A swimmer must be a member of the YMCA they represent for a minimum of 90 days prior to the Championship i.e., since December 1, 2002.

During the current Short Course season (September 1, 2002 through April 14, 2003), a swimmer may not swim in open competition representing any team other than the YMCA they are representing in this Championship.

A swimmer must have competed in three (3) Southwest Cluster YMCA Swim League inter-association meets in the current Short Course season (prior to the entry deadline) to be eligible to swim in this Championship Meet.

Swimmers and teams must meet all requirements outlined in the Southwest Cluster YMCA Swim League "Rules and Regulations for Competitive Swimming Meets", issued September 1995.

Coaches must have their Deck Passes visibly displayed to be on deck during this Championship Meet. Certifications for coaches must be submitted by January 15, 2003.

Passes must be obtained from Toby Boedeker prior to this meet. A coach must present Life-guarding or Safety Training for Swim coaches, CPR, First Aid and Principles of Coaching to receive a deck pass. These certifications must be in the hands of Toby Boedeker by January 15, 2003.

SANCTIONS

The "A" Championship Meet is sanctioned by the National YMCA Competitive Swimming and Diving Advisory Committee.

Additionally, a random sample of up to 10% of swimmers from each team will be selected for verification of participation in at least 3 (three) inter-association meets and/or proof of entry times.

Only signed copies of hand written Final Results/Score sheets are acceptable for this verification/proof. Computer generated results from Hy-Tek or EasyMeet do not have to be signed. If you wish to submit your team manager file of best times for proof of time you may send it with your entries See the attached instructions on how to do this.

If these verification/proof requirements cannot be met for one or more of the sampled swimmers, those individuals will be scratched from that event and their entry fee NOT returned. Additionally, another event will be selected for that swimmer. Furthermore, such a failure may also result in additional swimmers beyond the original sample from that team being identified for verification of participation.

If this verification requirement cannot be met for one or more of the sampled swimmers, those individuals will be scratched from the meet and their entry fees NOT returned. Furthermore, such a failure may also result in additional swimmers beyond the original sample from that team being identified for verification of participation.

Appointed representatives of the league will be available at the Natatorium on Friday night beginning at 5:00 PM to perform this task. Teams with no Friday swimmers can perform this task on Saturday morning beginning at 6:30 AM. In all cases, however, swimmers from a given team will not be allowed to compete until that team’s verification of participation has been satisfactorily completed. Any coach may challenge the participation of any swimmer by filing protest with the Meet Committee and posting a $5.00 fee. This protest must be filed prior to the beginning of the day's competition. The fee will be returned only if the protest is won.

All times must have been achieved after September 1, 2002 except for times achieved in sanctioned YMCA championship meets since March 2, 2002.

All entries must be submitted via e-mail or disk from Hy-Tek Team Manager or Easy Team. If submitted by e-mail be sure to make the e-mail subject your team code plus "A Entries". Entry fees are to be mailed to the entry chairperson and should be received before the completion of the meet.

To enter Senior events, a swimmer must be at least 12 years of age as of the first day of the YMCA Short Course Nationals, i.e., April 14, 2003.

A swimmer must swim in his/her age group for individual events. A swimmer may swim up in any age group for relays.

To enter a given event, a swimmer must NOT have achieved a "AA" qualifying time during the current Short Course season for that event (before the entry deadline).

Swimmers, 8 & under, who have achieved four (4) or more "AA" qualifying times during the current Short Course season may NOT be entered in the "A" Championship Meet in individual events.

Swimmers, 9 & over, who have achieved six (6) or more "AA" qualifying times during the current Short Course season may NOT be entered in the "A" Championship Meet in individual events.

Each swimmer, 8 and under is allowed to enter no more than four (4) Age Group individual events over the three day period.

Each swimmer, 9 and over can enter up to six (6) individual events over the three day period.

A swimmer can swim a maximum of one (1) Age Group medley relay and one (1) Age Group freestyle relay. Participation in Senior Relays is unlimited provided the swimmer is age 12 the first day of Short Course Nationals.

Team entries for Age Group relay events are unlimited. However, only the A, B, and C relays per team per event can score and qualify for awards. D, E, etc. relays will not be scored or awarded under ANY circumstances, including disqualification of the team's A, B, or C relays.

Deck entries:
Deck entries will not be accepted at any SWCSL championship meet.

