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MIDDLE ATLANTIC
SWIMMING
Middle Atlantic Swimming
is an administrative arm of USA Swimming -- called a Local Swimming
Committee (LSC), which supervises competitive swimming within established
geographic boundaries. There are 59 LSCs in the
United States.
The Middle Atlantic LSC
includes New Jersey, south of Mercer and Monmouth Counties; Delaware; and
Pennsylvania, east of and including Potter, Clinton, Centre, Huntingdon, and
Bedford Counties.
The
website for Middle Atlantic is www.maswim.org.
EASTERN ZONE
Middle Atlantic Swimming
is part of the Eastern Zone of the US, which includes 11 other LSCs:
Allegheny Mt. (Eastern PA); Niagara, Adirondack, and Metropolitan (NY);
Maryland; Virginia; Potomac Valley; New Jersey; Connecticut; New England;
and Maine. All four Zones (Eastern, Southern, Central, and Western) conduct
All Star competitions and Sectional Meets for teams within their Zone.
ATLANTIC CITY AQUATIC CLUB
Atlantic City Aquatic Club is a USA Swimming club participating in Middle
Atlantic Swimming LSC. The website for ACAC is
www.acacswim.org.
ACAC POLICIES
COMMUNICATION
It is very important to communicate with Board Members and Coaches of the
club. There are many forms of communication in place within our team:
·
E-mail – See ACAC Contacts on page 3 of this handbook.
·
Suggestion Box – The suggestion box has been set up at the pool near the
mail boxes located right outside the pool area.
·
ACAC Website – The ACAC website will have updated information about practice
times, cancellations, and any important information or announcements, as
well as the latest swimmers’ information (acacswim.org).
·
Voice Messaging System – Periodically, you will receive automated voice
messages on your phone from ACAC that will convey important announcements.
Please make sure ACAC has your latest contact information that includes the
best phone number to use for you to receive these messages.
·
Bulletin Board – Near the mail boxes we have a bulletin board right outside
the pool area. Please check the bulletin board as often as possible for
information.
·
Mail Boxes – Each membership family will have a mail box just outside the
pool area. Please check your mail box as often as possible for important
announcement handouts and also for any ribbons your child has earned during
a recent meet.
DISAGREEMENTS
From time to time parents/guardians may find themselves in disagreement with
the methods or philosophies of their child’s coach, the board of directors,
or even have conflicts among themselves. This is further complicated when
these parents discuss their grievances with other parents rather than
talking directly with the person with whom they are at odds. This leads to
numerous problems that include team disunity, unfounded gossip and rumors
within and beyond the swim team, and a general atmosphere of disgruntled
negativity. These situations can and should be avoided. Here are a few
suggestions that can be followed:
·
If you disagree with your swimmer’s coach, please remind yourself that you
and the coach have the best interests of your child at heart. You will
maintain a good relationship with your child’s coach as long as you keep in
mind that he/she has the same goals for your child as you do.
·
Please be reminded that the coach must balance your perspective of what is
best for your swimmer with the needs of the team or training group that can
range in size from 10-50 members. On occasion, an individual child's
interest may need to be subordinate to the interests of the group. In the
long run the benefits of membership in the group compensate for occasional
short term inconvenience.
·
If your child swims for an assistant coach, always discuss your concerns
first with that coach. If the assistant coach cannot satisfactorily resolve
the matter, then ask that the head coach join the dialogue as a third party.
·
If another parent uses you as a sounding board for complaints about a coach,
board member, another parent, or team policies, listen empathetically, but
encourage the other parent to speak directly to the partly with whom they
have a grievance. He/she is the only one who can resolve the problem.
FUNDRAISING
Each membership family is required to participate in fundraising at least
once every season, and it is to your advantage that you participate in as
many as possible. Of the funds you collect in a fundraising activity, 60%
will go to ACAC to offset expenses such as pool rental, coach’s salaries,
and equipment for the swimmers, and 40% will go towards your family’s Meet
Fees Bank. These monies can only go towards your family’s swim meet fees.
