what does your summer team do to recruit officials?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About a month before the season started, one of our team reps emailed maybe a dozen or so parents who had kids 10 and younger, and who have been committed to swim team, to ask whether we would consider becoming officials. The rep clearly let us know that many of our officials had kids who were graduating soon and so we needed to train the next generation of officials. There are at least six or eight of us who took S&T training this year, and a few others getting trained in starter, referee, etc. The experienced ones have been fantastic at mentoring us newbies, very welcoming and helpful.

Our team has little drama and generally is a helpful bunch. We’re mid-level MCSL. I’m glad to learn S&T and plan to learn how to become a starter/ref once I’ve done this for a few years. My kids are still young-ish, swim year-round, and I’m a capable adult. Knowing how much volunteer work it takes to run summer swim, I’m more than glad to do my part.

Our pool has also found targeted requests to families whose kid(s) seem really in to the team to work. FWIW, I think starter is the easiest/best first time job if you are new or don’t have a lot of swim background (though I think anyone could handle S&T). Starter you only have to worry about DQs for starts. order of finish can sometimes be hard to see but I have never been called in on a dispute.

Don't you have to work up to starter? Our league requires 2 or 3 years of S&T before you can train to become a starter. That is my goal!

NVSL does not require Starters to be S&T trained, but recommends it. I did S&T for three years and added Starter this year.

Our team is very lean on officials (and only about half have active swimmers). We really need to step up our recruiting game.

DP - MCSL requires two years of S&T experience before training for other official positions. I don't think "anyone" could handle S&T - it's a ton to keep track of and requires an attention to detail that many people struggle with. If you're officiating B meets, there's also an executive function component when you get to 8&U breast/fly and the DQ slips are piling up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. It’s the same few people. Team rep needs to be replaced.

I’m sure the team rep would love that! It’s the most thankless and hardest job of all for summer swim.

Several of us have offered. They have consistently refused. And, yet, do less and less every year.

That’s crazy! Most would jump at the chance to not do it

Ours is the same. Won’t accept help. Won’t step aside.

Technically someone could run for the position since it’s an elected board spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About a month before the season started, one of our team reps emailed maybe a dozen or so parents who had kids 10 and younger, and who have been committed to swim team, to ask whether we would consider becoming officials. The rep clearly let us know that many of our officials had kids who were graduating soon and so we needed to train the next generation of officials. There are at least six or eight of us who took S&T training this year, and a few others getting trained in starter, referee, etc. The experienced ones have been fantastic at mentoring us newbies, very welcoming and helpful.

Our team has little drama and generally is a helpful bunch. We’re mid-level MCSL. I’m glad to learn S&T and plan to learn how to become a starter/ref once I’ve done this for a few years. My kids are still young-ish, swim year-round, and I’m a capable adult. Knowing how much volunteer work it takes to run summer swim, I’m more than glad to do my part.

Our pool has also found targeted requests to families whose kid(s) seem really in to the team to work. FWIW, I think starter is the easiest/best first time job if you are new or don’t have a lot of swim background (though I think anyone could handle S&T). Starter you only have to worry about DQs for starts. order of finish can sometimes be hard to see but I have never been called in on a dispute.

Don't you have to work up to starter? Our league requires 2 or 3 years of S&T before you can train to become a starter. That is my goal!

NVSL does not require Starters to be S&T trained, but recommends it. I did S&T for three years and added Starter this year.

Our team is very lean on officials (and only about half have active swimmers). We really need to step up our recruiting game.

DP - MCSL requires two years of S&T experience before training for other official positions. I don't think "anyone" could handle S&T - it's a ton to keep track of and requires an attention to detail that many people struggle with. If you're officiating B meets, there's also an executive function component when you get to 8&U breast/fly and the DQ slips are piling up.

Is this a new rule? I was an MCSL trained starter without being stroke and turn first - but I think this might have changed last year. It is a bummer bc I think starter is actually easier than S&T

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About a month before the season started, one of our team reps emailed maybe a dozen or so parents who had kids 10 and younger, and who have been committed to swim team, to ask whether we would consider becoming officials. The rep clearly let us know that many of our officials had kids who were graduating soon and so we needed to train the next generation of officials. There are at least six or eight of us who took S&T training this year, and a few others getting trained in starter, referee, etc. The experienced ones have been fantastic at mentoring us newbies, very welcoming and helpful.

Our team has little drama and generally is a helpful bunch. We’re mid-level MCSL. I’m glad to learn S&T and plan to learn how to become a starter/ref once I’ve done this for a few years. My kids are still young-ish, swim year-round, and I’m a capable adult. Knowing how much volunteer work it takes to run summer swim, I’m more than glad to do my part.

