Are you interested in playing a critical role at speed skating competitions? Do you want to see the action from ice level? If you want to give back to speed skating and the development of speed skaters in BC, officiating might be for you!
Photo Credit: Michael Mong
In BC, officiating is overseen by the BCSSA Officials Development Committee (ODC). The ODC can be contacted directly at officialsdevelopment@nullbcspeedskating.ca. Each BCSSA club has a Club Official’s Liaison, whose main roles are to be the contact person between ODC and the club, maintain the club’s officials’ contact information, update club officials about rule changes, pair officials for mentorship opportunities and arrange for Officials Clinics.
Become an Official
Speed skating officials are typically involved at competitions (meets) throughout the season. Some officials are also more involved with their local clubs throughout the season (e.g. at practices) as coaches, administrators or general volunteers. The formal officiating system used in speed skating is administered by the International Skating Union, Speed Skating Canada and BCSSA, depending on the level of official (Levels 1-5 are available). Officials training includes course-based learning and mentoring opportunities, to learn sport-specific knowledge, safety considerations, fair play and ethical tips, and much more.
Anyone interested in officiating is encouraged to speak with their local Club Official’s Liaison about becoming a Club Assistant (no formal training required). Not all officiating positions involve being on-ice or having skating experience. Information about upcoming Officials Clinics can be found on the BCSSA Calendar of Events, indicated in red.
Existing Officials
Volunteer officials are a critical component to hosting successful speed skating competitions. Officials volunteer for camaraderie, to give back to the sport, and for personal development. With appropriate experience, officials are encouraged to upgrade their Level of Officiating. Please see the Officials Upgrading page for more details.
