USAT Florida Regional Website

How to become a USA Triathlon official:

To become a USA Triathlon official, one must participate in one of the many clinics held around the country each
year. There is no charge for attending a clinic. One must be a member of USA Triathlon and bring the membership
card or join at the clinic. Clinics are held in conjunction with a sanctioned event, and will have USA Triathlon officials
assigned to marshal the race. The Officials Certification Clinic consists of about three hours of classroom lecture and
discussion. Each clinic has a limited number of spaces and applicants are urged to contact the clinic instructor to
reserve a space early. Each participant is sent files for the Officials Manual and a take-home exam that must be
completed and returned to the instructor prior to the beginning of the class. Classroom portions of the clinics are
taught on the day or evening prior to the triathlon or duathlon. On race day, the clinic participant will be assigned to
marshal some portion of the race, under the supervision of the clinic instructor. USA Triathlon officials uniforms are
issued to each new official on race day. \
Upon completion of the Officials Certification Clinic (classroom, examination and race practicum), the graduate is
classified as a Category 4 Official. Cat 4 Officials have 12 months from the date they attend a clinic to become fully
certified as Cat 3 referees. Full certification requires the Cat 4 Referee to work an additional two races under a USAT
referee's supervision, and in a volunteer capacity. To remain active, Cat 1, 2 or 3 officials are required to attend a
certification clinic every two years and to successfully pass a certification examination.

USAT ITU Officials
The USAT ITU Officials program is a parallel program and offers training to become an ITU Official. USAT ITU Officials
work at all draft-legal events such as World Cup races, international points events and junior world qualifying events.
The job description of a USA Triathlon official:
The best job description of a USAT Official is that described in the Competitive Rules under Section 9:
9.2 Head Referee. Beginning with the start of the event and until all scores are finalized, the decisions of the Head
Referee are final and binding with respect to all competition matters pertaining to the event, with the exception of
decisions by the Protest Committee.
9.3 Powers of the Head Referee. The Head Referee shall be empowered:
(a) To interpret and enforce these Competitive Rules and any other regulations or policies of USA Triathlon;
(b) To supervise and control the general conduct of all participants, to require that a participant withdraw from an
event, and to intercede during a competition at any stage to ensure that the Competitive Rules are observed;
(c) To invoke and impose penalties for violations of these Rules and to prominently post a list of all violations and
penalized participants designated by race number at a site located near the finish of the event;
(d) To make decisions on any point not specifically covered in these Rules;
(e) To instruct, direct, assign duties to, and delegate authority to all other race officials;
(f) To examine the equipment or other items of any participant at any time to check compliance with these Rules, and
to make the final and binding decision as to whether any equipment or other item is improper or unauthorized;
(g) To overrule any Judge, Marshall, or other race official on any point of interpretation of these Rules, and to resolve
differences of opinion between or among Marshals, Judges, or other race officials;
(h) To establish all aspects of protest procedure, including the time and place of hearing, to impose sanctions for
noncompliance with established procedure, and to assess penalties in accordance with the resolution of any protests;
and
(i) To prepare a report of actions taken and decisions rendered by the Protest Committee and to make
recommendations on improving race operations.
9.4 Duties of the Head Referee. The Head Referee shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
(a) The Head Referee shall wear distinctive clothing or other means of identification;
(b) The Head Referee shall establish an officials' headquarters located near the finish of the event;
(c) The Head Referee shall use and maintain a violation posting board erected by race management;
(d) The Head Referee shall process violations reported by Marshals diligently and as soon as possible and shall
reviewevery violation with the appropriate reporting Marshal;
(e) The Head Referee shall determine the relative severity of any offense or violation;
(f) The Head Referee shall assess an appropriate penalty;
(g) The Head Referee shall retain the results of reported violations and decisions and shall review the information in
connection with all protests; and
(h) The Head Referee shall submit all appropriate data which affects final results to the Head Timer for incorporation
into final race results.
The categories of officials (Cat I, II, etc) and how to upgrade:
CAT 5 (clinic participant only)
1. Attend, participate, and complete classroom session of clinics.
2. Satisfactorily complete the written examination of the Competitive Rules.
3. Demonstrate a sincere interest in officiating.
4. Be a member of USA Triathlon.
5. Participate satisfactorily in the race practicum.
CAT 4
1. Satisfactorily participate in the clinic and related race event.
2. Be recommended by the clinic instructor to the Regional Coordinator.
3. Be a member of USA Triathlon.
Note: Cat 4 may serve as a Marshal or Assistant Referee.
CAT 3
1. Satisfactorily assist in two (2) sanctioned events within 12 months, supervised by a Cat 1, 2, or 3.
2. Supply the Regional Coordinator with application for advancement and all appropriate documents of experience
including letters of recommendation from supervising officials.
3. Satisfactorily complete a certification clinic every two (2) years.
4. Be a member of USA Triathlon.
Note: Cat 3 may operate as Head Referee.
CAT 2
1. Serve as a Cat 3 for at least one (1) year.
2. Satisfactorily work at six (6) events including service as Head Referee at two (2) of those events after advancing to
Cat 3.
3. Satisfactorily complete a certification clinic every two (2) years.
4. Be recommended in writing by two (2) referees (Cat 1 or 2) as demonstrating excellent officiating skills and
judgment.
5. Submit application for advancement, with documentation to Regional Coordinator.
6. Be a member of USA Triathlon.
CAT 1
1. Serve as a Cat 2 for at least one (1) year
2. Satisfactorily work at eight (8) events including service as Head Referee at four (4) events after advancing to Cat
2. One of the Head assignments must be at a “Pro rules” event.
3. Satisfactorily complete a certification clinic every two- (2) years.
4. Be recommended in writing by two (2) Cat 1 referees as having demonstrated superior officiating skills and
judgments.
5. Submit application for advancement, with documentation to RC.
6. Be a member of USA Triathlon.
Races that require officials (championships, etc):
Only championship or Ironman qualifier events require officials. However, every race director is required by sanction
to enforce the Competitive Rules. Wise race directors will usually contract to have USA Triathlon certified officials
present, as they are the only people specifically trained and experienced to handle the myriad problems that rules
enforcement entails.

