WELCOME TO THE STONY PLAIN SHARKS SUMMER SWIM CLUB
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www.stonyplainsharks.com
WELCOME TO THE STONY PLAIN SHARKS SUMMER SWIM CLUB
PARENT HANDBOOK
Introduction
The Stony Plain Sharks Swim Club has been proudly serving the youth of Stony Plain and area since
1977. A small group of parents wanted to see their children involved in summer competitive swimming
and through their time and efforts, Stony Plain Sharks has grown to become one of the larger swim
clubs in Alberta. A number of our swimmers have set (and still hold) provincial summer swim records.
Swimmers develop confidence in their abilities, develop healthy lifelong skills and habits and make
new friends while having fun under the summer sun!
We believe:
1. That every swimmer can become a better and faster swimmer.
– Our highly trained, experienced, and enthusiastic coaching staff is dedicated to helping
each swimmer achieve their full potential.
2. In building strong relationships with our families.
– Our club has a strong tradition of family involvement and parents/guardians are
welcome to sit on deck during training to observe.
3. In building positive relationships between our swimmers.
– Older swimmers in our club are leaders to the younger swimmers and all swimmers are
encouraged to “cheer each other on”! Many past Sharks swimmers report making
friendships that have lasted well beyond the summer and the pool.
4. That “fun” is an important element of summer swim club!
– Our coaches provide various fun activities as part of the training schedule and we hold a
variety of social events for the whole family.How Swimming Compares to Other Sports The Stony Plain Sharks believe that swimming offers a unique experience compared with other sports. Most parents and kids are familiar with soccer, hockey, and other sports where parents watch two small teams of kids in a game coached by a few parents and officiated by even fewer persons. Summer swim club is not like that at all. The Sharks have 65+ swimmers and swim meets require more than 50 volunteers to run even the smallest meet. It would not be unusual for a swim meet to have over 200 kids participating. This requires a tremendous amount of organization and teamwork as well as a considerable number of parent volunteers. The Benefits of Swim Club As noted above, the Sharks involve the whole family in a wholesome sport during the summer. Children who have spent just one summer competing in Sharks become “water safe” and often quickly surpass their parents’ swimming skills. Both children and parents will benefit from the team spirit and camaraderie of swimming and both will quickly realize that some of their best friends are met through the summer swim experience. The Sharks place a huge importance on sportsmanship and fair competition. Because swim teams have swimmers from all age groups, the points scored in a meet by a 6 year old junior swimmer are just as important to the team as those scored by an 18 year old veteran swimmer. Few sports teams value their younger teammates as much as the swim team. Older swimmers serve as mentors and positive role models for younger swimmers as well as helping the coaches. Stony Plain Sharks value safety above all else. All coaches must have at least a Level 1 coaching certificate and be experienced. Organization The Sharks executive usually meet once a month and can be reached by e-mail or in person usually at the pool. The coaching staff is hired each season and answers to the executive regarding any issues that arise throughout the year. The executive try to find the most qualified staff each year to coach young swimmers and are usually level 1 or 2 coaching certified and have backgrounds in swimming to bring experience to the team. Eligibility The Sharks summer swim club accepts boys and girls for registration into its summer swim club. Children must be able to swim a full length of the pool (25 meters) unassisted. We have swimmers as young as 5 years old in the club. Costs The costs to join the Sharks Swim Club will vary from season to season. The goal of the executive is to keep the registration fee as economical as possible for all swimmers and families. In order to obtain this goal, it is a requirement for all families to participate in extra fund raising events as presented by the current executive. Currently Bingos and Casinos are a primary source of fund raising revenue and subsidize our annual costs substantially. Unfortunately the club is limited in how it can spend the monies raised from these events and so other fund raising events are required to meet the yearly budgeted expenses for Coaching, Pool rental and new equipment. Specific costs and number of fund raising events are outlined on our club website or by asking any of our executive members. The registration cost for our 2014 season is; $290 for the first child and $270 for every subsequent child. Deposit cheques are also required for our bingo and our fundraising.
