All motions passed by the Competition Committee are recommendations to the PVS Board of Directors.

Attendees:  Bill Marlin, Chair; Janet Auger, PVS; Riley Eaton, PVS; John Ertter, PVS; Mark Faherty, PVS; Dan Jacobs, PVS; Bill Stephens, PVS; Greg York, PVS; Ward Foley, AAC; Denise Adams, ASA; Kerry Ellett, CUBU; Tim Kelly, CUBU; Pete Morgan, CUBU; Brian Pawlowicz, CUBU; Mike Kraeuter, FISH; Manga Dalizu, FAST; Bruce Andersen, HACC; Christian Doud, MACH; John Cyganiewicz, OCCS;  Dave Crocker, RMSC; Jim Garner, RMSC; Dave Kraft, RMSC; Rod Montrie, SDS; Jorge Silva, TIBU; Shelley Gesker, YORK 

Call to Order:  The meeting was called to order by Competition Committee Chairman, Bill Marlin at 6:45 PM at McLean Community Center, McLean, VA.

Agenda:  Bill Marlin provided an agenda for use at the meeting. 

Approval of Minutes:  The minutes of the May 15, 2007 Competition Committee Meeting were unanimously approved as submitted.  They had been posted on the pvswim.org website and copies were available at the meeting for review.

PVS Board action on items from Spring Competition Committee Meeting:  Marlin informed Competition of the PVS Board’s actions on recommendations made by the Competition Committee at is May 15, 2007 meeting (see Board Notes of June 12, 2007 for a complete listing of Board actions on Competition Committee recommendations):

• The Board endorsed the election of the 2007 PVS Eastern Zone Long Course Assistant Coaches.
• All 32 club sanction requests were approved,
• The 2008 Long Course meet schedule was approved.
• The criteria for receiving PVS Travel Assistance for the 2007 USA-S National Championship Meet, the 2007 USA-S Junior National Championship Meet, the 2007 USA Paralympics Can-Am Meet, and USAS Short Course National Championship were approved.
• Competition’s request that the Officials Committee investigate the potential introduction of chase starts at long course meets was approved.
• Modification to the event line-up at the 2007 PVS October Open and 2007 PVS November Open was approved.
• Competition’s recommendation that future PVS Senior Short Course Championship meets limit out-of-LSC athlete participation to 10% and that the format include four heats at finals was approved.
• The Board approved Competition’s recommendation that language be included in all future meet announcements requesting that each participating club send one table worker or official if it entered 25 or more splashes.

USA-S Convention Reports:

Greg York, PVS General Chair:  Greg York reported to the Committee that he had met with VSI to discuss the boundary situation between PVS and VSI.  He stressed that the boundary issue is not a disagreement between the LSC’s, but instead, is a discussion on which USA-S Is taking the lead.  Additionally, as a result of his attendance at the General Chair Roundtable, he informed the Committee that he left the meeting with the impression that PVS is extremely well run and more organized than most LSC’s.  We should appreciate our strengths more than we do.

Bill Marlin, PVS Age Group Chair:  Marlin reported on four items to the Committee:

1.      The USA Swimming Board of Directors had established the minimum water depth as 6 feet for teaching racing starts in any setting from any height starting block or the deck (see http://www.pvswim.org/safety/WaterDepthChange0702.pdf).

2.      New Concepts on Backstroke Technique [The presentation can be requested from Russell Mark at USA Swimming, rmark@usaswimming.org.]

3.      At a Sports Medicine/Science Workshop, a presentation had been made entitled, “Shoulder Stretching for Competitive Swimmers:  Helpful or Harmful?”  The conclusion presented was that shoulder stretches that target the glenohumeral joint capsule can be harmful to the swimmer and are strongly discouraged while stretches that target the muscle tissue and respect the musculo-tendon unit are encouraged.  Additional information is available on the USA-S website at:  http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=451&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en 

4.      The USA-S House of Delegates voted to eliminate the requirement that Deck Marshalls at meets be registered with USA-S. 

Riley Eaton, PVS Senior Chair:  Noting this was his first Competition Committee meeting since joining the PVS Board of Directors, Riley Eaton provided his email address (jreaton@verizon.net) and encouraged members to contact him.  He then explained that, since the decision had been made at the Eastern Zone meeting at Convention to not change any of the sectional time standards, the qualifying times for the 2008 PVS Senior Championships could now be established.   In setting them, they will now be reviewed to see if any events were oversubscribed.  Eaton also announced that the qualifying time standards for the 2008 “Summer” Speedo Junior National Championships and 2008 “Summer” US Swimming Open had been released and were now posted on the PVS website.  Eaton’s final item was to inform the committee that the NCSA members had met and established the dates for the 2008 Junior Nationals meet as March 18-22, 2007, with the location to be announced at a later date.

