Dear Parents,
Welcome to the Southwest Swim Club and the sport of competitive swimming. The materials in this handbook have been compiled to explain some of the basics of swimming, as well as how our club operates. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask the coach, board member, or an experienced parent. We will do our best to answer your questions. Please keep this document as long as your child is in the club for future reference.
We wish you and your child a very enjoyable and rewarding experience with our club.
The Southwest Swim Club Board of Directors and Coaches
Southwest Swim Club Statement of Purpose
The purpose of the Southwest Swim Club (hereafter known as SSC) is to promote an interest in competitive swimming among age group swimmers, to promote water safety, and to encourage participation in swimming.
Southwest Swim Club was previously known as the Marshall Meters Swim Club. It was established in 1969 by Con and Marcy Eckstrom. It is a volunteer organization, run by parents. The Club’s focus is to develop a swimmer’s ability in the four basic strokes, improvement of stroke technique, promotion of water safety, and most importantly, to have fun! Ultimately, the goal is to swim competitively, although participation at meets is at the swimmer’s discretion. It is not mandatory. It is an individual sport. Every swimmer participates. Swimming is excellent for conditioning, cardiovascular and overall fitness.
The Organization of US Swimming
Upon joining the SSC, you also receive membership in USA Swimming, which is our governing body. USA Swimming is made up of Local Swimming Communities (LSC). Our LSC is Minnesota Swimming, Inc. (MSI). MSI is the body that governs all clubs swimming in the state of Minnesota. The objective of MSI is to promote swimming for the benefit of swimmers of all ages and abilities, in accordance with the standards, rules, regulations, policies and procedures of USA Swimming. Clubs like ours make up Minnesota Swimming, Inc. MSI monthly meetings are held the third Tuesday each month in Hopkins.
www.mnswim.org
www.usaswimming.org
Statement of Aims of USA Competitive Swimming
To provide through swimming clubs and teams a practical means to form enduring friendships.
To cooperate in maintaining high idealism which makes possible the increase of good sportsmanship and goodwill.
To encourage the daily living of the golden rule in all athletic relationships.
To emphasize spiritual and moral values in competitive sports.
To compete vigorously – but remember the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to conquer but to fight well.
The Sport of Swimming
The sport of swimming has many benefits, one being the opportunity for both the swimmers and their families to meet people who share a common interest in swimming. The camaraderie among swimmers is unique; many swimming friends become lifelong friends. In addition to being around fine people, swimming provides one of the most beneficial forms of exercise for cardiovascular and overall fitness. It develops muscle strength and growth while showing the least amount of injuries of any of the major sports.
Possibly the greatest benefits of participating in an organized swimming program are the “life skills” your child will develop. These skills include time management, self-discipline, sportsmanship, cooperation, fair play and dedication. Your child will reap the benefits of swimming long after his/her participation ends. Many swimmers go on to be very successful and productive adults largely due to what they gained from swimming.
For a swimmer, what is winning?
In our wonderful, wet world of competitive swimming, what is winning? It is important that all of the competitors know the answer, for real winning cannot happen to everyone. Is winning a gold medal real winning? Yes, if a gold medal is won at the Olympic Games, that is winning. But that cannot happen to everyone, and winning any other kind of gold medal just means that, at that time, and in that place, you were the best one there, which is nice, but not necessarily “winning”. Is beating the other fellow really winning? Maybe. Maybe not. Perhaps he isn’t as well trained as you, or as strong as you, or as good at swimming as you – so this cannot be winning. Well then what is winning? Real winning is clear to see. Winning is improving……learning……trying. Winning is the first time you are able to do a good flip turn in competition. It’s finishing the race strong and well. It’s performing better than you ever performed before. Winning is working hard, listening and paying attention, applying what you hear from your coach. It’s doing better every time and striving with all your might. Winning is never giving in to a feeling of being tired-winning can happen to everybody.
Come join the fun of swimming!
