USSS CR1 – 2022-2023 Alpine Officials Update and Training Opportunities - Listed Below
It typically takes 35 to 40 parent volunteers to put on a race for even our youngest athletes and we need everyone’s help to put on a fair and fun event. Our great group of current parent volunteers, most of whom also started as “newbies”, will provide shadowing/mentoring opportunities throughout the season for new volunteers to ease the transition into alpine ski volunteering. There are a number of Alpine Officials training opportunities this fall.
2022-2023 Alpine Officials Clinic will be at Buck Hill on November 5-6 and in Duluth on November 12-13.
Central Division virtual Rules Update will be on Thursday, November 3 (date change), at 7pm EST / 6pm CST. You need to register HERE by Nov 1st so you are sure to get credit for attending. The ZOOM information is below. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO DO THE UPDATE THIS YEAR SO MAKE SURE YOU ATTEND!
Join Zoom Meeting 7 PM EST / 6 PM CST
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Meeting ID: 841 1868 2814
Passcode: 641923
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Meeting ID: 841 1868 2814
Passcode: 641923
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https://usskiandsnowboard.org/sport-development/officials-development/alpine-officials
We ask parents that have been in the sport for more than a couple of years to consider getting certified as an Alpine Official. There are a number of positions (see job descriptions) that require certification and it helps races run far better to have more parents / guardians certified.
To continue to run fun, fair, and efficient races, your kids need you as the parents to step up and get certified as a race official. This allows you to fill key roles during races and gives you useful background no matter what role you fill.
Are you already certified? You will need to renew your USSS Alpine Officials license, ensure you are current with SafeSport and other training requirements and attend a virtual or in person “Alpine Officials (AO) Update.” You can attend the AO Update on the morning of our in-person training or virtually with Central Division, we will post information on the virtual option once available.
For NEW OFFICIALS:
1) Save the date for either November 5 or 6 at Buck Hill from (8:30am - 3pm; volunteers who are already certified can leave at 10am or so) or November 12 or 13 in Duluth (times TBD)
2) All parents / guardians for each athlete must individually fill out this survey. If you have multiple athletes, you just need to fill it out once. (It is common to have both parents volunteering at a race.)
It takes you less than 2 minutes to complete this form which will help us match you with the best volunteering role for you during the 2022-2023 season.
No ski racing experience required!
Here is background on the positions that require certification:
Chief of Race (oversees the logistics of Race Day)
Chief of Timing (oversees timing to ensure efficient and fair race)
Chief of Course (oversees course workers and race day equipment)
Race Administrator (manages the administration of race paperwork and filing)
Start / Finish Referee (sets up start or finish and marks down racers as they go through)
Referee (generally a role assigned to coaches)
While there are other volunteer positions that do require certification, we REALLY NEED parents to get certified in order to have enough available volunteers for the races.
We can recommend which position to get certified for based on your interests and experience plus our areas of need if you don't know for sure.
Thank you!
Questions: Contact the volunteer coordinator for your team or the Training Coordinator for Region 1, Scott Burns (scottmburns@gmail.com).
Do I have to volunteer?
Yes. Most of our clubs require that you volunteer during the season. Parents typically need to volunteer in 50-75% of the races where their children participate.
Do I have to get certified?
No, but we really need you to. Getting certified allows you to fill one of the key roles on the hill and, if we don't have certified volunteers for these roles, we can't run safe, efficient, and fun races for our young athletes.
Do I need to be an expert in ski racing to do this?
No. The majority of volunteers were not ski racers themselves. We provide mentorship and support on the hill to make sure that volunteers are able to learn the jobs they agree to do.
How big of a time commitment is volunteering in a key position?
The positions vary. Several positions are just "day of" positions where you show up in the morning with your racers and work throughout the day.
Chief of Race and Chief of Course require some pre-planning and coordination with the hill and with Region 1 administration to ensure the logistics of the race are setup ahead of time. Note that we have potential Start/Finish Refs get the Chief of Race certification but we will not push you into a Chief of Race job unless you are interested.
Which position should I get certified for?
You can choose a position that you feel would be a good fit for you:
Will I get paid for this?
We do not compensate volunteers, but volunteers that fulfill certified positions on at least three race days during the season can request reimbursement of the cost of their Alpine Officials license from USSS ($80) from Region One.
As a non-profit volunteer, you may be allowed to deduct any of the expenses you incur in travel / food / etc. that are related to your volunteering from your taxes. (consult your tax advisor). If your position requires that you ski (typically all certified positions except timing and finish referee) you will get a lift ticket for the day.