinic prior to recertification (every two years). | |||||||
| 2 - Pass the Referee recertification test prior to recertification every two years. | |||||||||||
| 3 - Work a minimum of six sessions per year, four of which are as a Referee. | |||||||||||
| Recertification as a Referee is also based upon continued agreement of the Officials' Committee. | |||||||||||
| Meet Referee | 21 | Apprentice as a Meet Referee for all sessions of a multiple day meet. | The certification is approved and issued by the Officials' Committee and the Officials' Chair. | Renewal is concurrent with recertification as a Deck Referee and continued agreement of the Officials' committee. | |||||||
| Once initial training is complete or when recertifying, the official must send an email to their Officials' Committee member, attaching test results from USAS where appropriate, and in the body of the email listing their clinic date and approximate number of sessions worked each year unless these are shown in the OTS. They will then be notified when their Certification card is available online through the OTS. | |||||||||||
How to Become an Official
It does not take long to become a USA-S Official!
Step 1: Fill out a Non-Athlete USAS Registration Form and turn into BSL
Step 2: Sign Up for an Account on USASwimming.org and take the USAS Stroke and Turn online test (don't worry it is open book)
Step 3: Complete a Level 2 USAS Background Check
Step 4: Complete USAS Athlete Protection Training
Step 5: The rest is done on-deck at swim meets!
If you have any questions please contact BSL at Swim4BSL@gmail.com or DWilliamsonSES@gmail.com