Our pool has also found targeted requests to families whose kid(s) seem really in to the team to work. FWIW, I think starter is the easiest/best first time job if you are new or don’t have a lot of swim background (though I think anyone could handle S&T). Starter you only have to worry about DQs for starts. order of finish can sometimes be hard to see but I have never been called in on a dispute.

Don't you have to work up to starter? Our league requires 2 or 3 years of S&T before you can train to become a starter. That is my goal!

NVSL does not require Starters to be S&T trained, but recommends it. I did S&T for three years and added Starter this year.

Our team is very lean on officials (and only about half have active swimmers). We really need to step up our recruiting game.

DP - MCSL requires two years of S&T experience before training for other official positions. I don't think "anyone" could handle S&T - it's a ton to keep track of and requires an attention to detail that many people struggle with. If you're officiating B meets, there's also an executive function component when you get to 8&U breast/fly and the DQ slips are piling up.

Is this a new rule? I was an MCSL trained starter without being stroke and turn first - but I think this might have changed last year. It is a bummer bc I think starter is actually easier than S&T

The two years is for Referee.

I do not suggest learning Starter before ST. At ST you have a team supporting you and you learn how meets run. At Starter you are directly interacting with swimmers and you affect their swims by how well you do your job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About a month before the season started, one of our team reps emailed maybe a dozen or so parents who had kids 10 and younger, and who have been committed to swim team, to ask whether we would consider becoming officials. The rep clearly let us know that many of our officials had kids who were graduating soon and so we needed to train the next generation of officials. There are at least six or eight of us who took S&T training this year, and a few others getting trained in starter, referee, etc. The experienced ones have been fantastic at mentoring us newbies, very welcoming and helpful.

Our team has little drama and generally is a helpful bunch. We’re mid-level MCSL. I’m glad to learn S&T and plan to learn how to become a starter/ref once I’ve done this for a few years. My kids are still young-ish, swim year-round, and I’m a capable adult. Knowing how much volunteer work it takes to run summer swim, I’m more than glad to do my part.

Our pool has also found targeted requests to families whose kid(s) seem really in to the team to work. FWIW, I think starter is the easiest/best first time job if you are new or don’t have a lot of swim background (though I think anyone could handle S&T). Starter you only have to worry about DQs for starts. order of finish can sometimes be hard to see but I have never been called in on a dispute.

Don't you have to work up to starter? Our league requires 2 or 3 years of S&T before you can train to become a starter. That is my goal!

NVSL does not require Starters to be S&T trained, but recommends it. I did S&T for three years and added Starter this year.

Our team is very lean on officials (and only about half have active swimmers). We really need to step up our recruiting game.

DP - MCSL requires two years of S&T experience before training for other official positions. I don't think "anyone" could handle S&T - it's a ton to keep track of and requires an attention to detail that many people struggle with. If you're officiating B meets, there's also an executive function component when you get to 8&U breast/fly and the DQ slips are piling up.

Is this a new rule? I was an MCSL trained starter without being stroke and turn first - but I think this might have changed last year. It is a bummer bc I think starter is actually easier than S&T

The two years is for Referee.

I do not suggest learning Starter before ST. At ST you have a team supporting you and you learn how meets run. At Starter you are directly interacting with swimmers and you affect their swims by how well you do your job.

+1

Starter is a leadership position on deck. You should know what you're doing and have some experience on deck. You can really affect the kids' swim with bad starts.

[Anonymous]

At our pool the jobs of head timer, official, S&T, Starter, Announcer, making the heat cards, and printing the ribbons are all done by veteran parents of high school swimmers.

I would be happy to apprentice for one of those jobs, but it’s a mystery to me how the succession planning occurs. It’s also a mystery to me how some “prime” jobs like setting up the pool the night before a Saturday meet or doing to Costco run for the snack bar are doles out. I used to think they were allocated to families who had conflicts or extenuating circumstances- but I’ve realized the reps just give them to their friends. There are many jobs that are either filled before the sign-up in unlocked or just never even appear on the sign up list. I only found out about a dozen jobs when I was the volunteer checkin person and was given the whole list printed out.

It would be nice if there was a pre-season meeting to review the jobs and the process to express interest or be trained for them. I understand that some jobs require skill and you can have some flaky person screw it up, but I think it should be a bit more democratic than the current starter anointing a successor when his youngest is in their 2nd to last year.

