Ed Kaminski volunteers for 37+ years
37 years after his daughter finished being a synchronized swimmer, Ed Kaminski is still a steady volunteer with United States Synchronized Swimming at the national level. "Our daughter was in synchronized swimming back in '69, and dad just kept going," he chuckles.
Ed Kaminski coordinates sound and electronic scoring systems for all U.S. National competitions, and serves as Technical Advisor to the Event Management Committee of USSS. He worked with the sound systems at the 1984 (Los Angeles) and 1996 (Atlanta) Olympic Games.
Ed has been recognized with three awards from the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF). According to the ISHOF website, he was honored with the 2000 Paragon Award, the 1989 USSS Hall of Fame Contributor Award and the 1996 Lillian MacKellar Distinguished Service Award. Click here for the rest of Ed's bio on the Hall of Fame website.
What does he like about using Colorado Time Systems equipment for synchronized swimming? "It's so easy to run, and easy to show volunteers how to run it," he said.
"Using Colorado Time Systems equipment has helped us a great deal," Ed noted. "It speeds up the meet."
With a CTS system for Synchronized Swimming, judges enter their scores in electronic Judging Terminals, which are connected to a CTS System 5 or System 6. The System 5 or System 6 queries the terminals for the score, and then tabulates the score based on Synchronized Swimming rules. The scoring operator can allow the scores to appear on the scoreboard as they come in, or hold the scores and post them when they are all in and verified. Without electronic scoring, judges use flash cards to indicate their scores, and then the final score is tabulated by hand. "Then the announcer would have to read each judge's score all the way around, which definitely slowed down the meet," Ed said. "Now we just press a button, and bingo! The scores go up on the board."
What advice would he give to someone working with synchro sound and scoring equipment? "Try to find a dedicated person who will be responsible for the equipment . . . setting it up, packing it up."
Why volunteer? According to Ed, being involved with U. S. Synchronized Swimming is like being part of a family. "Everyone works together. I say we're a 'road show.' It's fun to be a part of."
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