Maine YMCA Swim League

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MAINE STATE YMCA SWIM LEAGUE RULES - 2007-2008

A. PHILOSOPHY

It is the philosophy of the Maine State YMCA Swim League that in order to:
- Meet accepted YMCA program objectives,
- Prepare our competitors for further swimming competition, and
- Foster in our participants a healthy outlook on life;
- The League recommends that every YMCA team make every effort to support YMCA meet first.

The League and its Teams must:

- Create a fair set of rules and enforce them firmly and consistently, and
- Seek out coaches and officials who will use every opportunity to demonstrate that
fair, firm, and consistent rules are in the end better for everyone.

It is recommended that the home team provide a period of fellowship and refreshments for
the swimmers of both teams (by agreement of both coaches) following each YMCA League
Meet.

GENERAL RULES

1. The rules of the USA Swimming S technical rules shall be the Official Rules of this League with the following additions and changes.

2. The water depth at the end of the pool where any swimmer starts from a block or the deck may be no less than that recommended by the National YMCA Competitive Swimming and Diving Guidelines (currently - 5 feet). If the water depth is less than recommended, swimmers must start in the water. All events must start at the starting end of the pool.

3. The eligibility of any swimmer to represent a YMCA shall be determined by the National Rules That Govern YMCA Competitive Sports and by the Local YMCA Board of Directors. The Competitive Swimming Coordinator(s), whose decision shall be final, will rule on any case in question. The penalty for allowing an ineligible swimmer to compete for points shall be forfeiture of all points earned by the offending team in those events.

4. The Official Winter Swimming Season shall be from September 1st to April 30th. The Official Summer Swimming Season shall be from May 1st to August 31st.

5. A swimmer's age group for winter competition shall be determined by his or her age on December 1st of the current season. A Swimmer's age group for summer competition shall be determined by his or her age on the first day of the meet in question.
a. The 8 and Under Division shall consist of competitors age 8 and under.
b. The 10 and Under Division shall consist of competitors age 10 and under.
c. The 12 and Under Division shall consist of competitors age 12 and under.
d. The 14 and Under Division shall consist of competitors age 14 and under.

The Senior Division shall consist of competitors who are age 12 or over on the 1st day of the Short Course National Championships. but less than age 22 on the day of competition, who have not represented any scholastic institution beyond grade 12 in competitive swimming, and who have not competed in a YMCA Master's Meet.
f. Open Division is available to all eligible swimmers.

The Competitive Swimming Coordinator(s), whose decision shall be final, will rule on any case in question. The penalty for allowing a swimmer to compete in an age group in which he or she is not eligible to compete shall be forfeiture of all points earned by the offending team in those events in the meet in question.

6. The League shall maintain records for 8 and Under, 9 & 10, 11 & 12, 13 & 14, 15 – 18 and Senior Divisions. Records shall be maintained for all events in the League Event List and for any other events in which records are kept by the National YMCA. Records may be established only in YMCA competition, sanctioned or approved in writing by the Cluster Coordinator(s). and only in the event. distance, and stroke actually contested, except that the first swimmer on a relay team may establish a
record as specified in the regular Rules. The Cluster Coordinator(s) will rule on any record or performance in question.
a. Times from 25 yard pools will be considered official.
b. A separate set of Short Course Meter Records will be maintained for times obtained in 25 meter pools.
c. A separate set of Long Course Records will be maintained for times obtained in 50 meter pools.

7. Amendment:
a. Any amendment, change, addition. or deletion to the General Rules, the Winter
League Meets Rules, or the Championship Meet Rules must be proposed and adopted
at the Spring League Meeting, and must be adopted again at the Fall League Meeting
in order to become official.

b. . Any change, addition, or deletion to the Championship Meet Procedures and
Instructions must be proposed and adopted at the Fall League Meeting in order to
become official. In addition, however, the Championship Meet Committee may issue further detailed instructions, if necessary. regarding the use of the State Meet Facility.

c. Each team in the League shall have one vote. If there is a tie vote, the league coordinator will cast one vote to break the tie.