Each Atlantic City Aquatic Club membership family is required to establish a
Meet Fees Bank (escrow account) for meets. This account will be opened with
a minimum of $50.00 per family. Every time a swimmer is signed up for a
meet, the entry fee will be removed from their Meet Fees Bank. If an
account falls below $10.00, the swimmer will not be entered into a swim
meet. This account will be required for all families. No swimmer will
be entered in a meet without this account being activated. Please make
a separate check saying “Meet Fees Bank” in the memo section, with your
registration.
Should a swimmer leave the team, the original $50. deposited into the Meet
Fees Bank will be refunded.
ACAC PRACTICES
Swim practice times are posted on our website and copies are distributed at
the pool. Please check the website often to take note of any changes in the
schedule. Swimmers are arranged according to groups depending on their age,
ability level, commitment to attending practices, and maturity. The group
that your swimmer is assigned to is determined by the coaching staff. The
swim levels within ACAC are as follows: Platinum, Gold, Silver, and
Bronze. PLEASE NOTE:
No swimmer will be allowed to participate in practices until they have
completed a registration form and submitted the appropriate fee payment.
Practice at Martin Luther King Middle School Pool:
There will be times during the course of the swim season when the ACHS pool
will be closed to our use because of high school swim meets or basketball
games/tournaments. When this occurs, practices for all groups will be moved
to the Martin Luther King Middle School pool in Atlantic City. A schedule
for these practices will be posted on the ACAC website.
LEARN-TO-SWIM MINNOWS
ACAC offers a learn-to-swim program called the Minnows. Group sizes are
limited to 12 swimmers. Minimum age is 4 years old. Instruction is 3 times
per week for 4 weeks (12 total hours). Upon completion of instruction, if
the swimmer shows readiness, the swimmers will be invited to join the Bronze
level swimming group of Atlantic City Aquatic Club.
Parents/Guardians:
Please note that you are allowed to watch practices/lessons from the
balcony. However,
no parent is allowed to be on deck during practices/lessons (for insurance
reasons). In addition, please refrain from talking to the
coaches/instructors during practices/lessons. The coaches/instructors must
pay attention to the swimmers in the pool.
If you have a question or concern, we request that you contact the
coach/instructor outside of practice/lesson times.
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS
It is the
expectation that all swimmers attend a set number of practices as determined
by the coaching staff. The
minimum
number of times a swimmer must practice per week are as follows: Bronze—2x;
Silver—3x; Gold— 5x; Orange—5x; Platinum—6x.
Swimmers
need to arrive 10 minutes before practice times and 30 minutes before
warm-ups for all swim meets. They should be on deck with their equipment
and ready to swim at the start of the scheduled practice time.
Swimmers are to remain for the duration of practice and will complete all
sets during the practice sessions.
Proper workout habits will be monitored at all times.
Swimmers and parents/guardians are asked to please respect these rules and
plan accordingly.
Regular
attendance is very important.
Although our
athletes establish and work towards success within their own individual
goals, ACAC practices and competes as a team. Regular
attendance demonstrates an athlete’s respect for the team, the coaches, and
his or her own goals. Still, swimmers will complain from time to time about
the hard work outs, and given our society’s current craze for packed
schedules and early athletic specialization, you will hear about “burnout.”
First of all, ACAC does not believe that swimming needs to be our athletes’
only focus. Second of all, commitment to training hard does not, in and of
itself, lead to burn out. As stated by Coach Michael Brooks of North
Baltimore Aquatics Club:
For every one case of ‘burnout’ caused by a swimmer’s spending too much time
in the water and working too hard, we still see a hundred cases of
‘pre-emptive burnout’: in order not to be burned out, the swimmer comes to
practice only when she feels like it, doesn’t work out very hard, skips team
meets with regularity, and generally makes no commitment to the program or
to the sport. Not surprisingly, the swimmer swims slow, makes little or no
improvement, and sees her formerly slower competitors whiz right by her.
Then we wonder why she ‘just can’t get jazzed about swimming.’
In
short, “To achieve great things, first show up every day!”
Finally, discipline and commitment are good things, not things we should
downplay, hide, apologize for, or stop demanding just because they may be
unpopular.
(Please refer to the article, “What Does It Mean to Be Part of a Team?” in
the Appendix of this handbook for more information.)
