Minutes for
NES Referees Meeting
August 4, 2001 Brown University

The meeting was chaired by Bill Geary, and the following officials attended:
Priscilla Davis, Jerry Zimmer, Harriet Kinnett, Pat Menard, Nancy Schotter,
Pam Warner, Ched Hooper, Mike Caron, Scott Doty, Chuck Frank, Rich Hui,
Laurie Oeser, and Dave Saunders.

Bill Geary gave a brief introduction, reporting that he is now the
officials chair for NES.  He stated that his goals as the new officials chair
include continuing to ensure that NES has a high level of competence among
its officials, improve recruiting of new officials, encourage retention and
advancement of current officials, improve the level of meet participation by
officials, and encourage large and meet-hosting teams to provide officials.

The key issues relate to officials recruiting, retention, and
participation, as well as encouraging large and meet-hosting teams to develop
officials.  Several ideas were offered to achieve these goals.  These ideas
included:

    - NES should monetarily reward teams who supply meet officials, e.g., by
discounting meet entry fees.

    - Set a goal for the suggested number of officials that a team should
have per swimmer, e.g., 1/25.

    - Require a standard ad in all meet programs encouraging parents to
become officials and providing the necessary information for certification.

    - Provide awards/recognition to officials for long-term service.

    - Offer officials training clinics between sessions at selected swim meets.

    - Establish a rule, to be effective in x months/years, that teams will
not be awarded meets unless they have a meet ref and/or can guarantee a
specified number of officials.

    - Establish in advance a calendar of officials training clinics and
assign facilitators to these clinics.

    - Fine a team that requests a clinic, promises a minimum number of
attendees, and fails to meet the minimum.

The officials chair will establish regional liaisons to the NES officials
chair, as well as liaisons for larger and/or more active teams.  This should
make it easier to communicate important information, address key issues, and
ensure an adequate number of officials at meets.  The liaisons together with
the officials chair could constitute a formal of informal officials
committee.  Scott Doty agreed to develop a proposal for this liaison system.

The following are candidates for advancement to referee:  Don Weaver
(pending completion of test), Chuck Frank, Laurie Oeser, Mike Caron, Steve
McAlarney, Rich Hui, and Dave Saunders.  Scott Doty was recently certified as
a referee.

Scott Doty reported on the Officials Training Clinic that he attended in
May.  NES will send Dave LeBlanc and Joel Meltz to a similar clinic in
September.