Southwest Swim Club Organization
Southwest Swim Club is a volunteer organization run by parents, who, like yourself, care about the sport of swimming and want to encourage it in our community. If we are to have a successful swimming program we must have a strong parent support group. The following is a list of positions that must be filled every season if we are going to operate efficiently and effectively.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mission: To work with parent groups at large and coaching staff to make policies for swim club. Positions on the board include:
President
Will schedule and preside over meetings of the membership. Ensure communication to club members. Approve all bills, expenses, and payroll. Reviews and approves any optional apparel requests, designs, and purchases.
Vice-President
Preside in the absence of the president. Validates reconciliation of the payroll and meet entry checking accounts each month.
Secretary
Records the minutes of the club meetings and distributes to the membership
Treasurer/Registration
Maintain the club checkbook. Coordinate registration of swimmers. Reports budget details at board meetings. Maintain seasonal club budget report.
Payroll
Validates and tracks coaching payroll. Prepares payroll receipts and manages payroll taxes.
Meet entries
Send upcoming meet information to the membership. Collects entry fees and maintains entry checkbook.
Meet Directors
Coordinates the “Beat the Blizzard” annual swim meet
Club Safety Officer:
Assist the State Safety. Coordinate the distribution of all safety information at the club level. Must be USA Swimming registered. All MSI teams are required to have a Club Safety Officer.
Club communication
Email will be used as the primary form of communication to all club members regarding meetings, meets, schedules, and special instructions or changes. Hard-copies will be provided on deck at practice. The club president will be responsible for all communication to the members. No mailings to the entire club should be sent without the approval of the president.
The Club’s schedule...
The club season is made up of two seasons. There is a fall/winter session (short course; yards) which runs from September to March and a summer session (long course; meters) which runs from April to the first of August. The summer session meets are mostly held at outdoor pools. We are basically available year around except for short breaks in March & August.
Registration
Southwest Swim Club will conduct a registration prior to each season. At this time, a registration form must be completed for each swimmer and a down payment made. The down payment includes the annual USA fee and one-half season’s dues. Swimmers will not be allowed to practice without either the registration form on file or the down payment.
When do we practice?
Practice is held at the Southwest Minnesota State University pool. Practice schedules will vary with the availability of the pool. Generally we practice Monday through Thursday from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. Different groups of swimmers will be given different time slots to swim in. Monthly schedules will be included in our monthly newsletter. All swimmers and parents must take responsibility to know our practice schedule. The coaching staff will keep swimmers informed of any schedule changes.
Practice Groups
Southwest Swim Club is currently divided into three different practice groups: Sharks, Dolphins, and Minnows. All groups are aimed at different age groups and ability levels. The coaching staff reserves the right to place each swimmer in the group they are best suited for.
Sharks: This group includes our most advanced swimmers. Emphasis in this group will be conditioning and sharpening technique.
Dolphins: Emphasis in this group is mainly technique with some emphasis on conditioning.
Minnows: This is a “Learn to Swim” program geared to those who can swim one width of the pool non-stop. Swimmers will be taught the competitive strokes as well as starts and turns. Ability evaluations will be held at the beginning of each session to determine if individual swimmers are qualified to participate. This DOES NOT replace the Red Cross Swim Program.
How much does it cost?
Southwest Swim club is a non-profit organization. Club dues are used to help to meet expenses with pool rental, salaries for coaches, equipment, advertising, supplies, etc. The Board of Directors has the right to sets fees at the beginning of the season depending on the club’s budget and operating expenses. The swimmers are divided into different groups according to ability; fees are relative to the amount of practice time offered per month. The coaching staff reserves the right to place each swimmer in the program they are best suited for.
The cost for the summer season (Apr-July) is as follows: Each family is responsible for paying for an entire month in which the swimmer participated. Prorated fees may apply for partial months. Payment is due by the second week of each month.
