Competition
SANCTIONED FOR USMS INC. BY MICHIGAN MASTERS SANCTION #198-S007
HOST ORGANIZATIONS: Your hosts are Eastern Michigan University and the South Oakland Seals. This is the eleventh Masters Swimming Championships held at EMU.
MEET DIRECTOR:
Frank (Skip) Thompson, 2660 Littletell Avenue, West Bloomfield, MI 48324-1753
Phone: (248) 683-2191, E-mail: thompsonfrank866@gmail.com
FACILITIES:
Location. The Michael H. Jones Natatorium is housed in the Olds Robb Student Recreation Intramural Complex at Eastern Michigan University. Go to http://www.emich.edu/maps/campus_map.pdf for a printable campus map that shows the Jones Natatorium, the parking structure, and surface parking lots.
Parking. Use the parking structure on Structure Drive, just east of Oakwood Street, and just west of the Intramural Complex. There may be a modest fee. Use visitor parking lots Friday evening if the parking structure is unavailable.
Swimming Pool. The Jones Natatorium is a 25-yard by 50-meter indoor pool, to be configured as two 25-yard 10-lane courses. One course will be used for competition and the other for continuous warm-up/cool down. An exception will occur for distance events when 16 lanes will be used for competition and 4 lanes for warm-up/cool down. The length of the competition course without a bulkhead is in compliance and on file with USMS in accordance with articles 105.1.7 and 107.2.1. The primary timing system will be automated with sound device at the start and swimmer touching the pad at the finish with the time recorded on a scoreboard. Official times from this automated timing system will be submitted for USMS Records and USMS Top Ten times for all courses. For Short/Long Course Meters the time will be submitted to FINA for Masters FINA Top Ten and Masters FINA World Records.
Concessions. Concessions will be available at the Olds Robb Student Recreation Center. There are nearby restaurants located about 5–10 minutes from the pool. A modest lunch will be served during the Michigan LMSC Annual Meeting between the morning and afternoon sessions on Saturday.
RULES:
Competition Rules. United States Masters Swimming (USMS) rules and Michigan Local Masters Swimming Committee (MI-LMSC) policies will apply. The USMS rule book is available online at http://www.usms.org under the “For Volunteers” tab. The Michigan LMSC polices are located at http://www.michiganmasters.com under the “Information” tab.
Eastern Michigan University Facility Rules:
• Smoking is not allowed in any building.
• Food and beverages are not allowed in the pool area, in adjacent locker rooms, or spectator areas.
• Lockers are available, but swimmers should bring their own locks. Eastern Michigan University and Michigan Masters will not assume responsibility for lost or stolen articles.
• Body oils and other rub-down substances that may contaminate the pool water are banned. Swimmers who use these substances will be held responsible and be disqualified.
• Diving off any of the boards or towers is strictly forbidden.
• Swimmers in the concession area must wear shirts, shorts, and some type of foot covering.
PROCEDURES AND POLICIES:
Age Groups. Age on April 15 (last day of the meet) determines a swimmer’s age for the entire meet. Individual event age groups: 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74 … 5-year increments as high as necessary. Relay age groups: 18+, 25+, 35+, 45+, 55+, 65+, 75+, 85+ … 10-year increments as high as necessary. Age groups for relay events are determined by the age of the youngest person on a relay team.
Warm-up/Cool-down. Swimmers must enter the water feet first in a cautious manner during all warm-ups/cool downs. Diving is permitted only in designated sprint lanes.
Check-in:
• General check-in. Every swimmer must report for general check-in upon arrival at the meet to verify entry status, pick-up a copy of the meet heat sheets, and pick-up a meet t-shirt[GD2] .
• Distance event check-in. Each swimmer who is entered in a distance event (400y IM, 500y freestyle, 1000y freestyle, 1650y freestyle) must report for a positive distance event check-in. Swimmers who do not verify intention to compete before the check-in deadline will be scratched from that event. The Meet Director reserves the right to re-seed the distance events after check-in if subsequent scratches will allow consolidation of heats. The deadlines for distance event check-ins are provided in the “Schedule” section of this meet announcement.
Seeding. Seeding will be slow to fast for individual events of 200 yards or less and for relay events, with men and women seeded separately. Seeding will be fast to slow for distance events (400y IM, 500y free, 1000y free, 1650y free), with men and women seeded together. “No time” entries will be assigned to the slowest heats for all events.
Heat Sheets. At general check-in, swimmers will receive heat sheets that show heat and lane assignments for all events that are 200 yards or less in distance. Separate heat sheets for the distance events (400y IM, 500y free, 1000y free, and 1650y free) will be posted at the pool when distance-event check-in for that event is complete.
