Officials Committee Meeting Minutes: January 18, 2000

Officials Committee Meeting Minutes: January 18, 2000
University of Wisconsin Center, Waukesha
Wisconsin Swimming, Inc.

Participants: Jerry Geurts, Patty, Kramer, Shelia, Strock, Steve Suprenant, Lee Wnuk, Susan Zblewski (Chair).

Approval of Minutes: Geurts moved and Zblewski seconded approval of the minutes of the November 16, 1999. Passed.

Whistle Start: Zblewski reported that she understood that USA Swimming not only approved use of the whistle start, but also required its use at all USA Swimming Meets beginning May 1, 2000. She will clarify her understanding with Pat Lunsford, USA Swimming Officials Committee Chair. The Committee discussed the whistle start, summarized below:

FORDWARD START

3 SHORT whistles for swimmers to prepare/be ready
1 LONG whistle for swimmers to get up on the blocks and to assume the starting position
"Take Your Mark"
Starting Signal (Beep)

BACKSTROKE START

3 SHORT whistles for swimmers to prepare/be ready
1 LONG whistle for swimmers to enter the water and to get their heads up out of the water
1 LONG whistle for swimmers to come to the wall, place their feet, and assume the starting position
"Take Your Mark"
Starting Signal (Beep)

Zblewski recently worked a Meet in Carmel, Indiana, using the whistle start and said that it worked well, even for the young swimmers. To avoid delays, the Referee blew the three short whistles as the heat, that was finishing, crossed under the backstroke flags and blew the one long whistle as the swimmers, of the last heat, were existing the water.

LSC Short Course Championship Officials: The following officials accepted the LSC’s offer to work:

13 & Over	March 9^th – 12^th Hosted by SEAY & BST at Schroeder YMCA, Brown Deer Shelia Strock, Al Schmitt

12 & Under	March 17^th – 19^th Hosted by BAC at the University of Wisconsin, Madison Jerry Geurts, Mike Stirn

The responsibilities of the two LSC designated Meet Officials are: one Official functions as a Referee/Starter and one Official functions as the Administrative Referee and may relieve other Officials as needed. The LSC designated Officials may rotate responsibilities.

New Officials Certification Clinics: The Committee set the following dates and cities for the Spring 2000 Clinics:

May 3^rd	Fox Valley
May 13^th	Madison
May 20^th	Hartland

All Clinics are scheduled for approximately five to six hours. The Committee will announce specific facilities later. The Clinics will offer training for both new Stroke and Turn Judges and for new Starter-Referees from current Stroke and Turn Judges who have worked their required number of sessions.

Complaints: Zblewski received two complaints.

One compliant related to alleged inadequate pool coverage during a Meet as a Stroke Judge was not walking along the pool. The pool was "L" shaped. The Committee discussed the need for equal or same coverage of the swimmers from both Stroke Judges. In an "L" shaped pool, if one Stroke Judge cannot "walk" along the pool, then the other Stroke Judge also should not walk along the pool edge. Such procedure insures that some lanes do not receive more officiating than do the other lanes.

The second compliant related to the Starter announcing swimmer disqualifications, in the absence of having Disqualification Slips. The Committee discussed the need to record the disqualification, to inform the Scorer, and to try to inform the swimmer. However, using the USA Swimming Disqualification Slips is not required. Having the Starter announce the disqualification may have been expedient, but perhaps overly humiliating to the swimmers. The Committee suggested that Zblewski contact the Meet Referee to discuss the situation so that the Meet Referee can deal with the situation should it develop again.

Meet Report: Zblewski will ask for an amendment to the "Meet Report," completed by the Meet Director, to include the name of the Meet Referee. Having this information will make it easier for Zblewski, by contacting the LSC Administrative Chair, to obtain the name of the Meet Referee when a compliant or other issue surfaces.

WIAA Boys Championships: The following officials will observe swims:

Division 2, Friday February 18^th	Jerry Geurts, Patty Kramer
Division 1, February 19^th	Maurice Pheil, Phil Eberle

A coach must request that the USA Swimming Officials watch specific swimmers in specific events prior to the Meet. Zblewski will determine the means for notification and time.

Review of Number of Work Sessions: At the request of Jim Mohr, General Chair, the Committee re-considered the minimum number of sessions that an Official must work to retain his/her certification. USA Swimming’s Officials Committee established the requirement for the minimum number of sessions:

Stroke and Turn Judge	Four Sessions
Starter/Referee	Six Sessions

Part of the rationale for this requirement is having to apply the Rules on a regular basis and to remain current in interpreting them. The Committee decided to retain the current requirement. An Official may submit a written request for an exemption to Zblewski.

Official’s Meet Work Card: An Official should submit his/her completed Card to Zblewski when applying for the following year’s USA Swimming membership.

USA Swimming Officials Clinic: The Committee suggested that Shelia Strock, with Al Schmitt as an alternate, be offered the opportunity to attend this Clinic, likely to be scheduled sometime this Spring in Colorado Springs. An Official who attends this Clinic must prepare a written report to the Officials Chair and to LSC Treasurer to receive reimbursement for expenses and must become or continue as a member of the Officials Committee. The report is distributed at an LSC House of Delegates meeting. .

Next Meeting: April 11, 2000 (Tuesday), University of Wisconsin Center, Waukesha.

Prepared by __________________________________________ January 21, 2000

Patricia A. Kramer
Wisconsin Swimming, Inc.

KRAMER:WSI/OFFICIALS