Parent Education Night

9 September 2009
Parent Education Night

• Season Outline

• Meet Sheets

• General Policies
Season Calendar
 Large Overview
• Short Course season is
September-March

• Long Course season is

April-August

• High School season is

February-mid May

• 3 Training Cycles
throughout a season

• They are fluid based

upon athlete’s needs/
achievement
 First Cycle

• September -- mid-December (SCY)

• Peak meets:
• Age Group Program: JOs
• Seniors: Senior Champs & Winter
Sectionals
 Second Cycle
• mid-December--early April (SCY)
• mid-May for high school athletes
• Peak meets:
• Age Group Program: JOs & Far Westerns
• Seniors: High School Sections (SJS &
NCS) & Far Westerns
• Team Meet:
• Zone 3 Winter Championships (Jan.)
 Third Cycle
• early April/mid-May--August (LCM)
• Peak Meets:
• Age Group Program: JOs & Far Westerns
• Seniors: Summer Sectionals, Far Westerns
• Team Meet:
• R.E.A.L. Championships (WCAN)
Meets • VJO competes in an average
of one to two meets a
month
• Swimmers are encouraged
to attend at least one meet
a month
• Meets are a vital part of the
competitive swimming
process
• They provide feedback for what swimmers
and coaches need to improve in practice and
are ultimately the venue for recording
progress
Vallejo Aquatic Club
Meet Sheets 101
What’s a Meet Sheet?
A meet sheet is rules
everything you need to
know about a particular eligibility
swim meet including...
check-in & scratches
sanction
entries & fees
location & directions
awards
course & pool facilities
 Location

The location heading will give the address of

the pool and directions to the pool site

For example: John F. Cunningham Aquatic Complex, 801

Heartwood Ave., Vallejo, CA. From I-80 East onto Georgia
Street; from I-80 West, RIGHT up over freeway onto Georgia
Street. Go east on Georgia Street, past (3) stoplights. Turn LEFT
on Heartwood to pool. From Contra Costa, take I-680 NORTH to
I-780 NORTH. Exit from I-780 at Columbus Parkway. Turn
LEFT on Georgia Street. Turn RIGHT on Heartwood. Pool is on
the left side.
 Course

The course heading gives the details of the

pool facility we will be visiting including pool
length (m vs yd), number of lanes, and warm-
up/warm-down space

For example: Outdoor heated pool: 25 yards, 8 competition

lanes expandable to 16 lanes. Separate warm-up and warm-down
area available throughout the meet.
 Time

The time heading tells the start time of the meet and the
start time and duration of warm-ups

For example:Meet begins at 5pm on Friday with warms-ups

from 3:30 to 4:45. 9:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday with warm-
ups from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m.

We cannot stress enough the importance of being on time!

Swimmers should check-in before warm-ups so they do
not miss an event. Timeliness also ensures a quality
warm-up which is directly related to quality swims.
 Rules
The rules heading will include # of events allowed per day
important info including...
how the meet “closes”
USA/Pacific Swimming rules
in effect scratch down procedures

warm-up procedures details for “open” events

timed finals vs trials & finals
12 & unders should complete
competition w/in 4 hours (at
non-Championship meets)
special procedures for 500 &
1000 (fast->slow, timers & lap
counters, coach verified time)
 Restrictions

The restrictions heading will have info and

rules relating to the specific pool facility

For example: Smoking and the use of other tobacco products

is prohibited on the deck, in the locker rooms, in spectator seating
or standing areas and by all areas used by the swimmers during
the meet and during warm-up periods. Glass containers of any
kind are not permitted in the pool area and locker rooms. Pop-
ups and tents will not be allowed on deck, except at the west
end of the pool.
 Eligibility

The eligibility section will provide info on what “allows” swimmers

to participate or any special eligibility requirements including...

USA Swimming Card (Swimmers should always bring their USA

Swimming Registration card to meets, just in case!)

