* Policies C-1, C-7, C-10, O-3 and O-4 were amended as result of Board's September 12, 2000 decision to merge the Travel Fund into the PVS Operating Fund. Previous references to Travel Fund were changed PVS Operating Fund
PVS Forms and Applications (Permanent, Annual, & Temporary)Potomac Valley Swimming offers Associate Membership to encourage and support the endeavors of other swimming organizations in the National Capital Area. These memberships are available to those organizations that share our love of the sport and our concern for the well-being of its athletes.
For an annual membership fee of $100.00, an Associate organization is entitled to the following:
In addition, the appointed liaison person of the organization will be provided:
Potomac Valley Swimming has established a scholarship program to assure that every PVS athlete is afforded the opportunity to participate in USA Swimming and PVS programs for which they qualify regardless of their financial situation. Scholarships will be limited to a waiver of fees for PVS Sponsored programs and/or reimbursement for costs incurred while participating in USA Swimming sponsored programs. Petitions for scholarships should specify the need, the program to which the scholarship will be applied, and should be forwarded to the PVS Administrative Office. Applications will be reviewed by the General Chairman, the Finance Division Chairman, and the appropriate Competition Division (Age-Group or Senior) Chairman for recommendation to the PVS Board of Directors. Recommendations will be made and acted upon without reference to the individual's identity.
Potomac Valley Swimming supports the USA Swimming Camp Programs. Budgeted funds are used to offset the cost of the program to PVS athletes and to compensate the hosting club for supporting the event. USA Swimming provides materials, T-shirts, and compensation for the camp director and staff:
Participant fees are assessed to cover the difference between actual cost and allocated monies. Fees vary according to the cost of rooms, meals, transport, etc., but our goal is to keep the cost to the participant to the absolute minimum required. Rebates to the host club are paid upon receipt of financial report and copies of any reports required by USA Swimming.
Uncompensated travel to/from USA Swimming Select Camp Programs will be reimbursed as follows:
Potomac Valley Swimming has established a continuing education program for its coach members. Up to six $500 educational grants will be awarded each fiscal year. The Short Course Zone Team Head Coach and Assistant Head Coach will automatically be awarded a grant. Each year at the PVS Senior LC Championships a drawing is held among active, certified, PVS coaches (who have applied) to award four $500.00 educational grants for the upcoming fiscal year. The eligibility criteria for these grants is established by the Competition Committee with the approval of the Board of Directors. The eligibility criteria are distributed annually with the application form.
Those selected may choose any USA Swimming sponsored coaches program for which they are eligible. Other educational opportunities may be approved by the Board of Directors on a case by case basis. Those selected (except the Zone Team coaches) are ineligible the following year. The only obligation in accepting a grant is a report to the Competition Committee and an evaluation to the Board of Directors.
PVS members who receive and exercise their vote at the USA-S House of Delegates will receive their Convention Registration Fee and a stipend of up to the value of three (3) "convention shares." They may have received their USA-S House of Delegates vote by virtue of their PVS office, their membership on a USA-S Committee, their receipt of a Presidential At-Large appointment, or by substituting for a PVS voting officer.
PVS Board members not having a vote at USA-S House of Delegates will receive their Convention Registration Fee and a stipend of up to the value of two (2) "convention shares."
NOTE: In order to receive a convention stipend, anybody who was a PVS Board member during the prior year must have during that period attended at least five (5) regularly scheduled PVS Board Meetings and that year's annual PVS House of Delegates meeting.
PVS members who are members of an USA-S Committee (but who are not members of the PVS Board of Directors nor have a vote at the USA-S House of Delegates) will have their Convention Registration Fee paid by PVS.
PVS will pay the lowest Convention Registration Fee available. PVS members will be responsible for any late registration surcharges.
Discretionary funding in the amount of $1500.00, is allocated to cover the PVS dinner and luncheon meeting, our contribution to the Eastern Zone reception, balance of double-room costs , and unanticipated or miscellaneous expenses associated with the convention. These monies are allocated to, and accounted for, by the Administrative Assistant.
Awards shall be given annually to the fastest time swum by a PVS swimmer in sanctioned competition in Women's 1000 Yard Freestyle, Men's 1650 Yard Freestyle, Women's 800 Meter Long Course Freestyle and Men's 1500 Meter Long Course Freestyle. It shall be based on performance for the period September 1-August 31. The awards shall be similar to and awarded at the same time as the Outstanding Athlete presentations are made.
Procedures are the way Potomac Valley Swimming has chosen to accomplish a given task. Policies are the way that it has been decided by the PVS Board of Directors or the House of Delegates that it is best to conduct the affairs of the corporation.
Proposals to establish or revise PVS policy or procedure may originate with any member of the Board of Directors, any PVS committee chairperson, any organizational representative of the House of Delegates, or any other USA Swimming member of PVS.
Proposals to establish or revise PVS policy or procedures must be made in writing. Proposals not arising directly from a meeting of the Board of Directors or House of Delegates should be forwarded to the PVS Administrative office to be placed on the agenda for consideration.
The Board of Directors or House of Delegates may refer recommendations to an established committee for review and comment, establish an ad-hoc committee to further study or refine the proposal, or act upon the proposal as presented.
Upon Adoption by the House of Delegates or the Board of Directors new or revised PVS policy or Procedures will be promulgated as updates to the PVS Policy and Procedures manual.
Potomac Valley Swimming shall maintain both resident and open records and may maintain meet records.
Resident - Resident records can be set by any swimmer who is both registered with Potomac Valley on the date of the swim and has represented Potomac Valley Swimming in competition within the prior 365 days. A PVS resident record may be set using any time is considered an Official Time for USA-S purposes.
Open - Open records can be set in any Potomac Valley sanctioned meet in which all PVS clubs are eligible to participate. They may be set by any swimmer registered with USA Swimming. They may not be set at approved meets or with swims approved for observation.