Minnows: $40/month (45 min. pool time per day)
Dolphins: $50/month (1 1/4 hr. pool time per day)
Sharks/Senior Sharks: $60/month (1 3/4 hr. pool time per day)
The cost of the fall/winter season (Sept – Mar) is a follows: Each family is billed on a complete season basis and it is payable in two installments. Half is due when you register in September and half is due on December 1st. If a swimmer has not paid for a ½ season, he/she will not be allowed to compete in a meet or practice until the matter is resolved. That cost is as follows:
Minnows: $200 (45 min. pool time per day)
Dolphins: $250 (1 1/4 hour pool time per day)
Sharks/Seniors: $300 (1 3/4 hour pool time per day)
Families with multiple swimmers receive a discount of 5% of the total for 2 swimmers and 10% for 3 or more swimmers. Families with a single swimmer will receive a 5% discount if full payment for a season is made at registration.
USA Registration…
Club dues do not include membership in USA Swimming, which is our governing body. Every swimmer participating in the Southwest Swim Club is required to become a member of MSI (Minnesota Swimming Inc.) which is the state organization of USA Swimming. The 2006 annual fee is $50 or a $30 seasonal registration is available for the summer season only swimmers. This membership includes our insurance for the swimmers.
Coaching…
All coaches of SSC must be USA Swimming certified and ASCA Level 1 is also required. This means they hold current certification in First Aid, CPR, and safety training for swim coaches. All coaches of SSC will be the most highly qualified and competent coaches available. If you ever have a question or concern about coaching please discuss this with the coach before or after practice. SSC will try to maintain a 1 – 15 coach to swimmer ratio for practice and meets. A minimum of 5 swimmers at a meet is required for a coach to attend excluding finals and state meets.
SSC Coaching Staff
Head Coach – Tom Caron – SSC coach since Sept 1999
How can parents become involved?
The Board of Directors of SSC meets once a month. These meetings are open to all swim club parents and you are welcome and all are encouraged to attend. We appreciate your input. If you have any concerns or suggestions this is the best place to air them. Each year we host a swim meet held in October. We usually have anywhere from 200 to 300 swimmers ages 5 to 18 from a 3 state area attending our two day event. This is a great opportunity to get involved and help out the Club by volunteering your time and energy on a variety of committees that makes our meet a successful one.
Fundraising
In order to keep our club fees as low as possible, our club engages in several fundraisers. Our major fundraiser is our annual fall swim meet. Profits from this meet help keep the cost of participation in the swim club as low as possible. Each family is asked to volunteer to work at the meet and or supply food items for the concession stand. From time to time, our club may have other fundraisers as well. Each family is required to participate. If you have any ideas or suggestions for new fundraisers, please contact a board member or fundraising chairperson. We appreciate your support in this area.
Uniform/Equipment
Swimmers are required to furnish their own suits and towels. Girls’ suits should be one piece. Any style suit is acceptable; although racing style suits are more desirable and more comfortable for both boys and girls during practice and meets. Many swimmers find goggles to be essential during practice sessions due to the length of time spent in the chlorinated pool water.
Swim caps with our team logo are available for purchase. Anyone swimming in the State Championship meet must wear a team cap. All new swimmers to SSC will receive 1 complimentary SSC swim cap.
Safety Requirements
Southwest Swim Club follows Minnesota Swimming, Inc. safety procedures at all times. This means there is no diving during practice either from the side or the blocks. There is absolutely no diving off the diving board at any time!
Diving during practice will only be allowed when directly supervised by the coaching staff when working on starts.
Unsafe behavior will not be tolerated at any time. If this behavior exists, the swimmer involved will be asked to leave the pool and parents will be notified.
Workout Attendance
Attendance at every practice session is highly encouraged. We cannot require that swimmers attend workouts. HOWEVER, in order for a swimmer to maintain progress with their practice group, we recommend that a swimmer attend a minimum of 75-80% of all practices.
Punctuality
Swimmers are expected to be on time for practice. Swimmers should arrive at the pool 15 minutes prior to practice so they are changed and ready to swim when practice starts. Tardiness will not be tolerated.
