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"We're The Fun
Team!" Special thanks to Southgate
parent Kelli Gentile We welcome you to Southgate Swim Team. The team was
formed in 1965 to provide the young members of the swim club
an opportunity to participate in a competitive swimming
program with other youths in the East Bay. The team competes in the East Bay Swim League (EBSL). The
EBSL consists of 12 teams in two geographic divisions as
follows: Northern Division Southern Division Treeview Dolphins Mission Valley Barracudas Chabot Marlins Mission Highlands Sharks San Leandro Drowning Darryls Warm Springs Gators Washington Manor Dolphins Glenmoor Stingrays Columbia Crocodiles Kennedy Seals Southgate Penguins Newark Bluefins The purpose of the East Bay Swim League is to provide
young swimmers with an opportunity for summer recreational
swimming competition, in an atmosphere which fosters
sportsmanship, team spirit, cooperation, and respect for
other swimmers and the league. It is our desire to meet the ideals of the league and to
develop in the members of the team the desire to excel, the
discipline needed to achieve individual goals, and the pride
in being a member of a team that gives its best effort. We
accomplish our goals by cooperation between swimmers,
parents, and coaches. This handbook provides information regarding different
aspects of the team, activities, practice, meets, awards,
team rules and expectations, and descriptions of the areas
where parents are needed to help the team operate
efficiently. If there are any questions not answered after
reading this, please contact the coach or team president for
clarification. EBSL Swimmer Eligibility Requirements - Per EBSL
Rules and Regulations: Rule 2 - Definitions (Note: "Shall" denotes
mandatory) Section 1, Personnel Art. 1 - Rostered Swimmer (hereafter referred to as
Regular Swimmer): Art. 2 - Complementary Swimmer (hereafter referred to as
Comp Swimmer): Art. 3 - Prior Competitive swim experience (hereafter
referred to as an Organized Swim Program) (Scholastic
Programs are exempt): Section 2, Eligibility of an Individual Art. 1 - Each family must have an EBSL League Application
on file with the League Vice President or designee listing
all of their swimmers prior to participation in a Dual Meet.
The team President will verify (with a signature) having
seen a copy of each swimmer's proof of birth (i.e. Birth
Certificate) and attach a copy for the year 2000 for all
swimmers. In subsequent years, only new swimmers will need
to attach a copy proof of birth to the League
Application. Art. 2 - A swimmer's age as of June 1 will determine the
age group that he/she will swim in for the entire swim
season. Art. 3 - A swimmer who is 18 must have previously swum
for his/her EBSL team. Art. 4 (revised 2001) - Any swimmer is eligible to
apply for participation in the EBSL season provided that the
swimmer does not participate in any Organized Swim Program
(excluding scholastic programs and those permitted under
article 6 of this rule) from January 1 through March 31 of
the same year. An EBSL swimmer shall not participate in any
other Organized Swim Program (excluding scholastic programs)
from April 1 to the end of the EBSL season. Art. 5 (revised 2001) - A swimmer with 24 months
of consecutive USS experience immediately prior to January 1
shall be able to participate only as a complementary swimmer
for that season. Art. 6 (revised 2001) - Swimmers may swim in
instructional/conditioning swim classes (limited to swim
lessons and stroke and turn clinics, not part of a
competitive swim team) during the months of January,
February and March not to exceed a total of 15 hours per
month total water time during this period. Art. 7 - The league Vice-President shall determine the
eligibility of each swimmer based on the swimmer's League
Application. Any protest of the League Vice-President's
final decision shall be made pursuant to Rule 8. No swimmer
ruled ineligible by the League Vice-President may compete in
any meet unless and until the swimmer is reinstated pursuant
to Rule 8. (You can read and/or download the
EBSL
Rules and Regulations on this web
site.) Southgate Rules of Eligibility Due to the team popularity, the following rules will
apply for sign-ups: Each swimmer must provide a copy of the following to keep
on file with the team: Team Finances and
Equipment Dues Non Members: The team dues are $200 for one swimmer and
$150 for each additional swimmer within the 1st swimmers
immediate family. DUES ARE NOT REFUNDABLE Suits Team suits are our uniforms. They make it easy to
recognize when one of our swimmers is in a race. All
swimmers should wear a team suit at meets except under
