For the past several years, we have had an increasingly difficult time filling the volunteer job sheet for those positions that require some training. Parents who have filled these positions for years and years have had their swimmers graduate, and few parents of younger swimmers have filled those spots. We are in danger of having no one to work those jobs on certain meet days, or else resort to last year’s practice of having the same 6 or 7 Stroke and Turn judges, and the same 3 Referees and Starters, work every single meet. Since we have approximately 250 swimmers, with the resulting 400-500 parents, this seems unnecessary. Thus we are asking that unless your child is swimming for the very first time this year on the swim team, you attend one of the Stroke and Turn clinics. We think you will find that the knowledge you gain will banish any fear you may have about not being able to do this job. Being a Stroke and Turn judge helps you help your own swimmer — you can recognize what your child is doing right or wrong, for instance.
We will not ask anyone to be a Stroke and Turn judge at a meet until they are comfortable doing so. To that end, after the clinics, we’ll be scheduling a couple of Seven Hills-only sessions, during which we’ll have some of our more experienced swimmers give demonstrations of legal strokes and illegal strokes. Some of the team coaches will be on hand to point out do’s and don’t’s, what to watch for, etc… It’s to everyone’s advantage — particularly the swimmers’ — to have every Stroke and Turn judge feel very confident of their ability to determine legality, and we’re going to make sure this happens. So don’t worry that you don’t know enough to be a judge — we just need you to try, and we’ll do the rest.
Here are descriptions of the jobs that we must fill for each Home meet (Starter and Referee are not needed at Away meets):
Trained positions (which require clinic attendance):
Stroke and Turn: This position involves judging the the legality of the swimmer’s stroke, and determining the legality of their turn (if a 50 meter event or over) and their touch at the end of the race. The clinic includes a handout with the description of each stroke, as well as discussion of do’s and don’t’s for each stroke — what makes it legal and what makes it illegal. Illegal strokes, incorrect turns, and incorrect touches each lead to disqualification.
Starter: This position involves determining that all swimmers are in the right position, starting the race with the horn, and determining whether there are any false starts.
Referee: This person acts as final arbiter in case of any question of any legality of disqualifications. Stroke and Turn judges’ slips are turned into the Referee, who can then investigate the infraction and ask questions of the Judge as necessary.
Non-trained positions:
Hospitality: these people provide refreshments for all meet workers (not swimmers) and circulate to offer the refreshments to those workers on deck.
Timer: these people use stopwatches, provided by each club, to time the swimmers. Each timer is paired with a timer from the other club. One of them will record each swimmer’s time.
Runner: these people act as go-betweens, between the timers and the scorekeepers, and between the Stroke and Turn judges and the Referees.
Scorekeepers: these people sit at the scoring table, and record each swimmer’s time.
Clerk of Course, and assistants: these people are responsible for locating and arranging each set of swimmers for the upcoming races. They must corral the children into groups and rows, and have them move up closer and closer to the chairs, lined up at the pool lanes.
And finally, here are the clinics. The clinics are free and last about an hour. Please, please support your child and the rest of the swim team, and come to one of these sessions. We desperately need you!
NASHVILLE SWIM LEAGUE OFFICIALS & COACHES CLINICS
JUNE, 2010
Tuesday, June I, 7:00 p.m. – Old Hickory C.C. - Stroke and Turn; Starter & Referee
Wednesday, June 2, 5:00 p.m. – Belle Meade C.C. - Stroke and Turn ; Starter & Referee
Wednesday, June 9, 7:00 p.m. – Richland C.C. - Stroke and Turn; Starter & Referee
Saturday June 12, 10:00 a.m. - Fairvue Plantation C.C. – Stroke & Turn; Starter & Referee
Sunday June 13, 2:00 p.m. – Hillwood C.C. – Stroke & Turn; Starter & Referee
Contact the following with questions regarding the clinics:
Stephanie Nadeau
Cell – 294-8982
jnadeau103@aol.com
Shannon Philbin
Cell – 330-3635
coachshan@aol.com
Ronette Jones
Cell – 351-0208
rljtw4one@yahoo.com
Thank you for reading all of this, and please one of us know if you have any questions or concerns:
Laura Rost laurarost@comcast.net
Catherine Clark grayclark@comcast.net
Gretchen Horner 5horners@gmail.com
Elaine Askew elaineaskew@comcast.net
Kathy Pope kathypope1024@comcast.net