Scratches. For all events, the swimmer is responsible to report to the assigned heat and lane in a timely manner. Failure to appear by the time of the Referee’s short whistle commands will be considered a scratch; the swimmer will not be allowed to swim in another heat of the same event.
Timing:
• Timing system. A Daktronics timing system with electronic and manual back-up timing and a full-display scoreboard will be used. All events (except some heats of the distance events) will be timed using this system. Manual back-up timers will be provided at each lane.
• Swimmer responsibilities. Hit the timing pad firmly. During relays, remain clear of the timing pad area until the event is completed by all swimmers. Alert the Starter to request the required three manual back-up timers if you or your relay is attempting a USMS (national) record. Supply your own lap counting personnel for distance events.
Scoring. Individual events: 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 points. Relay events: 18-14-12-10-8-6-4-2 points.
Results. Event results will be posted at clearly marked locations announced at the meet and at the awards table. Results will also be available via Meet Mobile and Swim Phone (www.michiganmasters.com). Results will be published on the website (www.michiganmasters.com) following the meet.
Awards:
1st, 2nd, 3rd - Individual Events = State Championship Medals
4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th- Individual Events = State Championship Ribbons
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th - Relay Events = State Championship Ribbons
High Point Award - Age Group Women and Men = State Championship Trophy Plaque
High Point Team - Large Team Division = State Championship Trophy Plaque
High Point Team - Small Team Division = State Championship Trophy Plaque
High Point Team - Large Team Women = State Championship Trophy Plaque
High Point Team - Small Team Women = State Championship Trophy Plaque
High Point Team - Large Team Men = State Championship Trophy Plaque
High Point Team - Small Team Men = State Championship Trophy Plaque
Presentation of Awards:
• Pick up individual and relay event awards at the awards table.
• Presentation of age group high point awards and overall team high point awards in all categories will begin 30 minutes after the completion of the last event, namely the 1000y freestyle (event # 39). The large and small team divisions will based upon the number of total entries for each team.
• Please be prompt so award presentations are not delayed. Swimmers and team representatives are responsible to pick up any awards earned. Awards will not be mailed.
Records. A Michigan State Record may only be established by a swimmer registered through the Michigan LMSC. A Meet Championship Record may be established by any swimmer entered in the meet.
Protests. Per USMS Rule 102.14.3, “protests against judgment decisions of starters and stroke, turn, and relay takeoff judges can only be considered by the referee, and the referee’s decision shall be final.” Other protests (e.g., concerns about seeding, awards, final results, eligibility, scoring, or entries) must be submitted to the meet director or referee by the team representative in writing. According to Section 3 of the Michigan LMSC Policies and Procedures, such protests will be heard by the Championship Committee.
ENTRIES:
Entry Methods and Entry Deadlines. Swimmers are strongly encouraged to use the online Club Assistant entry system; however, paper (mail?in) entries will be accepted. There is an earlier entry deadline and a surcharge associated with paper (mail-in) entries because of the additional administrative work needed to process those entries. The instructions that follow in the “Entries” section of this document apply to both entry methods.
• Online entries. Go to www.MichiganMasters.com to enter the meet. The online entry deadline is the end of the day (11:59 pm) on Tuesday, April 10, 2018.
• Paper (mail-in) entries. Swimmers should submit the entry form, liability waiver, fees schedule, and entry fees. Paper entries must be received by the end of the day (11:59 pm) on Tuesday, April 3, 2018. Note that this is a received by deadline, not a postmarked by deadline. Send entries to:Frank (Skip) Thompson
2660 Littletell Avenue
West Bloomfield, MI 48324-1753
Phone: (248) 683-2191
E-mail: thompsonfrank866@gmail.com
• Relay entries. Relay entries must be submitted by the designated team representative, not individual swimmers. Refer to the “Entry Procedures” described below.
Eligibility. Swimmers must have a current USMS membership as of the entry deadline to be eligible to compete in this meet. One-day event registrations (USMS rule 201.1.3) are not valid given that this is a 3-day meet with multiple events. Whether entering online or via mail, swimmers must agree to the USMS “Participant Waiver and Release of Liability, Assumption of Risk and Indemnity Agreement.”
Representation. Swimmers may choose to represent the registered masters swimming club (e.g., Michigan Masters, Lifetime Swim Michigan, Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics Masters, etc.) listed on the USMS membership card, a state meet team (e.g., Milford Masters, Stray Cats, FAST, Ann Arbor Masters, etc.), or swim unattached (UC19).
Event Limits:
Individual event maximum for the entire meet: 7
Individual event maximum for Friday: 2
Individual event maximum for Saturday: 4
Individual event maximum for Sunday: 4
Relay event maximum: 1 relay each meet session (4 relays total)
If more than seven individual events are listed on the entry form, only the first seven entries will be accepted.