Meet Records - The Board will determine if meet records will be maintained for any PVS sponsored meets (eg PVS Senior LC Championship Meet, PVS Age Group SC Championship Meet, etc.) Clubs may determine if they wish to maintain meet records for club sponsored meets.
All record times and times of record are subject to current USA Swimming rules and regulations regarding Age-Group record times. The following procedures are established for reporting record times using the PVS forms provided:
PVS MEETS:
The Meet Director shall complete a PVS official meet entry card for any record time achieved. This card must be filled out completely and signed by the Referee and Electronic Timing Operator in the spaces provided for record certification on the reverse side of the card. This card should be sent to the appropriate PVS Records Chairperson as soon as possible.
OUT-OF-TOWN MEETS:
Secure a duplicate timer card from the Meet Director, have it signed by the Referee and Electronic Timing Operator, and send it to the appropriate Records Chairperson as soon as possible. Either duplicate cards or an official copy of the meet results are required for verification. No record times or TOP-16 nominations will be made without such verification.
NOTE:
Relay record claims for all meets must list the first and last names of the four swimmers, their ages, and the order in which they swam.
This annual award is presented to the male and the female athlete in each age group who are selected by the coaches as the outstanding athlete. The age groups are 10&U, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18 and Open. This award is based solely on the swimming achievements of the athletes from September 1 of one year through August 31 of the next.
Criteria for consideration are:
Nominations for this award may be submitted by a PVS Coach member or other PVS member. Selection is made by secret ballot at the Fall meeting of the Competition Committee.
USA Swimming annually schedules various workshops and seminars for LSC Officers and Coordinators.
USA Swimming usually funds some portion of the expenses for these events and to ensure that PVS enjoys representation at these events without expenses to the representative, PVS will cover any uncompensated expenses as follows:
| Item: | Rate | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Lodging | $45/night | $90.00/event |
| Meals | $30/day | $60.00/event |
| Fees | cost | paid in advance w/ registration |
| Airfare | cost | prevailing 14-day discount rate |
To receive reimbursement for uncompensated expenses, participants need to submit a PVS Expense form, listing the expenses incurred, to the Administrative Office. Lodging and meals are on a per diem basis; therefore, receipts are not required. Receipts (ticket stubs) are required for airfare claims and should be attached to the completed form.
The purpose of this award is to emphasize the importance of scholastic achievement through a program that recognizes the scholastic excellence of Potomac Valley swimmers.
This award is open to all USA Swimming/ PVS members in grades 9 to 12 who attain a 3.5, or higher, grade point average (GPA) at the conclusion of the current school year AND a 3.5, or higher, event standards average in a minimum of five events offered in the swimmer's age group. Times must be obtained at a USA Swimming or PVS sanctioned or approved short course or long course meet during the qualifying period.
To apply a student should submit an application, with a copy of his/her report card, at the conclusion of the school year.
The following are required to be members of USA Swimming:
First time registrants and those whose registrations have expired, must fill out a USA Swimming application form. These forms are available from member clubs, coaches, and the Potomac Valley Registrar. Athletes who are currently registered must re-register through their team, or through the Potomac Valley Registrar if they are unattached.
All coaches, deck officials, and team managers of traveling athletes must be USA Swimming members in order to represent their club or Potomac Valley Swimming on the deck.
Athletes who wish to transfer teams must fill out a Potomac Valley Transfer Card and pay the $1.00 transfer fee. The completed card, along with the transfer fee, is sent to the Potomac Valley Registrar. USA Swimming rules require that "120 days must have elapsed" since the swimmer last competed for one USA Swimming team before the swimmer may compete as a member of another team. During this time, the athlete must compete as "Unattached."
No registrations will be accepted without payment. Any deviation from this will be at the sole discretion of the Vice Chairman of Finance.
Registrations received by the PVS office or administrator are considered accepted for insurance purposes as of date of the electronic or postal delivery, provided payment is made in accordance with PVS policy. However, no further processing of the registration application will occur until funds are received.
PVS will pay the annual USA-S and PVS registration fees of duly-elected PVS Board members.
Potomac Valley Swimming has established a seasonal membership program which registers the athlete with USA Swimming from May 1 through August 31st. Seasonal memberships are offered at a reduced rate and allow the athlete to participate in all PVS meets during the designated months. Athletes may not compete as a USA Swimming athlete in another LSC or at higher level meets (Eastern Zone Championships or USA Swimming National Meets) under the seasonal membership program. Seasonal memberships are not transferable to another LSC.
Mission: The goal of the PVS Homepage is to provide timely, comprehensive, and accurate information via a website that is available on a continuous basis. Its content shall be pertinent to Potomac Valley Swimming community (including its registered athletes, non-athletes and interested family members and friends.)
Governance: - Within the general policies stated here, the Configuration Committee will provide supplemental guidance when needed to the Webmaster regarding the appropriateness of newly proposed content for the website for which a precedent has not been set. They shall also make recommendations regarding possible changes to the PVS website as a result of changing needs or interests of the PVS swimming community and as a result of changing technology.
The Configuration Committee's membership, at a minimum, will include the Administrative Division Chairman, Communications Committee Chair, the Webmaster, and a representative from the PVS Administrative Office. Additional personnel may be appointed by the Administrative Division Chair. The Committee shall choose its chairman from its membership by election.
Content: The following are guidelines for the PVS webmaster to use in determining whether it is appropriate to post an item to the PVS website without prior consultation with the Configuration Committee.
Exceptions to these policies may be approved by the General Chairman or the Administrative Division Chairman. They may seek the advice of the Configuration Committee in making such determinations.
Through the PVS Operating Fund, Potomac Valley Swimming (PVS) provides financial assistance to PVS member clubs whose athletes participate in designated National level events. The PVS Board of Directors will determine the eligible events and the travel assistance, based upon recommendations from the Competition Committee. The dollar amount of travel assistance provided per athlete is based upon the amount of money allocated from the PVS Operating Fund in the annual operating budget.
