- Learning a life skill
- Getting fit
- Discipline
- Learning to compete
- Learning to win and lose
- Setting and achieving goals
- Making friends
I am pleased to post a short report from Chris Stray about the recent opportunities/experiences he has had in short time as a swimming official.
"In October I applied to take part in an opportunity with the Youth Sport Trust to attend the National Talent Camp as an official. This put me in contact with a mentor who helps me develop in the sport of swimming.
A while back, I was given the opportunity to observe at the British Championships Swimming competition at the Aquatics Centre in London as an official. The overall experience was amazing, it allowed me see the pinnacle of British Swimming from a new exciting perspective. All of the officials were very welcoming and passionate about the sport. I had the opportunity to look at several different areas of running the event, including talking to starters, referees, judges and the team of Technical staff operating the timing equipment and the IT for the event. This allowed me to see the vital roles everybody volunteering for an event of this calibre has. Everybody at the event, swimmers, coaches and officials all wanted to be the best they could be. It is this drive for success which makes swimming as a sport special and why attending an event like this can show all of the opportunities available to you in swimming. During my time at the pool a meeting took place discussing swimming from an official's point of view, and how the swimming officials will continue and develop in the future to become better as an entity.
On poolside I had the opportunity to listen in on radio communication of infringements. This gave me a new understanding of the national protocol and the way discrepancies are dealt with. The general atmosphere on poolside was relaxed in the sense everyone was calm, prepared and the team was working well as one. Each person in the team played their role effectively ensuring the races were fair.
In the next week I will be attending the ASA National Summer Championships as an official and I will use the knowledge I have gained from the British champs to my advantage at this event."
