Young Leader Officiating Success

Katie from South Hunsley SC has recently been putting her Swimming Officials qualification into good use at both the Go Cardless Swim England National County Teams Championships which were held at Ponds Forge, Sheffield.

Katie chose to train as a Swimming Officiating to help her complete her Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. Katie discovered that she enjoyed the different aspects of the role so quickly progressed from being a Timekeeper to a Judge 1 when she turned 15 years old. She was supported by her club with completing the online learning and gaining practical experience on poolside. In doing so she demonstrated the competencies required of the role.

Katie has officiated at local, district competitions and at Special Olympic events. Working with the referee at each competition has helped to get her competencies signs off. Katie says that the training has helped her obtain a better understanding of the different strokes and that officials don’t disqualify swimmers, it’s the swimmers who disqualify themselves when they don’t do something correctly. Gaining this knowledge has also helped her working as a poolside helper with a group of young swimmers at her club.

Katie recommends other young volunteers train as an officials as it enables them to get involved in other areas and support their club. It also helps develop a better knowledge and understanding which they can pass onto others to improve them as a swimmer.

Katie is now in the process of doing a Swim England Assistant Swimming Coach qualification to help develop her aquatic career further.

Any other young volunteers wanting to train and develop as an technical official can do so at : Swimming Officials or contact swimnortheast@swimming.org for assistance.

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