Among the most technical of volunteer activities are the various positions on the pool deck and in the recording room.  For this reason, many potential volunteers are apprehensive about assuming these positions because they feel they lack the skill or knowledge.  Yet those who do overcome their apprehensions find these important jobs are also among the most personally rewarding.

Without the deck officials and recording room staff, a swim meet is nothing more than a public swim.  It is these volunteers whose presence establishes the meet as a competition whose results  can be used to qualify swimmers in future competitions and provide a means for those swimmers to measure their performance against others in a fair and equitable manner.

Of course, if such comparisons are to be valid, then it is important that uniform standards and procedures be followed throughout the province, and it is my job, with the assistance of the regional and club directors of officials to try and ensure that the standards and practices are applied in the same way at every meet.

To this end,  volunteers  learn the basics through clinics held by their club or regional director of officials, and then develop their  confidence and competency through practice on the pool deck.  As with any skill,  competency comes not only from knowledge but also from experience.  Consequently after a volunteer has been practicing as an official in a variety of positions for a sufficient period of time, and their skills in those positions have been assessed as satisfactory by the regional director of officials, recognition of this achievement is acknowledged through the BCSSA by awarding the volunteer an official's pin.

Though discreet in size, the pin has a very significant and specific purpose.  It is a indication of accreditation that the wearer is skilled in the officiating activities represented by the pin, is competent to perform those activities, and will do so in a manner consistent with the standards and practices established by the BCSSA.

Different pins denote different skills or levels of competency: A green pin is awarded for demonstrated skill and experience in at least two of: lane timer, lane recorder, marshall, crash desk clerk.  A red pin is awarded for demonstrated skill and experience in all four activities associated with the green pin, as well as four of: place judge, chief timer, stroke & turn judge, clerk of the course, electronic timing systems.  An orange pin is awarded for demonstrated skill at a senior level in at least one technical activity.

A light-blue pin is awarded for demonstrated skill and experience with all activities associated with the red pin, as well as a minimum of three years experience including work at regionals and experience in at least three of the following positions:  chief meet recorder, starter, referee,  meet manager. 

A dark-blue pin is awarded to those individuals with knowledge and proficiency in all aspects of the pool deck, as well as having conducted officials clinics and worked at provincials in a senior position.  A written examination must also be completed.

Let me stress that you do not need a pin to work the pool deck.  The pin is but a recognition of an accumulation of skills and experience that we at BCSSA wish to acknowledge.  However a pin does convey to any club hosting a meet that you have the ability to provide assistance without instruction or supervision at certain tasks.  For many volunteers it provides a focus during the swim season for their energies while their children work at improving their times.

If you are the parent of a young swimmer and have reached the point where you expect to be involved with summer swimming in the foreseeable future,  I encourage you to explore more fully the actitivities and responsibilities of working the deck.  Talk to people who are doing these jobs now and attend a clinic offered by your club even if you are not sure you want to participate further.  The knowledge you gain will only help you to understand the process and enjoy the meet more.