VACATIONS, SCHOOL BREAKS & HOLIDAYS:
Please try
to not to schedule vacations or breaks during the season not only for the
reasons stated above, but because this disrupts the training process. If a
vacation must occur during the swim season, please let your swimmer’s coach
know so that he/she can help make arrangements for your child to continue
his or her training at another USA swim program while away.
SWIM
MEETS
Swim meets
are mandatory for all ACAC swimmers. Entries will be
submitted at the beginning of each season, and all swimmers will be entered
in events selected by the coaching staff. This is done because it is very
competitive to get in to the Middle Atlantic swimming competitions and many
times, if we do not get our entries submitted early enough, our athletes get
shut out of the meets. The ACAC’s swim meet schedule is posted on our
website (www.acacswim.org),
and the bulletin boards outside the pool area.
Please
Note:
Mini-Meets are open to the 8 & under age group only. All other meets
(A/BB/C) are intended for 9-10's, 11-12's, 13-14's, and Senior’s.
Eligibility to compete in a particular age group is determined by the
swimmer's age on the first day of the meet.
ACAC attends
many meets during the course of the Fall/Winter season, as well as the
Spring/Summer season. Each of these meets provides the swimmer with a
number of opportunities. Bonding with fellow team mates, competing with
fellow age group swimmers, as well as performing championship cut times,
demonstrating positive character and good sportsmanship are among these
opportunities.
As indicated
above, meets are mandatory for all ACAC swimmers. We understand, however,
that sometimes conflicts do occur.
If you are aware that your swimmer will not be able to attend a swim meet at
the beginning of the season, please notify their swim coach immediately so
that entry fees are not submitted. However, if the coaching staff is not
notified in time and your child is entered in a meet that he/she cannot
attend, the meet fees will not be refunded to your meet fees bank.
If something
should come up during the course of the season that prevents your child from
participating in a meet in which he/she is already entered, we ask that
parents/guardians inform their swimmer’s coach as soon as possible. Again,
meet fees cannot be refunded.
Meet
information and general announcements will be posted on both our ACAC
website (www.acacswim.org)
and the bulletin board outside the pool area throughout the year.
The Middle
Atlantic website (www.maswim.org)
is another source for meet information. We encourage all parents/guardians
to visit this site as frequently as possible.
GROUP PLACEMENT & TRANSITIONING
Attitude and
commitment, as well as age and athletic skill, play an important role in
determining to which training group the swimmer will be assigned. The
coaches spend a large amount of time and energy evaluating each swimmer. We
understand that athletes perform best when they are in high spirits. It is
our goal to ensure the swimmer’s continued happiness and growth.
If a coach
feels that a swimmer is eligible to move into a higher level group, he/she
will discuss the transition with the parents and the swimmer before the
group change. Here is a list of the criteria coaches consider when
determining a swimmer’s possible transition into a higher level:
·
The swimmer
displays a commitment to training and to the ACAC program.
·
The swimmer
maintains a positive attitude and the maturity to handle the increased
expectations of a higher level swimmer.
·
The swimmer
meets the attendance requirements of their current training group.
·
The swimmer
is able to maintain the base intervals typically used at the next
level
training group.
·
The swimmer
exhibits proficiency in stroke mechanics and the abilities required of their
current training group.
·
The swimmer
is close in age and skill of the next training level to ensure he/she will
fit in with this new peer group.
The
following is a list of standards that each swimmer must meet in order to
transition into an upper level training group:
Platinum:
·
Must be 12 years old or be invited
·
Must average 6 practices a week for a sustained period of time
·
Displays maturity: exemplary respect for coaches and fellow athletes in and
out of pool, punctuality, demonstrate pace clock management skills as well
as a sense of personal interval and distance swimming pace
·
Performance: 20 x 100Free @ 1:30, 10 X 100IM @ 1:50
·
Must be able to do all four strokes legally for 100 yards
·
Must have A times to be considered
·
Must have distance event experience i.e. 400m, 500, 800m, 1000, 1500m,
1650Free and/or 400IM
·
Interview with Platinum coach
Gold:
·
Must be older than 9 years old or turn 9 by that season championships.