extraordinary circumstances. If possible, it is recommended
that a 2nd suit be purchased for practice and every day use,
and a meet suit be kept in good condition for races. Some
top swimmers wear several suits during practice to increase
resistance. Use older suits for this effect. Suit Care Hints Goggles Caps Team Sweats, Shirts, etc. Team Pictures Fundraisers Every year the team holds a Swim-A-Thon. Each swimmer is
expected to get sponsors to pledge them in a per lap, or
flat-fee sponsorship. A minimum of $40 per swimmer is
expected. Practices Parents: It is important to pick up you children right
after practice. The Coaches and parents watching practice
are not being paid to be babysitters, and the pool area is a
potentially hazardous area for unsupervised
children. Purpose Discipline What is a Practice Like? The coaches work very hard to make the practices
interesting and yet challenging. There are many different
exercises and a great variety of equipment used in practice
to accomplish this. The swimmers who truly succeed are those who don't rely
on their natural abilities, but instead strive to meet the
challenges at practice. When swimmers push themselves to
swim faster in practice, then there can be no other result
but improvement. As they improve, swimming will become more
natural to them. When the swimmer stops challenging
themselves, then they are not going to continue being
successful. It is our hope that every swimmer who joins the team
accomplishes some goal. We take pride when swimmers remain a
part of the team until their career is complete or they move
on to another endeavor. Groups and Attendance Absence & Vacation If you will miss any meets due to vacation, indicate this
to the coach before the start of the season. If possible,
schedule your vacations for August. Dual Meets Purpose We compete once a week on Saturdays. There are seven
other teams that we compete against----two from the Southern
Division and five from our division (Northern). The record
of the Dual Meet Season determines a Team Trophy for the
league. Dual Meet victories also count in the balloting for
overall league champion. Each Dual Meet win is awarded one
point. Meet Times Responsibilities Scoring Awards Championship Meet Purpose Time What to bring Food Clothing & Towels Meet Programs Spectators After The Meet Get Together Championship Shave Down Scoring and Awards Championships - Per Rule 6, Section 1, Article 3, EBSL
Rules and Regulations Art. 3 - In championships and other multiple team meet
scoring, points are awarded for places as follows: For all A relays: A team may score unlimited places in an individual
event. No team may score more than one place in a relay
event. If a team's Relay A is disqualified, then that
team's Relay B will be placed and scored. If both the
Relay A and Relay B are disqualified, then the team
will receive 0 points. Art. 4 - In case of a tie by 2 or more swimmers for
any place scoring in an event, the points for all places
involved in the tie shall be divided equally among the
tying swimmers. Participation Ribbon Medals and Ribbons League Records Heat Ribbons Divisional Team Spirit Award Divisional Dual Meet Trophy Most Improved Trophy Meet Preparation Practice Eat Right Warm-ups Mental Training Team Spirit and Sportsmanship Remember: There is no "I" in the word "TEAM." Some examples of our ideals are: Remember: The behavior and attitude of parents, swimmers,
and coaches reflect on the team. We may think that we are an
outstanding team, but unless we model this to the other
teams, we aren't really doing our best. Team Cheers Awards Night In September, the team holds its annual Pot Luck Dinner
and Awards Night. This is a chance for all the swimmers to
receive recognition and to thank the many parents for their
efforts and hard work. The awards are: Participation Award High-Point Awards Overall High-Point Most Improved Most Inspirational Special Swimmer's Rules The following rules are important for swimmers to
know: Safety Rules Dangerous conduct and hazardous situations or conditions
must not be allowed in the swimming pool area or team
environment. It is the duty of all adults to be observant
and responsible enough to curtail any type of potentially
dangerous or hazardous activity. Parental Responsibility The swimmers are the core of the team, however, the
smooth operation of the team also depends on the coach's
ability to teach the swimmers and the parents support of the
efforts of the coaches and swimmers. Parent volunteers are needed for all activities to help
organize and participate, and all parents are expected to
pitch in and help. The directory of Swim Team Parent
