Email: [email protected]
Bio Note: R.J. Van Almen is a Canton, Ohio native and former four-year State Championship qualifier and three-year, two-sport All-Ohioan. Today, R.J. is self-employed, with two of his greatest passions being service to the aquatics community and officiating at the high school, collegiate, and USA Swimming levels.
R.J. has officiated 16 Division I and 16 Division II Ohio State Championships, as well as 58 NCAA Championships across Divisions I, II, and III and two NAIA National Championships. His officiating experience also includes Arena/TYR Pro Series Championships in Mesa, Santa Clara, Orlando, Charlotte, and Atlanta; USA Swimming Nationals; the U.S. Open; and numerous collegiate conference championships.
In 2014, R.J. was inducted into the Stark County Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame, and in 2015, he was named the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Girls Swimming and Diving Official of the Year.
R.J.'s commitment to community service extends well beyond the pool deck. In April 2017, he was elected President of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club, an organization he continues to serve with distinction. In 2023, he was honored as the organization's 17th Lifetime Member. He has also received the Marion Motley Community Award from the National High School Football Hall of Fame.
R.J. has played an important role on some of the nation's most prestigious swimming stages. In June 2021, he served on the Meet Committee for the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, and again for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Indianapolis, Indiana.
In 2024, R.J. was named a Vice Chairman of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Committee, and in 2025, he was named Chairman of the Canton City Schools Hall of Distinction.
R.J. is the former President of the East Ohio Swim Officials Association and currently serves as President of both the Greater Canton Aquatics Association and the Canton Amateur Sports Hall of Fame. He also serves on the Canton City Schools Board of Education.
Through his leadership, officiating, and community involvement, R.J. has dedicated much of his life to recognizing excellence, supporting young people, preserving the history of athletics, and giving back to the communities and organizations that have meant so much to him.
R.J. resides in Canton with his daughters, Romy and Rowan, his son, Roman, and Abby Geiselman.