An athlete may be granted assistance for both the USA Swimming Junior Championships and the USA Swimming National Championships in the same season one time only. After this one time "double-dip", an athlete is eligible for reimbursement for either the USA Swimming Junior Championship or the USA Swimming National Championship Meet. An athlete may receive up to four (4) travel shares in a competition year (September 1 to August 31), one time only. After their one time "double-dip", an athlete may receive up to three (3) travel shares each competition year. Athletes participating in their fifth (5) or greater USA Swimming Junior Championship Meet will be eligible for one-half of the regular Junior-level reimbursement.
Athletes receiving travel assistance from USA Swimming - athletes attending a USA Swimming National Event - may not receive more than their actual expenses in travel assistance from USA Swimming and PVS combined.
In order to receive travel assistance from Potomac Valley Swimming (PVS), an athlete must meet certain minimum eligibility requirements:
The Head Coach must file this request within thirty (30) days of the conclusion of competition. The Head Coach is attesting that the athletes listed as "QUALIFIED" have satisfied all eligibility criteria. The Head Coach must also list those athletes that deserve an appeal in the "APPEAL" section of the form, and provide supporting rationale. (A "MEET/EVENT CERTIFICATION" form must be attached for each athlete listed.)
At the PVS Board of Directors meeting immediately following the due date, all requests will be reviewed. An eligibility sub-committee consisting of the General Chairman, the OVC coordinator, and the Senior Chairman, will consider appeals at this time. Their recommendations will be made to the Board of Directors. Appeals will be based upon the information that the Head Coach has provided, so please ensure that all relevant facts are provided. No further appeals will be entertained.
Any member of Potomac Valley Swimming can contest the eligibility of an athlete listed in the QUALIFIED section of the request.
If the Club's submission is contested, the Club will have fourteen (14) days to provide supporting data. If the Club can (or does) not provide the supporting evidence for the contested request, the Club will be charged the $100.00 integrity fine (per occurrence). Any money issued by PVS for the contested request shall be returned. No further appeals of "QUALIFIED" athletes will be entertained. Requests received later than thirty (30) days following the meet will be returned without action.
The Board shall establish prior to each meet the maximum financial assistance that may be paid for each meet. If approved requests exceed this amount, the amounts to be paid shall be reduced proportionally.
In PVS-sponsored competition, awards will be given as determined by the Competition Committee in formulating the competition schedule and meet formats. The awards available for a specific competition will be announced in that event's meet announcement.
Upon approval of the PVS competition schedule, clubs are invited to host PVS-sponsored meets by submitting a bid before the specified deadline on the forms provided by PVS.
At the time of bid submission, each club may designate certain meets that they managed for PVS during the previous year as "priority meets." This designation will indicate the clubs strong desire to run these meets for the upcoming season. Unless extraordinary circumstances exist, clubs will be awarded these meets. Clubs are permitted to designate up to two (2) meets for the winter season, and one (1) meet for the summer season as "priority meets." All meets not designated as "priority meets" would be open for bidding.
PVS will award meets based upon the following considerations:
Occasionally, athletes enter a meet based upon their performance at a "qualifying" meet that occurs after the entry deadline for the "championship" meet.
In these cases, the athlete must enter the "championship" meet through the "qualifying" meet director. They may enter only events for which they just qualified and they must use their new qualifying time to enter. No other entries are permitted.
Each club will be responsible for submitting a completed master entry sheet or computer-generated entry (Hy-tek) and all entry fees to the "qualifying" meet director at the conclusion of the last session of the "qualifying" meet. The "qualifying" meet director will submit these entries to the "championship" meet director within 24 hours.
Every reasonable effort will be made to have these entries (entered directly) seeded correctly into the "championship" meet. However, if the "championship" meet program preparation has begun, these entries will be given to the "championship" meet director and will be handled in the same manner as late (deck) entries.
The athlete will be added to the event in the deck computer as a deck entry and placed wherever they will fit without reseeding the event; a known absentee lane in an appropriate heat or an empty lane in the first heat. If no empty lanes are available, the first heat should be split to create an available spot.
A swimmer must enter with "no time" (NT) if they do not have a time in an event. Entries with "no time" are permissible when there is no qualification time or if the qualification times are "no faster than" limitations.
Potomac Valley-Sponsored Meets
PVS will pay all meet expenses; pool rental, timing equipment, awards, and supplies. PVS will deliver to and pick-up from the meet site timing equipment and meet supplies. Meet announcements will be prepared and distributed by PVS. Results will be distributed by PVS. Hospitality expenses of $125.00 (supported by receipts) per session will be reimbursed by PVS to the hosting club.
The club share of entry fees for providing meet management services at PVS sponsored meets shall be $1.15 if the meet entry fee is $3.50 or less and $1.50 if the meet entry fee is greater than $3.50. For PVS-sponsored "Distance Meets" (800/1500 meters or 1000/1650 yards) the host club will be reimbursed no less than $250.00 per day. The "host" club or clubs will remit $0.55 per entry to PVS as a sanction or "splash" fee. All meet expenses, including printing, distribution of meet announcements and results, are the responsibility of meet HOST.
Meet announcement and results will be made available through the PVS web site, if provided in the proper electronic format. (For dual and tri-meets, results will be made available through the PVS web site, if provided in the proper electronic format.) Pool procurement and payment of any pool rental fees are the responsibility of the HOST. Club-hosted meets will be placed on the PVS schedule through a process defined by the Competition Committee and approved by the PVS Board of Directors. The HOST may set meet entry fees, program and souvenir prices, but these fees are subject to the approval of the PVS Board of Directors in the "sanction approval process." All PVS Meet Director Reports must be submitted to the PVS Administrative Office as required. Additionally, a copy of the meet results must be provided to the PVS Administrative Office. Results will be posted on the PVS website, but must be submitted in the proper format for posting. Dual and Tri meets with less than 200 entries will be subject to a $75.00 sanction fee. Meets with greater than 200 entries will be subject to the $0.75 splash fee. A splash for all types of meets is defined as being one entry. An entry is counted regardless of subsequent scratches, DQ's or "no swims." Special Events
Dual and Tri Meets
"Special Events" are defined as those events which are awarded to a host PVS club by a body higher in authority than Potomac Valley Swimming (Eastern Zone, USA Swimming, or FINA). Awarding of these events often requires a bid or application process by the host club to the awarding authority.