·
Must average 5 practices a week and have exemplary meet attendance. 9 and
10 year olds start with 4 practices per week
·
Performance: 20 x 100Free @ 1:50, 8 X 100 IM on 2:15
·
Must be able to do all four strokes legally for 50 yards in practice
·
Must have BB times to be considered
·
Must have distance event experience i.e. 200 IM, 400/500 Free
Silver:
·
Must be 8 years old or older
·
Must be able to swim a complete lap of each stroke: freestyle, backstroke,
breaststroke, butterfly
·
Performance: 10 X 50 Free on 1:30
Bronze:
·
Must be able to swim a complete lap (25 meters) free
·
Must be able to kick a complete lap (25 meters) of free kick
PLEASE NOTE:
ACAC reserves the right, if circumstances warrant, to move an athlete to a
more appropriate training group.
CODE OF CONDUCT
Because ACAC believes that swimmers, regardless of their age, need to
demonstrate respect for themselves, their teammates, and their coaches, both
at practices and meets, we have implemented a formal “Code of Conduct”
policy. This is located in the Appendix. Please read this to your
swimmer, sign the contract and return it to an ACAC Executive Board member.
Swimmers will not be able to participate on the swim team until these
contracts are turned in.
PARENT GROUP REPRESENTATIVES
Hopefully this team handbook will answer most of your questions. However,
in order to further assist you with any questions or needs, each swimming
group has an elected parent representative on the team’s Executive Board
(see list of Executive Board members on page 3 of this handbook) These
volunteers have made themselves accessible to you to help in any way that
they can. Please feel free to approach them with your questions.
SWIM TEAM ATTIRE/GEAR
SWIM MEETS:
ACAC team suits and caps (if your hair falls below your eyes) MUST be worn
at all dual meets that occur during the spring and summer swimming season.
Swimmers who qualify for USA Swimming championship meets may choose to buy
and wear Fastskins (or the equivalent), but the suits may be worn only at
the championship meets.
PRACTICE:
Training attire must be worn for practices. Girls should wear the standard
competitive swimsuit. Boys must wear one of three suits: a standard
training or “workout brief,” a Jammer, or a traditional “Speedo.” Drag
suits for both sexes are also permissible. It is recommended that you
purchase practice suits that are 100% nylon or 100% polyester as these
fabrics are able to withstand the harsh pool chemicals more than other
suits. Suggested brands are Dolphins/Ugglies, Speedo Endurance, etc. At
present, swim caps may be purchased from the Executive Board members, and a
date will be scheduled for swim team suit (spring/summer season) and apparel
fitting and ordering. It is our hope to set up an ACAC Swim Shop where
assorted swimming gear will be available for purchase. This, however, is
still in the planning stages. In the mean time we suggest the following
vendor for your needs: Metro Swim Shop
(1221 Valley Road
Stirling, NJ 07980, Number:
908-647-8121,
Toll Free Number:
800-526-8788,
E-mail:
info@metroswimshop.com
, Website:
www.metroswimshop.com
) provides
one of the most complete selections of swimming merchandise at competitive
prices in the area.
Water bottles are required for practice and for meets. Dehydration is the
primary reason for cramps and fatigue. A swimmer loses six to eight ounces
of fluid every fifteen minutes. It is very important to rehydrate, to drink
during practice, and to rehydrate afterwards. We also recommend deck
sandals for locker room passage and meets. Chamois towels are practical and
do not take up a lot of room in swim bags or backpacks.
Coaches may require additional gear such as fins, snorkels, pull buoys,
paddles, or kick boards for practice/workout purposes. Check with your
swimmer’s coach to find out what they will need. Equipment bags are also
useful for you swimmer to carry all of his/her gear.
POOL, LOCKER ROOMS, & FACILITIES
General safety rules will be enforced strictly on deck, in the locker rooms,
and throughout the facility. Most notably: Swimmers are
not allowed
in the water or on the racing blocks without permission and staff
supervision. Diving is restricted to the deep end and always must be
supervised by ACAC staff members.
Horseplay in the locker rooms will not be tolerated.
The floors can be slippery, especially when they are wet.
We ask that parents of swimmers who are not cooperating to please monitor
the locker rooms to assist with correcting the problem.
Please remember to turn off the showers when finished and to treat both the
locker rooms and our facilities with respect.
