LASER: something resembling a laser beam in accuracy, speed, or intensity 

Please read and familiarize yourself with the contents of our Swim Team Handbook

Lake Marion Lasers

2008 Handbook

(in process of being updated)

The Lake Marion Lasers Swim Team was started in 1992 and that year participated in several "B" meets with other teams in the Montgomery Village B League. In 1993, Lake Marion was admitted to the Montgomery County Swim League (MCSL). This year's MCSL is made up of 89 teams, divided into 15 divisions (A - 0), with six teams per division, except for O, where there are five. Teams are seeded into divisions based upon the prior year's performance. Lake Marion is seeded fourth in the "F" division for 2008.

MCSL meets are considered "A" meets and are usually swum on Saturday mornings. MCSL meet lineups are generally made up of the three fastest swimmers in each event (six swimmers in all 12 & Under Freestyle events), although depending on coaching strategy, illness, etc. other swimmers may be included.  The Lake Marion Swim Team also participates in weeknight meets with other teams throughout the Montgomery Village area. These meets are the "B" meets and are designed to give all swimmers, no matter what skill level, a chance to swim in a meet. Generally, if your child does not swim in the Saturday morning meet, they will swim in the following "B" meet.

Lake Marion also has a sizable pre-team, or instructional swim group (ISG), which is mainly a practice group for young swimmers. They are encouraged to enter "B" meets as soon as they are able. They will have their own swim meet near the end of the swim season and there may also be other “mini-meets” scheduled. The purpose of this group is to practice the strokes and learn how to swim them correctly. It is not designed to serve as swim lessons.

Practices for all swimmers are grouped by age and ability level. Practice times for all groups will be communicated at registration. In addition there will be 2 - 3 practices per week designated as Clinics, devoted entirely to stroke work and swimming technique.  Practices will be in the mornings.  If your child cannot make any of the morning practice times, please talk to the coaches and reps about possible alternatives.  

Parent assistance is required to manage the team, run the meets and organize the social activities. Parent involvement is necessary to be able to offer the many activities we have planned for the team. We expect you to help with both your ideas and your time, especially when asked, so that being on the swim team will be enjoyable and fun for all children.  Please keep this booklet handy and refer to it often.

Team Information

Lake Marion Swim Team membership is open to any interested and qualified child, aged 5 - 18 as of 6/1/08, who resides in the East Village, Picton or Eastgate.  Non-residents of Montgomery Village who purchase a Limited Annual Pool Membership (LAPM) from the Montgomery Village Foundation may also join the Lake Marion team, although they may not use our pool for recreational swimming.

Fees will be due at registration. No requests for refunds will be honored after June 30.

Justin Owen will return as our head coach this year, and will be joined by assistant coaches  Danielle Nacke,  Matthew Jones, and Ashley Hincke.  We will be trying more new things this summer at practice so we are looking forward to sharing them with our swimmers!   The coaches are available to answer your questions, but not during practice. This is time set aside for your children to work with the coach and in order to make the most of it, please do not interrupt. A coach will be available after each practice session to answer questions.

The coaches have the right and responsibility to take any action necessary to protect the safety of our children and to preserve team discipline. Therefore, parents should be aware that the head coach may prevent a swimmer from practicing with the team or competing in any meet for good cause.

Practice Policy

Please note and share with your swimmers the following policies, which govern the swim team practices. These policies have been developed to provide the best possible practice environment for all, and are in accordance with MVF regulations.

1. Please let the coaches know in advance when your child will miss a practice session. Obviously, the fewest interruptions in the practice schedule will produce the greatest amount of success.

2. Swimmers are expected to be on time for practice. This means being on deck and ready to swim at your scheduled practice time. Swimmers should arrive in plenty of time before practice begins.

3. Parents are not allowed on the deck during the practice unless it is an emergency. This is a Montgomery Village Foundation requirement, so if you stay for practice, please wait under the shade shelter while practice is underway.

4. Swimmers are expected to attend practices and actually get in the water for practice. Swimmers who fail to attend practices and/or refuse to get in the water for practice will forfeit their eligibility to swim in meets.

Is your child ready for swim team? The purpose of the pre-team practice is to prepare your child to participate in swim meets and increase endurance for eventual lap swimming practice. Children should be comfortable in the water, able to put their face in the water and be able to swim unassisted for ten (10) yards or more.

Practice for the pre-team swimmers will begin June 16th. (This will change) [There will be two practice times between 8:45 and 10:00am which will be 30 minutes in length.] On the first day of practice the children will be placed in groups by ability level and the subsequent practice times announced. Special requests for practice times will be taken on a case-by-case basis, as we will try to maintain even sized groups.