"Special Events" include but are not limited to:In the event that the host club assumes all responsibility for hosting this meet (financial and meet management) there is no "splash fee" imposed by PVS.
Any USA Swimming/ PVS member club that participates in competition, where the athletes are representing their USA Swimming/ PVS club, without a USA Swimming/ PVS sanction or approval shall be fined the sum of five hundred ($500.00) dollars and no further applications for any PVS program shall be accepted from that club until the said fine has been paid -- such fines will be deposited in the PVS Operating Fund. Any subsequent violation of this policy by a member club shall also result in a denial of future sanction/approval requests for a period of one year from the date of the violation. Any PVS official who conducts, or participates in the conduct of, non-sanctioned USA Swimming competition shall be subject to the specify suspension or revocation procedures. Please also note, that conducting competition without sanction invalidates the athlete's USA Swimming accident insurance and the club's, officials', and coaches' liability coverage.
PVS will provide a competitive program for its member clubs and athletes through a series of meets sponsored by PVS. The PVS-sponsored meets will consist of a series of competitions designed to meet the needs of the swimmers in PVS. The PVS-sponsored competitive program will be supplemented by other competitions that are hosted by the member clubs of PVS. These PVS-sponsored meets will include:
The PVS Competition Committee will develop the PVS-sponsored schedule of competitions as follows: The schedule for the Long Course Season (May 1 to August 31) will be developed prior to, and approved at the preceding fall meeting. The schedule for the Short Course season (September 1 to April 30) will be developed prior to and approved at the preceding winter meeting. Bids for these seasons' meets will be taken prior to the subsequent meeting (winter and spring respectively)
The terms, initials or phrase "Potomac Valley Swimming", "PVS", or "PVS Championship" may only be used in connection with competition that is sponsored by PVS.
All PVS-sponsored competition is sanctioned upon approval of the PVS-sponsored schedule by the PVS Board of Directors. It is also the policy of PVS to SANCTION competition within and among PVS/ USA Swimming clubs, or to APPROVE championship level competition in which PVS swimmers are participating.
Competition hosted by PVS clubs may be sanctioned provided that at least a draft meet announcement and completed "Application for Sanction of Competition" is presented to the Competition Committee as follows:
In addition, the host club must indicate the anticipated number of swimmers and event entries. Documentation that a venue is secured or available must also be provided.
The final version of a meet announcement must be submitted to the PVS Administrative Office no later than 30 days prior to the meet entry deadline. Exception: Dual and tri meet announcements are due no later than five (5) days prior to the meet entry deadline.
Once a draft meet announcement has been submitted and approved, no substantive changes to either the draft or final meet announcement will be made. The Competition Division shall determine whether a substantive change has been made.
In order for a proposed meet to be placed on the PVS schedule it must comply with the following provisions:
A meet can conflict with other meets. However, no meet can conflict with the following PVS meets:
Dual and tri meets between USA Swimming clubs will receive automatic sanction by the PVS Administrative Assistant if all of the above criteria are met, the request is received by the PVS Administrative Office on the prescribed forms at least seven (7) days before the meet, and the proposed meet does not conflict with any PVS scheduled meet for the equivalent age or level of ability. Results of these meets must be sent to the PVS Administrative Office within ten (10) working days of the last day of the meet.
Requests for Approval of championship-level meets by non-USA Swimming sponsoring organizations must be filed at least thirty (30) days in advance of the scheduled competition on the forms provided by PVS, and must comply with conditions outlined in the application. A meet announcement must be submitted with the application.
The PVS Administrative Office will provide applications. Completed applications shall be returned to the PVS Administrative Office. Following a review and acceptance of the application by the Competition Committee Chairman, the Administrative Office will inform the applicant, affix an approval number, and return the application to the requester. If Approval is not granted, the applicant will be notified and an explanation will be provided. A sanction/approval fee of $100 or up to $0.75 per splash will be imposed, as decided by the PVS Board of Directors. The PVS Board of Directors may deny the application when the requested meet conflicts with scheduled Potomac Valley competition.
It is important to note that verification of times for record or qualification purposes is contingent upon receipt of an official copy of the meet results by the Administrative Office and receipt and review of the Referee's affidavit.
Meet Reconciliation for any PVS sanctioned meet shall be conducted as follows:
a. Meet Directors will submit to the PVS Administrative Office a meet entry file (a Meet Manager DOS version file or a commlink file of entries) at or before 9am on the fifth day following the meet entry deadline. In the case of non-PVS sponsored meets, this file shall be provided by 9am on the 6th day before the meet.
b. The PVS Administrative Office will run Meet Reconciliation on the above submitted file and contact all clubs via email and provide to each club the names of all athletes entered in the meet by their team who are not registered PVS athletes. These emails shall be sent at or before noon on the third day after receiving the file.
c. The team shall then register all athletes described above on or before 9am on the second day following the email notification.
d. The PVS Administrative Office will notify the Meet Director between 9am and noon of the second day after sending the email notification(s) of any athlete(s) who remain unregistered.
e. The Meet Director shall then remove the athlete(s) from the meet. The athlete(s) will be ineligible to participate in said meet and will remain ineligible for participation in PVS sanctioned meets until they are registered.
f. The PVS Administrative Office will run Meet Reconciliation after the meet has occurred and notify any club who swam an unregistered athlete. The club will then have 14 days to register the athlete.
g. Instances of failure to register an athlete within the above timeframe will be reported to the Board of Directors for their action. At the sole discretion of the Board, a club failing to register an athlete as described herein may be subject to a $100 per athlete fine.