Coaches Representatives:  Mark Faherty provided a written report to Competition highlighting the sessions he had attended.  Seconding Marlin’s earlier discussion on shoulder stretching, he recommended that coaches review the information when it is posted on the USA-S website.

Eastern Zone Age Group Chair:  Ward Foley announced that, beginning with swims occurring in September 2007, the Top-16 times program will be replaced with a Top 10 program whereby athletes will be recognized in single age group categories of ages 10 through 16.  The rationale behind the change is that it will permit recognition of more swimmers and thereby promote the sport.

Foley also provided handouts describing the development of an Age Group National Championship involving the IM Xtreme events entitled, “ IM Xtreme Games – National Age Group Championship”.  Summarizing the meet, he explained that 4 to 12 regional meets would be scheduled during November through January with a goal of approximately 500 12 to 16 year-olds competing in IMX events.  Athletes would qualify by points – not by times and the meet would be an additional offering, not a replacement for any meets.  Implementation of the meet is anticipated to be no earlier than November 2009.

2007 Age Group Coach of the Year:  Marlin publicly congratulated Kent Williams (RMSC) as Age Group Coach of the Year.  In noting that he had declined the opportunity to attend the ASCA Convention  at PVS’s expense, the Committee recommended that the Board consider providing an alternate prize.

2006-2007 Outstanding Athlete Awards:  Janet Auger had prepared a ballot of athletes who had bee nominated.  As no additional nominations were received from the floor, ballots were provided to all holding a vote at Competition.  Later in the meeting, Marlin announced the results of the voting.  The winners are as follows:

A motion was made, seconded and approved to destroy the ballots.

Selection of 2006-2007 PVS Distance Awards:  The Committee was advised of the apparent winners of this award and best times known to PVS.  The apparent winners had been posted on the website since September 4, 2007.  As there were no corrections, the Committee voted to approve the awards as follows:

2006-2007 PVS Swimmer with a Disability Award:  Noting that this was the first year for this award, Marlin announced the winner as Anna Johannes based on Don Riedlinger’s review of the applications and application of the previously established criteria.   

2007 LC Zone Team Report:  At Marlin’s request, John Cyganewicz provided a brief summary of the recently completed meet.  He stated that 158 swimmers attended (as compared to 116 in 2006) and that PVS placed 2^nd overall, missing 1st by 7-1/2 points.  Referring to his written report that had been presented at the September 11, 2007, Board of Directors meeting, Cyganewicz continued by praising both Dave Greene, Zone Team Coordinator, and the entire Zone coaching staff.  Mark Faherty, 2007 EZ LC Outfitting Coordinator, reported of the delay that had been encountered in receiving some of the uniform items noting that delivery was expected in December (see:  http://www.pvswim.org/bod/bod070911_07ez_lc_faherty.pdf) .

In response to a question regarding the continuation of the “team” concept for  the 2008 long course zone meet since it would be held in our territory, Marlin reminded the committee that, at its May 15, 2007 meeting, Competition had recommended that zone team participants be offered a choice between two options:  (1) hotel accommodations and group travel or (2) neither hotel accommodations nor travel.

Election of PVS Eastern Zone 2008 SC Coaches:  It was announced that John Cyganiewicz and Mike Kraeuter were running for Head Coach and that Peter McDonough and Mike Kraeuter were running for Assistant Head Coach.  Elections were held by paper ballot resulting in John Cyganiewicz’s election as Head Coach and Mike Kraeuter’s election as Assistant Head Coach.  A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to destroy the ballots.

Registration Matters:  Referring to the latest registration reports, Bill Stephens reported that approximately 220 coaches’ certifications had expired and urged clubs to review their coaches’ certification status.  He requested that clubs inform the PVS Registrar of the names of coaches who are no longer active and should therefore be purged from the database.  Noting the start of the new season, he indicated that enforcement of certifications will occur at the upcoming meets. 

In response to a question regarding the impact to a club’s insurance coverage by one uncertified coach, Stephens replied that he would provide the appropriate link on the USA-S website. 

