WEST Officials

85 individuals have active accounts with WEST at the moment.

90 courses have been taken since September by our active officials.

74 deck evaluations have been completed since September.

21 families have completed their requirement of 1 course and two deck evaluations.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: If you have not paid the required $200 deposit to WEST-OSOC (Ontario Swim Officials Committee) you will not be permitted to participate in this meet. Please review the letter handed out to all swim families regarding participation in officiating. If you did not receive one it can be found on the W.E.S.T. website.

If you would like to request a deck evaluation for the Leamington meet on February 26, please contact Kim McDonald by February 1.

Please note that these are requests only and can not be guaranteed.

The names must be submitted to the meet managers by this date to allow them adequate time to prepare for the meet.

Please note that you must take the on-line course before completing the deck evaluation for each level.

As you all know, the City of Windsor is building a long-awaited aquatic complex, which includes a 10-lane 50 meter pool and a 25 meter diving pool, to open in summer 2013.

(see http://windsorite.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Image21-600x788.jpg) Our club will be entering a new exciting and challenging phase, which will involve hosting swim meets. Our mandate is to prepare for these meets, and we need to start getting ready this season. Running meets requires volunteers who perform many jobs, for example: timing, judging strokes and turns, starting, refereeing, running the electronics and computers, marshalling, tabulating and posting results, running concessions, and providing food for coaches and officials.

Starting this swimming season, 2011-2012, it is necessary for all families whose children are at Platinum level or higher and swim in meets, to participate in learning to officiate.

Swim Ontario requires that swim clubs have officials, which are usually parents, trained to host their meets or assist in hosting meets at other clubs. Officiating, or performing the duties required to run a swim meet, is a fun and rewarding experience that will enhance your involvement in your child’s swimming. You will learn new things, meet new people, and help our club run a swim meet. The Swim Ontario Officials website, http://www.osoa.ca/web/, is a great source of information.

Each family with a swimmer attending meets, in Platinum level or higher, will need to have one person participate in training. Only one person per family is required, even if you have more than one swimmer in the club. This person can be a parent, a child (14 or over for level I and 16 or over for level II or higher) or a family friend.

1. Before the first meet of the season, give a $200 cheque (one per family) made out to WEST-OSOC, to one of people listed at the bottom of this letter. A coach can pass on the cheque if needed.

2. We will be carefully tracking payments, refunds, completion of clinics and deck evaluations.

3. Every family needs to have one person complete level I for this season. If you already have all or part of your level I, or you have other training, please speak with us about working out your requirements. Basically, every family needs to do one online course and two deck evaluations this year. Next year new families will be doing level I and returning families will be asked to participate toward achieving our goal. We encourage anyone interested to pursue higher levels of training.

4. Once your officiating requirement is met, a $200 refund will be returned. Please note that our goal is not to raise funds, but to encourage families to participate in officiating.

5. If you have already completed some of the Swim Ontario Officials training, please give Kim McDonald and Jen Potma a copy of your Swimming Canada Officials Certification card. This can be done by email.

6. Go to the following website and register as a new user http://www.swimmingofficials.com/registration/. For now, the training will be done online through the Swim Ontario Officials website. We may have on site clinics in the future.

7. Email Kim McDonald to get your account approved and to get the codes for the online training session for a particular level. We will provide each person a Swimming Canada Officials Certification Card. These cards are filled in as you obtain your online levels and deck evaluations.

8. Login and do the online session for your level. Once you have completed an online training session for a level, email the certificate to Kim and Jen. Once verified, it will be automatically entered into your training record on the website.

9. The next steps are practice in your position at a swim meet and obtaining two deck evaluations at two different swim meets. You need to complete the online level prior to participating on deck. Swim Ontario requirements state that you cannot be evaluated the first time you perform the duties of a position. However, most people can be evaluated the first time you do timing on deck. Once your feel comfortable in the duties, ask for an evaluation before your on deck time at a meet. The head official at the meet will sign your card after the session if you successfully completed the evaluation.

10. Add your completed deck evaluation to your training history on the Ontario swimming officials website. Kim will verify the deck evaluation. This provides an online virtual card, which is a backup in case your card is lost.

11. Contact Kim to arrange practice in your position of interest and deck evaluations at a swim meet. This includes Seal Meets, other meets that your child is attending, or additional meets that are being arranged. We will be contacting meet managers to accommodate our requests. The requests and assignment of deck evaluations are done on a first come first serve basis.

12. Individuals can obtain their practice and deck evaluations at meets other than those on our schedule. Check the WEST website for updates in this regard.

13. Get a white shirt and white pants or shorts to wear at meets. Be ready to get wet if you are at the poolside. Bring these and your card to meets. You may bring them even when you are not scheduled to assist on deck. Often the hosting club requests assistance if they are short officials for some of the sessions.

Getting through level I is not as difficult as it may seem and we are all available to guide you through it. We have tried to make this as useful and informative as possible, but it cannot replace a face-to-face conversation. Keep in mind, this is the first time our club is training large numbers of officials, and the requirements and procedures may change. Please feel free to approach any of us about anything regarding this process.