8. Distribution:
a. It will be the duty of the league Coordinator( s) to distribute at, or as soon as possible
after the Fall Meeting one copy of these Rules to every YMCA which has a team in the League.

b. In addition it will be the duty of the league Coordinator( s) to distribute to each
YMCA at, or ASAP following, the Fall Meeting:
1 copy of the League Directory
1 copy of the League Schedule
1 copy of the National YMCA Rules That Govern Competitive Sports
1 copy of the Rules for the YMCA National Championship
1 copy of the National YMCA Competitive Swimming Rules.
1 copy of the Coach of the Year Criteria.
1 copy of the Outstanding Swimmer criteria.
1 copy of budget and finance report.

C. It will be the duty of the League Coordinator(s) to distribute to each YMCA
ASAP after the Spring Meeting: the Rule Change Proposals for the Fall Meeting,
and the Schedule for the next Winter Season.

LEAGUE MEETS - WINTER SEASON

1. League shall consist of three Conferences as follows:

Northern Central Southern

Bangor Auburn / Lewiston Boothbay
Down East Penobscot Bay Bath
Mt. Desert Kennebec Valley Casco Bay
Old Town / Orono Waldo County Northern York
Piscataquis Waterville Portland
Sanford

A Dual Meet & Closed Meet League Schedule shall be submitted by the Cluster Coordinator(s) at the Spring Meeting for a vote of acceptance. If the Schedule is not accepted and if no alternative is agreed upon, the submitted Schedule shall be the official League Schedule for the following year. The Cluster Coordinator(s) will attempt to arrange equal numbers of home and away dual meets and to alternate home and away meets from year to year by order of State Meet finish. Once the League Schedule is published each team must swim all scheduled dual meets unless the team is released by the Cluster Coordinator(s) at the Regular Fall Meeting, or the meet is canceled due to weather and/or traveling conditions.

2. Each competitor shall be allowed to compete to score in three events including relays, but shall be allowed to swim In no more than four events including exhibition swims. This rule may be waived if all coaches agree, but if there is no agreement the Referee shall enforce this rule as written.

3A. For Dual Meets only: The host coach must call/contact the visiting coach to discuss relevant information by 5:00 pm on Wednesday before the meet. Also, the visiting team coach must send his or her full Team Roster (from Hy- Tek Team Manager - with Dates of Birth and Genders) to the host team coach by 5:00 PM on Wednesday. The visiting coach must send his or her full Meet Entry (also from Hy- Tek Team Manager - with Seed Times) to the host coach by 7:00 PM on the Thursday before the Meet. The host team must e-mail the Meet Manager Back-Up to the visiting coach if requested. Changes after that time must be submitted in writing (on the form provided if there is one) to the Scorer's Table prior to the beginning of the event.
3B. For Closed Meets:
All entries are due Wednesday prior to the meet to the meet director of the particular meet.
All cuts will be done in this format:
all exhibition swims are cut first
Meets are limited to 4 hours (warm ups are not included)
1,000 & 1,650 are not included in the timeline.
Host team will communicate warm up schedule to teams entered in the meet.
Coaches are strongly encouraged to enter estimated times instead of N.T.
Host team should re-seed meet after scratches. Teams wishing not to re-seed should inform all teams of their decision in meet information.

4. Exhibition swims/swimmers will be allowed, but must be clearly designated by both coaches so that an Exception Report can be viewed 30 minutes before the start of the Meet. The Referee shall rule on any cases in question.

5. For Dual Meets: Any swimmer not designated as Exhibition is eligible to score. Scoring shall be 6,4,3,2,1 for individual events and 8,4,2 for Relays.

6. Every League meet must be refereed by a Certified YMCA, MSOA Level II, or USS level IV Official. If the host team does not have a Certified Official as the Referee, the visiting team will have the right to designate a Referee. The League Coordinator(s) will rule on any case in question, and failure to allow the visiting team to execute its right will cause the host team to forfeit the meet. If the host team is unable to secure a Certified Official, they shall inform the visiting coach in advance.

7. In all League meets there must be electronic timing, or three watches on the first and second place swimmers and at least one watch on each of the other lanes. If either team requests three watches on every lane and can furnish watches and timers, the Referee shall allow the request and will set up the timing accordingly.

