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League Rules 2008
1. The purpose of the Herndon Swim League is to promote sportsmanship through
friendly competition between amateur swimmers. The league is developmental in
nature, designed to teach good swimming techniques for each swimming stroke to
all team members and to provide participants with aquatic skills which they can
use throughout their lives. Every swimmer is to be a participant in league
meets, and coaches are required to rotate their swimmers so that each has an
opportunity to swim all strokes.
2. The overall conduct and showing of good sportsmanship by all teams before,
during and after the meet is very important. Accordingly, the following
announcement will be made at the beginning of each meet and before the last
event of each meet: "In the interest of maintaining good sportsmanship and
providing adequate safety for all competitors and spectators, all celebrations
at the end of the meet must remain orderly. No pushing, shoving or running is
allowed and no one is allowed in the pool once the final race is completed.
Thank you." In addition, the attached Herndon Swim League Code of Conduct will
be incorporated by each team into their sign-up process, and must be followed by
all swimmers, officials and parents.
3. One additional announcement, as follows, will be made at the beginning of
each meet: "There will be no smoking during the meet."
4. The following teams are in the Herndon Swim League:
| Large Division |
Medium Division |
Small Division |
| Kingstream |
Four Seasons |
Meadows |
| Hunters Creek |
Bradley Farm |
Reflection |
| |
Kingston Chase |
Foxfield |
| |
Herndon Community Center |
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5. Each team will have a team representative who must be a parent or guardian of
a team member or former team member, and who may not be one of the team's
coaches. If the team representative will not be present for a meet, an acting
team representative must be appointed.
6. The Herndon Swim League is not an officially chartered organization, but
rather is a confederation of swim teams who have agreed to abide by the rules
set forth by the league's governing body. This governing body consists of the
team representatives, one from each team, which may be administered by a
commissioner, if so elected by the team representatives. By accepting membership
in the Herndon Swim League, each team automatically agrees to abide by all
League Rules, guidelines and decisions.
7. Each swimmer must have no other summer league/team swimming affiliation
(except a United States Swimming sanctioned team, such as Curl-Burke) and must
either be a resident of the development, pay a season membership fee to join its
pool or meet the requirements of the development's swim team charter/by-laws. In
the case of Herndon Community Center, each swimmer must only have no other
summer league/team swimming affiliation as described previously. A team will
forfeit a meet if it fails to conform with this rule, with the team
representative and coach being responsible for compliance.
8. Lifeguards may swim officially in league meets only if they are of the
appropriate age, have no other summer league/team swimming affiliation and are
residents of the development or meet the requirements of the development's swim
team charter/by-laws. Otherwise they may swim unofficially if a lane is
available without bumping a swimmer or adding a heat. Coaches may swim
officially if they are of the appropriate age and have no other summer
league/team swimming affiliation.
9. The Herndon Swim League follows the basic rules set forth in the United
States Swimming rulebook, unless modified herein by these League Rules.
10. A swimmer's birthday (actual age on the day of the meet) determines the age
group he or she will swim in. A swimmer may swim "up", but not "back" (must swim
in own age group or an older age group, only). If a swimmer swims in a race in a
younger age group without the approval of the opposing team representative(s),
the swimmer will be disqualified from that race. The meet will be rescored
accordingly.
11. There will be freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke events for the 6 and
under age group. The freestyle and backstroke events will be official events and
be scored, and the breaststroke event will be swum as an unofficial event. There
will also be a butterfly event for the 8 and under age group, which will be an
official event and be scored.
12. No swimmer shall receive substantive external assistance, such as "water
wings", kickboards, or any other artificial floatation devices, while swimming
in a race unless that swimmer has a documented handicap. Any coach or other
person swimming or walking in front of a young swimmer must have no physical
contact with the swimmer or the swim will not count.
13. Coordination between teams before a meet is important. A home team
representative will contact the visiting team representative(s), ideally two
days before a scheduled meet, to coordinate such things as events, number of
heats, officials and to discuss any other proposed modifications to normal
rules.