Pre-team members are an important part of the Lake Marion Swim Team and participate in all team activities. Our team will organize special "mini" swim meets with other teams if they are available for children of similar swimming ability.  Members are given the opportunity to participate in "B" meets as soon as they are able.

• Children should be five years or older by June 1 of the swim year and demonstrate swimming ability to the coach's satisfaction. Children five years old and under will not be registered on the team until they demonstrate this ability to the coaches at the first day of practice on June 16.

• Children can move up to regular practice times when the coach feels they have demonstrated sufficient swimming ability and space is available.

• Pre-Team is not a substitute for swim lessons for your child. If they are unable to swim, we recommend you take advantage of the swim lessons that MVF offers. This will make for a happier swim experience for you and your child.

Each year, vacations and camps make it difficult for the coaches to know who will be available to swim in a given meet. Coaches assume that swimmers will be available to swim unless otherwise notified. If the coach knows a swimmer will not be able to swim in an MCSL meet, another swimmer can be given the opportunity to swim in that spot. In addition, since points are awarded for first through fifth place for MCSL meets, the team benefits by being able to enter all possible swimmers. Lineups cannot be changed after being given to the opposing team the morning of the day before a meet (Friday), so please do not let your child be entered in a meet they are not planning to attend. This will cause the team to lose points as we will be unable to substitute a swimmer. 

In 'B' meets, there are many more heats and they all must have lane assignments re-done when there are missing swimmers.  This is a major headache for our parent officials. If lane assignments are not re-done, we will end up running unneeded heats and the meet will go on longer than necessary.  Please help the coaches by letting them know when your child will not be able to attend as soon as your plans are known.

Swimmer Responsibilities

• Get plenty of rest before your meet.

• Arrive on time for pre-meet warm-ups.

• Know your event numbers and report to the clerk of course when called.

• Stay in the team area; be cheerful and supportive of your teammates.

• NO junk food during the meets! Instead eat fruit and drink water.

• Follow all instructions of officials and pool personnel.

• NEVER throw anyone or anything into the pool at any time.

• After a meet, all swim team members are responsible for cleaning up the pool area. All parents need to cooperate by making sure your child fulfills his or her responsibility before leaving.  At away meets, our swimmers are responsible for cleaning up our team area and throwing away all trash.  Please be considerate guests at other pools.

• Communicate with your coaches; inform them of illness, camp, or vacation plans etc.

• You are responsible for all information from the bulletin board, e-mailed news, handouts, website, etc. Check your folders and keep track of team events!  Make sure we have your e-mail address as well.

Competitive swimming programs provide many benefits to young athletes.  They develop self-discipline, good sportsmanship, and time management skills.   Competition allows the swimmer to experience success and to learn how to deal with defeat while becoming healthy and physically fit. As a parent, your major responsibility is to provide a stable, loving and supportive environment. This positive environment will encourage your child to continue. Show your interest by ensuring your child's attendance at practices and by coming to meets.

Although not participants themselves, parents do contribute to the success experienced by the child and his or her team. Parents serve as role models, and their attitudes are often emulated by their children. Be aware of this and strive to be positive models. Most importantly, show good sportsmanship at all times toward coaches, officials, opponents and teammates.

Awards

In addition to place ribbons and medals that swimmers may receive throughout the season, the Lake Marion Swim Team holds an awards night at the end of the season. Since we believe that every team member's contribution to the team is important, a trophy will be awarded to every swimmer aged 12 and under at the awards night. Teens will receive a special gift instead of a trophy. Special awards are also given in the following areas:

[• The boy and girl who earn the highest number of "A" meet points in their age group will receive the high point trophy for that age group. "A" meet points must be earned during the MCSL dual meet season, for individual performance only (no relays).

• A "Most Improved" trophy will be given for a boy and girl in each age group. The coaches determine the recipient of this trophy and base it on the swimmer's improvement in both time and ability throughout the swim season.

• A “Coaches” award will be given to a boy and a girl in each age group. The coaches determine the recipient of this trophy and base it on the swimmer’s team spirit, sportsmanship, motivation and overall attitude throughout the swim season.]

Meets that the Lake Marion Swim Team participates in throughout the swim season fall into the following categories:

• Dual Meets - These are the regular MCSL and "B" meets where two teams compete against each other, swimming a specified Order of Events.

• Scored MCSL dual meets ("A") for 2008 are swum with other MCSL teams that are in division "F".

• The "B" dual meets which are not scored are swum in a “B” league with teams from Whetstone, Flower Hill, North Creek, Quail Valley and another team.

• Divisional - The Divisional Meet is an MCSL meet held at the end of the season in which each of the six teams in a division race their two fastest swimmers in each event.

• Relay Carnivals - Each MCSL division holds a Relay Carnival in the middle of the season. All six teams in each division race one another in special relay events. The winning relay team from each event represents our division at the All-Star Relays. The six teams that participate in the "B" league also hold a B Relay Carnival during the season.