Entry Fees:
• Individual entry fee if submitted online - $65.00.
Individual entry fee if mailed in as a paper entry - $85.00 (includes surcharge for paper entries).
• Relay event entry fee – $12.00 per relay if entered by 11:59 pm April 10 or $16.00 per relay if deck-entered.
Entry Procedures:
• Individual Events. Choose a maximum of 7 events if entering the entire meet, a maximum of 2 events if entering only Friday, or a maximum of 4 events if entering only Saturday or Sunday. Enter your best short course yards times on the line labeled “entry seed time.” You may enter an estimated time or “no time” if you do not have a best time to report. “No time” entries will be assigned to the slowest heats.
• Distance Events. The 400y IM will be offered twice during the meet, but you may enter this event only once, either Friday evening or Saturday morning. The 1650 Free will be offered only on Friday, with an option to enter either a 2:00 pm session or a 6:00 pm session. The 2:00 session of the 1650y freestyle will accommodate the first 50 swimmers who use the online entry procedure and who indicate their preference to swim in the early session of the 1650. Refer to the check-in, seeding, and heat sheet procedures described earlier in this meet announcement for more information.
Relays. Designate one team representative to enter relays for the entire team.
• Pre-entered relays. The team representative (only) completes the space on either the online or paper entry form that is labeled “Relay Entry Fee.” The only information needed by meet management at this time is the number of relay teams entered, not swimmers’ names, ages, etc.
• Deck-entered relays. The team representative should enter relays and pay relay entry fees during general check-in on Friday from 4:45-5:45 pm, or on Saturday or Sunday from 7:30-8:00 am.
• At the meet. Relay cards will be distributed to team representatives at the meet. At that time, the relay cards must be completed with: (a) event information – the event entered, the age group for the relay team, and a seed time; and (b) swimmer information – swimmers’ names as they appear on USMS membership cards in the order of relay swim, as well as each swimmer’s age and sex. The relay age group is determined by the age of the youngest swimmer on the relay team. The team representative must submit the relay cards to the Clerk of Course, who will add heat and lane assignments. Changes to event information cannot be changed after the cards have been turned in and heat and lanes have been designated.
SCHEDULE:
General Check-in, Warm-up, and Competition Schedule:
Session #1: Friday afternoon, April 13
General Check-In & Warm Up: 12:45 pm – 1:45 pm
Competition Begins: 2:00 pm
Session #2: Friday night, April 13
General Check-In & Warm Up: 4:45 pm – 5:45 pm
Competition Begins: 6:00 pm
Session #3: Saturday morning, April 14
General Check-In & Warm Up: 7:30 am – 8:30 am
Competition Begins: 8:30 am
Michigan LMSC annual meeting will start 20 minutes after end of Session #3
Lifetime Achievement, Chetrick, and Lawrence awards presented at start of Session #4
Session #4: Saturday afternoon, April 14
General Check-In & Warm Up: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Competition Begins: 2:00 pm
Session #5: Sunday morning, April 15
General Check-In & Warm Up: 7:30 am – 8:30 am
Competition Begins: 8:30 am
Session #6: Sunday afternoon, April 15
General Check-In & Warm Up: One hour after end of Session #5 estimated 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Competition Begins: Estimated 1:00 pm
Presentation of age group high point awards and overall team high point awards in all categories will begin 30 minutes after the completion of Session #6.
Distance Event Check-In Deadlines:
• 400y IM … check-in deadline is Friday at 5:45 pm
• 1650y free … check-in deadline is Friday at 1:45 pm for afternoon session and 5:45 pm for evening session.
Annual Meeting. All swimmers are encouraged to attend the annual Michigan Local Masters Swimming Committee (LMSC) membership meeting held (in a large conference room to be announced at the meet) during the lunch break on Saturday. This is the time to vote on issues affecting the USMS National Organization, the Michigan LMSC, your local team, and yourself. An agenda of the meeting will be available at check-in on Friday, April 13.
IF YOU PLAN ON COMING TO THE LUNCHEON, PLEASE STAY FOR THE ENTIRE ANNUAL MEETING.
Lifetime Achievement, Chetrick, and Lawrence Awards. The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated a lengthy record of swimming accomplishments, as well as many years of outstanding volunteer contributions that further the objectives of masters swimming in the State of Michigan. The Chetrick Award recognizes an individual who has exhibited outstanding service and commitment to the spirit of Michigan Masters Swimming on either the state or national level. The Lawrence Award is presented to a swimmer from the Michigan LMSC who has achieved outstanding performances in National competition during the past year, and across the person’s swimming career. Previous winners of these awards are noted under the “Awards” tab at http://www.michiganmasters.com.