The Administrative Division may adjust the timelines provided above and provide specifications with regard to the file type required to permit the athlete registration reconcilition.
All meet entry times are subject to verification. Athletes not achieving the event qualifying time may be asked to prove their entry time to the meet director prior to the end of the meet . If they unable to do so, the Club will incur a $100.00 penalty fee per occurrence, and no further entries nor applications for any Potomac Valley Swimming program will be accepted from that Club until the said fine has been paid. Official meet results from sanctioned or approved USA Swimming meets are the only acceptable proof of time. Fines will be deposited in the PVS Operating Fund.
An Official Verification Card (OVC) is a three-copy form used to certify a national qualifying time made by an athlete and issued by a verification official of the area in which the meet was held. As a rule, the verification official of one area (LSC) may not issue an OVC for a time swum in another area (LSC).
OVC's are not automatically issued. They must be requested by the athlete or by his or her representative. Requests for OVC's should be made at the completion of the event, requests made after the meet may incur a handling charge of up to $2.00.
OVC's are issued for times which qualify for USA Swimming Junior, National or Trial level meets either as individual events, for individual times that may be used for an aggregate relay ("Relay Only"), or for times made by a relay team. All times entered for USA Swimming Junior, National, or Trial level meets must be proved by an OVC, unless the entry time was swum at the immediately preceding National meet. OVC's may not be used for purposes other than entering National meets.
In order for an OVC to be issued, the time must be swum in a PVS sanctioned, observed, or approved meet.
The purpose of the Short Course PVS Zone Team is to prepare PVS athletes to compete in a team environment at a national level meet.
The Competition Committee will select a staff of six coaches. A Head Coach, an Assistant Head Coach, two assistants for the 13 & Over athletes, and two assistants for the 12 & Under athletes. Staff selection will be based on the following criteria and procedures:
The competition Committee will determine the annual criteria at its Fall meeting. Only athletes who have applied for the Zone Team will be eligible for selection. Times from time trials will not be considered for the short course meet.
Annual selection criteria must comply with the following minimum criteria for 13 & Over athletes:
The Competition Committee will develop methods to assemble selected coaches and athletes for team meetings, motivation and practice over the winter months prior to the meet.
The purpose of the Long Course PVS Zone Team is to prepare PVS athletes to compete in a team environment at a national level meet.
The Competition Committee will select a staff of six coaches. A Head Coach, an Assistant Head Coach, two assistants for the 13 & Over athletes, and two assistants for the 12 & Under athletes. Staff selection will be based on the following criteria and procedures:
The Potomac Valley Swimming budget is approved by the House of Delegates at the annual meeting in May. This budget is for the period which begins September and ends August 31.
In January, the Division chairpersons are asked to review their programs, confer with their committees, and prepare a statement of their needs for the next fiscal year. This is also the time that the club House of Delegates representatives should provide any budget proposals they wish to make.
All proposals for the new budget must be submitted to the Treasurer by the February Board of Director's meeting in order to be considered. If a new program is being proposed, full documentation; including, a statement of why the program should be funded, a detailed breakdown of program cost, and the proposed method of funding, is required.
Any current program which requests a significant change in funding must present full documentation; including, a statement of why the program should be funded, a detailed breakdown of program cost, and the proposed method of funding, is required.
The Treasurer constructs the proposed annual budget for presentation to the Board of Directors based upon a review of actual operating expenses and program adjustments proposed by the Division chairman, Board members, and Club House of Delegate representatives.
In April, the proposed budget is presented to the Board members for their review. Except for emergency items, no new proposals are accepted once the proposed budget is presented to the Board for their review.
At their April meeting, the Board of Directors formally adopts a recommended budget to be presented to the House of Delegates for approval at the annual May meeting.
Potomac Valley Swimming (PVS), in association with USA Swimming, is committed to provide an environment for disabled swimmers to participate with clubs and to compete in PVS sanctioned meets.
Inclusion GuidelinesAthletes are responsible for any damage they cause to the facilities. They should expect to be disciplined and will be required to pay for damages. PVS subscribes to the policy that there are no innocent by-standers. If you observe anyone engaged in mischievous behavior, your responsibility is to leave the scene immediately; if you are present, you are guilty. The Meet director, through the Referee, may have you disqualified from your events and barred from the facility. If the infraction is serious, it may be referred to the Review Committee for further action. Penalties in such cases may involve drastic measures, including expulsion from USA Swimming or endorsement of legal action
.Misconduct includes; but is not necessarily limited to:
Athletes are also responsible for knowing and complying with Potomac Valley Swimming's and the facility's safety rules. These rules are for your protection and athletes who disregard them or act in any way that is injurious to themselves or others will be disqualified by the Referee from their next scheduled event, or be asked to leave. If they do not leave immediately, they will be barred from the remainder of the meet and will be referred to the Review Committee for further action.
It is the policy of PVS to sanction time trials when they are:
A minimum of two weeks advance notice to each club is required.
When conducted as part of the meet, time trials are held after finals and/ or between the premlinary and finals sessions (as indicated in the meet announcement). Time trials are only for those athletes entered in the meet, and are swum in the following order; those events contested that day, followed by those events remaining to be contested, followed by those events already contested. Athletes will be permitted one time trial per time trial session scheduled provided that this does not cause them to exceed the daily event participation limitations.
The fee for any or all events offered in a time trial is $10.00 per athlete per event. For PVS sponsored meets, $5 of the fees for time trials are deposited in the PVS Operating Fund. Otherwise, PVS is reimbursed at the rate for a club sponsored meet. No time trial results are acceptable for qualification or records purposes unless the time trial is sanctioned.
