Ryan Arblaster - Swimming
Australian Sports Commission
When Ryan Arblaster started swimming at the age of eight it opened up a whole new world not just for him, but for his parents Ian and Robyn. All three of them have gone on to become elite swimming officials with Ian an internationally accredited FINA starter, Robyn a FINA open water referee and Arblaster an Australian referee with some major meets to his credit. At 28 Arblaster is one of the younger faces you’re likely to see officiating on a pool deck. While he reached state level with swimming, Arblaster found greater success with refereeing. Within six years of starting his officiating career, Arblaster found himself inspector of turns at the Commonwealth Games in
Melbourne and described the atmosphere as “like nothing I’ve experienced before”. He fits his refereeing commitments around his role as a senior accountant with Sunrise Dam mine, 220km north-east of Kalgoorlie, working there Mondays to Thursdays and flying back to Perth on weekends. Arblaster says his National Officiating Scholarship will help take his officiating to the next level. Already he is waiting to hear whether his nomination for FINA accreditation has been approved and hopes long-term to officiate at the 2012 Olympic Games, but at 28, Arblaster says, “I’ve got time on my side”.