Exceptions are as follows:

Entries must be submitted by e-mail or mailed entry disk for Hy-Tek Team Manager or Easyteam:

All entries submitted must be received by the Entry Chairperson by 4:00 PM on Monday, February 24, 2003.

E-Mail or mail a disk of your entries to the appropriate entry chairperson. If submitted by e-mail be sure to make the e-mail subject your team code plus "A Entries". Entry checks should also be mailed to the same person.

The Entry Chairpersons are:

North Area: Mid and South Area

Except for those stated in this document and outlined in the Southwest Cluster YMCA Swim League "Rules and Regulations for Competitive Swimming Meets", issued September 1995, the current NCAA Swimming and Diving Rules will govern this meet.

Positive check-in is required for all swimmers entered in the 400 IM, 500 freestyle and the 1000 freestyle. This must be done no later than 30 minutes before the start of the session in which they are swum. This check-in can be performed at the check-in table.

All age group events will be pre-seeded to ensure a minimum of three (3) swimmers in all heats. However, an entire event will NOT be re-seeded to maintain this minimum should there be scratches and/or no-shows. Combining of heats where the opportunity arises may be performed at the discretion of the Meet Committee and/or deck referees.

Swimmers entering the warm-up/warm-down pool must enter FEET FIRST WITH ONE HAND IN CONTACT WITH THE POOL WALL/DECK at the STARTING BLOCK END ONLY.

• NO SHAVING WILL BE PERMITTED AT THE MEET SITE Willful disregard of this rule will result in ejection of the offender from the meet.

• SNACKS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE TEAM AREA.

• THERE IS NO FOOD OR BEVERAGE ALLOWED IN NATATORIUM

• A CONCESSION AREA IS AVAILABLE

• NO COOLERS ARE TO BE CARRIED INTO THE BUILDING.

Individual Events:
20-17-16-15-14-13-12-11-9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
1st through 16th place respectively.

Relay Events:
40-34-32-30-28-26-24-22-18-14-12-10-8-6-4-2
1st through 16th place respectively.

Remember: Only the A, B, and C relays per team per event can score.
D, E, etc. will not be scored under ANY circumstances, including disqualification of the team's A, B, or C relays.

AWARDS

Individual Events:
Medals 1st through 8th place
Ribbons 9th through 16th place

Relay Events:
Medals 1st through 4th place
Double Ribbons 5th through 8th place
Ribbons 9th through 16th place

Heat Ribbons:
Heat ribbons will be awarded to all heat winners in the
8 & under and 9-10 age groups.

The number of swimmers entered by each team determines the required YMCA work assignments. (We are using last year's numbers to expedite the official's list.) All YMCAs must provide the assigned officials/workers as designated by the Meet Committee. Failure to provide all of the assigned officials/workers for any session of this meet will disallow that team's swimmers from further participation in the meet. Should this situation occur, no entry fees will be returned.

A member of the Meet Committee will prepare the officials/workers assignment list and forward it to each team approximately 60 days in advance of the Championship. Except for Warm-up Monitors, all meet workers must check in at the official's room when arriving at the meet and at least 45 minutes ahead of the meet start time for each session. Warm-up Monitors must check in at least 10 minutes ahead of the warm-up start time for each session.

All meet officials (referee, starter, stroke and turn judges, timers, etc.) must be dressed in white uniforms and have their certification patch clearly visible.

Substitutes/alternates for the various officials/workers positions are allowed, provided that the position's instructions are reviewed with the person and that the Deck Referee is notified of the change.

New: "A" North Worker Assignments

By League rules, all meets shall have a committee designated before the beginning of the meet. The meet committee shall consist of SWCSL officers in attendance:

Meet Director
Meet Referee
One Coach
One swimmer entered in the meet

The committee may become involved in protests and disputes concerning technical matters, matters of eligibility, and other appropriate subjects, but in no case may the meet committee become involved in protests concerning judgment decisions by deck officials.

North Area Meet Director
Don Homan 3101 Regent St. Dayton, Ohio 45409 937-293-2291

Middle Area Meet Director
Mark Hucke 4181 Summerville Rd. Summerville, OH 45064 513-523-6577

South Area Meet Director
John Harnden 2403 Brickhouse Lane Fairfield, Ohio 45014 513-583-3563

Devotions have been assigned. Please be sure that your team is prepared with their assignment for their session.

CHECK PAYABLE