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BTC needs YOU to become a Triathlon Technical Official

12/08/2009 9:55:45 PM

Make new friends, travel to picturesque places around NSW where tri’s happen, free rides on the back of motorbikes and more. This could open up a whole new chapter in your involvement with the sport. And by the way, you don’t have to be old and grey

 

By Allan Harrison, member BTC

Why did I become a Technical Official (TO)?

Because I love the sport and found a way to stay involved after 15 years as a competitor, once permanent injuries put me in the cheer squad. I have made new friends and travelled to picturesque places around NSW where tri’s happen. It has opened up a whole new chapter in my involvement with the sport. And by the way, you don’t have to be old and grey.

Not many of you will even know who I am, because I joined BTC when recuperating from knee surgery and competed in precious few club races before the knees dictated that it was all over red rover. My tri career included a World Masters, years of Kurnells (incl a series bronze), Sri-Chinmoys (incl off road) and Noosas, the Raratonga International, Yeppoon etc.

A close friend (Paul Worth) suggested that there was life after competition and here I am, resplendent in my lime green hi-vis TO’s jacket, zipping around on the back of a draft-busting Harley (or preferably something less noisy so you don’t hear me coming) and waving my yellow card at the drafters.

Now truth is, I am the only active TO in BTC. That means that we get a whole 10 points at Club Champs for my efforts. We were beaten into 3rd place by The Hills TC who had three TO’s (= 30 points).  

There is more to being a TO than officiating at Club Champs, but let’s look at the process.

There is a standing offer from Triathlon NSW to conduct an “In Club”, Level 1 TO’s Course for any club which can put together a minimum of six candidates.

The course is free, conducted at a venue provided by the club, runs for about four hours and would be held on a Friday evening or (preferably) a Saturday. Light refreshments are provided by Tri NSW.

What’s involved?

• Attendance at the Level 1 Technical Officials Course.
• Satisfactory completion (at home) of an open book exam.
• Agree and sign “Officials  Code of Behaviour” Agreement.
• Complete a “Field Of Play” (FOP) assessment at a sanctioned event after passing the exam.
• Complete the online “Introductory Officiating General Principles” assessment. (NOAS Scheme).
• Attendance at a minimum of three sanctioned events annually to maintain accreditation.

The foregoing requirements are neither arduous nor overly time-consuming and simply underline candidates’ commitment to triathlon and to sport in general (NOAS)

Understandably, the respective motivations of Tri NSW and its affiliated Clubs to have people qualify as TO’s will differ. Clubs want points at Club Champs and Tri NSW simply needs to have more TO’s. Tri NSW plays an even hand in allocating TO’s to Club Champs and, for obvious reasons, a successful course candidate who simply meets minimum requirements as a TO would not automatically officiate at Club Champs (ie you gotta pull your weight elsewhere).

Please let the club know (email) if you are interested. We need to have more qualified TO’s in BTC and we need to set a course date, SOON so that successful candidates can use the new season to meet requirements before Club Champs.

 

 

 

 

 

By: Allan Harrison

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