Swimming and Diving official, Tim Voltmann was recently honored with the 2021 Distinguished Service Award.

Tim Voltmann has been a swim and diving official for more than 25 years. This year Voltmann was recognized for his service and support to the sport of swimming by the New York State Certified Swimming Officials Association and was presented with the 2021 Distinguished Service Award.

While Voltmann’s involvement in officiating goes back 25 years, his love for the sport has been much longer. Voltmann began swimming at the Jamestown Boys Club about 58 years ago and then swam at the YMCA and then with Jamestown High School.

“It’s an individual sport based on a team and when you do it as a team it makes it even better,” Voltmann said, referring to what he enjoys about the sport.

During his high school days, Voltmann competed on some great teams that would make it easy to fall in love with the sport. Voltmann was a member of the great Jamestown Red Raiders swimming teams in the mid 1970s under Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame coach Bill Rollinger.

“He was the toughest man that I ever came to love,” Voltmann said about his experience under coach Rollinger.

In the pool Voltmann was a sectional champion. He participated in the 200 freestyle, 100 and 200 butterfly, and 200 medley relay.

“In ’74-’75 we were the No. 4 team in New York state,” Voltmann said about some of the teams he was on. “We had several competitors make it to the state meet.”

After high school Voltmann didn’t stop swimming as he competed briefly in college and in masters leagues in the 1990s. Voltmann noted outside the pool that he was able to compete in an open water swim in the Buffalo Harbor, an event which U.S. Olympian Amanda Beard was also competing in.

That was not Voltmann’s first encounter with Olympians. Back 45 years ago, Voltmann was fortunate enough to meet Mark Spitz and have breakfast with him while working with ABC Wide World of Sports at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.

For someone who had the opportunity to have so many cool experiences with swimming, Voltmann looked to give back to the sport.

“I was just looking for something to fill some time and was looking to give back to something that gave so much to me,” Voltmann said about getting involved in officiating swimming and diving.

And give back he did.

Voltmann has served as a referee and starter at numerous league championships, sectionals and served as starter and official at last eight or nine boys state meets. On top of that, Voltmann has also helped coach USA Swimming with the Hammerheads in Fredonia.

The dedication to the sport of swimming and diving has not gone unnoticed with the Distinguished Service Award.

“The reason I got the award was being on the New York State Swim Officials Association executive board for the last 12 years,” stated Voltmann. “I have served as the president twice and it’s been an honor. There is about 500 officials on the board.”

Currently Voltmann is the Delegate NYSSOA Officials Coordinating Federation delegate from all high school swimming to New York State Public High School Athletic Association to represent all swimming officials.

As Voltmann continues to help swimming and diving thrive in New York state, people who visit the International Swimming Hall of Fame Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida will be able to see his name on a plaque for receiving the 2021 Distinguished Service Award.