Bingo Requirements
Did you know that bingos make almost 40% of our revenue to cover costs? Therefore, it is crucial that
parents fulfill their bingo obligation. Bingo requirements for families for the 2014 Swim Season are as
follows:
• 1 child – 4 bingos
• 2 children – 6 bingos
• 3 or more children – 7 bingos
In order to sign up for a bingo, go to stonyplainsharks.com, view the available bingos, then email your
requested day to bingo@stonyplainsharks.com. In your email, include:
• Swimmer’s name
• Name of person working the bingo shift
• Cell phone number of person working
• Preferred position
All bingos must be signed up by June 30, 2014, or your bingo cheques will be cashed.
All bingos must be completed by May 31, 2015, or bingo cheques will be cashed.
See the website for complete details regarding bingo positions and worker responsibilities.
Fundraising Requirements
Sharks run 2 bottle drives per season. These bottle drives are done during the swim practices so no extra
time is needed to accomplish them. Every family is required to sign up for one bottle drive, giving a
deposit cheque of $100. If a family does not fulfill this requirement, their fundraising cheque will be
cashed. The bottle drives usually occur in May and June.
Fun Activities
Our coaches provide various fun activities as part of the training schedule and we hold a variety of events
for the whole family. Team photos, pancake breakfast, and our annual year-end BBQ, dance and awards
night are a few of the main events. A highlight for the kids is the Annual Duct Tape and Cardboard Boat
Race. Check out our website to view some photos!
Website
It is our intent to keep the website up-to-date. There is a mobile version, which is available on your smart
devices. You are also able to synchronize your calendar with your smart device by signing up for a RAMP
login.
Please feel free to submit pictures to the Webmaster. Just follow the basic rules for submission:
• Please downsize the pictures to under 50KB.
• Don’t send pictures of people from whom you don’t have permission.
• Please submit photos that showcase the Sharks as a team, with an emphasis on our team spirit
and talent, and not just individual achievement.
Please note that:
• Not all pictures submitted will be used.
• All pictures submitted will become the property of the Sharks Club and made available for them to
be used in team promotion.Now for the Swimming Part…
As with other sports, swimming has its own rules, procedures, vocabulary, and idiosyncrasies. Parents and
kids new to swimming can be particularly confused by all of this. That’s why this manual was developed in
part as a welcome to the Stony Plain Sharks as well as an introduction to swimming. Every parent
(including author) well remembers when he or she had no clue as to what summer swim club was all
about.
Signup/Rookie Week
All parents must completely fill out and sign a Sharks Registration Form before the first Sharks swim
practice. Additionally there is a POPI (Protection of Personal Information) form that is required as well.
These are both under Forms on our website.
The Sharks have a “Rookie Week”. It is the first full week of training in May for new swimmers that want
to try out Sharks without having to commit to the whole season. At the end of the week when they make
the decision to stay, the family will complete their registration fees and the swimmer’s suit sizing.
Season Length
The season runs from May when the town opens the pool, to mid-August, when the Regional and
Provincial Swim Meets take place.
Practices
Practices run every weekday evening in summer excluding long weekends. Although not required, every
effort should be made to attend all practices. Practice is an extremely important part of a successful
swimmer and having a successful swim team. It would be a rare swimmer who could master all of the
competitive swim strokes, turns, and take offs without proper instruction and hours of practice. Regular
attendance at practice improves stroke technique, builds endurance, inspires swimmer confidence, and, of
course benefits the team.
Shark’s practices are split into two 1-hour sessions. During first hour (5-6 pm), new and younger swimmers
will develop confidence in the water. They will gain an understanding of the four competitive strokes, as
well as turns and dives with an emphasis on fun.
The second hour (6-7 pm) swimmers will improve their skills and techniques as well as develop training
and competing routines that will lead them to accomplishing their racing goals. This group also has the
option of swimming in the morning on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday starting in July.