Any entry received after the entry deadline for a PVS-sponsored meet will be accepted only upon payment of a $10.00 fee for each individual entry. For PVS sponsored meet these fees will be divided between the club conducting the meet ($5.00) and the PVS Operating Fund. Otherwise, PVS is reimbursed at the rate for a club sponsored meet.
Meet directors have the discretion to not accept deck entries in the event the meet is oversubscribed or the deck entry will adversely affect the time line. Meet directors are responsible for enforcing the deck entry fee and receiving payment before allowing an athlete to swim. These deck entrants cannot place, score points (mini meets excepted), or cause an event to be re-seeded. No deck entries are accepted for distance or championship (scored) meets. An athlete already entered in the meet may not scratch an event in order to deck enter another.
For pre-seeded events, an athlete submitting a deck entry will be added to the event and placed in the computer as a deck entry. The athlete will be placed wherever possible without re-seeding the event (i.e. a known absentee lane in an appropriate heat or an empty lane in the first or second heat). New heats can be created for deck entries only if necessary and at the meet director's discretion. If the swimmer can not swim, the deck entry fee is refunded.
For events that require a positive check-in, an athlete submitting a deck entry will be seeded with a no time (NT) following the seeding of the positive check-in event. No new heats will be created for deck entries. If no empty lanes are available and the swimmer can not swim the deck entry fee is refunded.
As part of the formal review process, USA Swimming rules and PVS bylaws provide for emergency hearing to be conducted at a meet to address appeals of administrative decisions that impact that event.
The referee may appoint a meet jury of not fewer than three nor more than five disinterested persons - at least one of whom is a coach and one an athlete - to consider written appeals of time-critical administrative decisions made at the meet.
Decisions made at these emergency hearings are subject to formal review at the request of any of the interested parties. Therefore, decisions should be rendered in writing and forwarded to the Administrative office as soon after the meet as practical.
Rulings of the Referee regarding the technical judgment of deck officials are final and are not part of the Emergency Hearing process.
PVS will make every attempt to conduct activities as they are scheduled. However, if the facility we are scheduled to use decides to close; our activities are also canceled. For PVS sponsored events, if the facility remains open during inclement weather and there is some doubt that it is safe to conduct the scheduled activity, the Operations Chairman in consultation with the appropriate Meet Director and the Competition Committee Chairman, will decide whether to cancel, postpone, or delay the start of the event. This information will be placed on the PVS Administrative Office answering machine, the PVS web site, the host club's answering machine (when possible), the facility's answering machine (when possible) and otherwise disseminated as soon as possible.
For club sponsored events open to other PVS athletes, the Meet Director will make the decision whether to cancel, postpone or delay the start of the event. PVS (if notified) will assist in publicizing the decision via the PVS web site and the PVS Administrative Office answering machine.
Any Club that enters an unregistered athlete, falsifies an entry in any way, or permits an unregistered coach to represent them in any PVS program, will be fined the sum of one-hundred dollars ($100.00) per occurrence and no further entries or applications for any PVS program will be accepted from that Club until the said fine has been paid. Any such fines will be deposited in the PVS Operating Fund.
Meet announcements must be approved by the PVS Board of Directors. If a club authors the meet announcement, it must be submitted to the Competition Chairman and follow the sanction process (see Sanction and Approval of Competition). Following a review, the club will be advised of the approval, or necessary changes to achieve approval.
All Meet Directors who conduct a PVS sanctioned meet must be certified by PVS. This requires Meet Directors to participated in a one-day clinic.The clinic will address responsibilities prior, during and subsequent to the meet. Approval, staffing, responsibilities, technical requirements and post-meet reporting requirments will be included.
The Administrative Office may exempt from this requirement those Meet Directors who have demonstrated their knowledge of this material by their successful conduct of meets.
For multi-site PVS meets, Meet Directors of host clubs are required to submit a complete Hy-Tek Meet Manager file to the Operations Chairman by 10AM on the Friday following when entries are due. The Operations Chairman will advise the host clubs of any necessary reassignments by 10AM on the following Monday.
Meet entry fees are due with the meet entries. Any club that has not remitted the Club entry fees to the Meet director by the conclusion of the meet will be assessed a one hundred dollar ($100.00) late fee and no further participation in PVS programs will be accepted until the past-due entry fees and the penalty fee have been paid.
Each club has its own procedures for processing and submitting meet entries to the meet director. These procedures must be outlined in the meet announcement. Athletes must enter PVS meets through their respective clubs. Only unattached athletes may enter individually.
There are several general principles that apply to all meet entries. The meet announcement will specify which entry form is to be used; PVS entry cards, PVS Master Entry Sheet, or computer generated file. Each club is required to submit a PVS Entry Summary Sheet that provides a summation of all the entries for that club.
Clubs submitting entries for more than ten (10) athletes for a PVS-sponsored meet are required to submit a Hy-tek generated commlink file. Failure to do so will result in a $1.00 fee per swimmer entered.
Supporting documents (master entry sheet or computer reports by name and event) must be provided. The computer-generated file provided is presumed to be correct. The supporting documents will be used if there are problems encountered working with the computer-generated file.
USA Swimming Registration numbers
This number is always fourteen (14) characters and consists of the following:
| 1-6 | Athlete's birth date. In the form mmddyy. |
| 7-9 | First three (3) letters of the athlete's first name |
| 10 | Athlete's middle initial. Use an asterisk (*) if no middle initial exists. |
| 11-14 | First four (4) letters of the athlete's last name |
| Use an asterisk (*) whenever there are insufficient letters for the first or last name. | |
The price of meet programs for PVS-sponsored meets shall not exceed $1.50 per session. However, for PVS Open meets, it shall not exceed $1.00 for a abbreviated Friday evening session and shall not exceed $2.00 for full sessions on Saturday and Sunday.
Clubs may elect to generate the meet program and retain the proceeds. In these cases the club will pay a fee to cover the reproduction and distribution of results.