8. When touch pads are used – for all 8 & under & 10 & under events available touchpad times will be used unless the back-up button time is faster by .3 seconds or more, in which case the button time will be used. For all 12 & under, 14 & under and Senior events the USA Swimming rule will apply as written.

9. “Awards for open meets will be stated in the Meet Announcement”.

10. In all dual & closed meets the host team will award YMCA ribbons to all swimmers who score. Each team may award ribbons to other swimmers as it seems fit. However, the League encourages awarding ribbons to all participants who are not disqualified. The host team is required to distribute ribbons to the visiting team within 72 hours after the end of the meet. League Ribbon colors are as follows: 1st=Blue, 2nd=Red, 3rd=Yellow, 4th=White, 5th=Pink, 6th=Green, 7th=Purple, and 8th=Orange.

11. The host team shall send a complete and correct set of meet results (including all splits if electronic timing is used) to the Results Chair (according to his or her instructions) and to the visiting team in Meet Manager Back up within 48 hours of the end of the meet.

12A. The Order of Events for all League Dual Meets will be as listed on page 5 of these
Rules and will include all listed events. Scoring will be done on the 88 event format indicated on page 7.

12B. The Order of Events for all League Closed Meets are listed on page 6. Scoring is not required for closed meets.

MAINE STATE YMCA SWIM LEAGUE
Dual Meet - STANDARD ORDER OF EVENTS

1. 8 under girl 100 medley relay
2. 8 under boy 100 medley relay
3.10 & Under 200 mixed medley relay
4. 12 & under 200 mixed medley relay
5. 14 & under 200 mixed medley relay
6. Senior mixed 200 medley relay
7. 8 under mixed 50 free
8. Open mixed 200 free
9. 12 under mixed 100 IM
10. Open mixed 200 IM
11. 8 under mixed 25 free
12. 12 under mixed 50 free
13. Open mixed 50 free
14. 8 under mixed 25 fly
15. 12 under mixed 50 fly
16. Open mixed 100 fly
17. 8 under mixed 25 back
18. 12 under mixed 100 free
19. Open mixed 100 free
20. 8 under mixed 25 breast
21. Open mixed 500 free
22. 8 under mixed 100 free relay
23. 12 under mixed 50 back
24. Open mixed 100 back
25. 12 under 50 breast
26. Open mixed 100 breast
27. 12 under Mixed 200 Free Relay
28. Open mixed 200 free relay

Please Note – Another word for mixed is combined. Girls and boys do not swim within the same relay

MAINE STATE YMCA SWIM LEAGUE
Closed Meet - STANDARD ORDER OF EVENTS – Split Session

Closed Meet Format 1 Closed Meet Format 2

30 minute Warm up 30 minute Warm up
8 & Under 100 MR 8 & under 100 FR
10 & Under 200 MR 10 & under 200 FR
10 & Under 100 IM 10 & under 100 Br
8 & Under 25 Free 8 & under 25 Br
10 & under 50 Bk 10 & under 50 Fly
8 & under 25 Br 8 & under 25 Bk
10 & under 50 Free 10 & under 50 Free
8 & under 25 Fly 10 & under 100 Fly
10 & under 50 Br 8 & under 25 Fly
8 & under 25 Back 10 & under 50 Back
10 & under 50 Fly 8 & under 25 Free
10 & under 100 Free 10 & under 50 Br
10 & under 100 Back
45 Minute Warm up 45 Minute Warm up
12 & under 200 FR 12 & under 200 MR
Open 200 FR Open 200 MR
12 & under 100 Back 12 & under 100 Fly
Open 200 IM Open 200 Free
Open 50 Back Open 50 Back
Open 100 Fly Open 100 Br
12 & under 100 IM Open 50Free
Open 50 free Open 50 Free
Open 200 Br 12 & under 200 IM
Open 50 Fly Open 200 Fly
12 & under 100 Br Open 50 Fly
Open 200 Back 12 & under 100 Fr
Open 50 Br Open 400 IM
Open 100 Free Open 50 Br
Open 400 MR Open 100 Back
15 minute break Open 400 FR
Open 500 Free 15 minute break
Open 1000/1650 Free

MAINE STATE YMCA SWIM LEAGUE
Closed Meet - STANDARD ORDER OF EVENTS – One Session

