Stingrays Officials Update

Well, we're off to a great start! Stingrays parents and family members have really stepped up to the officiating blocks this year. It is truly impressive. So far, we have had clinics for Timekeeper, Stroke and Turn and Chief Finish Judge. In addition, many parents have logged on to the Ontario Swim Officials Association online clinics and completed different clinics there. Deck evaluations are being entered and people are moving up levels! On Saturday November 30th, 9 people attended the on deck session for Stroke and Turn officials. Many thanks to our Age Group and Senior swimmers for showing us how it's done. (And for proving that it can be really hard to demonstrate the errors when you've had good technique emphasized so strongly by our coaches!)

All this is to increase our club's capacity to fully staff our own meets, and to be able to help out at other clubs' meets when the call goes out. It was really terrific to see Stingrays parents officiating on deck in Amherstview, in Carleton Place and in Belleville. This is how smaller clubs support each other to provide good quality meets for our swimmers.

Coming up a scant 5 weeks from now is our own Mike Brown meet. This is a 3 day, 7 session meet. The format is a little different from previous years. Friday afternoon is now the distance session (warmup at 3 pm, session start at 4 pm), Saturday and Sunday will have a 13 and older session, an 11-12 year old session and a 10 and under session. This meet is the one firm obligation we have requiring our families to work. When you receive your swimmer's meet request, you will also be prompted to sign up on the OSOA website. Prior to the swimmers being entered in the meet by the coaches, the OSOA site will be checked to verify that this requirement has been met.

The Mike Brown meet is up on the OSOA website now, ready for signing up.

I would like to run a Starter's clinic over the next few weeks. It is one of only two clinics which can not be taken online. (The other one is Referee.) If you are interested in taking this clinic I am looking at the following dates: Saturday Dec 14th 8-9 am during team swim, Wed Dec 18 4-5 pm or 5-6 pm, Friday Dec 20th 4-5 pm or 5-6 pm or Saturday Dec 21st 8-9am. Please contact me ASAP with dates you are available. It's not a particularly long clinic, but it is a really important position on deck and we do need more starters in the club.


Thank you all for supporting our swimmers! See you on deck.

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Siobhan Muldowney
smuldowney@me.com
Club Officials Chair