14. There will be only one official heat for each event, with a maximum of three
swimmers from each team allowed. Lanes 1, 3 and 5 will be used by the home team;
lanes 2, 4 and 6 by the away team. Unofficial swimmers may be included in this
maximum of three swimmers per team. An unofficial swimmer must be clearly
identified as such on the meet sheets and card to make scorers aware of the
swimmer's unofficial status so that no points will be awarded. In the case of
Tri-meets, lane assignments will be as follows: home team, lanes 2 and 5; the
first-listed visiting team, lanes 3 and 6; and the second-listed visiting team,
lanes 1 and 4.
15. Additional heats (unofficial) will be added only when the number of swimmers
in a particular age group precludes all of those swimmers from competing in a
meet, even with using available slots for swim-ups, complete rotation of the
swimmers in all strokes and entering extra teams in the relay events. Ideally,
each swimmer should swim in two events. Such extra heats must be arranged in
advance (as a courtesy, two days before the meet) by team representatives, and
all swimmers in the age group involved should be spread out between the official
heat and the unofficial heat(s). Additional heats will not be allowed for the
individual medley or for relays.
16. Teams will swim the league-approved schedule. A team may schedule additional
meets with other teams as desired on a not-to-interfere basis with the league
schedule.
17. During the entire season a 100-meter Freestyle Relay will be swum for the 8
and under age group and 100-meter Medley Relays will be swum for age groups
9-10, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-18. A Mixed Age 200-meter Freestyle Relay will also be
swum, with one swimmer from each of the following age groups swimming in the
indicated order: 11-12, 9-10, 13-14 and 15-18 (swim-ups are allowed, but only
when no other swimmer is available to swim in the race). 100-meter Individual
Medleys will be swum for the 10 and under, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-18 age groups at
the beginning of each meet.
18. Boys and girls relay events for the same age group will be conducted at the
same time (lane availability permitting), but scored separately. Standard lane
assignments to be placed on the entry cards for the "designated" (or official)
teams are:
2 - Away Girls
3 - Home Girls
4 - Away Boys
5 - Home Boys
Only the official teams are eligible to score points. If desired, a team may
enter additional unofficial relay teams. Lanes 1 and 6 will be used for
additional teams, but the lane assignment on the entry card should be left blank
-- this will be assigned poolside. If more than two additional teams are entered
in an age group, the boys and girls events will be conducted separately.
19. Only official events will be scored. For dual meets scoring will be 5 points
for first place, 3 points for second place and 1 point for third place for
individual events. Relays will be scored 5 points for first place only. For
tri-meets, scoring will be 6-4-3-2-1-0 for individual events and 8-4-0 for
relays. Ribbons will be awarded for first through sixth places. Each team will
provide their own ribbons for all dual and tri-meets. If there is a tie for one
or more of the places for which points are awarded, the points for all the
places involved will be added and then divided by the number of swimmers (relay
teams) tied, with the resulting equal number of points awarded to each swimmer
(relay team). The appropriate ribbon (medal) for any tied position will be
awarded to all such swimmers, and the resulting subsequent award(s) will not be
issued.
20. Changes to events which will effect the scoring must be noted on the cover
sheet of both team's copy of the official meet sheet and the meet sheets signed
by both team representatives before the meet.
21. League records will be maintained for official events only, however because
the Bradley Farm and Herndon Community Center pools are 25 yards in length, no
metric league records can be set in those pools. A separate set of yards records
will be maintained from 1998 on. A league record may be established only in a
league-sanctioned meet, in any heat of an event and only in the actual age group
of the swimmer for individual events. A Herndon Swim League Record form must be
submitted and signed by two adult witnesses, preferably the two team
representatives involved or two other adults from either team who witnessed the
performance or verified the time for that swimmer on the card or meet sheet. All
records must be submitted not later than August 31 of the season in which the
performance occurred.
