• The competition is conducted within the spirit of the rules for the safety and well-being of the participants.
• The competition is conducted in a manner permitting complete opportunity for achievement of all participating athletes.
• An atmosphere of enjoyment is promoted.

• Meet coordinator
• Referee
• Starter
• Recorder
• Timer
• Finish line judge
• Clerk of the Course
• Runners
• Lap recorder
• Track steward
• Announcer
• Competitor steward

• To ensure competition organizers have access to appropriately certified officials.
• To ensure officials have access to appropriate training in a timely and cost effective manner.
• To ensure that officials remain current.
• To recognize the success and celebrate the contribution of officials.

The Officials Committee is responsible for the development, support and oversight of officials in Nova Scotia. It will work with the provincial clubs to ensure that there are sufficient qualified officials to support the competition program in the province, and that training and development opportunities are available to officials in the province.

The committee will work in collaboration with the New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland associations to share resources for officials development wherever possible, and will liaise with the Officials Development Committee of Speed Skating Canada regarding its national officials development program, and to update the national database of officials.

The committee is responsible for advising the Finance Committee of the resources needed to fund these activities, for working with the Finance Committee on the development of funding submissions, and for administering the funds included in the committee’s budget.

The committee will include at least three members of the Board. The Chair will be selected by the committee members from among their number.

The officials certification program consists of five levels for referees and starters, three levels for competitor steward, meet coordinators, timers, finish line judges, announcers, recorders, and all other officials.

Each level has specific technical, practical and performance requirements:

• The technical requirements include attendance at a clinic of the appropriate level
• The practical requirements include officiating at the appropriate number of non-sanctioned and sanctioned competitions as either an assistant or chief official.
• The performance requirements include a satisfactory evaluation from the chief official or senior branch official, a documented recommendation from the Branch and a review and approval from the branch and/or SSC Officials Development Committee.

Responsibilities for certification are as follows:

• Certification at Levels 1 and 2 is the responsibility of the branch. Certification should follow the OCP requirements.
• Certification at Levels 3B (SSC sanctioned meets) and 3A (National Age Class Championships/ Junior Trials) is the responsibility of SSC.
• Certification at Level ISU International (International Competitions, including ISU sanctioned Can-Am competitions, Senior Trials) and Level ISU (World Cups, world championships and Olympic Games) is the responsibility of both the SSC and the ISU.

Specific Certification Requirements are available for each level.

• Referees and starters (Levels 1, 2, 3B, 3A, ISU International and ISU)
• Competitors stewards (Levels ISU International and ISU)
• Meet coordinators (Levels 1, 2, 3)
• Recorders, timers, finish line judges, announcers, and all other officials (Levels 1, 2 and 3)

To learn more about how speed skating officials in Canada are accredited, check out the Speed Skating Canada site.