Team Events

Upcoming Events

PSSA Call for Officials!

Joseph Shelly

Hi all!

Had a meeting with our PSSA (Puget Sound Swim Association) who oversee all YMCA meets in the area, and the numbers for officials in our region are looking scarce.

I was saving my recruitment effort for the upcoming parent meeting, but want to push this out there early. Without officials, swim meets cannot function. The parent meeting will be scheduled shortly, as coaches are confirming availability today (I hope to give everyone a date by early next week at the latest).

Here is a message from our lead officials trainer Earl, which goes over the roles of each official as well as the process on how to become one:

 

"

Introduction. Thank you for your interest in becoming a YMCA Swim Official.  Between September 11 and November 16, 2023, we are offering several classes.  These classes will be taught over Zoom.  The classes are:

 

  • Y Swimming Orientation - The one-hour class is an overview of the YMCA core values and mission statement as they apply to being a swim official, a review of facilities, equipment, and the minimum number of officials requirements to conduct a swim meet.  You do not need to register in advance for this orientation.  These will be offered multiple times.  All you will have to do is attend one of these one-hour orientations listed on Puget Sound Swimming Association (PSSA) webpage.

 

  • Swim Official Level 1 – this is the YMCA entrance level class that teaches the basics of how to be a swim official with an emphasis on judging the races/events.

 

  • Swim Official Level 2 – this is the YMCA advanced class at focuses on how to start races/events, oversee other officials, and handle meet management.  To be eligible to take this class you must have been a fully certified YMCA Level I or USA-S official for at least one year and have served a minimum of 8 sessions as a fully certified YMCA and/or USA-S Swim Official.

 

  • Administrative Official – this is a class that teaches individuals how to monitor the result of each race/event, ensure times are accurately documented, and assist Level 2 officials with the swim meet management.

 

Eligibility.  Only individuals who are at least 21 years of age and are associated with a recognized YMCA swim team are eligible to enroll in these classes. 

 

Important. In addition to individuals new to officiating, any current officials interested in renewing their credentials should also take this class. Current officials should check their expiration date on the PSSA Officials Roster to see if they should recertify their credentials by taking one of the classes.

 

PSSA Affiliated Cost.  The registration fee is $-0- for individuals who are affiliated with a Puget Sound Swimming Association (PSSA) team.  Those teams are:

 

AUBURN VALLEY YMCA, BREMERTON YMCA, GORDON FAMILY YMCA, LAKEWOOD YMCA,

MEL KORUM YMCA, MORGAN FAMILY YMCA, NORTHSHORE YMCA, SKAGIT VALLEY YMCA,

SOUTH SOUND YMCA, TOM TAYLOR FAMILY YMCA, WEST SEATTLE FAMILY YMCA, WHATCOM YMCA,

YMCA OF GRAYS HARBOR, and YMCA OF SNOHOMISH COUNTY

 

Non-PSSA Affiliated Cost.  For those individuals not affiliated with the Puget Sound Swimming Association (PSSA) the fee is $45.

 

How to register for the classes.  Additional information about each of these classes, including registration instructions, are located on the PSSA website, under the PSSA Officials & Classes tab at:

 

2023 Swim Officials Class Registration Instructions

 

If you have any questions about the class, please contact Earl Long at [email protected] or cell/text at 206-581-4688.

 

"

 

Best,
Joseph Shelly