Format 1
1. 8 and under 100 Free Relay
2. 10 & under 200 Free Relay
3. 12 & under 200 Free Relay
4. Open 200 Free Relay
5. 8 & under 25 Backstroke
6. 12 & under 100 Backstroke
7. Open 200 I.M.
8. 8 & under 25 Breaststroke
9. Open 50 Backstroke
10. 12 & under 200 Free
11. 8 & under 25 Fly
12. Open 50 Free
13. Senior 200 Breaststroke
14. 12 & under 100 I.M.
15. 8 & under 25 Free
16. Open 50 Fly
17. 12 & under 100 Breaststroke
18. Senior 200 Backstroke
19. Open 50 Breaststroke
20. Open 100 Free
  15 minute break
21. Open 400 Medley Relay
22. Open 500 Free
* Teams must provide own timers

Format 2
1. 8 and under 100 Medley Relay
2. 10 & under 200 Medley Relay
3. 12 & under 200 Medley Relay
4. Open 200 Medley Relay
5. 8 & under 25 Backstroke
6. 12 & under 100 Fly
7. Open 200 Free
8. 8 & under 25 Breaststroke
9. Open 50 Backstroke
10. Open 100 Breaststroke
12 8 & under 25 Free
13. Senior 200 Fly
14. Open 50 Free
15. 12 & under 100 I.M.
16. 8 & under 25 Fly
17. Open 50 Breaststroke
18. 12 & under 100 Free
19. Senior 400 I.M.
20. Open 50 Fly
21. Open 100 Back
  15 minute break
22. *Open 400 Free Relay
23. *Open 100/1650 Free
* Teams must provide own timers

MAINE STATE YMCA SWIM LEAGUE
88 EVENT LIST FOR RESULTS AND SCORING FOR REGULAR LEAGUE MEETS

Event No Event Event No
For Girls For Boys
1 8 & U 100 yard Medley Relay 2
3 10 & U 200 yard Medley Relay 4
5 12 & U 200 yard Medley Relay 6
7 14 & U 200 yard Medley Relay 8
9 Senior 200 yard Medley Relay 10
11 12 & U 200 yard Freestyle 12
13 14 & U 200 yard Freestyle 14
15 Senior 200 yard Freestyle 16
17 8 & U 100 yard Ind. Medley 18
19 10 & U 100 yard Ind. Medley 20
21 12 & U 100 yard Ind. Medley 22
23 14 & U 200 yard Ind. Medley 24
25 Senior 200 yard Ind. Medley 26
27 8 & U 25 yard Freestyle 28
29 10 & U 50 yard Freestyle 30
31 12 & U 50 yard Freestyle 32
33 14 & U 50 yard Freestyle 34
35 Senior 50 yard Freestyle 36
37 8 & U 25 yard Butterfly 38
39 10 & U 50 yard Butterfly 40
41 12 & U 50 yard Butterfly 42
43 14 & U 100 yard Butterfly 44
45 Senior 100 yard Butterfly 46
47 8 & U 50 yard Freestyle 48
49 10 & U 100 yard Freestyle 50
51 12 & U 100 yard Freestyle 52
53 14 & U 100 yard Freestyle 54
55 Senior 100 yard Freestyle 56
57 Senior 500 yard Freestyle 58
59 8 & U 25 yard Backstroke 60
61 10 & U 50 yard Backstroke 62
63 12 & U 50 yard Backstroke 64
65 14 & U 100 yard Backstroke 66
67 Senior 100 yard Backstroke 68
69 8 & U 25 yard Breaststroke 70
71 10 & U 50 yard Breaststroke 72
73 12 & U 50 yard Breaststroke 74
75 14 & U 100 yard Breaststroke 76
77 Senior 100 yard Breaststroke 78
79 8 & U 100 yard Freestyle Relay 80
81 10 & U 200 yard Freestyle Relay 82
83 12 & U 200 yard Freestyle Relay 84
85 14 & U 200 yard Freestyle Relay 86
87 Senior 200 yard Freestyle Relay 88


MAINE STATE YMCA SWIM LEAGUE
STATE MEET - ORDER OF EVENTS
Event # For Girls Event Event # For Boys

