LASER: something
resembling a laser beam in accuracy, speed, or intensity
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Please read and familiarize yourself with the contents of our Swim Team Handbook Lake Marion Lasers 2010 Handbook Introduction The Lake
Marion Swim Team (LMST) known as ‘The Lasers” was started in 1992 by a group
of dedicated parent volunteers who wanted to provide a community swim program
for their children. In 1993 the Lake Marion Swim Team was admitted to the
Montgomery County Swim League (MCSL). 2010
will be our 18th year in the MCSL. The 2010 Montgomery
County Swim League is made up of 89 teams in fifteen divisions, A through O,
with six teams in each division (except O, which has five). Teams are placed in divisions each year
based on a computer swim-off using swimmers’ times from the previous year. This
year Lake Marion will compete in Division G. In brief, MCSL dual meets are held on Saturday mornings and are considered “A” meets. The top three swimmers in each event will swim in the Saturday morning meets (top six swimmers in all freestyle events; this was a 2009 MCSL rule change). Four relays are also swum at each A meet. The Lake Marion Lasers also participate in weeknight meets with other teams throughout the Montgomery Village area. These are the "B" meets and are designed to give all swimmers, no matter what skill level, an opportunity to participate in a meet. Generally, if a swimmer does not swim in the Saturday morning meet, they will swim in the weeknight B meet. Team Information Swim Team Membership and Fees: Lake
Marion Swim Team membership is open to any interested and qualified child, aged
5 - 18 as of June 1, 2010, 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 the Lake Marion pool for recreational
swimming. Fees for 2010 season: The fees for the 2010 swim season will be: $100 - 1st swimmer in the family Fees will be due at registration. No requests for refunds will be honored after June 30. There are no additional fees. Swimsuits will be available for purchase and while encouraged, especially for meets, they are not required. Team spirit wear will also be available. The Swim Season All-Comers Meet Time Trials The
All-Comers Meet is held the week prior to the first MCSL dual meet and is
open to all swim teams within Montgomery Village. This is a “time trial”
meet used to provide coaches
with official times for
swimmers in all events. The times are then used by the Head Coach to “seed”
swimmers in subsequent meets.
All-Comers also gives swimmers a chance to experience
how a meet is run as well as provide parent volunteers an opportunity to
practice positions they would
fill during a meet. All Lake Marion swimmers are expected to participate
in this meet. Swim Ladder The swim
ladder is an event-by-event posting of each swimmer's best times swum during the
current season and will be posted on the website and
bulletin board as soon as possible after each meet. The ladder is used as a
guideline in selecting swimmers for the "A" meets, which
is discussed further
in the next section. Using the swim ladder, the Head Coach decides who will swim in each event based upon times from the All-Comers Meet and subsequent meets throughout the swim season. The top three swimmers in each event are selected to swim in the MCSL dual meets (top six swimmers in all age groups for freestyle.) The Head Coach also takes 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 him/her to swim this time again during the meet.. • Whether
the swimmer's stroke is legal - 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. MCSL Meet Attendance Coaches must assume that swimmers will be available to swim in MCSL meets unless otherwise notified. It is the responsibility of both the swimmer and parent to inform the coaches in writing if he or she will be unavailable to swim by placing a note in the coach’s folder in the file crate. This will help avoid entry errors and give another swimmer the opportunity to swim in that spot. Once a lineup is finalized, the team is unable to substitute a swimmer and an empty lane or “no show” at an MCSL meet causes the team to lose points. Eligibility for "B" MeetsThe B
meets are designed to provide swimming opportunities for all swimmers who
do not participate in “A” meets. The rules of eligibility are
established by the Montgomery Village B League and are
as follows: 2. If you swim two events in the A meet, you may swim your off strokes in the following B meet, with the exception of freestyle (see exception below). 3. If you swim three out of the five individual events (IM, free, back, breast, fly) in an A meet: a) You are not eligible to swim any event in the B meet, with the exception of freestyle (see exception below). b)
You may swim your off stroke(s) in the following B meet as an “exhibition”
swimmer. (The purpose of exhibition swimming is to obtain a time in a particular
event). Exhibition
swimming is done at the end of the first half and/or at the end of the meet at
the discretion of the HOME team.