John Ertter informed the Committee that Tim Husson had been contracted to serve as the PVS Webmaster and was in the process of updating and redesigning the site.  Janet Auger has a significant role in maintaining the posted club information and Ertter requested that when renewing their memberships clubs designate both their business contacts, as well as their public information contact.

Host Bidding for 2007-2008 PVS Sponsored Meets:  Marlin reported that hosts were still needed for the PVS January Distance and PVS February Distance meets and asked that interested clubs contact Janet Auger.  [Subsequent to the meeting, CUBU placed a bid to host the PVS January Distance Meet.] 

Release of 2008 PVS 14 & Under Junior Olympic Championship Qualifying Times:    Marlin announced that the time standards for the meet had been released and posted to the website.

Eastern Zone Meet Developments:  Eaton briefed the Committee on items occurring at the Eastern Zone meeting held during the recent USA Swimming convention.  JoAnn Faucett was elected as Non-Coach Zone Director, Pete Barry as Technical Chairman and Ward Foley re-elected as EZ Age Group Chair. 

The Spring 2008 Speedo Championship Series “Sectionals” will be Long Course with a 3-1/2 day format.  No changes will be made to the qualifying times for either the Northern or Southern meets.  The South announced that its meet will remain open to non-Eastern Zone USA-S registered athletes, while the North decided that its meet will now be limited to athletes registered in the Eastern Zone.

The Summer 2008 Speedo Championship Series “Sectionals” was previously awarded to MA/CAT, July 17-20, 2008, at Pennsylvania State University.  Qualifying times are being reviewed with a goal of 2400/2500 entries (including time trials and relays).

The Summer 2008 Zone LC Age Group Championship Meet, as decided at a special meeting in Buffalo on August 10, 2007, will be held at Montgomery Aquatic Center/Rockville Municipal Center on August 6-9, 2008.  Qualifying times are being reviewed for events with 7 heats or more in 2007 with a goal of having 7 heats in those events in 2008.

Dates were announced for future zone meets:

• 2009 Northern Sectionals - March 12-15, 2009
• 2009 Southern Sectionals – March 26-29, 2009
• 2009 Spring Zones, - April 2-4, 2009
• 2009 Summer Zones -  August 12-15, 2009. 

While not established, a straw poll indicated August 6-9, 2009 as the preferred date for 2009 Summer Sectionals. 

Concluding Eastern Zone matters, Marlin announced that the Eastern Zone Spring meeting will be held May 3-4, 2008 in Reston, VA.

Participation Requirements for PVS Travel Assistance:  The meet participation requirements to receive PVS travel assistance were reviewed and Competition made the following recommendations.

·        2008 USA Olympic Trials – 6 swims in PVS sanctioned meets from at least 2 meets – after 9/1/07 and prior to due date of meet.

·        2008 US Paralympics Trials – 6 swims in PVS sanctioned meets from at least 2 meets – after 9/1/07 and prior to due date of meet.

·        Funding of $600 per athlete.

·        Time trials to qualify in calculating required swims.

Establish the 2008-2009 PVS Sponsored SC Meet Schedule:  Auger provided a calendar of already scheduled USA Swimming and Eastern Zone meets during this timeframe.  Included on the calendar were the prior year’s PVS meets scheduled as they were for 2007-08, as well as the return to the schedule of the PVS Junior Championship Meet.  In returning Junior Champs to the schedule, Marlin pointed out that the Senior Champs qualifying times would be tightened.  Noting that these dates were in no way a recommendation, Marlin opened the floor for discussion.

The discussion that ensued centered on the proposed order of the March championship meets and the desirability of modifying the dates so as to provide a stepping stone progression from PVS Junior Championships to PVS Senior Championships.  Additionally, in modifying the order, it was recommended that late entries be permitted for those athletes who achieved Senior Champs cuts at Junior Champs.  By a unanimous vote, the Committee recommended that the Board adopt the following schedule:

• October 10-12, 2008, PVS October Open  {Following the meeting, Auger realized that, while this was proposed as the same weekend as was held in 2007-08 – due to Swimposium, this is the historical weekend for Harvest Moon.]
• November 7-9, 2008, PVS November Open
• January 3-4, 2009, PVS January Distance Meet
• January 17-18, 2008, PVS January Open
• February 15-16, 2009, PVS February Distance Meet
• March 6-8, 2009, PVS Junior Championships
• March 12-15, 2009, PVS Senior Championship (late entries for qualifying times achieved at PVS Junior Championships would be permitted.)

