Far West Officials Page

Welcome to the Far West Officials page. 

You will find information regarding study guides, rules updates, clinics, assignments and general communications from the Officials Chair on this page.

Becoming an Official

Interested in becoming an official or wondering how to move to the next level in your certification?

1. Competition Officials course. This course can be completed from the comfort of your own home, or you may have an invite from US SKi and Snowboards Coaches Education Department to complete your CO via their moodle dashboard.
2. Choose an area of certification: Chief of Race, Chief of Course, Race Administration, Timing and Calculations, Referee (coaches) or Jury Advisor (start and finish ref). Starting with the 17-18 season all Start and Finish referees must be a certified JA or REF for all non-scored and scored events.
3. How do you advance your certification: letters of rec or days served?  Click here for the certification guide to advancement. To keep track of your officials history, please use the AO Personal Activity Record.

Further questions can be sent to the Far West Skiing Office, manager@fwskiing.org, or the Far West AO Chair at lucyschram@gmail.com.

Thank you for taking the time to help make ski racing a success in the Far West Division!

Officials Course Study Guides

Far West Clinic Standards

Requests for clinics must be submitted in writing (E-mail) to: Current Divisional AO Chair

Clinic requests must contain complete clinic information: type of clinic, potential clinic date(s) and times, clinic location and contact information for person responsible for submitting request. Unless there are unusual circumstances all clinics above the CO level will be held after the Annual Fall update clinic.

CO and Update Clinics require a scheduled minimum of two (2) hours. Full clinics which include testing require a minimum of six and one-half hours (6.5)

Instructors are coordinated and approved by the Divisional AO Chair prior to the clinic. In general, the most experienced, qualified, and currently certified available officials are selected to instruct in each specialty area. Preferred level of experience for instructors is level 3 in the specialty area of the class.

The number of instructors assigned to each specialty area class is determined based on class size. In general, one qualified and approved instructor is acceptable. For larger classes two is preferred, and in all cases, those senior officials in attendance are invited to assist as additional instructors.

Exams are printed in color and distributed to Instructor at clinic by Divisional AO Chair. Exams are proctored in person at clinic and completed within designated time with exceptions for special needs. Results of attendance with pass or fail are emailed out to attendees within thirty days of clinic.

All clinics follow study guidelines recommendations (ie: use US Ski and Snowboard approved study guidelines and PPT’s)

Certifications are updated on FW Officials list and forwarded to US Ski and Snowboard multiple times a year. Only the Divisional AO Chair may forward certifications, advancements, and continuing education participation to US Ski and Snowboard for registration in the national database.

If clinic request is approved by Far West, US SKi and Snowboard clinic standards must be followed:

  1. Competition Official (CO) prerequisite for specialty area certification must be observed.
  2. Current education materials must be used.
  3. Downloading, printing, and/or reading the applicable Study Guide is not accepted in lieu of actual attendance at a clinic.
  4. Virtual clinics are accepted with approval and must have attendance recorded multiple times during the course.
  5. If scheduled clinic requires an exam, only current exam may be administered. Exams expire on May1 of competition year.
  6. Exams must be completed at the clinic site; “take-home” exams are not authorized.
  7. Computers are not allowed for calculations and/or 2 nd-run Start List preparation in applicable exams.
  8. Use of prior years’ exams, whether intended as a “practice exam” or as a replacement for current exam, must not be allowed.

Any clinic that does not follow the above policy will not be accepted for credit towards US Ski and Snowboard Alpine Official Certification.

FW Technical Delegates