• Coaches' Long Course - This is an invitational meet for the eight fastest swimmers in each event from the entire MCSL. The meet is swum in a Long Course (50 meter) pool, so all events are twice as long as usual. The North Creek team also runs a long course meet during the season.  Swimmers who don't swim in the Coaches Long Course Invitational Meet may swim in this meet.

• Individual All Stars - This is an invitational meet swum at the end of the season for the 16 fastest swimmers in each event from the entire MCSL.

• All Star Relays - This meet is set up identically to the divisional Relay Carnival except that it is made up of those relay teams from the entire MCSL that placed first in their events at their respective division relay carnivals.

• Mini-meet - Watch the bulletin board and newsletter for details about these special meets for swimmers in our youngest age groups.

Swim meets consist of a series of events divided by age group and gender.  There are individual events for each stroke, and relay events. The order of events is published in the MCSL handbook, copies of which are available to all families at registration.  We encourage you to take one and read it!  The meets are run by parent volunteers who perform a variety of functions. In order to run a meet the two teams competing need to supply a total of approximately 30 parent volunteers to take on responsibilities in the following areas:

• Certified Officials - These are the officials on deck who have attended an MCSL officials' clinic to learn the responsibilities of a particular position.  These clinics are open to all.  Meet officials dress in white on deck.

• Referee - this official is responsible for running the meet and making sure that all applicable rules are followed.

• Starter - the starter is responsible for starting the events and ensuring that all swimmers get a fair start.

• Stroke & Turn Judge - each team supplies at least one and usually two stroke and turn judges who make sure that all swimmers perform legal strokes, turns and finishes during the event. If a swimmer uses an illegal stroke or performs an illegal turn or finish, the swimmer would be disqualified from that event.

• Timers - Three timers are required for each of the six lanes during a meet. Each team supplies half (nine) of the total timers required (18). In addition to the lane timers, the home team will supply a head timer and the visiting team will supply an assistant head timer.

• Clerk of Course - Each team supplies a person to act as a check-in point for swimmers prior to their event. The Clerk of Course is especially important in "B" meets due to the large number of swimmers, and the multiple heats of each event. Swimmers are arranged by lane and verified that they are in the correct event. The Clerk of Course then takes the younger swimmers to the starting end of the pool and positions them in the correct lane.

• Automation/Computer Operators - Each team in an "A" meet supplies a person to work as a computer operator to enter the times, as supplied by the timers, to determine the results of an event. The computer operators also keep track of points earned by each team.  Our B meets are also automated.

• Awards/Ribbon Writers - The ribbon writers work alongside the computer operator and fill out the place ribbons for each event. In both  “A” and "B" meets the position requires someone to verify and apply the stickers to the proper ribbons as they come out of the printer. Each team supplies a person for this duty.  At mini-meets, the stickers may be computer generated, or may actually be written by hand, depending on team preferences.

• Announcer - The home team supplies an announcer to announce events and swimmers, call swimmers to the Clerk of Course, etc.

• Meet Representative - Each team has a meet representative who is responsible for acting as the team representative during the meet.  In addition to the above positions that are the minimum required to run a meet, help is also needed in the following positions:

• Meet Manager - The meet manager is responsible for lining up volunteers to work during the meet and making sure that the meet progresses smoothly.

• Meet Setup - Prior to a meet, volunteers are needed to help set up the equipment for a meet and arrange the deck of the pool for the meet.

• Meet Takedown - After a meet is over, the pool needs to be returned to the state it was in prior to the meet. This involves making sure that the chairs and tables are arranged, trash is picked up and equipment is put away.

• Concessions - Concessions are a big part of the fund-raising for the swim team, so please give any help that you can in setting up and running the concession stand during home swim meets. Volunteers are needed to shop for supplies, pick up ice and prepare food ahead of time. We also need people to load coolers and other supplies for transport to the pool. And we need help after the meet in gathering up the equipment, cleaning it and putting it away for the next meet.  This job has many parts, none of which are difficult. The most important thing we need is one person who will volunteer to coordinate the efforts of all our other helpers. Please be generous in giving us your time. “Many hands make light work.”

All of the above jobs are available for any volunteer who is interested.  Please volunteer for one of these positions and if you have any questions about the duties of these positions don't hesitate to ask any member of the swim team committee.

Swim meets are for fun. Everyone is encouraged to cheer for friends, teammates, neighbors and especially their children. However, there are several rules which must be followed to ensure fairness for all swimmers.

• Be quiet for the start of each race.

• Do not talk to meet officials during the meet. Complaints and/or concerns should be brought immediately to the attention of the team representative during the meet, or the coaches and/or the swim team committee members after the meet.

• Do not obstruct the view of the meet officials, especially Stroke & Turn Judges.

