The Potomac Valley Swimming (PVS) competitions rely on parent volunteers working as certifiedofficials to ensure a fair competitive environment for our athletes. Our team has an obligation to provide officials for the sessions in which ASA swimmers compete. It is of such importance that PVS and ASA share in covering the expenses related to officials’ certification.

ASA is offering a registration discount up to $500 per official for the 2015-2016 Swim Season to ASA parents who are certified PVS Officials during the 2014-2015 Swim Season. This discount is based upon the number of sessions worked as an Official during the 2014-2015 season (September 1 thru August 31).

The requirements and roadmap for certification are below followed by details of the discount program.

Working as a PVS Official is a great way to be more involved in your child's sport and to directly support our team and young athletes. No experience in swimming is required or expected; PVS provides all the instruction needed to start. In the end, you have the best seats in the house: on-deck where the action is.

GETTING STARTED

There are three options for new officials:

Stroke and Turn (S&T) Judge: observes the swimmers to ensure the rules related to each event are followed;

Colorado Timing System (CTS) Operator: runs the automatic timing system that records finish times from the touch pads and buttons used by the timers; and,

Hy-Tek Computer Operator: runs the computer program used to manage the meet entries and race results (same program used in summer leagues but without the manual data entry – all automatic).

Hy-Tek and Colorado Timing System Operators are as important to the running of meets as Stroke and Turn Judges. The more advanced positions are Administrative Official, Chief Judge, Starter, Deck Referee and Administrative Referee.

All the information you need and the steps to certification are on the PVS website under How to Becomean Official. Briefly,

  • Check the specific requirements for each position
  • Attend the PVS clinic for the position prior to the apprentice sessions
  • Before the first apprentice session, register with USA Swimming (USA-S) as an Apprentice Official. Then, register as a non-athlete member affiliated with ASA within 60 days or prior to the last apprentice session, whichever comes first. This requires completion of the:
  • Online background check
  • Online Athlete Protection Training
  • For Stroke and Turn Judge, complete the USA Swimming (USA-S) test prior to the last apprentice (check-out) session
  • Complete the on-deck training sessions
  • Complete the final check-out session. These need to be arranged in advance. For Stroke and Turn Judge trainees, contact Bill Pritchard for assistance in arranging the final check-out session.
  • Send in your information to the PVS Certification Officer (this process may change in the 2014-15 season; follow the directions given at the clinic and/or check the website)

You should contact the ASA Officials Chair, Bill Pritchard (). He can provide advice and guidance throughout the initial certification process and beyond.

SUMMER LEAGUE STROKE & TURN (S&T) CLINICS:

The summer league Stroke and Turn Clinics can usually be used to meet the S&T clinic requirement, including those for the Montgomery County Swim League (MCSL), the Country Club Swimming and Diving Association and others. If you take one of these clinics, be sure to sign-in at the clinic and ask the instructor for a training card. Check the clinic schedule in the spring to see which clinics are eligible. Certification must be completed within one year of the clinic. Contact Bill Pritchard if you have taken one of these clinics and intend to use it to satisfy the clinic requirement.

REIMBURSEMENT OF FEES

Background check fee: PVS will reimburse the cost of the initial check and the annual check for eligible officials. Details and eligibility are provided at the link under How to Become an Official

USA Swimming (USA-S) registration: Officials must register with USA-S as non-athletes. You should register as an individual affiliated with ASA. Once your name appears on the PVS Officials Roster as an official affiliated with ASA, ASA will reimburse you for the initial USA-S individual registration fee.

Once you are certified, PVS will pay the subsequent USA-S annual registration fee, provided you work 10 sessions per calendar year as a certified official.

ASA FINANCIAL INCENTIVES

Once you are certified, you can earn credit toward your family’s ASA account for the next swim season. These discounts are in addition to the reimbursement of fees described above or payment of USA-S renewal fees by PVS.

For those who are or become certified during the 2014-2015 swim season (September 1 thru August 31), the following are the maximum 2015-16 registration discounts:

Number of Sessions Worked as an Official in 2014-15 / Maximum Discount Applied to the 2015-16 ASA Registration
4-5 / $250
6-9 / $350
10 or more / $500

ASA establishes a budget for the incentive program at the start of each swim season. If the budget for these registration discounts is exceeded, the discounts will be reduced proportionally for all in order to match the budgeted amount.

Once you have registered with USA-S, any sessions you work will be recorded by the Meet Managers or Meet Referees in the Officials Tracking System (OTS). For purposes of determining the next year’s discount, sessions counted are based solely on entries recorded in OTS. Officials should check their OTS entries for accuracy after each meet worked. For training sessions leading up to an official’s initial certification, ASA will include the minimum number of on-deck training sessions required by PVS to become certified for the specific position in determining the discount:

Stroke and Turn: 5 sessions;

Colorado Timing System (CTS) Operator: 5 sessions; and,

Hy-Tek Computer Operator: 5 sessions.

Multiple officials in a family may participate and earn credit toward the family’s ASA account. For example, spouses may work 10 sessions each and earn two credits up to $500 for a total of up to $1,000 toward their family account.

If an official represents ASA in 2014-15 and is eligible for a discount, but their child(ren) does not rejoin ASA for the 2015-16 season, then they will be provided a check for the amount of the earned discount.

NOTE: Keep in mind that while ASA bases its incentive program on the swim season (September 1-August 31), PVS determines eligibility for payment of USA-S registration based on the calendar year. Please be aware of sessions worked within both time frames to get both benefits.

Additional information and questions, contact the ASA Officials Chair:

Bill Pritchard

Updated 11/26/2014