Entry times will be checked against the computer database but can
be changed in accordance w/ proper procedures

Eligibility of 19 & over swimmers

Accommodating swimmers with special needs

 Check-In
The check-in heading tells how & when to “check-in”
once you arrive at the pool.

Swimmers check in at Clerk of the Course. Please allow

your swimmers to check themselves in. It is their
responsibility as a swimmer.

Swimmers must check in at least 30 mins before the start

of the event.

Swimmers who do not check in MAY NOT COMPETE in

the event!
 Scratches
The scratches section provides info on the procedures and penalties of
“scratching”

Scratching means a swimmer will not participate in an event

With a coach’s permission only, a swimmer may scratch an event by notifying

clerk of the course before the event has been seeded (30 mins before the event
is scheduled to be swum).

Failure to swim an event will result in being scratched from the meet unless the
swimmer returns to the clerk of the course and repeats the check-in process for all
remaining events. Failure to swim an event after re-check-in will result in being
barred from the next individual event in which a swimmer is entered on that day
or the next meet day, whichever is first.

If a swimmer misses their event, they must come see their coach immediately!
 Entries
The entries heading will provide directions on how to enter and
entry deadlines

You may enter online using swimconnection.com and a credit

card. There is a small online processing fee in addition to entry
fees.

You may also enter by “snail mail”. Paper entries must be

completed on the Consolidated Entry card attached to the meet
sheet.

The deadline for entries may vary between online entries and
mailed entries.

Entries should be completed within 24-48 hours of VJO

publishing the meet.
 Fees

The fees heading will you how much it will

cost to enter the meet and who to make checks
payable to.

Usual fees are $2.75 per event and a $5.00

participation fee per swimmer.
 Awards

The awards sections will detail which places

and divisions will be awarded

A medals are given for new A times

Whether open events are being awarded

 Communication
• Folders (on deck)
• Phone Tree
• You can add cell phones too!

• E-mail List
• Add as many as you’d like!

• Website
• www.vallejoaquatics.org
 Practice
• Arrive 10-15 minutes
prior to scheduled start

• Be in the water at
scheduled start

• Have proper equipment

• Positive & encouraging

to teammates

• Come ready to be
challenged!
 Practice

• The Staff ask that parents are present at

the scheduled conclusion of practice and
that all swimmers have left the pool no
later than fifteen minutes after practice has
ended.
• If there’s an emergency, please contact a
Coach to let them know you may be late.
 Practice
We ask that the pool deck is
treated as a classroom
• Parents on-deck or otherwise
communicating with their swimmer(s) is not
only a legal liability for the team, but an
unfair distraction to both athletes and
coaches. We politely ask you to respect this
important boundary.
 Practice Attendance

• Hammerheads: 3+ times a week

• Makos: 75-80+% of practices
• Age Group: 85-90+% of practices
• Senior Group: 95+% of practices
 What Can I Do?

• Marshall • Clerk of
Course

• Stroke &
• Computer
Turn Judge
Operator

• Starter
• Colorado

• Referee
• Equipment

SET-UP AND TAKE-DOWN

 Parents’
Meet Expectations
• Arrive 15 minutes prior to scheduled start
of warm-ups
• Sit under team canopies
• Time
• Be unconditionally positive & supportive
 What to Bring to a
Swim Meet
• Multiple towels
• Several changes of (warm) clothes
• Warm shoes
• Lots of fluids & nutritious snacks
• Books & Activities
• VJO Team Cap & Apparel
Tuffy Williams Contact Us
tuffyguy@sbcglobal.net
c. (707) 567-7161
h. (707) 642-3008

Aaron Jon Toch

aaronjon@vallejoaquatics.org
c. (707) 373-8701
o. (707) 553-7946
h. (707) 731-2588

Lesley Ruszel
lesley@vallejoaquatics.org
c. (707) 373-4147
Thanks for Coming!!