Volunteers indicates some of the people who are in charge of
various aspects of the team. There may be some areas that
can use a chairperson or volunteer help. Please contact the
Team President if there is an area for which you would like
to help. At all meets, parental help is a MUST. Most of the jobs
are very simple and still allow you to enjoy the races. They
also broaden your knowledge and appreciation for the sport
and the athletes. A sign-up sheet is always posted up on the
bulletin board the week prior to a meet. Each job is divided
into positions and shifts. Below is a listing of the various
jobs and their descriptions. Clerk of the Course 11 and Up Clerk of the Course 10 and Under Starter Announcer Head Timer Timers Recorders Runners Scorers Ribbon Writers Set-up and Clean-up Clean-up after a meet whether at home or away is the
responsibility of all the swimmers and parents. It has been
our experience that the more people help in the clean-up
process, the faster we can all leave. Swim Team Board The Team Board is a very informal group of parents whose
function is to help organize the team activities and see
that they run smoothly. This allows the coaches to coach and
the swimmers to swim. Without this organization, nothing
would ever get accomplished. There is always a need for assistance, if not on the
board, then one of the many chairs. Executive Committee Chair Positions Tips for Timers and
Recorders Official Time Rules (done at the desk) Failure in starting the watch Failure in stopping the watch As a timer, it is okay to watch the race, but you must
only watch the finish of the swimmer in your lane. If your
child is swimming a race and you want to watch, please get a
replacement to time that race. Relay Start Judging should only be the concern of the
coaches and the Starter. Starter's
Responsibilities Head Timer's
Responsibilities Meet Director In order to alleviate any problems during a meet, the
meet director is the first authority. If there is a
difference that must be worked out by both teams, then a
representative from each team will meet with the meet
director and consult the League Rules to make a
decision.
Swim Team Handbook
~ Revised 2001 (updated 2003) ~
for making this handbook available in digital
form.
~ Contents ~Rules of
Eligibility
Fees and Equipment
Practices
Dual Meets
Championship Meet
Meet Preparation
Awards Night
Special Swimmer's Rules
Safety Rules
Parental Responsibility
Swim Team Board
Tips for Timers and
Recorders
Starter's Responsibilities
Head Timer's Responsibilities
Meet Director
Rules of Eligibility
Club Members: The team dues are $120 for the first
swimmer, $220 for two swimmers, $300 for three swimmers, and
$350 for four or more swimmers. Dues are subject to change
on a yearly basis if necessary.
Our suits are two-year suits, so every two years the
team suit will change depending on the styles available at
the time. Team suits can be ordered before the season starts
at designated times from the Swimsuit Rep., or Nor-Ski
Sports. You must make your own arrangements with Nor-Ski
Sports if not purchased at those times.
Take care of your suits. Rinse them out daily and let
them drip dry. Chlorine will eat suits, caps, and goggles.
Suits left at the bottom of a wet bag or in a wet towel will
not last long.
Swim practice is long for those in the older groups.
Goggles are recommended for these swimmers to prevent
excessive eye irritation. Goggles may be purchased when you
order your suit. There are a variety of goggle types and not
every style fits every face. Try a pair on before buying
any. Make sure to put your name on them, or mark them in a
very distinctive way for easy identification. To make them
last longer, make sure to rinse after every use, and you can
rub with cornstarch to help the rubber last longer.
Caps are like team suits; they help identify our team in
the water. Swimmers may want to buy a swim cap especially
anyone who has hair that goes in their eyes. Currently, the
team sells team caps for about $3. To help keep your cap in
good condition, treat the same way as suggested with the
goggles.
The team may order a variety of items with the Southgate
logo on them.
Team pictures will be taken during the season. This is
an optional expense. Plan on attending Picture Day even if
you aren't purchasing any so that all swimmers can be
represented in team photo.
Fundraising money is necessary for the team to balance
the budget. Expenses include coaching staff salaries,
ribbons, insurance, league fees, Championship meet costs,
equipment, and annual team awards and trophies. Dues only
cover about one half of our expenses. All swim team families
are expected to support the fundraisers.