• Smoking is prohibited on the deck, in the locker room, in spectator areas, and in all areas used by the swimmers during the meet or warm-up. This is an MCSL rule, so please comply.

The All-Comers Meet is held the week prior to the first MCSL meet and is open to members of all swim teams within Montgomery Village. This year’s meet will be held June 7 at Lake Marion pool.   This is a “time trial” meet used to provide the coaches with official times for swimmers in all events. The times are then used to seed swimmers in subsequent meets. This meet also gives the swimmers a chance to experience how an event is run during a meet. Additionally, the All-Comers meet provides parent volunteers with an opportunity to practice the positions that they would be responsible for during a meet.  All Lake Marion swimmers are expected to participate in this meet.

The ladder is an event-by-event posting of each swimmer's best time in events swum during the current season. The ladder will be posted on the website and bulletin board as soon as possible after each meet. The ladder is used as a guideline for selecting swimmers to swim in the "A" meets, which is discussed further in the next section.

The coaches decide who will swim in each event based upon times swum at time trials (All-Comers Meet) at the beginning of the season, as well as times swum during the season. A swimmer's fastest recorded time of the season is used for seeding the "A" meets and in general, the top three swimmers in each event are selected to swim in the MCSL meet (six swimmers in the 12 & Under age groups for the Freestyle events). The coaches must take into account other factors when selecting the lineups such as:

• The needs of the entire team and which selection of swimmers may earn the most points against the opponent's lineup.

• Consistency of the swimmer and whether it is reasonable to expect them to swim this time again during the meet.

• Whether the swimmer's stroke is legal - "A" meets are not tolerant of stroke violations and disqualification means that the team loses points. A slower swimmer with a legal stroke is better than a disqualified swimmer.

• Presence and participation of the swimmer at daily practice.

The coaches' decisions will not always be easy, but they will consider each individual each week. Please understand that a big part of the learning experience for your child is to be part of a team and take pride in the accomplishments of others as well their own. Remember that during the season the children should be improving so their status can change from week to week.

B meets are designed to provide swimming opportunities for swimmers who do not participate in “A” meets. In order to be fair to the “B” meet swimmers, specific rules of eligibility apply. Swimmers must compete within their age group and as such cannot swim-up to an older age group. The rules of eligibility are established by the Montgomery Village B League and are as follows:

1. Any swimmer who swims more than two events in an A meet will not be eligible to swim in the following B meet.

    a) Any swimmer who usually swims in an A meet but misses an A meet for personal reasons (illness, vacation, etc.) will not be eligible for the following B meet.

    b) A swimmer who swims in an A meet will not be eligible to swim the same events in the following B meet, even if otherwise eligible.

2. In B meets as in A meets, a swimmer is expected to be legal in the stroke before being entered in an event.

3. If the first B meet precedes the first A meet, the first B meet will not be used for qualification times.

5. No swim-ups will be permitted in B meets unless it is necessary to fill positions in the Freestyle Relay. This swimmer must be eligible to swim in the B meet.

*amended 2007 

Several methods are used to maintain communication between coaches, swimmers and parents. Please monitor these in order to stay up to date with any upcoming events and to find out about any last minute changes of events.

Handbook - This is the book you are reading right now. Please read it and keep it to refer to in the future. All the information is important and will answer many of the questions you hadn’t even thought to ask!!  You may want to print  a copy in order to keep it handy.

Folders - Each family has a folder in the black crate that is on deck by the reps or deck monitors at every practice. This is where you will find special event flyers, notes from the coaches, uncollected meet ribbons, etc. Please check your folders daily.

The coaches also have folders and you may use them to leave messages for the coaches, including notes about your child's vacation or camp plans that will mean that he or she is unavailable to swim. Please let the coaches know in writing of such plans as soon as possible. Suggestions can also be made to the swim team committee members using the folders.

Bulletin Board - In the pool area outside the ladies locker room is the Lake Marion Swim Team bulletin board. Current information and team calendars will be posted.  This is also where the line-ups for the meets will be posted, along with directions to other pools. PLEASE check, especially the day before a meet so that you and your child will know the events that he or she is swimming and where you are going.

News Bulletins – Special notices and reminders will be delivered to you via e-mail every week. Please be sure to provide us your e-mail address if you did not put it on your form at registration, so that you will receive these messages.  News items will also be posted on our web site and on the bulletin board at the pool. If you do not have access to e-mail, please pay special attention to the bulletin board at the pool!

Web site – You will find general team information here, including news items, a team calendar, directions to other pools, meet results, swim ladder, and team records. We also feature links to photo pages and a gallery of team clothing and accessories. Check us out – daily in swim season, periodically during the rest of the year - at www.lakemarionswimteam.com

Swim Team Committee

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Go Lasers!