SESSION A
1 8 & U 100 Yard Medley Relay 2
3 8 & U 100 Yard Individual Medley 4
5 8 & U 25 Yard Freestyle 6
7 8 & U 25 Yard Butterfly 8
9 8 & U 50 Yard Freestyle 10
11 8 & U 25 Yard Backstroke 12
13 8 & U 25 Yard Breaststroke 14
15 8 & U 100 Yard Freestyle Relay 16
SESSION B SESSION C
17 10 & U 200 Yard Medley Relay 26
18 10 & U 100 Yard Individual Medley 28
19 10 & U 50 Yard Freestyle 30
20 10 & U 50 Yard Butterfly 32
21 10 & U 100 Yard Freestyle 34
22 10 & U 50 Yard Backstroke 36
23 10 & U 50 Yard Breaststroke 38
24 10 & U 200 Yard Freestyle Relay 40
SESSION D
42 12 & U 200 Yard Medley Relay 25
43 12 & U 200 Yard Freestyle 27
44 12 & U 100 Yard Individual Medley 29
45 12 & U 50 Yard Freestyle 31
46 12 & U 50 Yard Butterfly 33
47 12 & U 100 Yard Freestyle 35
48 12 & U 50 Yard Backstroke 37
49 12 & U 50 Yard Breaststroke 39
50 12 & U 200 Yard Freestyle Relay 41

SESSION E SESSION F
70 Senior 200 Yard Medley Relay 51
71 14 & U 200 Yard Medley Relay 52
72 Senior 200 Yard Freestyle 53
73 14 & U 200 Yard Freestyle 54
74 Senior 200 Yard Individual Medley 55
75 14 & U 200 Yard Individual Medley 56
76 Senior 50 Yard Freestyle 57
77 14 & U 50 Yard Freestyle 58
78 Senior 100 Yard Butterfly 59
79 14 & U 100 Yard Butterfly 60
80 Senior 100 Yard Freestyle 61
81 14 & U 100 Yard Freestyle 62
82 Senior 500 Yard Freestyle 63
83 14 & U 100 Yard Backstroke 64
84 Senior 100 Yard Backstroke 65
85 14 & U 100 Yard Breaststroke 66
86 Senior 100 Yard Breaststroke 67
87 14 & U 200 Yard Freestyle Relay 68
88 Senior 200 Yard Freestyle Relay 69
CHAMPIONSHIP - WINTER SEASON

1. The eligibility of a team to compete in the Championship Meet will be determined by applicable State and National YMCA regulations. The League Coordinator(s} will rule on any cases in question. That ruling will be final.

2. Every swimmer must swim in at least three League Meets, contested on separate dates, in the current winter season in order to be eligible to swim in the current (Winter) Championship Meet. In order to qualify as a League Meet, a meet must be on the League Schedule issued by the League Coordinator (s}, or must be a make-up of one on the League Schedule, or must be approved by the Coordinator (s) by December 31. The League
Coordinator(s) will rule on any cases In question. Only if a coach notifies the League Coordinators within 48 hours after the last sanctioned League Meet of the season and only in extenuating circumstances, may the League Coordinator(s) waive this rule. The Coordinator(s} decision will be final. The Coordinators will notify all coaches of all waivers before State Meet Entries are due.

3. All other problems (except eligibility questions noted above) relating to the entry process or the conduct of the meet will be decided by the Championship Meet Committee. Their decision will be final. The Championship Meet Committee in any season will consist of the Meet Director(s}, the Referee(s}, and the Official Starter(s) for the Championships and a Coach and an Alternate Coach who will be elected at the January Meeting. The Alternate
Coach will serve if the primary Coach's team is involved. It should be noted that not all members of the Meet Committee might be present during anyone day of the Competition, and that therefore a majority vote of those in attendance will be adequate to resolve any problem arising during the competition.