We have a great deal of fun working and playing together
as a team, but we must remember that a key reason for
joining the swim team should be to develop your skills as a
swimmer. Learn to set high goals for yourself and the team.
Give your best effort towards achieving and surpassing your
goals. This can only be accomplished through dedication
towards practice. From our past experience, it has been seen
that when a few swimmers give the effort and do well, other
swimmers on the team follow the lead and everyone
benefits.
Self-discipline is the key to being successful at an
individual sport such as swimming. When swimmers are
disruptive to the practice then they are hindering the
progress of others by denying them the opportunity to
practice properly. Swimmers will be asked to leave the pool
if they are disruptive. If there is a persistent problem, a
swimmer may be asked to leave the team. It is also important
that swimmers and parents be open to discussing with the
coach any problems that may arise. Maintaining team spirit
and sportsmanship is essential to our success and this is
hampered by any discipline problems.
Swimming can be one of the most miserable sports to
practice for. Going back and forth in the pool several
hundred times a day, looking at the black line on the bottom
can be monotonous. Many athletes in other sports find
swimming to be extremely difficult because it utilizes so
many different muscles that aren't normally used. It also
requires you to learn to relax and feel comfortable in an
environment that our bodies weren't designed to live in.
Please refer to the Coach's schedule to see when your
group lesson or practice will be held. If a swimmer will be
absent from several practices, a note or phone call should
be given to the coach. Difficult in attending practice due
to work, vacation, summer school, or any other conflict can
be discussed with the coach ahead of time.
If a swimmer becomes ill prior to a meet, the coach must
be notified before the meet so that the lineup changes may
be made. If a swimmer feels ill at the meet, they should
talk to the coach immediately.
The main purpose of dual meets is to learn to compete
with other swimmers while striving for an individual goal.
Winning is a goal, not the goal.
Meets take place on Saturday mornings with the possible
addition of a Wednesday night meet. Warm-ups begin at 7:40
am with the meet lasting from 8:30 am to approximately 12:30
pm. Night meets last from 5:30 to about 9:00 pm. Swimmers
should not leave before the end of the meet without checking
with the coach first. Maps for locations of away meets are
in the back of this handbook.
It is the responsibility of the swimmer and their
parent, not the other parents, to make sure that they are
ready and stationed for their scheduled event. Do not leave
the pool area, or go to the restroom without first checking
in with one of the Clerk-of-the-Course first. If you miss
your event because you could not be found, you not only hurt
yourself, but your fellow teammates.
Scoring a dual meet is accomplished by totaling the
number of points accumulated by all swimmers for each team
based on their finishing place in each event (certain rules
apply). Points awarded for individual events are as follows:
1st- 6, 2nd- 4, 3rd- 3, 4th- 2, 5th- 1. Points awarded for
relay events are: 1st- 8, 2nd- 4, 3rd- 2.
At dual meets, ribbons are awarded to the top eight
swimmers in each event. In addition, any swimmer who did not
place in their events will receive a ribbon if they achieved
a Best Time in any of their individual performances. Ribbons
are distributed at home meets after the pool area is cleaned
up. At away meets, ribbons are either distributed after the
meet or at practice the following week.
The EBSL Championship Meet is the culmination of the
season. All teams get together for competition to determine
the League Champion. The time spent in practice throughout
the summer is designed to prepare the swimmers for their
best performances at this final meet. It is important that
every swimmer participate in this meet.
This meet lasts from 7:00 am to approximately 5:30 pm.
Plan on spending the whole day. There are nearly 1,200
swimmers in the league that compete in this meet.
It is important that the swimmers be prepared for the
long day. Bring games, books, cards, and anything else that
can keep you occupied between your races. The swimmers must
remain in the TEAM AREA during the meet and should not be
running around. NO LOUD RADIOS!
Bring plenty of healthy food snacks. There is usually a
snack bar, but it is better (and cheaper) to bring some food
of your own. Fruit, sandwiches, light munchies, water, and
juices or other liquids are highly recommended. It is very
important to stay hydrated! Avoid any heavy fried foods, or
sinkers (doughnuts, milk, etc.) on the day of the meet.