Heat sheets and programs for any PVS sponsored meet may contain no information other than event and heat specific information. This does not preclude including meet identifying information (Meet Name, Location, Date, Sanction Number, course length, etc.)
The meet director for all meets conducted in PVS must submit the meet director's financial and entry reports on the provided prescribed forms, within ten (10) working days of the final day of competition to avoid the $50.00 late filing penalty.
For all PVS sanctioned meets, the meet director shall provide the results in an approved electronic format to the PVS Webmaster or PVS Administrative Office no later than five (5) working days following conclusion of the meet. The PVS Administrative shall be reponsible for advising what are accpetible software (and versions) that may be used in conjunction with PVS sanctioned meets. Such information shall be made available on the PVS website.
The PVS Operations Division shall conduct a program to certify designated officiating positions that are needed to conduct PVS sanctioned or approved swim meets.
PVS will provide certification for; Referees, Starters, Stroke and Turn Judges, Timing System (CTS) operators, and Meet Results (Hy-Tek) operators. If considered necessary, the PVS Operations Division may designate other positions as requiring certification.
The PVS Operations Division shall establish and publish the requirements to become and remain an official in PVS. The minimum standards required to become a PVS official shall at least meet the standards established by the USA Swimming Officials Committee, for those positions where there are national standards.
The PVS Operations Division shall conduct at least twice a year the instructional clinics necessary to become or remain a certified official. That schedule shall be well publicized within the LSC, with clinics announced at least thirty days in advance of their occurrence. The division shall be responsible for obtaining appropriate training sites within the LSC and shall ensure the clinics are conducted by well qualified instructors.
Any individual may attend a PVS clinic; however, they may only serve as a trainee at a meet if they have already met the requirements to be eligible to attempt certification for that position. The PVS Operations Division may designate certain championship meets at which trainees shall not serve.
The PVS Operations Division shall provide all attendees at such clinics appropriate written training material. A copy of the material shall also be available to LSC Associate Members without cost.
The PVS Officials Committee shall maintain a roster of all currently certified officials. The committee will provide this roster to all club officials chairpersons on a regular basis. The committee also maintains, for at least two years, a list of all individuals attending PVS hosted clinics for the purpose of obtaining certification.
Certified PVS officials shall be awarded a patch or pin and a card providing evidence of certifications they hold and their certification expiration date.
Officials serving at PVS sanctioned or approved meet shall not receive monetary compensation for their services.
The club officials chairperson of the club sponsoring or hosting a PVS sponsored or approved meet (or in the case of a multi-site meet, hosting or sponsoring a designated venue) shall be responsible for ensuring the meet has sufficient qualified officials available except that the PVS Officials Committee shall assume responsibility for the staffing of the two Senior Championship meets, the Junior Olympic meet, and any other meet in which participating officials may obtain USA Swimming National Certification.
PVS shall make every reasonable attempt to conduct at least two meets per year at which officials may seek to achieve national certification.
Positive check-in requires each swimmer to verify their presence and intent to swim each event they wish to swim. The swimmer is required to initial after their name on event sheets located on tables on the pool deck (generally near the scratch table). After the check-in is closed, each event is seeded, and each swimmer will be assigned a heat and lane for their event.
Before the meet begins, alphabetical listings of all swimmers entered in each event in the session will be placed at an announced location on the deck. They will be placed in order of gender, age, and event. Prior to the announced event close time, each swimmer must initial beside their name to confirm that they will be swimming in the event(s) listed for them. Swimmers in more than one event should initial after their name for every event they intend to swim.
At the time stated in the meet announcement for the event or group of events, the positive check-in for those events will be closed. The sign-in sheets will be collected and the event will then be seeded by computer. Only those swimmers who have signed in will be seeded in that event. If a swimmer arrives late or forgets to sign in, they will not be allowed to swim in that event.
After the events have been seeded, heat and lane assignments will be posted near the starting end of the pool, and possibly at other strategic locations. At the appropriate time swimmers should report to their assigned lane. It is the swimmer's responsibility to check-in and get to their assigned lane.
There is a need for the Meet Referee and Administrative Referee to be at the meet site prior to time warm-ups commence and to remain after the last swim occurs. Therefore, it is appropriate, in cases where National Certification is provided for meet officials or the PVS Officials Committee assumes responsibility for staffing the meet, that the lodging expenses of the Meet and/or Administrative Referees be reimbursed when their home is not in close proximity to the meet site.
In the event that the Meet and/or Administrative Referee live more than 40 minutes round trip travel time from the meet venue under normal driving conditions, these officials shall be reimbursed reasonable expenses for overnight lodging. Reimbursement will normally not be made for the night before competition commences or the night after it concludes, unless unusual circumstances would preclude the official coming from their home the morning competition commences or returning to their home the evening it concludes. Additional reimbursement may be authorized if Meet Referee and Administrative Referee are not of the same sex or only one the two officials requires lodging.
In the event adverse weather or other extraordinary conditions are anticipated, which might have a significant impact on expected travel times, the PVS Operations Chairman may waive the above normal travel time requirement.
Actual expenses, up to a limit of $50.00 per day, to each individual will be reimbursed upon presentation of original receipts to the PVS administrative offices. This shall be the responsibility of PVS for PVS sponsored meets and of the club for club sponsored meets.
All USA Swimming/ PVS registered coaches and officials who are required by USA Swimming to be registered USA Swimming members (Referees, Starters, Stroke & Turn Judges, Marshals, and Meet directors) are required to wear their current USA Swimming membership credentials while participating in the conduct of USA Swimming/ PVS competition. Any of the above individuals who do not abide by this policy will be asked to leave the area in which the competition is being conducted. Failure to do so will result in invocation of applicable USA Swimming or PVS penalties, and/or other disciplinary action by the PVS Board of Directors.
