Officials Development
Volunteers Officials are a very important part of hosting fun and safe races for all participants. Officials play many roles during a race. Biathlon Saskatchewan supports Officials training.
Entry Level Official
To be licensed as an official, (parent volunteers are still encouraged to help out at races) there is a training program for introductory officials. The training program includes both the completion of modules offered on the internet and competition experience.
You may study each of the modules on your own time at your own pace. A multiple-choice test follows each module. Competition experience can be gained through hosting a race at your own club and helping with races at other clubs.
To be licensed as a biathlon official, you must complete at least five of the eight study modules and achieve satisfactory performance during competition in each of the five areas.
Biathlon Saskatchewan encourages you to successfully complete all eight modules and related competition experience. This will help you have the knowledge and skills needed to volunteer in any of the numerous, non-supervisory officiating positions at a biathlon competition.
The 8 modules are:
- Course
- Timing
- Results
- Start-Finish
- Stadium-Support
- Equipment Check
- Penalty Loop
- Range
Quick Facts about the Modules
- Each module is a stand-alone qualification for work in a particular area.
- The modules can be studied in any order.
- You may take as much time as desired to complete each module, but it is expected the average time needed will be about 1 1/2 hours.
Competition Experience
After completing a module and test, you need to gain practical, competition experience in that particular area. You must serve as an official in each module study area for at least one full day of competition. For a weekend, two-day biathlon event, you may work each day in a different area to satisfy the requirements for competition experience in two modules. Your experience as an official in competition will be assessed by your Supervisor (Provincial Coach).
Getting Started
To access the Entry Level Officials Development Program, you require a username and password issued by Biathlon Canada. Please send the following information in an email titled “Officials Password” to aholmwood@biathloncanada.ca
- Full Name
- Address
- City & Province
- Postal Code
- Email address
- Club Name
- Division Name
For More Information
http://biathloncanada.ca/sport-development/officials/entry-level-program/
Advanced Officials Development
To become an official that takes on one of the more important roles at a biathlon race such as Chief of Range, Chief of Course, Chief of Timing and Chief of Competition you must attend more in-depth training, which normally takes place over a weekend.
To host a major race such as Nationals or Western Canadian Championships, these officials are required. Normally, a learning facilitator is brought in to give the weekend clinic with costs being covered by Biathlon Saskatchewan. To hold a clinic in your community, contact doug.sylvester@sasktel.net (Provincial Coach) for more information.
Dryfiring
What is Dryfiring?
Dryfiring is practicing shooting your rifle without live ammunition, usually in your own basement aiming at small black dots. (It is much cheaper than real bullets!)
Most serious athletes dryfire five days a week or even every day.
One of the best things to practice while dryfiring is learning how to get into and out of your shooting position superfast!
How Do I Become a Better Shot?
Dryfire!!!
How Long Do I Dryfire For Each Day?
Dryfiring is easy to do and it takes ten to fifteen minutes each day.
Tips for Racing at Canmore
Tips For Racing In Canmore Dec. 19, 20
If you have never been to Canmore for a race here are a few tips that might help make your weekend more enjoyable.
The races happen on Saturday and Sunday and usually families travelling from Saskatchewan travel on the Thursday. Often there will be a short, fun ski practice (no shooting) at 7:00pm(meet at the Nordic Center) that is optional.
Each athlete must be registered ahead of time using “zone 4”. Enter “Saskatchewan” for your club (which helps to coordinate firing lane assignments for official practice) and remember to register before the deadline passes.
Official Practice
Friday is the “Official Practice” day which means that you can ski your loops for the race and practice shooting. Athletes practice at the same times as they race. Junior Men and Women always practice in the morning and Senior Boys and Girls are sometimes in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon. Dev 1 and 2 races along with air rifle races are always in the afternoon. Bring a recovery snack and drink!
Club coaches will be there to work with younger athletes while the Provincial Coach will manage the older athletes who are on the Provincial Team.
Wax
The snow in Canmore is fast and hard and usually it is best to wax before you travel. Usually Toko Pink or Start Green over a layer of soft yellow wax is a good bet.
Rifles And Ammo
Make sure your rifle has a trigger lock and note that all rifles must be in a soft or hard case in the parking lot. Usually 300 rounds are more than enough to last a weekend and try not to switch bullets during the weekend. Make sure the bedding bolts on your rifle are tight and the action is smooth and clean. This is the responsibility of the athlete.
Where To Stay?
Places where some families have stayed before include the following:
Windtower - http://windtower.ca/ - may have a special Biathlon Sask room rate for 1 bedroom suite at $99 and 2 bedroom suite at $149
Canadian Rocky Chalets - http://www.canadianrockieschalets.com/ - variety of 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom accomodations
Rocky Mountain Ski Lodge - http://www.rockyski.ca/
Econo lodge - http://www.canmoremountainlodge.com/
Quality Inn - http://www.chateaucanmore.com/
Am I Ready???
If you are not sure whether you are ready to tackle the tough ski trails at Canmore, ask the provincial coach to get a sense of where you fit.
Frozen Thunder
Every winter the people at the Canmore Nordic Center make a big pile of man-made snow when it is cold and then cover it in sawdust—this keeps it from melting over the summer. Every year, around Oct 20th, they use dumptrucks to haul out the snow and make a trail that is 1-2 km long. This trail is perfect for early skiing in October and November and is great for getting a lot of volume skiing in before December rolls around and it is racing season.
Serious skiers form Saskatchewan often go there to:
- get used to skis rather than rollerskis
- put in lots of miles on skis – usually we ski two or three times per day
- practice shooting with skis on
- work on balance
This early preparation for the season helps to align our athletes with success.
“Champions are made in the summer and fall— not in the winter.”