NELMSC to Host Officials Certification Training Clinic

Are you—or someone you know—a future USMS official?

Learn the ropes at this free clinic open to anyone age 18+.

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Officials Certification Training Clinic for Masters Swimming

Saturday, January 25, 2020

9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Needham, MA

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Photo by Joanna Florio-Jefferys

Meet officials are essential to USMS and the NELMSC; we cannot run USMS-sanctioned or recognized meets without them. While New England currently has a great team of officials, we need to train and certify more officials to ensure that is the case for years to come. 

To that end, the New England LMSC is excited to host its first ever Officials Certification Training Clinic for Masters Swimming this January.

Ken Galica, one of our most experienced Masters officials, will lead this free clinic. The clinic is open to anyone, age 18 or older, who is interested in becoming a U.S. Masters Swimming Certified Official and working at a couple of USMS meets in New England throughout the year. USMS membership is recommended, but not required.

If you are interested in becoming a USMS-certified official or would like further information, please email Sue Jensen, NELMSC Officials Chair.

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Officials Clinic FAQs

Art by Joanna Florio-Jefferys

1. Who can attend this clinic?

This free clinic is open to anyone, 18 years of age or older, who is interested in working at a couple of USMS-sanctioned meets in New England throughout the year. Membership in USMS is recommended, but not required. If you are a currently certified USA Swimming, NCAA, NFHS (high school), or YMCA official, this clinic is not required for you to work at USMS-sanctioned meets.

2. What are the advantages of attending this clinic vs. getting certified online? 

You most certainly can get certified by studying the rulebooks (USA Swimming and U.S. Masters Swimming), and taking the certification tests online. However, attending a clinic with an excellent facilitator in a classroom setting is far more enjoyable and informative, and offers the ability to ask questions and get immediate feedback, as well as to have discussions with the facilitator and fellow students.

3. Which type of certification will be taught (stroke-turn judge, starter, referee)?

This clinic will focus on stroke & turn officiating only.

4. Will participants go through the tests on-site together? Will they leave certified?

After the clinic is over, participants will go home, download both the USA Swimming and U.S. Masters Swimming rulebooks, and take the two online, open-book tests (USA Swimming test and the USMS supplemental test). These tests and the results then get submitted to USMS for the official certification. 

5. Should participants bring a laptop? Is WIFI available?

A laptop is not necessary for this clinic, however, if you’d like to take notes with your computer, please bring it. WIFI will be available.

6. How can I sign up?

To register and/or to receive additional information, email to Sue Jensen, NELMSC Officials Chair, at suejensen4@gmail.com. Seating is limited to 16 students.

NE LMSC Presents 2018 Service Awards at Championship Meet

Contributed by Tara Mack, GBM & Awards & Recognition Chair

BOSTON, MA -- The New England LMSC proudly presented several awards to outstanding members during the 2018 NE LMSC SCY Championship Meet.

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Coach of the Year:  Dan Rogacki

Dan Rogacki with NE LMSC Chair Douglas Sayles

Welcoming, Enthusiastic, Big Heart, Record Keeper, Funny, Remarkable

Dan’s team all commented on his record keeping as well as making each of them a handmade birthday card, and they shared how Dan has built a loving, supportive team that feels more like a family of which they are all grateful to be a part. 

 

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Distinguished Service Award:  Rick Osterberg

Outstanding Service to Masters Swimming & NE LMSC SCY Championship Meet Director

Rick has been the SCY Championship Meet Director for over 15 years and has repeatedly demonstrated outstanding service to Masters Swimming on many levels and consistently promotes Masters Swimming at the Club, NE LMSC, and National levels.

Nominators and supporters repeatedly discussed Rick as demonstrating excellence with respect to his role as the NE LMSC SCY Championship Meet Director in addition to the following: best meet director, supportive, encouraging, thoughtful, quality, dedicated, caring, supportive, running the best meet, great music, great announcer, above and beyond, kind, friendly, fun! 