• March 19-22, 2009, PVS 14/Under JO Championships

Club Sanction Requests for the Period January 1, 2008 to August 31, 2008:  Competition was provided with a calendar indicating meets already approved and requests that have now been received for endorsement of sanction for additional club sponsored meets.  Marlin identified the six meets for which a sanction was now being requested as: 

For the Period September 1, 2008 to March 31, 2008:

• Spring Finale – RMSC – March 7-9, 2008 – Rockville and Olney
• Mini Championships  -- RMSC -- March 8-9, 2008,  -- Olney
• 2008 Spring Blast Invitational – MAKO – March 29-30, 2008 – GMU/FFX

For the Period April 1, 2008 to August 31, 2008:

• Machine Long Course Classic – MACH – April 26-27, 2008 – Takoma
• Early Bird Long Course Invitational – MSSC – May 3-4, 2008 – Fairland
• Virginia Long Course State Championships – PM – May 16-18, 2008 -- GMU

It was noted that the Spring Finale meet was proposed for the same weekend as the PVS Senior Championships; however, RMSC indicated that the meet would have NFT’s of PVS 14/Under JO and PVS Senior cuts, as well as a stipulation that athletes who qualified for either meet in three or more events would not be permitted to compete.  As there was no further discussion, a motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to recommend to the Board that the six meets be sanctioned.  Following the vote, Marlin informed the Committee that the previously approved Blizzard Invitational Championship Meet, scheduled for November 20-December 2, 2007 had been cancelled due to MAKO’s inability to secure a venue.    

Old Business:  Referencing the modification to the event line-ups for the PVS October and November Opens, Marlin informed the Committee that he would not be proposing any event line-up changes for 2008 PVS January Open.

Marlin next reminded the Committee that PVS had accepted FCPA’s offer to make Lee District available for competition, camp programs, etc. on the weekend of February 22-24, 2008.  Two proposals were offered for the rental.  The first proposal, presented in a written format by Mark Faherty, was for a window meet for 14/Under swimmers within PVS with “B” times through the qualifying times for PVS 14/Under Junior Olympic Championships.  The meet would be timed finals and times achieved at the meet would not be allowed for entering the PVS 14/Under JO Championships.  The second proposal, presented by Bill Marlin, was for an IMX event meet on Friday and Saturday, offering a PVS Camp on Sunday.  Following a vote, the Committee recommended endorsement of Faherty’s proposal who then agreed to formalize the meet announcement.

New Business: 

Entry Times for PVS Championship meets:  Marlin informed the Committee that, at the recently concluded Convention, USA-S had adopted a modification to its Rules and Regulations to state that any requirements pertaining to what “entry time” time you may use to enter meets  should be covered in the meet announcement, as the requirement to use your best time would no  longer be mandated in Rules and Regulations.  The significance of this change was that athletes would no longer be required by USA-S to enter meets with their best times, rather the decision now rested with the LSC.  Marlin next proposed a motion that athletes not be required to enter meets with their best times.  The motion carried by a vote of 11 to 1. 

Having adopted the motion, the Committee next addressed the specifics of the applicable wording to be included in future meet announcements and recommended the following for championship meets:  

Entry times for individual relay events shall have been achieved within the two years prior to the meet entry deadline; however, the times need not be the best competitive times of the swimmers but can be any time they have swum equal to or under the event qualifying time.  Swimmers entered in the 800/1000 and 1500/1650 freestyle do not need to enter their best times, but may enter themselves at their fastest time or at the time standard. 

Athlete Selection Requirements for PVS 2008 SC Zone Team:  A motion was made and seconded that the team continue to be selected as it was in 2007 – i.e., based on the two fastest times (limited to those swimmers eligible to represent PVS on the zone team and who apply to be on the team).  The selection period would start September 1, 2007 and end for 15-18 athletes at the conclusion of PVS Senior Champs (March 11, 2008) and for 14/Under athletes at the conclusion of PVS 14/Under Age Group JO Champs (March 4, 2008).  Times eligible for consideration would remain as in 2007.  The motion passed unanimously.    

Next Meeting:  The date and time of the next meeting were discussed.  It was agreed that the next meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 23^rd, 6:30 pm.  The location will be announced at a later date.  [Subsequent to the meeting, the location was announced as the McLean Community Center, McLean, VA.]

Adjournment:  The meeting was adjourned at 8:25PM.

Respectfully submitted by, 

Janet Auger

PVS Administrative Assistant