On June 13th at the Summer Splash Swim Meet at Olympic High School, the bell will sound signifying that it is the last lap in the 500 yard freestyle event and ringing out the twenty-plus year officiating career of Nick Giovanni.

Nick has been a volunteer swimming official and meet referee at Olympic Aquatic Club for the past 22 years. Even though the last of his daughters graduated from club swimming to college 11 years ago, Nick has continued to officiate for both high school and Pacific Northwest Swimming club swim meets throughout the area.

It is estimated that Nick presided over 115,200 swims and 28,800 swimmers at high school swim meets, and 130,820 swims and 34,760 at Olympic Aquatic Club swim meets. The numbers are almost certainly higher than that, as he has refereed for several other swim clubs locally and out of state.

Nick’s dedication to the sport of swimming is unparalleled. Missed home meets were virtually unheard of, although last year he did miss one day of one meet (but officiated the other two days) to attend the wedding of his daughter.

Coach Emeritus, Bonnie Burmaster, remembers that, though an ardent Coug, Nick still made it a priority to be on deck during the annual WSU-UW Apple Cup.

“He was always torn as to where he wanted to be, but he was always there for OAC. He coined the saying, ‘If swimming was easy, they’d call it football,'” said Burmaster.

Olympic Aquatic Club will be honoring Nick with a special surprise ceremony and celebration on June 14th, around noon (between the morning and afternoon sessions) during Olympic Aquatic Club’s last home meet of the swim season at Olympic High School Aquatic Center near Silverdale.

For those who swam under the the watchful eyes of Nick Giovanni and would like to participate in some way, contact James Tubberville:jetset97@msn.com.