What to bring to Practice
Practice swim suit (not your 2014 competition suit)
Water bottle – labeled with name
Towel
Goggles
Sunscreen
Deck sandals (optional)
Toiletries to shower afterwards (optional)Weather/Cancellations/Delays Training in an outdoor pool means that we are subject to weather conditions. Generally, we swim “rain or shine” (yes – including snow and cooler temperatures!). The only exception is in the event of lightning. At the first sighting of lightning, the pool is cleared and cannot be reentered until 20 minutes has passed since the last sighting of lightning. Practice will resume 20 minutes after the last sighting of lightning. Discipline Policy To ensure a high quality of coaching and pool safety, it is important that swimmers exhibit appropriate behavior both in and out of the water. Inappropriate behavior is disruptive to the group and other swimmers who are prepared to listen and work. Typically, swimmers will receive a verbal warning and explanation of the behavior that needs to change. If inappropriate behavior persists, a swimmer may be asked to sit on the edge of the pool for a specified period of time. In more serious situations, a swimmer could be asked to leave practice early. Where chronic and recurrent behavioral issues persist, parents/guardians will be contacted and the Club Executive will be consulted. The Swim Strokes The Stony Plain Sharks follow all ASSA Swimming Rules and Regulations for takeoffs, strokes, turns, and relays with some allowances made for younger swimmers who do not want to take off from the starting platform. All swimmers in Stony Plain Sharks are subject to disqualification for improper technique. Modifications to the rules are also allowed for swimmers with a disability. Following the ASSA Swimming Rules keeps the competition fair and equitable by preventing any swimmer from gaining an unfair advantage. It also ensures the integrity of the records in that all races, past and present, are swum under the applicable rules. The following are simplified descriptions of each stroke and relay used in the Sharks – more detailed descriptions may be found in the ASSA Swimming Rulebook. Freestyle (“free”) The swimmer may swim any stroke desired. Because it is “freestyle”, disqualifications are rare but may occur for such things as pushing off the bottom, using the lane rope as a pull, or failing to touch the wall at the turn. The forward start from the starting platform is used, but swimmers may dive in from deck level or start in the water. There are two freestyle events, “long free” and “short free”. Backstroke (“back”) The swimmer must stay on their back except during the turns. Like freestyle, stroke disqualifications are rare but disqualifications on the turns are more common. The backstroke start is made in the water with the swimmer facing the starting end of the pool, holding the platform handgrips, with feet submerged and placed against the wall. Breaststroke (“breast”) The swimmer must stay on their breast (except during the turns) and execute simultaneous horizontal arm strokes alternating with simultaneous “frog” kicks of the legs. The forward start from the platform is used, But swimmers may dive in from deck level or start in the water. Butterfly (“fly”) Arguably the most difficult stroke, the swimmer must stay on their breast (except during turns) and execute simultaneous overhead arm strokes combined with simultaneous “dolphin” kicks of
the legs. The forward start from the starting platform is used, but swimmers may dive in from deck level or
start in the water.
Individual Medley (“IM”) The swimmer must swim one fourth of the distance using each of the above
strokes in the following order: fly, back, breast and free. The forward start from the starting platform is
used, but swimmers may dive in from deck level or start in the water.
Freestyle Relay (“FR”) Four different swimmers must each swim one fourth of the distance using freestyle.
Medley Relay (“MR”) Four different swimmers must each swim one of the following strokes in order for
one fourth of the distance – back, breast, fly and free.
Swim Meets
Swim Meets are competitions hosted by swim clubs, Regions or the ASSA (Alberta Summer Swim
Association) at which swimmers have the opportunity to race each other in various events.
In Alberta there are 6 regions (A-F) comprised of 56 swim clubs. Sharks is part of Region B which includes
Devon, Drayton Valley, Hinton, Jasper, North Edmonton, Spruce Grove, St Albert, Westlock and
Whitecourt. These are the teams we compete against during the regular swim season.
Swim meets are a great family experience; they’re a place where the whole family can spend time
together. They also provide a great opportunity for swimmers to see progress from their efforts in
practice, and socialize with their teammates, family and friends.
Stony Plain Sharks attend swim meets that are held once a week, usually on Saturdays and Sundays for
about 8 weeks during the summer, not including long weekends.
The Sharks Swim Club requires that coaches have meet entries prepared 4 days before a meet, so it is very
important to inform the coach if a swimmer will not be at a particular swim meet. The coaches will be
checking with swimmers a week or two prior to swim meets. Every swimmer is an integral part of the
meet and successful coaching strategy depends on knowing who will be at the meet and who will not.