Swimmers who arrive late for practice will be disruptive to the team, inadequately warmed up, and will miss important instructions regarding the objectives of the workout.
In the rare instance when a late arrival is unavoidable, (dance class, piano, etc) prior arrangements should be made with the coaching staff.
Behavior Expectations
The coaching staff is in charge of all practices and pool activities. Inappropriate and unsafe behavior will not be tolerated at any time. All SSC swimmers are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that will present a positive image of our program. Proper respect toward authority, property, and other people will be required at all times. Profanity will not be tolerated at any time.
Expulsion from Practices/Meets
Incidents of misconduct will result in the offending swimmer being asked to leave practice or the meet they are attending. If a swimmer is a problem, he/she is not making a positive contribution to the team and its goals. The swimmer will be given a verbal warning before the following actions occur:
1st Expulsion: Swimmer may return to practice the next day but will not be allowed in the water until he/she has had a conference with the coach involved.
2nd Expulsion: Swimmer will not be allowed to practice for one week. In order to get back into practice, both the swimmer and a parent must have a conference with the coach involved.
3rd Expulsion: Swimmer will be dismissed from the team for 30 days and club dues will not be reimbursed.
Illness & Injury
A signed Medical/Release Form is required from the swimmer before he/she is able to participate. If a swimmer complains of illness during practice he/she will be asked to get dressed and a parent will be called. The swimmer will remain in the pool area until the parent(s) arrives.
If a swimmer is injured during a practice the injury will be dealt with appropriately, as per signed released, and parents will be notified. If a swimmer complains of injury or illness before practice please do not send that swimmer to practice.
Locker Rooms
Swimmers are expected to respect school and personal property. Use of locker rooms is limited to bathroom facilities, showering and dressing area only. Any inappropriate use of the locker rooms or vandalism could result in the swim clubs loss of pool time and will jeopardize the program for everyone.
Pool Deck Coaching and Management
Parents are requested to refrain from consulting with the coaches or swimmers during practice sessions. A distraction of this sort could prevent the coach from providing the supervision required by the other swimmers. Feel free to confer with the coaches before or after practice, or via phone or email.
Practice Observation
Practice sessions will be open to parents, younger siblings and other observers, but they are required to sit in the stands. ONLY swimmers and coaches are allowed on the pool deck.
End of the Season Awards
At the conclusion of each season we are schedule an awards banquet for all swimmers and their families. A number of awards are presented to all swimmers at this time. Participation certificates for everyone and personal performance records for every swimmer that has attended a meet will also be presented. The board typically approves a special gift for each participating swimmer. We encourage everyone to attend this fun evening – this is the highlight of months of hard work for your swimmer.
Competition
Southwest Swim Club is a competitive swim club. Practice sessions and philosophies are geared toward competition. Swimmers and parents have the choice of whether or not to compete and when and where they will compete. We would request that all parents and swimmers follow the recommendations of the coaching staff when competing. If a swimmer does choose to compete, participation in meets should be limited to one or two meets per month.
Types of Meets
USA Swimming and Minnesota Swimming, Inc. have several different types of meet formats to ensure that swimmers of the same ability levels and ages will compete against one another. Below is a list of the types of meets that swimmers may qualify to compete in.
Conference Meets: These are mini-meets (fun meets) that are held during the regular season for “C” and Novice competitors. (Ex: Dual meets, Chocolate Challenge). Usually no entry fees are required.
“A” Meets: A regular season meet where swimmers with both A and Champ times may compete.
B/C Meets: A regular season meet where swimmers with both B and C times may compete.
A/B/C Finals: The end of season swim meet. There are no relays in this meet.
State Championships: Swimmers must achieve Champ times to qualify for these meets. Swimmers compete for both individual high point awards and team championships.
Zone Championships: Swimmers must achieve national AAA times to qualify for these meets. By qualifying, the swimmer becomes a member of an all state team from MN.