Check the weather reports and dress appropriately. Bring
some shoes to wear after your races. It may get windy, so
bring at least a light jacket. Wear hats and sunglasses to
avoid sunburns and headaches. Bring plenty of towels to dry
off with and blankets to sit on. Don't forget your swimsuit
and an extra pair of goggles couldn't hurt.
Programs of all the events and heats are available for a
small fee. It is important to keep track of where and when
the swimmers are scheduled. If a swimmer misses a race,
there will be no chance to make it up, and could be
scratched for the rest of the meet.
All spectators are to remain off the pool deck area.
This area is for swimmers, their coaches, and officials
only. This rule is for the safety and fairness for the
swimmers. Too many people on the deck can mean a judge might
miss an important call.
The team will get together at the club for an informal
supper where awards from championships will be given out.
This event is a Bring-Your-Own event.
The day before the Championship Meet, the team gets
together at the club to draw posters, and prepare for
Championships. This is also a time for the older swimmers to
shave down all the excess body hair so that they can achieve
optimum performances.Scoring
Individual events:
30 places; 1st- 40, 2nd- 38, 3rd- 36, 4th-
34, 5th- 32, 6th-, 30, 7th- 28, 8th- 26, 9th- 24,
10th- 22, 11th- 20, 12th- 19, 13th- 18, 14th- 17,
15th- 16, 16th- 15, 17th- 14, 18th-13, 19th- 12,
20th- 11, 21st- 10, 22nd- 9, 23rd- 8, 24th- 7,
25th- 6, 26th- 5, 27th- 4, 28th- 3, 29th- 2, 30th-
1.
1st- 60, 2nd- 57, 3rd- 54, 4th- 51, 5th-
48, 6th- 45, 7th- 42, 8th- 39, 9th- 36, 10th- 33,
11th- 30, 12th- 28. (No points are awarded for B
relays).
A participation ribbon is awarded to all swimmers who
participate at championships.
Medal are given to the top three winners in each event
and ribbons given to the 4th though 16th places in
individual events and 4th through final place in all relay
events.
At the Championship Meet, swimmers setting a League
Record are awarded a trophy.
Winners of each heat will be awarded a Heat Winner
ribbon for individual events only.
The award at the Championship Meet for Team Spirit is
voted on before the meet and reflects the views of the other
teams as to who demonstrates the best attitude and good
sportsmanship. This is a very special award that we should
strive for every year.
This award is presented to the team or teams with the
best divisional dual meet record of the season. This award
is presented at the time of championships.
A most improved trophy will be awarded to the team that
improves by the most points over the previous year's
Championship Meet. The current and immediate past
Championship winners are ineligible for this award.
The most obvious preparation for the meets is the daily
practice that the swimmers should make every effort to
attend. The better the effort at practice, the better the
results at the meets.
It's important that you keep your body in tune by
feeding it the proper vitamins and minerals. Eat well
balanced meals and there should be no problems. High
carbohydrate meals (pasta) on Thursdays before the meet
should help provide the fuel needed for Saturday races. Do
not eat heavy breakfasts on days of meets, as too much
energy is spent digesting a large meal.
Many people have a hard time getting going at 7:40 am
and come dragging into the swim meets. Warm-ups should not
be taken lightly. Swimmers are athletes and are going to be
asking their bodies to perform at a high level of stress.
Warming up gets the muscles ready for an optimum performance
and prevents possible injuries. It's also important to test
out the starts and turns before a race to prepare yourself
mentally, especially in a foreign pool. Rest and relax
in-between races. Stretching and loosening up immediately
before the race is also very important. Skipping warm-ups
means not giving your best.
It is important to train your mind as well as your body.
