MINUTES OF
PVS OFFICIALS COMMITTEE MEETING

JUNE 3, 1998

Attendees
The meeting was called to order at 7:12. Present were John Hirschmann, Chairman; Arvydas Barzdukas, Lynn Black, Bob Brofft, Marty Cohen, Jim Garner, Dick Griffith, Boots Hall and Don Smith.

Operations Division Report
Don Smith reported that an RFP is being prepared for maintenance of PVS meet support equipment. This RFP includes an option for equipment setup and breakdown services at meets. He also reported that alternative swim meet software is being tested as a possible alternative to Hy-Tek. The Committee agreed that the time PVS has invested in training people how to use the existing software should be an important consideration in any decision to adopt new software.

John Hirschmann reported that USS will be implementing a new permanent USS registration number for all athletes and officials starting with the 1999 registration year. Since the format is different, software used at meets will have to be compatible with it. This may preclude using prior versions of existing software.

Officials Testing and Certification
For 1998-99, Lynn Black will continue grading Stroke & Turn Judge tests. Jim Carey will continue grading Referee and Starter tests. We are currently receiving and grading approximately 10 to 15 tests per month, which is about normal.

PVS Officials Training Clinics

We reviewed the schedule and attendance at the various PVS Officials Training clinics over the course of this year. We noted dwindling attendance at the May clinics, and poor attendance at the January clinics -- particularly for starters. We discussed whether we are offering too many clinics, or whether the timing of the clinics needs to be updated.

After discussion, the consensus of opinion was to keep our training emphasis on the early fall clinics, in order to coincide with the enthusiasm of parents at the start of the swim season as teams get organized. We agreed on the need to conduct two Referee re-certification clinics (one in the fall and the other in January) and two Starter clinics per year. (both in the fall.) . We will also continue to conduct one new Referee clinic as well. A Meet Director clinic will be held early in the fall. No Stroke and Turn Judge clinic will be offered in the Spring, 1999.

Tyanna Ertter volunteered to prepare a draft proposed clinic schedule for 1998-1999.

USS Rules and Legislation Committee
Arvydas Barzdukas attended the Rules Committee meeting from May 29 to 31, and he presented a report of new rules and interpretations. He reported that there were few major changes, but a number of items of interest.

  • Descriptions of the forward start may be included in Section 101 of the rule book
  • "Costume" will be replaced by "Swimsuit"
  • Longer events will be permitted in the meet offerings for younger swimmers
  • 200, 400 and 500 yd/m freestyle for 10 & unders
  • 800, 1000, 1500 and 1650 yd/m freestyle for 11-12 swimmers
  • add 200 yd/m events in back, breast, and fly for the youngers
  • 50 yd/m events will be restored for each stroke for the olders
  • There is a proposal to add a new "super-regional" championship meet (6 sites) to be held in March or April time frame starting in 2001.
  • The Committee changed its name to "Rules and Legislation Committee"
  • A new USS Code of Conduct is being prepared
  • There is a proposal to standardize the placement of backstroke flags at 5 meters for all pools, regardless of whether these are yard or meter courses
  • There was agreement that the breaststroke turn begins with an arm recovery, reaffirming that all arm pull motions must be made in the same horizontal plane
  • The intent of the new surfacing rules in butterfly and freestyle is to have swimming on the surface. Incidental submersion after the initial surfacing is not to merit a DQ.
  • USS Training Clinic
    Jim Garner and Bob Brofft reported on their attendance at the annual USS Officials Training Clinic in Colorado Springs. Almost all the LSCs were represented. Charlie Mallory gave an excellent presentation on professionalism in officiating. Ron Van Pool, USS National Event Coordinator and the Meet Referee at the 1996 Olympic Trials, gave an excellent presentation on the art of refereeing, and Pat Lundsford covered techniques of the starter. Pauline Hubbell covered judging disabled swimmers. Jim Garner related some of our PVS experience in officiating disabled swimmers. Peter Carney discussed the recent rules changes and received many comments about the timing of implementing these during most LSC's championship meet sequences. There were good small group sessions and discussions of common problems, of which recruiting and retaining officials was a recurring theme.

    Officials Committee Chairs Meeting
    John Hirschmann reported on his attendance on the bi-annual clinic for LSC Officials Chairs held April 24-25 in Lake Placid, NY. Subcommittees were formed to re-work the USS Officiating Manual, last issued in 1991. John also reported that USS is working on creating new videos for Starter and Stroke & Turn Judge training. The Starter tape is expected this year, and the Stroke & Turn tape will come out next year. There was much emphasis on the challenges most LSC's face in working to recruit and retain good officials.

    Updates to PVS Officials Training Materials
    Boots Hall, Arvydas Barzdukas and John Hirschmann have updated the written hand out materials we use at PVS officials training clinics. PVS makes these materials available to local summer swim leagues for their use in training summer officials as well. NVSL, CSL and PMSL are the summer leagues making the most use of the PVS material. Other summer leagues have developed their own material. [NVSL revised some of the PVS material this summer for their own use.]

    PVS will continue to give credit for attendance at summer league Stroke and Turn clinics, so long as the instructors who conduct the clinics and the training syllabus are compatible with PVS provided training. Only one summer league had in past provided the USS issued Stroke and Turn test to those individuals expressing an interest to become USS certified. The Committee agreed to start providing copies for these clinics at PVS expense to such individuals in order to encourage more individuals to become certified.

    Referees for PVS Long Course Senior Championship Meets
    Jim Garner will be the Meet Referee and Dick Griffith will serve as the Administrative Referee for the July LC Senior Championship Meet.

    Next Meeting
    The next meeting is scheduled for July 7, 1998 at 7:00 pm at Marty Cohen's office at INOVA. The primary focus will be on staffing the upcoming LC Senior Championship meet.