Please be considerate of your coach and teammates by keeping your coach well informed of vacations,
expected and unexpected absences, etc.
Swimmers and parents must be on their best behavior at swim meets. Be sure that our team area is
cleaned and left in its original state at the completion of all swim meets.
Remember: Alberta Summer Swim Association (ASSA) rule – swimmers must attend at least one swim meet
prior to Regionals.
When you attend a meet, please plan on staying until the end of the day for the relays. If you know in
advance that you won’t be staying, please let the coaches know so that they don’t put your child on arelay team. If your child has been placed on a relay team and your family leaves early, three disappointed
swimmers are left behind without a chance to swim their relay race!
What to Bring to Swim Meets:
Team swimsuit, cap, and goggles (label everything with your name!).
Pen, highlighter, and permanent marker for your heat sheet and writing your races on your hand.
Several dry towels.
Sweats, shorts, shirt to cover up between races (even “rainwear” for outdoor meets).
A cooler of healthy snacks/drinks, and water bottles, (no junk food or pop please!!).
Games, books, cards to enjoy between races.
Old sleeping bag, heavy blanket or lawn chairs for relaxing between events.
Sunscreen/small tent for meets at outdoor pools (Stony Plain/Devon).
Helpful Hints:
1. Expect an early start to your day!! Most swim meets start between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. with
swimmers needing to be there 1/2 hour ahead of time for warm-ups. Swim meets typically end
between 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Times vary, so please be sure to check the schedule and don’t be late!
Directions to all pools are available from our team or on our website www.stonyplainsharks.com.
2. Buy a “Heat Sheet” when you arrive (bring along a highlighter pen too!) – these usually range
from $2.00 to $5,00 and will be invaluable for understanding the day and following the events of
your child and other Sharks swimmers. Heat sheets are organized in the order that the events will
be swum.
3. Be prepared for a crowded and busy atmosphere! Swim meets are lots of fun but they are quite
crowded and noisy. Each pool has a different amount of spectator and swimmer deck space and
you will need to arrive early to “stake your claim”! Bring along an old sleeping bag to lay on the
deck for your child and bring along a folding lawn chair for the deck in case there is limited
seating. A cooler full of healthy snacks is a must for a swimmer who is working hard.
4. Don’t expect exact times on events! Other than the meet starting time, swim meets do not
indicate exactly when events will be swum. Events are swum in the order that they are listed and
may move along more quickly or more slowly than expected. The exact time of the lunch break is
typically announced later in the morning.
5. Keep your eyes and ears open!! Swimmers will be called to a “marshalling area” just prior to
their race. Either a loudspeaker system or an event board will announce events. Sometimes they
will call swimmers by event (e.g., girls short freestyle) but other swim meets call swimmers by
their event number (e.g., event #107).
Event numbers are listed in the heat sheets. It’s a good idea to write your child’s event numbers
on their hand so that they can be watching/ listening for their own events.
Note: Parents/guardians are not allowed in the marshalling/race staging area but our club often
provides younger swimmers with an older “swim buddy” to get them to their race on time!
6. The men/women in “white and blue” are meet officials. They work in positions such as: referee,
starter, stroke and turn judges, and timers. These volunteers (with the exception of some of thetimers) have taken courses and are certified to carry out the duties of their positions. If you are
interested in becoming an official, please contact our “Officials Coordinator”.
7. A swimmer sometimes receives a warning or disqualification from an official. These are displayed
next to their name on the results board. Disqualifications are not meant to be punitive but are
simply a way to ensure fair and equitable conditions for all swimmers. Each stroke has specific
rules and guidelines that officials are watching.
During the first couple of swim meets, swimmers usually receive a warning and some “teaching”
about their technical violation(s). As the season progresses, swimmers will be disqualified for
infractions.
Our coaching staff will explain the disqualification to the swimmer and, if clarification is needed or an
appeal is required. Note: Only a coach can speak with the Meet Referee.
Summer Swimming – Ages and Events
Your child’s “age” for the summer swim season is based on their chronological age as of May 1 of the
current season.