How officials are chosen for high profile races:
The Regional Officials Coordinators choose the appropriate officiating team for all USA Triathlon events where
officials are requested. Only the most experienced officials are assigned to pro-rules events, Ironman qualifiers, and
USA Triathlon championships.
Value to athletes and race directors of USA Triathlon officials at events:
Though race directors can provide safe, challenging and fun events, only properly trained officials can bring fairness
to the athletes. Triathletes look for and count on USA Triathlon Officials to enforce the Competitive Rules at triathlons
and duathlons. The absence of officials usually means that “anything goes” and athletes have not been given an
opportunity to fairly measure themselves against their competitors.
Race directors count on USA Triathlon Officials to take care of all the rules enforcement, leaving the race directors
free to do what they know best: coordinate a safe and challenging event, and take care of their customers.

Organization structure:

The Officials Program is governed by the Commissioner, who reports to the Executive Director of USA Triathlon, and
a group of Regional Officials Coordinators who manage the program within each of USA Triathlon's geographical
regions. The Commissioner and each of the Regional Coordinators work closely with USA Triathlon administrators,
race directors, and athletes in order to provide the best trained officials to sanctioned events around the country.
Fairness and consistency are our primary goals.

2005 ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTORY
Commissioner of Officials
Charlie Crawford
227 Woodfield Drive
Auburn, AL 36830
(334) 332-9092 cell
(334) 821-8817 home
Charlie@usatriathlon.org

Deputy Commissioner (ITU)
Reg Whatley
6896 Peach Tree Rd.
Carlsbad, CA 92009
(760) 804-7336 office
(760) 804-7335 home
(760) 519-9617 cell
rwhatley@gmail.com

Event Services Director
Kathy Matejka
USA Triathlon National Office
1365 Garden of the Gods Rd. Ste
250
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
(719) 597-9090 ext 113 office
(719) 597-2121 fax
kathy@usatriathlon.org

Florida Region Coordinator
George Miller
1140 SW 42nd Terrace
Cape Coral, FL 33914
(239) 281-1905 cell
(239) 540-1910 home/fax
triref@gmail.com

Mid-Atlantic Region
Coordinator
Ann Snoeyenbos
62 Burkleigh Road
Towson, MD 21286
Tel home 410-821-1306
Tel work 410-516-6992
annsnoeyenbos@yahoo.com

Mideast Region Coordinator
Richard Anton
713 Glen Iris Ct
Nashville, TN 37221
(615) 936-6058 office
(615) 715-6097 home
(615) 936-6078 fax
sugna7@gmail.com

Midwest Region Coordinator
Lucy Harr
P.O. Box 45742
Madison, WI 53744-5742
(608) 877-9133 office/home
(608) 877-9144 fax
lucy.harr@gmail.com
New England Region
Coordinator

Pam Zawada
679 Concord Rd
Marlboro, MA 10752
Tel work 508-787-6336
Home 508-229-8075
pazawada@gmail.com

Northwest Regional Coordinator
Danette Harrington
2501 E. Sherman Ave. #185
Coeur D’Alene, ID 83814
(208) 667-8411 office
(509) 680-2300 cell
danette.harrington@gmail.com

Pacific Region Coordinator
Kathy Nohr
46-112 Kiowai St #3013
Kaneohe, HI 96744
(808) 524-2466 ext 133 office
(808) 277-1954 cell
(808) 247-2421 home
katharintg@aol.com

Rocky Mountain Region
Coordinator
Jim (James) Flint
7583 S Salida Ct
Centennial, CO 80016
(303) 397-5571 work
(303) 796-8581 home
(303) 521-5990 cell
(303) 397-5298 fax
jim.flint@galileo.com

Southeast Region Coordinator
Richard Anton
713 Glen Iris Ct
Nashville, TN 37221
(615) 936-6058 office
(615) 715-6097 home
(615) 936-6078 fax
sugna7@gmail.com

South-Midwest Region
Coordinator
Ed Cheatham
606 Brawner Pkwy
Corpus Christi, TX 78411
(361) 854-9258 office/home
echeatham@gmail.com

Southwest Region Coordinator
Steve Blum
5100 Coe Ave #186
Seaside, CA 93955
(831) 582-0700 office
(831) 582-0725 fax
(925) 212-3793 cell
steveblum@tellusventure.com