Parents, friends, and guests are welcome to watch practice from the balcony,
but please do not bring food or drink (other than water) into the pool or
balcony area.
MISCELLANEOUS
SOCIAL EVENTS:
ACAC will strive to
organize several non-swimming get-togethers/events such as Movie Night,
Bowling, and an end of year picnic. Information will be sent home and
posted on the ACAC website at a later date.
BANQUET:
There will be an ACAC Awards Banquet at the conclusion of the Fall/Winter
season. Information for this event will be sent home and posted on the ACAC
website at a later date.
USA TRANSFERS:
Swimmers from other USA clubs switching to ACAC must have a transfer form
completed before they can practice. There are no exceptions to this rule.
LIGHTNING & PRACTICE:
The ACAC pool is grounded and therefore safe during thunder and
lightning—but our policy is to take all swimmers out of the water at the
sight of lightening and close the pool.
MINOR MODEL RELEASE FORM:
From time to time ACAC will photograph swimmers at swim meets or other team
activities. These photos are placed on the website for all to enjoy.
Please take a moment to fill out this form located in the appendix of this
handbook and return it to any board member, such as your group
representative, as soon as possible.
IN CONCLUSION
It is our hope that this swim season will bring much enjoyment and
satisfaction for a job well done to your family and our team. With hard
work and commitment, our swimmers will achieve their goals and grow in
strength and character as they participate in a united swimming program.
GO ACAC!!!
“What
Does It Mean to Be Part Of A Team?”
Written by: John Leonard
ASCA On-line. Available:
http://www.swimmingcoach.org/articles/9701/article4.htm
To become a part of a team is a
privilege. Few people ever get the wonderful opportunity to experience the
support of teammates and friends in the crucible of the competitive arena.
A team lifts and elevates the performance of an individual to heights never
before achieved. Each individual must also recognize his/her responsibility
to the team.
A team is a collection of individuals
who have chosen to pursue one or more common goals. One of these goals, by
tacit agreement of all concerned, is the improvement of each individual,
which can result in improvement of the team performance. This is true in
swimming. We compete individually, but preparation for competition is best
accomplished in a team environment. No individual can create this
environment for excellence on his/her own. It takes a team.
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
If an individual wishes to benefit from the team, they must give to the
team. Successful teams nurture the individual, and expect the individual to
respond by also nurturing the team. Individual sacrifices on behalf of the
team are just as much a part of the team environment as team accommodation
of the individual.
The most successful teams have some
characteristics in common in terms of accommodating the needs of
individuals:
1) They demand
adherence to the core values of the team. Outside these core values, they
allow freedom of individual expression. But the core values are absolute,
and not to be modified or bent for the individual.
2) They
recognize that not every individual’s every need can be met, but they bend
over backwards to accommodate the most important needs of each
individual.
3) They react
positively to the idea in action that each individual first takes care of
their own responsibilities, then assists others in their needs.
Individuals on successful teams also have some common characteristics:
1)
They give back. If they want to be cheered for, they cheer for teammates.
If they need special attention, they provide special attention to others.
2) They
recognize that the fastest swimmer and the slowest swimmer on any team have
unique responsibilities. The team will go no higher than the fastest, and
will be limited by the efforts of the slowest. The individuals put special
effort into assisting each to maximize their potential.
3) They know
that rules do not make teams, but traditions based on what it takes to
achieve group goals do make a team. The individual recognizes the power of
peer pressure when the object is right behavior.
4) Individuals
recognize that a rising tide lifts all the boats, and that it is better to
make the pie bigger than to fight for their small piece of the pie.
TEAM
has been described as "Together Everyone Achieves More". Anyone who has
been on a good team, will agree with that acronym.
If you are on a good team, be thankful.
If you are not, what are you doing to create a good team from the one you
are on today?
"The Team Takes Care of Me, and I Take
Care of The Team"
"Each member of a team has a
responsibility to be better today, than they were yesterday, as an athlete,
and as a person. That's how teams get better."
"On our team, the fastest guys help the
slower guys every day. Then when the meet comes around the slower guys do
better, but they also cheer so hard for the fast guys that they'd bust a
gut."
"Team means together. We do a lot of
things outside the pool together. When you know your teammates as people, it
makes it a lot easier to support them when it counts.&quo