Ages
Swimmers compete in the following age categories:
6 & under
7/8 years old
9/10 years old
11/12 years old
13/14 years old
15/16 years old
17 & over
*Some swim meets offer a “6 & under” age category but this is not an “official” ASSA age grouping and
there is no “6 & under” category at either Regional or Provincial swim meets.
Events
Summer swimming is considered to be “short course” because all events are swum in a 25m pool with 5 to
8 lanes (depending on the site).
Swimmers can compete in many different events:
Short Free: 25m (8 & under)/50m (9 & older)
Long Free: 50m (8 & under)/100m (9 & older)
Butterfly: 25m (10 & under)/50m (11 & older)
Backstroke: 25m (8 & under)/50m (9 & older)
Breaststroke: 25m (8 & under)/50m (9 & older)Individual Medley (IM): a race involving the combination of four strokes in the order: butterfly,
backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle
100m (25m of each stroke) – 12 and under
200m (50m of each stroke) – 13 and over
Middle Distance Freestyle: 200m and 400m (12 & under and 13 & over categories)
Long Distance Freestyle: 800m (girls - 12 & under and 13 & over categories) & 1500m (boys - 12 & under
and 13 & over categories)
Long Fly: 100m (14 & under and 15 & over age categories)
Freestyle Relay: four swimmers each swimming one “leg” of freestyle
100m (4 x 25m) – 12 & under
200m (4 x 50m) – 13 & over
Medley Relay: four swimmers each swimming one leg of one stroke in the following order: backstroke,
breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle
100m (4 x 25m) – 12 & under
200m (4 x 50m) – 13 & over
Heats/Times/Results
1. Heats: Each swimmer is entered into a swim meet with their most recent and available “personal
best time” - PB (a swimmer may sometimes be swimming an event for the first time and will have
a “no time” – NT). At the beginning of the season, a swimmer’s PB time is carried forward from
the previous season in the same event/distance.
As stated in “Helpful Hints”, a heat sheet is available at the meet and it will list all the swimmers in
each event category with their rank ordered times – swimmers with “NT” appear at the bottom of
the list. Swimmers are organized into “heats” based on their listed times and will typically swim
in a heat of 5 – 8 swimmers with times in the same range. There will be a number of “heats” in
each event category.
During regular season swim meets, there are no “finals” and final results are based on the times
achieved by swimmers in their heats. However, during the Region B swim meet, swimmers are
organized into “heats” with the “top 8” fastest times advancing to a “final”.
The “top 2” fastest times from each final at Regionals will advance to the “ASSA Provincial Meet”
along with the next 4 fastest times in that event across all six ASSA swim regions in the province
(i.e., “Wild Cards”).
2. Times: Swimming times are reported in the form: 00:00.00 (i.e., minutes, seconds, tenths,
hundredths). When a swimmer “beats” their entry time in a race, they will immediately receive
an, “I Beat My Time” ribbon from the timers in their lane. The “I Beat My Time” ribbon is an
important and central element to summer swimming in Region B because it recognizes ongoing
personal improvement!! Our club truly celebrates “I Beat My Time” achievements with
recognition of every swimmer’s success. See “Star Performer Certificate” in the “Club Awardssection, below. Our coaches are wonderful at celebrating with swimmers who achieve the goal of
“beating my time”.
3. Results: After all the swimmers in an event have raced, the race times are sent to the office
where a “results sheet” is generated and posted. This can take some time, so be patient! The
result sheet will list the rank-ordered times of all the swimmers in an event. Individual placement
ribbons are awarded based on how many lanes there are in a pool. For example, at Stony Plain
Pool, we have six lanes so we award ribbons for 1st – 6th place. An eight-lane pool will award 1st –
8th place ribbons. These ribbons are not handed out on race day but are given to the coach at the
end of the day and will be handed out at the next practice. Placement ribbons are also awarded
to each member of a relay team.
The ASSA maintains a comprehensive and up-to-date website (www.assa.ab.ca) where you can find out
almost anything about summer swimming in Alberta including your own child’s times from swim meets.
ASSA Website
The ASSA Website contains a lot of interesting information about summer swimming in Alberta including
information about the Sharks and your child’s results.