4. Team Entries must be created from a Hy- Tek Windows Team Manager and must be sent as a Hy- Tek Entry File bye-mail or diskette to the Seeding Chair, as follows: (Specific date timeline is established at January meeting).
a. By February 1st - each Team must designate an Entry Contact Person who has e-mail and who must request from the Seeding Chair the State Meet Order of Events file to be imported into Windows Team Manager.
b. By Noon on Wednesday, 10 days before the State Meet - each Team's Entry File must have been received by the Seeding Chair bye-mail or diskette. If the Seeding Chair is missing an entry at the deadline, he/she will attempt to contact the Team. If he/she is not successful, the Cluster Coordinator will contact the YMCA. A $100.00 fine will be assessed on late entries.

c. By 6:00 PM on Thursday, 9 days before the Meet - the Seeding Chair will e-mail to each Team's Entry Contact Person an HTML file of that Team's entries as entered into the State Meet Windows Meet Manager.
d. By Noon on Friday, 8 days before the Meet - all additions and corrections to the HTML file must be received by the Seeding Chair bye-mail. These corrections and additions must be sent bye-mail message to the Seeding Chair, unless he or she directs the coach to send a full corrected entry file. No changes, additions, or corrections to the Team Entry will be allowed after this time.
e. By 6:00 PM on Friday, 8 days before the Meet - the Seeding Chair will e-mail each Team Entry Contact an HTML file of the complete Psych Sheet for the Meet.
f. By Noon on Monday, 5 days before the Meet - the Seeding Chair must have received bye-mail any corrections for typographical errors made by the Seeding Chair. He or she must also have received all protests regarding any swimmer's eligibility by this time. No other changes or corrections will be accepted at this time, and no eligibility protests will be accepted after this time.
g. By 6:00 PM on Monday, 5 days before the Meet - the Seeding Chair will e-mail an HTML file of the Revised Psych Sheet to each Team Entry Contact.

5. 8 days before the Meet - a check for the full amount of the Entry Fees due (as voted at the Fall Meeting), accompanied by the Team Data and Authorization Form must be received by the League Coordinators.

6. Swimmers who are left off Entries may be added at the Coaches' Meeting on the day of the Meet, only as Non-scoring Exhibition Competitors, only in empty lanes in existing heats, and at a cost of $15 per swimmer per event.

7. Each team may enter an unlimited number of swimmers in individual events. Each swimmer may enter a maximum of three events. A team may enter swimmers as exhibition competitors in Exhibition National YMCA Qualifying Events provided: The team coach makes a request to the Meet Director, the event is swum only once, the event is not a regularly contested event or relays that encompass different age groups and the cumulative time is close to qualifying for that age group in this Championship, and the team coach arranges for sufficient timers.

8. The Meet Directors will have the authority to ban from the rest of the Meet any swimmer who vandalizes any part of the host facility or who disobeys rules and regulations regarding its use.

9. Place judging for the Championship Meet shall be by Modified Ballot unless an automatic timing and judging system is used. All 8 and Under Events will use three buttons instead of touch pads as the primary finish. For all 10 & Under and 12 & Under Events available touch pad times will be used unless the back-up button time is faster by 0.3 seconds or more, in which case the button time will be used. For all 14 & Under and Senior Events the USA Swimming rule will apply as written.

10. There will be no penalty for missing an event except disqualification from that event.

11. All Events will be run as timed finals.

12. Each team may enter unlimited relay teams in each relay event, but only the highest placing relay team may score. If a relay team places but does not score, it will receive a set of Relay Participant Ribbons. The team coach shall designate the four swimmers assigned to swim on each relay team by listing their names on the Relay Entry Card prior to the event. As many times as needed, a coach may scratch an individual event for any swimmer needed to fill out a relay, provided that one of the swimmers scheduled for that relay is not available.

13. Scoring shall be for sixteen places as in the regular rules.

14. Appropriate awards will be awarded to the top eight finalists in each event. Ribbons will be awarded to ninth through sixteenth places. Heat Winner ribbons will be awarded to all Heat Winners. Each participant will receive a State Meet Participant Award.

15. Team awards will be presented to the winning Girls' Team, Boys' Team, and Combined Team in each of the following Age Groups: 8 and Under, 10 and Under, 12 and Under, 14 and Under, Senior, and Over-All. In addition an award will be presented to the Runner-Up and Combined Over-All Team.

16. For each age group the order of events will be as listed in the State Meet Order of Events on page 7 of these Rules. Sessions E and F will be alternated each year.

17. Awards will be presented at the State Meet to the Outstanding Boy and Girl participants and to the YMCA Coach of The Year according to criteria and details as voted at the Fall Meeting.