[Anonymous]

I like the fees waived idea. Reserved parking at meets might help. We are S&T judges and tired of getting asked to do all the meets(A&B). Would be nice off reps can spread the love. We, too, would love to video/photograph our swimmers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About a month before the season started, one of our team reps emailed maybe a dozen or so parents who had kids 10 and younger, and who have been committed to swim team, to ask whether we would consider becoming officials. The rep clearly let us know that many of our officials had kids who were graduating soon and so we needed to train the next generation of officials. There are at least six or eight of us who took S&T training this year, and a few others getting trained in starter, referee, etc. The experienced ones have been fantastic at mentoring us newbies, very welcoming and helpful.

Our team has little drama and generally is a helpful bunch. We’re mid-level MCSL. I’m glad to learn S&T and plan to learn how to become a starter/ref once I’ve done this for a few years. My kids are still young-ish, swim year-round, and I’m a capable adult. Knowing how much volunteer work it takes to run summer swim, I’m more than glad to do my part.

Our pool has also found targeted requests to families whose kid(s) seem really in to the team to work. FWIW, I think starter is the easiest/best first time job if you are new or don’t have a lot of swim background (though I think anyone could handle S&T). Starter you only have to worry about DQs for starts. order of finish can sometimes be hard to see but I have never been called in on a dispute.

Don't you have to work up to starter? Our league requires 2 or 3 years of S&T before you can train to become a starter. That is my goal!

NVSL does not require Starters to be S&T trained, but recommends it. I did S&T for three years and added Starter this year.

Our team is very lean on officials (and only about half have active swimmers). We really need to step up our recruiting game.

DP - MCSL requires two years of S&T experience before training for other official positions. I don't think "anyone" could handle S&T - it's a ton to keep track of and requires an attention to detail that many people struggle with. If you're officiating B meets, there's also an executive function component when you get to 8&U breast/fly and the DQ slips are piling up.

Is this a new rule? I was an MCSL trained starter without being stroke and turn first - but I think this might have changed last year. It is a bummer bc I think starter is actually easier than S&T

The two years is for Referee.

I do not suggest learning Starter before ST. At ST you have a team supporting you and you learn how meets run. At Starter you are directly interacting with swimmers and you affect their swims by how well you do your job.

Earlier PP - interesting about the two years being for only for referee. Our team leadership told me two years for any other role, so I assumed it was MCSL, but it must just be our rule.

I also wouldn't be comfortable doing starter at this point (my first summer doing S&T). Agreed that it's a leadership role and has a huge impact on how well the meet overall runs. It's not just saying, "go." I'm learning a ton from S&T and look forward to learning new roles in the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like the fees waived idea. Reserved parking at meets might help. We are S&T judges and tired of getting asked to do all the meets(A&B). Would be nice off reps can spread the love. We, too, would love to video/photograph our swimmers.

This is great- thank you! (OP)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our team has required volunteer hours (actually a point system). Parents who become trained officials plus anyone who does CotC are required to do half the normal number of hours.

This, officiating is worth more points per meet at our pool.

Great idea!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our team has required volunteer hours (actually a point system). Parents who become trained officials plus anyone who does CotC are required to do half the normal number of hours.

This, officiating is worth more points per meet at our pool.

Great idea!

DP - we also do this, plus extras for officials during the meets: plenty of free refreshments, making sure someone is walking around the pool deck, handing out water, things like that. We don't require fewer points for certified officials, but those positions are worth more points than others.

[Anonymous]

But the fees waived idea for S&T officials fleet isn’t really fair. Reps do all the heavy lifting by planning swim team starting in the winter and organizing team, managing payroll, interviewing, hire coaching team,…. In fact, they should get fees waived too!

We are impressed that some well-organized MCSL team charges families who don’t want to volunteer. Great incentive and brilliant!

[Anonymous]

Former swimmer here who would love to do S&T! However, it would be hard to do it for every meet Monday and Saturday, especially if kid does not make A meet. Also like the idea of dividing the duties so there is an earlier shift and later shift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But the fees waived idea for S&T officials fleet isn’t really fair. Reps do all the heavy lifting by planning swim team starting in the winter and organizing team, managing payroll, interviewing, hire coaching team,…. In fact, they should get fees waived too!

We are impressed that some well-organized MCSL team charges families who don’t want to volunteer. Great incentive and brilliant!

At our pool the rep will not let anyone else help but they cannot run the meet without a ref, etc. Also, the ref has to work every meet the entire meet and the regular volunteers only have to work 1/2 meet and some not at all.

[Anonymous]

If your team has year round swimmers, surely some of those parents are trained as S&T judges, etc? That's where we get ours and we usually have enough so they only work half the meet.