1. Go to: www.assa.ab.ca
2. Click on: “Results/Records” on the top line.
3. Select, “ASSA Results Database”
4. a) To see results from a specific swim meet that the Sharks have attended, select “Meet Results”:
i) Select specific swim meet from drop down menu and then explore!
b) To see your child’s results and personal bests within the Sharks swim club, select “Swimmer and
Club Statistics”:
i) Select “Swimmer Statistics” (use swimmer name, year you want to search, and event(s))
to get information on all of your child’s results.
ii) Select “Swimmer Personal Bests” (use swimmer name, year, event(s)) to see your
child’s “personal best times.
iii) Select “Club Rankings” to see your child’s rankings within the Sharks swim club.
iv) Select “Club Bests” to view club records for the Sharks (2001 onward).
c) To see your child’s results and provincial rankings, select “Provincial Comparisons”.
i) Select “ASSA Comparisons” to view your child’s provincial ranking within a particular
event.
5. Also explore the ASSA website to view information on events such as the “Alberta Summer
Games”, “ASSA All Stars”, and “Provincials” (including “Wild Card” qualifiers).Technical Rules – A Brief Overview
Starts: A disqualification will occur if a swimmer moves forward from the blocks prior to the signal.
Turns: A disqualification can occur for an improper turn in a race of longer than 25m. (see specific stroke
details).
Finishes: A disqualification will occur if the swimmer touches the wall incorrectly for the stroke (see
specific stroke details).
Specific Strokes:
a) Freestyle: a disqualification can occur due to an improper start or for walking on/pushing off
the bottom of the pool, or assisting forward movement by pulling on the lane ropes.
b) Backstroke: A disqualification can occur for turning onto the stomach before the final touch
or an improper turn.
c) Butterfly: A disqualification can occur for failure to use a “two handed” touch on a turn or
finish, for using “alternating” vs. “simultaneous” arm movements on the stroke, using an
improper kick (e.g., a flutter or whip kick instead of a dolphin kick), or pushing arms forward
under the water instead of over the water surface (underwater recovery).
33
d) Breaststroke: A disqualification can occur for use of an improper kick (e.g., a flutter or
dolphin kick instead of a whip kick), failure to use a “two handed” touch on a turn or finish, or
pulling arms past the hips during the stroke.
Relays: A relay team can be disqualified for any of the above infractions by a single swimmer or if a
swimmer enters the pool before the previous swimmer has touched the wall.
Swimmers can also be disqualified for infractions such as walking on the bottom of or pushing off the
bottom of the pool, assisting their forward movement by pulling along lane ropes, failure to surface after
15m from the start or a turn, swimming into the wrong lane, or swimming in the wrong order during
relays. Our coaches will assist all swimmers in learning the rules of competitive swimming in order to
minimize the number of disqualifications issued.Swim Meet Volunteer Positions As mentioned earlier, swim meets require a considerable number of parent volunteers to ensure that the meet is officiated fairly and run efficiently. The smallest meet will frequently have over 200 swimmers participating and may require more than 50 volunteers. Everyone that works at the meet, aside from the coaches, are volunteers, including the referees. The Officials Chairperson is available to answer any questions you may have regarding the courses. Please see our website under Executive. Timer Every lane requires three times so every lane requires three timers. This means that even in a small pool like Stony Plain, this means 18 people. The timer starts and stops a timing device. In some pools the start is automated so the Timer has the responsibility of stopping the timing device. Questions a timer may have go to the Chief Timer. We request and encourage everyone to take the Timers’ clinic online. The Timers’ clinic is the basic starting course and is the pre-requisite to all of the following courses: Chief Timer This position ensures the timers have everything they need. They provide advice and they provide backup for the timers. In larger pools there can be two Chief Timers, where each take half of the lanes. If the Chief Timer has questions, these go to the Clerk of the Course. Stroke and Turn Judges This position ensures that the swimmers are doing the correct strokes throughout the race as well as the correct dives and turns. Each stroke has it’s own rules. In a meet, these judges stand at the end of the pool to watch dives, turns and finishes and they stand on the sides to watch the stroke. During relays, they also watch for the correct transition from one swimmer to another. Infractions are noted on paper as swimmer, time and the infraction. These are then brought to the Referee, who is the only one who can issue a disqualification (“DQ”). The Stroke and Turn Judges report to the Referee and to the Clerk of the Course. The Clerk of