In conjunction with the recent Canadian Artistic Swimming Qualifier, Synchro Canada hosted a three-day FINA certification school for judges led by Diane van der Pol of Toronto. For the first time ever, the school was attended by national team coaches, a FINA initiative meant to stimulate judge/coach information sharing.
With 22 participants from Canada and Mexico, van der Pol presented two sessions each day covering such topics as recent rule changes, new figures, new technical routine elements, free routines, artistic impression, highlight routines, refereeing and ethics. The current international judge participants concluded their time in the Canadian Judges Certification School with a 2.5 hour exam, which led to their continued certification as FINA judges.
A long-time nationally and Internationally certified judge and evaluator in both Canada and around the world, van der Pol, as a FINA School Leader, is one of only eight people in the world who holds this position.
Lisa Schott, from Calgary, Alberta, the Chair of the FINA Artistic Swimming Technical Committee (TASC), was pleased to see the participation in the school. “Diane is a gifted presenter, highly recognized for both her curriculum development and the practical exercises she leads to help develop qualified officials. We were really pleased with the exchange of information between all participants and in particular, the dialogue between judges and the national coaches in attendance – this sharing will ensure both groups move the sport forward in a unified direction.”