22. Backstroke flags must be in place 15 feet or 5 meters from both ends of the
pool for league meets.
23. Subject to the discretion of the starter and/or referee, a false start will
be charged when a competitor leaves the mark before the starting signal. Two
such false starts charged to the same competitor in an event will result in that
competitor's disqualification from that event.
24. All competitors in the backstroke and medley relay events will enter the
pool in a dignified, safe manner, feet first, when given the command “step in”
by the starter. No jumping or deliberate splashing is allowed, and failure to
comply with this rule may result in disqualification from that event by the
referee for unsportsmanlike conduct.
25. A swimmer may swim in no more than four individual events (including the
individual medley) and two relays. Any swim-ups are counted in this number, and
a swimmer may swim no more than two events in the same stroke. Swim-ups will be
allowed only when no other swimmer is available to swim in that particular race
and may not be done to gain a competitive advantage.
26. A swimmer may swim two non-consecutive legs without running around the pool
in a relay race only if no other swimmer is available from the same or one
younger age groups to swim in the race, however no two-person relay teams are
allowed. A swimmer of the opposite sex may be used to fill a relay team only as
a last resort, and then only after advance agreement by both team
representatives. Such mixed or three-person teams will not be eligible for a
league record.
27. The term "available" as used in relation to swim-ups or swimming two legs in
a relay shall be deemed to mean any swimmer present at the meet at the time of
the event, allowing exceptions for legitimate illness or injury. If a swimmer is
available by the preceding definition but chooses not to swim in an event
because of lack of confidence, personal decision or any other reason, no swimmer
from a younger age group may swim up into that slot.
28. Coaches are allowed to make changes to meet sheets on the day of the meet
for reasons of absence, injury, etc. At the beginning of warm-ups, both meet
sheets will be reviewed by the team representatives. All swim-ups will be
highlighted. Any changes made after this review involving a swimmer from a
younger age group swimming up must be presented to and confirmed by the opposing
team representative.
29. The normal starting time for Saturday meets is warm-ups at 8:00 AM, meet
begins at 8:30 AM (except those meets at Meadows: warm-ups at 8:30 AM, meet
begins at 9:00 AM); for weeknight meets, 6:00 PM warm-ups, 6:30 PM meet begins.
These times may be changed as agreed upon by the team representatives involved.
30. All alcoholic beverages are prohibited before, during and after Herndon Swim
League functions at the pool facility where the function is held. This includes
all parking lots and buildings associated with the pool facility.
31. When inclement weather conditions exist or are predicted prior to the
commencement of a meet, a determination of whether to hold the meet, or to
delay, postpone or cancel the meet will be made by mutual agreement of the team
representatives involved.
32. Lifeguards who are assigned to work at a Herndon Swim League facility have
full authority which cannot be overridden to stop a meet before it begins or is
in progress and close the pool facility if hazardous weather is sighted or heard
in accordance with local ordinances.
33. If a meet in progress must be stopped due to adverse weather conditions, the
team representatives involved will determine by mutual agreement whether the
meet will be official up to that point or whether the meet will be completed at
a later date.
34. Any dispute relating to the outcome of a meet must be noted within 24 hours
and if at all possible should be resolved by the team representatives involved.
If this is not possible, a protest procedure similar to that used by the
Colonial Swim League will be used.
35. For serious rules breaches, any team representative or a protest committee
can make recommendations for sanctions against a team if it is felt that team is
in serious violation of league rules. Action on such recommendations must be
discussed at a league meeting and any sanctions, which will be binding, imposed
only after a two-thirds affirmative vote of all team representatives besides
those involved in the dispute.
36. Raindate makeups, schedule changes, changes for individual events and any
other modifications related to Rules 11, 16, 17 and 19 will be arranged by
mutual agreement of the team representatives only.