PVS may assess a $100 fine against a PVS club who conducts a PVS sanctioned meet using a Meet Director who is not registered with USA Swimming as a non-athlete at the time of the meet.
For those events requiring positive check-in, athletes shall designate their intention to swim the event on the forms provided. Athletes who have not checked-in prior to the specified time will be scratched from the event. Athletes who have checked-in, have been seeded, and fail to swim the event will be barred from their next scheduled individual event, unless excused by the Referee.
For those events being seeded on the deck, athletes must report as specified to be seeded. Athletes who do not report prior to the specified time will be scratched from the event. Athletes who have reported, have been seeded, and fail to swim the event will be barred from their next scheduled individual event unless excused by the Referee.
Any athlete qualifying for an individual consolation, or final race who fails to compete in the said final shall be barred from further competition for the remainder of the meet unless they indicate an intention to scratch by filing a PVS scratch form within thirty minutes of the announced results of the event or unless excused by the Referee. Athletes declaring an intention to scratch who do not rescind their intention before the session is concluded will be scratched. Athletes who qualify for consolation or finals by virtue of scratches are not subject to penalty for failing to scratch but are encouraged to do so. This policy does not apply to the designated alternates although these athletes are also encouraged to declare their intentions in the interest of other athletes who may wish to compete.
Electronic starting devices shall be used for all competition whenever they are available.
Potomac Valley Swimming may suspend or revoke an official's certification only in accordance with the following procedures:
A PVS meet director, certified USA Swimming official, USA Swimming member coach, or USA Swimming member athlete must file a written complaint pertaining to a PVS official's performance or ability to perform. The complaint must be based upon the complainant's first-hand knowledge of the matter and must be filed with the PVS General Chairman within 15 days from to date of the alleged incident.
Upon receipt of the complaint, the General Chairman may, with the Board of Director's concurrence, suspend the official's certification while the matter is under investigation and review if he finds that it would be in the best interests of PVS. If a suspension is warranted, the General Chairman will notify USA Swimming National Headquarters of his intention to impose the suspension under the provisions of USA Swimming Rules and Regulation regarding Hearing and Appeals (Article 401). At the same time the General Chairman must advise the official in writing of this action and of the official's right to an expedited hearing (one within 10-15 days) as well as the procedure to appeal this decision in accordance with Appendix 6A of the USA Swimming Rules and Regulations and PVS By-laws.
The General Chairman may refer the complaint to the PVS Officials Committee for recommendation to be issued within 45 days from the date the referral is received by the Officials Committee Chairman.
The Officials committee may recommend: to take no additional action, to issue a formal reprimand, to require the official to receive retraining or additional training, to suspend the official for a definite or indefinite period, to revoke the official's appropriate certification(s), or some other similar action.
Upon receipt of the Official's Committee recommendation, the General Chairman shall act upon the recommendation with the concurrence of the Board of Directors. The General Chairman or the Board may modify or rescind the action recommended by the Officials Committee.
The official may appeal any action, including temporary suspension, to the PVS Board of Review as provided in the PVS By-laws.
Potomac Valley Swimming will make its electronic timing and starting systems available to members or associate members.
It is required that organizations that request use of this equipment will:
Organizations should request use of equipment as far in advance as is possible through either the PVS Operations Chairman or the PVS Equipment Manager. The PVS Equipment Manager is required (for a fee) to provide delivery and pick-up whenever PVS equipment is used. The PVS Equipment Manager offers optional services (for a fee) covering equipment set-up and, breakdown.
When two or more organizations request to use PVS equipment for the same or conflicting time, the following factors will be considered: the qualifications of the equipment operator -- organizations using PVS certified equipment operators will be given preference, the past history of the organization in caring for the equipment, reciprocity agreements established by the Board of Directors, the number of PVS swimmers entered in the competition, and the date of the request.
The PVS Board of Directors shall authorize a fee schedule for use of this equipment. These fees are used to maintain the equipment.
Scheduled PVS competition always takes precedence over any request for use of Potomac Valley equipment.
PVS endorses two specific warm-up formats:
Warm-ups where teams are assigned to specific lanes, for specified periods of time, in proportion to the number of their entries. The Assigned warm-up format is the preferred format and it will be used whenever the meet conditions permit
Open warm-upsWarm-ups where there are no team lane assignments and lanes are designated for a specific activity for a specified period of time.
All warm-up periods shall be supervised by the appointed marshals. Coaches shall not permit their athletes to enter the pool until the marshals have declared the pool open for warm-up. No entry is permitted across lanes, from the pool side, or from the non-start end of the pool, under any circumstances.
Marshals shall clear the lane of all swimmers before opening the lane for sprinting. All sprint lanes are one-way only and the swimmer must exit at the opposite end of the pool.
When separate warm-up facilities are in use, they must be controlled in the same manner as outlined above.
During ASSIGNED warm-ups, each team may conduct their own warm-up routine provided that a team certified USA Swimming coach is stationed at the starting block of each lane assigned to the team, and that coach assumes the duties of a Marshal in supervising the warm-up in that lane.
During OPEN warm-ups, periods are divided equally between general and specific programs. The first half of the of warm-up will be dedicated to general warm-up and the last half of the warm-up will be dedicated to specific warm-up. During the general warm-up, no pace work or sprinting will be permitted. During the specific warm-up, the outside lanes will be designated as pace lanes and lanes 2 & 7 of an eight-lane pool, 2 & 5 of a six-lane pool, etc. will be opened for sprinting in accordance with the procedures outlined above.
The use of kickboards, handpaddles, and similar training devices, are not permitted in open warm-ups.
The meet director or referee may modify the schedule or lane assignments depending on the pool configuration, the number of swimmers, the availability of separate warm-up facilities, etc., as long as USA Swimming and PVS safety considerations and equitable treatment of all entered athletes is not compromised. All such changes must be announced and posted throughout the meet venue. Athletes who act in a manner that is injurious to themselves or others will be disqualified from their next event.