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Appreciation Award: David Graham

David Graham with NE LMSC Chair Douglas Sayles

Encouragement, Support, Volunteerism, Humor, and an All-Inclusive Spirit

David’s supporters all recognized the tireless efforts he engages in to promote all kinds of swimming events, from pool to open water. He was thanked for a variety of reasons, including for being a personal kayaker in the Kingdom swim, and received accolades for his outreach in all avenues of swimming. A true supporter of the sport!

 

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Appreciation Award: Joel Feldmann

Enthusiasm, Encouragement, Kindness, Love of the Sport and Others

Joel’s nominators mentioned repeatedly that Joel not only encourages everyone on the team, she calls them if they miss a practice to see if they are okay. She is nurturing and strong, and that has proven to be quite an amazing combination.

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Lifetime Appreciation Award:  Priscilla Davis

A few of our officials at the SCY Championship meet

Over 40 years of Service, Laughter, Encouragement, Kindness, and Commitment

Priscilla Davis's team of 13 active officials does a masterful job of tirelessly running our Masters swim meets throughout the year. Each championship meet (WPI and Harvard), they spend 20-25 hours on their feet officiating. They also officiate at all our mini meets throughout the year. Not only that, they are professional, good humored and obviously love what they do. New England is blessed to have such an experienced and friendly group of officials running our meets.

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APPRECIATION AWARD 2018: NE LMSC OFFICIALS

The following officials were also recognized for their outstanding and tireless commitment to provide us all with the best meet experiences while maintaining the professionalism of the sport:

Priscilla Davis

Mary Anne Lustgraaf

Bob Fredette

Jack Kurkul

Ed Gardner

Bob Menck

Ken Galica

Lisa Black Shouldko

Betsy Russell

Sue Hoey

Cam Townsend

Steve Davidson

Steve McAlarney

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Frank Wuest Open Water Swimming Award: Maura Twomey and Paul Goudreau

Paul Goudreau and Lyn Duncan

Lyn Dyncan and Maura Twomey

Frank Wuest invited us to live our best lives. He invited us to embrace the sport of swimming as a vehicle to get involved, to participate, to shine, and to be a part of an incredibly special community as well as to stay fit and active in the pursuit of the negative split! Frank’s passion for the sport was contagious. He was a fast swimmer and he was a committed cheerleader for us all as a collective as well as for all of us individually. With a glint in his eye, and a pace clock in his head, he encouraged us all to go for it! Frank truly represented all that the word community stands for and he did it with grace, ease, humor, love, camaraderie, and at times a little cajoling.

In conjunction with his wife Lyn Duncan, and on behalf of the NELMSC, as the Awards and Recognition Chair, I am honored to announce the 2018 recipients of the Frank Wuest Open Water Swimming Awards: Maura Twomey and Paul Goudreau

Thank you, Frank for continuing to remind us what the most important thing is and always will be: Each other.

Priscilla Davis wins 2017 Adolph Kiefer Safety Commendation Award

DALLAS, TX -- New England LMSC warmly congratulates Priscilla Davis on her receipt of USA Swimming's Adolph Kiefer Safety Commendation Award at this year's United States Aquatic Sports Convention. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Priscilla for her many years of service and support to Masters Swimming as a meet referee and official.

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Don't Forget to Thank Your Officials!

Contributed by Sue Jensen, NE-LMSC Officials Chair

Thank you WPI meet officials !

A huge shoutout and thank you to our amazing team of meet officials at this past weekend’s NE-LMSC & Colonies Zone SCM Championship at WPI: Priscilla Davis, Bob Fredette, Kevin Curley, Sue Hoey and Jack Kurkel. They were the ones with the white shirts, the whistles, the clipboards, and even the cowbells. Together with meet director Alford Green and their combined decades of experience running swim meets, they kept our meet running smoothly, fairly, and efficiently, and in an incredibly professional way too.  

On behalf of the entire NE-LMSC and Colonies Zone, an enormous thank you Priscilla, Bob, Kevin, Sue and Jack. We are grateful for the 25+ hours you spent on deck during this 3-day meet, and for your enthusiastic support of masters swimming. We couldn’t run our meets without you.

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