MONTCLAIR DOLPHINS

OFFICIATING TEAM 

 Who is a MYM Official?

         All MYM officials are volunteers.   Traditionally, they are parents and grandparents of present swimmers who work on deck at swim meets to provide fairness to all in swimming competitions. Officials must attend a training clinic, take and pass a certification test, and participate in on-the-job mentoring and work experience. Officials function on deck in the roles of referees, starters, stroke and turn judges, and relay takeoff judges .  A YMCA official’s certification is good for three (3) years.

Who Should Volunteer?

         A swimming official can be anyone over 18 years of age.   Some have been, or are, swimmers themselves.  Many have never been swimmers.  What they have in common is a desire to be involved in working as a team for the betterment of the sport of swimming and a strong sense of fair play. Officials should be on deck for the swimmers; not for themselves.

Recruitment

         In order to run 5 dual team meets smoothly almost every week during the swim season, MYM is always looking to recruit new officials. Your participation is valued and needed by swimmers and coaches alike. To learn more about officiating, please contact Eileen Huelbig, MYM officials coordinator at ewhuelbig@netscape.net.

 Why Certify as an Official?

1.   Officials are not only needed, but required, in order to conduct swim meets.

2.   Officials have the “best seat in the house” and the COOLEST!

3.   You will be working with a great group of people.

4.   You get to know parents on other teams.

5.   High satisfaction, no pay.

6.   A great way to keep in touch with your child; and share their swim experience.

7.   Best of all, you get to wear white after Labor Day.

Certification

         MYM swimmers attend both YMCA meets and USA Swimming meets during the course of the season (both short and long course seasons). Officials at YMCA meets are required to be certified YMCA officials and officials at USA Swimming sanctioned meets are required to be USA Swimming certified. Although YMCA swimming adopted the USA Swimming technical rules on September 1, 2006, USA Swimming certified officials do not automatically become YMCA officials, nor vice versa.

 YMCA versus USA Swimming Certification

         The Montclair YMCA swim team participates in both YMCA and USA Swimming meets. However, first and foremost, we are a YMCA swim team.  It is recommended that all MYM officials be YMCA certified.  In order to conduct our dual meet season, many officials are needed weekly during the season. 

          After gaining experience at YMCA dual and invitational meets, it is hoped that YMCA certified officials will consider also training and certifying as USA swimming officials to work at locally run New Jersey swimming meets.

Certification Requirements

YMCA Official

         To become a YMCA official, you must attend a YMCA officials’ certification clinic, take the open book test online, and gain on-deck experience. Recertification is every three years.  MYM will mentor all YMCA officials for as long as the new official feels it is necessary.  MYM will reimburse anyone who becomes a certified YMCA official and commits to work for the team officiating.  See “YMCA Officials
Record of Meet Experience” under “Useful References for Officials” below.

Expectations of YMCA Officials

         YMCA officials are expected to work a minimum of three (3) dual meets a year (more if needed) and be available to work invitational meets in which their swimmer is participating, including championship meets.

USA Swimming Official

         To become a USA certified official, you must attend a NJ Swimming certification clinic followed by an open book test online, and on-deck mentoring. Recertification is every three years.  Annual renewal fee on December 31 (team will reimburse you for the fee).

Cross Training Between YMCA and USA-S

          YMCA officials wishing to re-certify and new YMCA official candidates must attend a YMCA officials' clinic and take the YMCA test.  This is a requirement imposed by the YMCA of the USA Program Director and the National Swimming and Diving Advisory Committee because all YMCA officials need to be aware of and support the YMCA values, and because there are a number of areas where the YMCA clinics are more extensive due to our focus on dual meets and the challenges they bring.  Moreover, while the relevant clinic tests have been developed from the USA-S testing data base, they contain additional questions directly related to the YMCA swimming program.  USA-S here in NJ has agreed to accept attendance at a YMCA clinic and the passing of the YMCA test as sufficient for becoming a USA-S stroke & turn official, and they will waive the apprenticeship for any existing YMCA official with sufficient experience.  (New YMCA officials who also wish to become USA-S officials will have to apprentice at four USA-S meets like any other new USA-S official.)  Existing USA-S officials who meet the experience criteria for becoming a YMCA Level II official can go directly to the Level II program without first becoming a YMCA Level I official.  (from the SVY website (http://www.svynj.org/officials.htm)

Certification Courses

         Whenever the team is notified of YMCA swimming and/or USA Swimming certification clinics, that information is posted on the team website and also placed on the “Officials” page.  Certification clinics are usually held during the fall. 

Useful References for Officials

YMCA of the USA National Swimming and Diving

http://www.ymcaswimminganddiving.org/

Rules That Govern YMCA Competitive Sports

http://www.ymcacompetitiveswim.org/documents/RulesThatGovernYMCACompetitiveSports.pdf

YMCA Competitive Swimming Black Book (Nov. 1, 2007)

http://www.ymcaswimminganddiving.org/General/BlackBookUpdateNov2007.pdf

YMCA to Split YMCA Officials Certification into 2 Levels

http://www.ymcacompetitiveswim.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=93&PN=1

YMCA Official’s
Record of Meet Experience

http://www.ymcacompetitiveswim.org/YMCA/moreinfo/2007OfficialsRecordOfMeetExperience.pdf

USA Swimming Officials’ Homepage

http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=40&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en

2008 USA Swimming Rules and Regulations

http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/_Rainbow/Documents/dcd3fe76-c17c-4429-a22c-667b4f7c3235/2008%20Rulebook%20no%20cover.pdf

2008USA Swimming Mini-rulebook (technical rules only-54 pages)

http://usaswimming.org/USASWeb/_Rainbow/Documents/d4ec65b7-f329-4f4b-abc7-9bb76b6f3f95/2008%20Mini-rulebook.pdf

USA DQ Slips

http://shyswimteam.usswim.net/Officials%20Corner/DQ%20Slip.pdf

USA Swimming Deck Referee & Starter Guidelines

http://shyswimteam.usswim.net/Officials%20Corner/Deck%20Referee%20and%20Starter%20Guidelines.pdf

The Starter Philosophy and Protocol (USA Swimming 11/7/06)

http://www.goggleawards.com/USASWeb/_Rainbow/Documents/9e9c90b7-95e9-4bac-a462-cc6a202fe3d3/Starter%20Philosophy-Protocol%2011-7-06.pdf

The Referee: Protocol and Philosophy

http://duelinthepool.com/USASWeb/_Rainbow/Documents/32fc115e-6394-450b-81f7-abe07e258bc3/The%20Referee-Protocol%20and%20Philosophy.pdf

Checklist for Timers’ Meeting

https://montclairymcaswimtea.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/checklistfortimersmeeting.pdf

Resources for the USA Swimming Officiall

http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=246&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en