37. If a pool facility scheduled to host a Herndon Swim League function has a
mechanical problem or other situation that will cause the pool facility to be
unsuitable for use and/or not be allowed to be opened per health department
codes, the scheduled meet should be moved to the facility of the opposing team,
ideally at least two days in advance of the meet. If the situation causing the
facility to be unusable occurs within this two-day period, as much advance
notice as possible must be provided to the opposing team concerning the change
of venue. If the venue is changed, the original host will be given the
opportunity to do concessions.
38. A full complement of officials will be required to work each meet. The
following will be required as a minimum:
Referee
Starter
2 Stroke and turn judges (1 from each team)
2 Clerks of course (1 from each team)
Chief timer
18 Timers (9 from each team)
2 Scorers (1 from each team)
4 Ribbon writers (2 from each team)
Announcer (optional)
Runners (as necessary)
Meet officials will use and apply United States Swimming (USS) rules for
swimming the strokes. They will be guided by Duties and Responsibilities of Deck
Officials published by the league. Those assigned as officials should have some
experience and/or knowledge of the job they are to perform. This is particularly
important for the referee, starter, stroke and turn judges, clerks of course and
chief timer. Stroke and turn judges will rotate positions at least once during
the meet. Normally, the referee, starter and chief timer are provided by the
home team. Prior to each meet, team representatives will agree on any changes to
this normal assignment of officials.
39. All officials are strongly urged to attend clinics which will be held at the
beginning of the season in order to discuss league rules and provide training in
the proper performance of the jobs of various meet officials. These clinics are
intended to establish a uniform method of approaching the running and judging of
league meets and establish a sameness of decision to be utilized by all
officials. Two people from each team in the position of referee and two in the
position of stroke and turn judge should attend a clinic annually.
40. A mandatory coaches/team representatives clinic will be held each year
before the beginning of the season. At least one coach from each team should
attend.
41. Meet officials may need to make a special effort to ensure that a
hearing-impaired swimmer has an equal opportunity to a fair, if necessary
vision-assisted, start. This may mean using one or more of the following:
changing the swimmer's lane to be closer to the starter, repositioning the
starter and use of an arm signal simultaneously with the gun report or beeper.
42. A referee, whose decision is final, will be used at all league meets. The
referee must be poolside and may not perform another function (except
announcer). He or she must be familiar with all league rules and USS rules for
swimming the strokes.
43. The starter, chief timer and stroke and turn judges may not perform another
function (except announcer).
44. Stroke and turn judges will write a disqualification slip when a swimmer in
any heat of an official event violates the USS rules for swimming the strokes.
Warnings will not be in effect at any point in the season. If a disqualification
slip has been written for a swimmer, that swimmer's time cannot be used for
qualification or record purposes and for first heats no ribbon higher than sixth
place may be awarded.
45. Three timers will be assigned to each lane. Timers will start their watches
when sighting the flash of the strobe or similar device (including the
flash/smoke from a gun) used for starting the race if a device which produces a
flash is used. Only if there is no visible flash produced will timers start
watches on the sound of the starting device. The high and low times will be
eliminated, with the middle time being the swimmer's official time, unless two
(or three) watches indicate the same time, in which case that time will be the
swimmer's official time. If only two watches are available, the average of those
two watches will be the official time. The digits representing thousandths of a
second shall be dropped with no rounding. These times will be final, with no
place judging allowed.
46. A swimmer competing in the 6 and under breaststroke (an unofficial event)
must advance through the water without pushing off or walking along the bottom
or pulling along a lane marker or wall. A reasonable representation of the
correct technique for the stroke must also be used. Swimmers violating this rule
will be awarded a ribbon for the appropriate place behind all swimmers who did
not advance improperly.
47. A league rule may be modified or a new rule added only after approval by a
majority of the team representatives. If one or more representative (or a
designated alternate) is not present at the time a vote is taken, those
representatives must be contacted and their position on the proposed
change/addition obtained. Each team will have one vote.
For those watching a swim meet here are some things to watch for from USA
Swimming -
http://www.usa-swimming.org/media_services/template.pl?opt=news&pubid=328
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