Exhibition swimmers are not to swim during regular B meet heats. FREESTYLE EXCEPTION: A swimmer is eligible to swim freestyle in a B meet as long as he/she did not score points in freestyle during the previous A meet (i.e. - they finished in 6th-12th place). 4. A swimmer who usually swims in an A meet but misses an A meet for personal reasons (illness, vacation, etc.) is not eligible for the following B meet. 5.
In B meets, as in A meets, a swimmer is expected to be legal in the stroke before
being entered in an event. 6.
If the first B meet precedes the first A meet, the first B meet will not be used
for qualification times. 7.
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. On Mondays before a B meet, a sign-up sheet will be posted on the bulletin board with a list of events and swimmers names. Events a swimmer is not eligible to swim will be blacked out by the coach Placing an “X” in an event box next to your name indicates you will be there to swim. A blank box means you are not entering that event. You must initial the sheet in order to show that you have seen it and had the opportunity to sign up. Please help communication by keeping the coaches informed and do not enter a meet you are not planning to attend. If you have signed up but become unable to swim due to illness, etc., it is very important to inform the coaches as soon as possible. This will help the timeline of the meet by avoiding empty lanes and unnecessary heats. Laser Pre-Team Laser pre-team
swimmers should be five years or older by June 1, 2010 and must demonstrate
appropriate swimming ability to the Head Coach on the first day of pre-team
practice (June 21, 2010) before they can be registered for the team. The Laser
pre-team is mainly a practice group designed to introduce young swimmers to
competitive swimming. Pre-Team is not designed to serve as swim lessons, but to
assist the children in improving their current skills.
Meet Organization Swim meets,
consisting of a series of events divided by age group and gender, are run by
parent volunteers who perform a variety of functions. In order to run a meet, each team
competing needs
to supply approximately 30 parent volunteers.
Among these volunteers are Certified
Officials who have attended an MCSL officials' clinic to learn the
responsibilities of a particular position such as: • Referee - responsible for running the meet and making sure that all applicable rules are followed. •
Starter
- 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 an event. If a swimmer uses an illegal
stroke or performs an illegal turn or finish, it is the
responsibility of these officials to disqualify the swimmer from that event. •
Automation/Computer Operators (This position does not need
certification but does require a training class from MCSL.)
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. (B meets are automated but not
scored.) The
following positions do not require certification but are the minimum
required to run a meet: •
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,
or an assistant, takes
the younger swimmers to the starting end of the pool and positions them in
the correct lane. •
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 a volunteer to announce events, call swimmers to the
Clerk of Course, etc. • Meet Representative - Each team has a parent volunteer who is responsible for acting as the team representative during the meet. •
Meet Manager
- The meet manager is responsible for lining up volunteers
to work during the meet
and making sure that the meet progresses smoothly. Help and support is needed in other areas such as: •
Meet Setup
– Before a meet, volunteers are needed to help set up the
equipment and arrange
the pool deck (tables, chairs, etc.) for the meet. •
Meet Takedown
- After a meet the pool needs to be returned to its original condition. This
involves arranging tables and chairs, putting equipment away and making sure
that trash is picked up. • Concessions Setup, Operation and Takedown- Our concession stand, The Laser Café, is a huge part of fund-raising for the swim team. Because the team can only take advantage of this fund-raising opportunity during home meets, both A and B, please give any help you can. A very needed and important position is that of concessions coordinator, who organizes the efforts of all the other volunteers. In addition to staffing the concession stand, volunteers are needed to shop for supplies, pick up ice, haul and load coolers and transport food prep equipment to the pool. After the meet help is needed gathering the equipment, cleaning it and putting it away. Please be generous in giving your time. Additional Types of Meets •
Relay Carnivals
- Each MCSL division holds an ‘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' Invitational
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 pool (one length equals 50 meters) so all events are
twice as long as usual. The
North Creek team also
runs a long course meet during the season. Swimmers
who do not swim in the Coaches Invitational Long Course Meet
may swim in this meet. •
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 ‘A’ relay
carnivals. •
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. Coaching Staff The Lasers
welcome back Justin Owen as our head coach for the 2010 season. Justin will be
joined by assistant coaches Matthew Jones, Johnny Helenek and pre-team
coach Kayla Valencia.