The power of positive thinking is amazing. If you prepare
yourself for your races mentally, you will be able to put
yourself into automatic at the time of the race. There are a
variety of ways to prepare mentally. Visualization is where
you think through your race ahead of time. This involves
taking time to lie down in a nice quiet place and imagine
your race from start to finish, emphasizing the things
needed to go faster. A good place to visualize is before
going to sleep. Positive thinking is important to you and
your team. Think of the good things you do in a meet or race
and ignore the mistakes. Say the good things out loud so
others can also share them. Cheering is not just to show we
have spirit, but it also gets your adrenaline flowing and
the swimmers in the races feel better when others are
supporting them. Relaxing is important because the muscles
can better react when they are in a relaxed state and you
will not tire as easily. Relaxing is easy to do if you
follow the tips above and cut down on the horseplay.
Remember: There is no running on the deck or through other
people's places.
This is a vital aspect to our team and competitive
sports in general. The main reason for participation in
athletics should be to make yourself a better person.
Developing good sportsmanship and generating team spirit
should be a main goal for all of us. Winning is nice, but is
not everything.
One way to generate some enthusiasm at meets is to have
a team cheer. Every swimmer should get involved in the
cheers before, during, and after meets. They give the team a
sense of unity and allow the individual to get some
adrenaline flowing before the races. The cheers will be led
by the Team Captains. If you have any ideas, bring them up
at practice.
This award is to recognize the effort of each and every
swimmer on the team. The award varies from year to year and
may be a certificate, a medal, a plaque, or a combination of
these.
An award is given to the swimmers in each age group that
score the highest number of points during the season. Points
are scored based on finishes during the races. To have a
good chance at this award, a swimmer must be very talented
and be consistent over the season in all meets. A 2nd
High-Point Award is also given at each level.
This award is given to the boy and the girl who have
scored the most points on the team for the entire
season.
These awards are presented in each age group to the
swimmers who have shown the most improvement over the course
of the season. The level of improvement is judged for all
strokes.
This award is for the boy and girl who have shown the
most dedication, spirit, and cooperation towards the team as
well as themselves. The swimmers chosen are felt to be good
role models for the rest of the team.
This person passes out the event cards to the swimmers
before each race for the older kids (11 and up group).
For the younger kids, these volunteers are responsible
for writing down the event numbers and lane numbers that the
swimmer is in. They are in charge of gathering the younger
swimmers at the starting end of the pool when needed and are
responsible for helping the coaches organize the relays and
placing them in the appropriate lane. The coaches rely on
these volunteers so they can be free to watch the swimmers
race.
The starter is in charge of beginning all races and
taking care of the starting system during the season. A good
starter makes the races fair and keeps the meet moving so
that we finish on time. The EBSL requires that the starter
attend a mandatory starter's clinic at the beginning of each
season.
The announcer is the "voice" of the meet. They call the
races to the starting area and give the names of the
swimmers in the water. They keep people posted on the scores
and make any other necessary announcements.
This person is in charge of keeping the watches in
working condition and oversees any timing problems at the
meet.
Three timers are posted at each lane with watches to
determine the outcome of the race. Results are based on the
swimmer's time. There is a section on Timing Tips in this
handbook.
There is one recorder in each lane to write down the
swimmer's times on their cards after each race.
A runner picks up the cards after each race and delivers
them to the scorer's desk.
The scorers transfer the times to the Meet Results Sheet
and add up the running score as the meet progresses.
The swimmers who have placed in the top 8 of their event
receive a ribbon. These must be filled out after each event.
They are then filed in the appropriate folder with the
swimmer's name for later distribution.
A group of dedicated volunteers is needed to help set up
the equipment for home meets. This includes blocks, lane
lines, chairs, tables, backstroke flags, etc. Sometimes this
can be done on the Friday night before the race after the
Club is closed to regular members if it has not been rented
out for the night. If it has been rented, then the
volunteers will need to get there early before the meet and
set up.
Call for the Head Timer immediately to take your place.
If the Head Timer is not available, look for a lane with no
swimmers and ask on of those timers to take your place.
Every timer should start their watch for every race in case
they are needed.
If you do not catch the finish of the race properly, do
not record the estimated time of arrival. Instead, record NO
TIME and use the other watches to figure the official time.
Hopefully, we won't have an occurrence of all three timers
missing the race.