the Course and/or Meet Manager ensures that these judges have the resources they require so heats can be run. Starter The starter is the person that starts the race under the guidance of the referee. The starter is the one that says, “On your mark…”. The two positions of Referee and Starter are side by side, but their responsibilities are quite different. The starter reports to the Referee only, and no one reports to the Starter. Chief Finish Judge The time sheets from each lane are taken to the Chief Finish Judge who determines the official time of a swimmer. A mean time is determined from those 3 times that the timers write down. If the Chief Finish Judge has a concern about a time, they consult the Referee. They might talk to the Chief Timer if they have a concern about how timers are filling out the sheets. They also work with the Clerk of the Course and/or the Meet Manager. Clerk of the Course This position is important. At Stony Plain this person is in charge of the Marshalling area, and they are aware of which swimmer is a ‘no show’ for their swim. They ensure documents are being distributed to Coaches and Officials. They are the key person the Coaches go to. The Clerk of the Course works closely
with the Meet Manager and they also work with the referee. At other pools, the Clerk will help get a deck entry into the race (there are no deck entries allowed at Stony Plain). Meet Manager The Meet Manager runs the meet. Most of the work of the Meet Manager is preparation before the meet starts. This job includes registering the meet with the ASSA, getting the Meet Software ready to go for meet day, ensuring there are enough ribbons and medals, recruiting volunteers, delegating responsibilities for setup/takedown and PA system setup, plus food for volunteers. During the meet, the manager works with all of the officials and trouble shoots problems, as well as ensuring that everyone is content and things are running smoothly. The Meet Manager starts the meet and runs the meet under the direction of the Referee. Referee The referee is responsible for the running of the heats and ensuring it is fair to all swimmers. He is responsible for issuing disqualifications. He keeps the meet running as quickly as possible. The referee has the final say. These courses are all online (http://www.swimofficials.ca/clinics/index.php). They are also offered occasionally in a class format. Please see Alberta Swim Association website to view current classes (http://www.assa.ca/). After completing each course, you are asked to work the position two times before becoming certified in that position. Please keep your Official Chairperson apprised of when you take a course and when you work a position and this person will keep the official records up-to-date. Not every volunteer position has a course requirement, but experience is a big asset when working at a swim meet. The Meet Manager will ensure that if you haven’t done a position before, that you will be paired with someone who can train you in that position. The main thing is that you involve yourself in the process so that you become comfortable with it.
Club Awards Each August, our club holds an Annual General Meeting (AGM), and Awards Night BBQ/Dance. We look forward to recognizing the achievements of all of our swimmers. Star Performer Certificate Each swimmer in the club receives a personalized certificate that lists all the swim meets they have attended, all of their results, and the number of “I Beat My Time” results that they achieved over the swimming season. Dave Mitchell – “Most Improved Swimmer” Award Dave Mitchell was an active parent volunteer with the Sharks in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. When he died of cancer in mid-1990, this award was named in his honour. This award goes to the swimmer who has achieved the most “I Beat My Time” results over the regular summer swim season. Julia Cantafio – “Rookie of the Year” Award The strength of our club lies in attracting new families to the sport of summer swimming. Amongst our new swimmers each year, there is always one who exhibits a particular level of enthusiasm, commitment, and perseverance. This “Rookie of the Year” award was initiated to honour Julia Cantafio, who at the age of 6, in her first year as a Shark, was killed in a tragic car accident following a swim meet in St. Albert. Janice Cantafio – “Sportsmanship Award” Janice Cantafio, mother of Julia, was killed in the same accident as her daughter. Janice was a hard- working volunteer with both the Sharks and the Town of Stony Plain. She was known for her positive attitude, generosity, and her strong sense of “fair play”. This award is given annually to a Sharks swimmer who exhibits qualities of sportsmanship, leadership, and team dedication during practice and at competitions. Sharks Regional Awards These are awarded to a girl and a boy, regardless of age, who improved their time the most in an event category (e.g., Short Free, Butterfly, IM) at the Region B “Regional Swim Meet”.
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