The coaches are available to answer your
questions, but not during practice. Interruptions, even short ones, make
running a safe and effective practice difficult. A
coach will be available after each practice session to answer
questions. Laser Swim Practice The
following policies have been developed to provide
the best possible
practice environment for all: 1.
Please let the coaches know in advance when your swimmer will miss a practice session.
Commitment to a regular practice schedule helps everyone achieve personal goals
and team objectives. 2.
Swimmers are expected to be on time and arrive prepared for practice. Swimmers
should be on deck and ready to swim before their scheduled practice time
begins. 3.
In accordance with the Montgomery Village Foundation regulations, parents are
not allowed on the deck during practice unless it is an emergency.
Please wait
under the shade shelter while practice is underway. 4.
Coaches have the right and responsibility to maintain pool safety and to
preserve team discipline. Therefore, the Head Coach may prevent a swimmer from
practicing with the team and/or competing in a meet, or, in a worst
case situation, expel a swimmer from the team. 5.
Summer league swimmers are expected to attend practice on a daily basis. Year
round club swimmers, after consulting the Head Coach, may continue practicing
with their club teams except on Fridays, when practice is mandatory
for all swimmers. Meet Etiquette 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 or concerns
should be brought immediately to the attention of the team representative
during the meet and to the coaches or 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 rooms, in spectator areas, and in all areas used by the swimmers during the meet.
After the Meet
In
addition to the Laser Handbook, several methods of communication are used to
keep parents, swimmers and coaches informed. Please monitor these in order to
stay up to date with upcoming events and to find out about any last minute changes. Folders
- Each family has a
folder in the black crate that is on deck at every practice. This is where you
will find special event flyers,
notes from the coaches,
uncollected meet ribbons, etc. Please check your folder daily.
**Coaches
also have folders that may be used to leave messages for them. If it is known
ahead of time that a swimmer will
be away on vacation, at camp, etc. and will not be available to swim in a meet,
please let the coaches know in writing as
soon as possible. You may also make suggestions to the swim team committee by
using the folders. Bulletin
Board - In the pool
area next to the ladies and men’s locker rooms are the Lake Marion
Swim Team bulletin boards. Current information and team calendars
are posted on the ladies side along with line-ups for the meets and directions
to other pools. On the men’s side are posted meet results and the current team
ladder. One of the best ways of staying informed and arriving on time at the
correct pool is by checking the bulletin board, especially the day before a
meet. 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 registration form. If you do not have access to e-mail, please pay special
attention to the bulletin board at the pool where these bulletins will be posted as
well. Web
site – You will
find a wealth of 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 during swim season and periodically during the rest of the
year at www.lakemarionswimteam.com Team Awards The
Lake Marion Lasers believe that every team member's contribution is important.
In addition to place ribbons and medals that swimmers may receive during swim
meets, the Lake Marion Swim Team holds an awards night at the
end of the season. At
that time a trophy will be awarded to every swimmer aged 12 and under. Teens
will receive a special team gift instead of a trophy. Special
awards are also given in the following areas: •
High Point-The boy and
girl who earn the highest number of A meet points in their age group
for individual events (no relays) will receive a high point trophy. •
Most Improved- Coaches determine the recipient of this
trophy based on the swimmer's improvement in both time and ability
throughout the swim season.
A trophy will be given for a boy and girl in each age
group. •
Coaches Award- This award will be given to a boy and a
girl in each age group. Coaches determine the recipient of this trophy based on
the swimmer’s
team spirit, sportsmanship, motivation and overall attitude throughout
the swim season.
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