Junior Nationals: A national competition for younger swimmers on the verge of breaking through to the Senior National level. Only swimmers aged 18 and under may compete
Senior Nationals: The highest level of competitive swimming. Swimmers are chosen for national teams from this level.
Meet Entries
When first deciding to enter a meet the first thing to keep in mind is to plan ahead. The coach will have a copy of the meet schedule and one will be provided to you (both hard copy and e-mail). When the coach knows a particular meet is coming up he/she will contact any swimmer he/she feels should attend that meet. After discussing it with the swimmer and parent, the swimmer will be entered into the available events by the coach. The coaching staff will determine which events the swimmers will enter in competition. Entries will then be turned in to our entry person for final processing.
There is generally a set fee to enter the meet plus an additional fee (splash fee) for each event the swimmer swims. Entry fees must be paid on the final sign-up date. Swimmers must be current with club dues before being allowed to enter or compete in a meet.
Understanding your swimmers events and times
Events: The four competitive strokes are Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle. Each swim meet offers a variety of events and distances, depending on the age group and classification. Traditionally, recognized age groups are 8 and under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18, and Senior.
Time Standards: At the beginning of each season you will receive a copy of the Minnesota Time Standards. Each age group is divided into four categories of competition (“C”, “B”, “A”, “Championship”, Champ). Swimmers enter meets according to the times that they have achieved at previous sanctioned meets. All new competitors begin in the “C” category. Individual goals are to improve your time and include trying to achieve the cut-off time in the next category.
Although this process may appear confusing at first, it has been established to provide fair competition and you will become more comfortable with it as you attend a meet or two. This system allows more swimmers to achieve individual goals and awards within their own ability and age group.
Swim Meet Procedures
Warm-up
A member of the Southwest Swim Club coaching staff always supervises warm-ups. Parents should never interfere or participate in the warm-up procedure.
Warm-ups will usually begin one hour prior to the start of the competition. All SSC swimmers are expected to be present and ready to begin on time.
Team members are required to warm-up with the team unless excused by the coach
It is important that swimmers and parents understand that a good warm-up is an essential part of the successful performance. Each athlete in our program deservers every opportunity to be successful. Warm-up is one of those opportunities.
It will be customary for the SSC to have a “team area” at meets and to sit together as a group. This helps promote team unity and spirit. When a swimmer first arrives at a meet, he/she should find the team area. Team cheering is essential. NO Game Boys or electronic games will be allowed on deck.
Heat sheets (Programs) are usually for sale at these meets. You may buy one and check to see that your swimmer is properly entered in their events. If there is a mistake, discuss it with the coach so he/she can take corrective action. Highlighter pens are great to bring to meets and identify your swimmers and the other swimmers in the club.
At the conclusion of each race, the swimmers should ask for their unofficial time from the timers. Upon receiving this time the swimmers are asked to come immediately to the coaching staff present at the meet. This gives the coaches an opportunity to discuss the race with the swimmer and add positive feedback concerning splits, stroke technique, race strategy, etc.
SSC team members are never to scratch or late enter an event with first consulting one of the coaches. In a meet with preliminaries and finals, it is expected that any SSC qualifying to swim in the finals shall do so unless excused by the coach.
As a matter of courtesy, all issues that swimmers or parents may have concerning meet results, wrong posted times, an official’s call, or the conduct of a meet, should be referred to the coaching staff. They in turn will pursue the matter through the proper channels.
Swimmers are expected to rest and conserve energy between events and sessions.
Swimmers do not have to remain in the team area at all times but they should report to the team area a minimum of 15 minutes before their event.
Typically a swimmer will write their schedule for each session on their body in pen or marker. This helps them keep track of when they swim, what lane to report to, and what event they are swimming. Typically it will look like this representing Event – Heat – Lane - Stroke
E | H | L | S
2 | 2 | 4 | 50 Free
9 | 4 | 2 | 100 Breast
