MAC 2008-2009 Handbook

Mariemont Aquatic Club (MAC) is a seasonal, competitive swim team operating under the USA Swimming (USA) rules and regulations. As a member of USA Swimming, team members have the opportunity to participate in selected USA competitions throughout the winter season, concluding with the State Championships in March.

Team Membership

The coaching staff works closely with the swimmers on proper stroke technique with speed as a secondary goal. A required skills assessment will be held each year for all new swimmers, to determine their swimming ability. Workouts become significantly more challenging throughout the season. This year we will be holding swimmer assessments during the first week of practice (See Membership Requirements for details).

Registration for team membership is held once a year in September. The competitive season follows the Ohio Short Course schedule, which runs from October through March and concludes with the AA State Championships. Membership is available based upon the following priority schedule:

  1. MAC members invited back from the previous season. This is based upon fulfillment of the previous seasons’ contract.
  2. Any positions open after that will be based on the following (subject to the board’s discretion):
    1. Siblings of existing MAC team members
    2. Mariemont School District Residents
    3. Non-Mariemont District Residents

Membership Requirements

As a team, Mariemont Aquatic Club can accommodate just over 100 members. This number is set to ensure we maintain the proper coach to swimmer ratios. Previous team membership has been at this capacity and therefore, new swimmers will only be accepted after MAC swimmers from the 2007-08 season have been registered. MAC Senior Team will not count toward the total number of swimmers that we can accommodate. MAC Senior Team membership requirements will be at the discretion of the Senior Team coaching staff.

Fall Stroke Clinic

In addition to our regular season, this year MAC is excited to offer a Fall Stroke Clinic for elementary, junior and senior high school swimmers. This clinic will be tailored much like our successful spring clinic, offering swimmers the opportunity to get in the water for preseason conditioning and technical training. The clinic will run the months of September and October for junior and senior high school swimmers (MAC Senior Team) from 4:00 P.M. to 5:30 P.M., Monday through Thursday. During the month of September, elementary school swimmers will have the opportunity to swim during the ability group sessions listed in the handbook, Monday through Thursday.

The Fall Stroke Clinic will be open to existing MAC swimmers, previous Mariemont junior and senior high school swimmers, as well as previous USA registered swimmers from other swim teams wishing to transfer to MAC. Swimmers must be USA registered athletes.

Clinic fees are listed in the Team Fees section of this handbook. MAC Senior Team high school swimmers will be eligible to swim at the Ohio Senior Meet in March, after their school season, following the State High School meet. Junior and senior high swimmers who are not affiliated with a school team may continue with the MAC during the regular season.

Regular Season Registration

The following schedule will be followed for 2008-2009 registrations:

Stroke Evaluation

This year, our Stroke Evaluation Week will be held Monday, September 22nd - Thursday, September 25th from 5:30 P.M. - 7:30 P.M. All swimmers new to the program and all of last season's Gold and Blue Group swimmers will need to be evaluated. Swimmers only need to attend one of the four evaluation nights.

Team Fees

Mariemont Aquatic Club works hard to maintain the proper coach to swimmer ratios to ensure each swimmer can accomplish his/her individual goals within three different ability groups. Fees for these groups are based primarily on pool and coaching time.

Families with more than one swimmer will receive a $75 fee reduction for each additional swimmer. Residents of the Mariemont School District will receive a $50 fee reduction for each swimmer.

All swimmers will be required to become members of USA Swimming.

All swimmers will be required to setup an escrow account of $75.00 to begin the season. This account will be used to pay the swimmer’s entry fees for the initial meets and other miscellaneous charges. As the season progresses, the swimmer may be required to supplement this account to cover entry fees for additional meets.

Throughout the season we may ask for voluntary donations of food items for Donut Saturdays, the end of the year banquet or other activities/meets. Please consider signing up for fun activities that will be posted on the board!

Transfer Fee

Swimmers transferring from another USA Swimming club will be required to complete the transfer form and pay the applicable transfer fee of $1.00. In addition, the 120-day rule of competition applies.

Unpaid Accounts/NSF checks

Families with unpaid accounts, including team fees, meet entry fees and USA fines from the previous season will not be invited back or registered until the previous season’s account is paid in full, including all applicable late charges.

Checks returned for non-sufficient funds will be charged a $40.00 returned check fee plus bank charges.

For any questions regarding fees please email us at contactus@swimmac.com.

Practice Groups

Practice groups are determined based upon the swimmer’s ability. The goal of the coaching staff is to see that each individual swimmer strives for and achieves his or her personal best. To ensure this, the coaching staff reserves the right to move a swimmer up or down to a practice that is suitable for the swimmer’s ability. Decisions for practice groups will always be made on the basis of ability, NOT chronological age.

Additionally, it is up to the discretion of the coaches to divide this number so that no single practice is over-crowded.

While the coaching staff and the MAC Committee realizes that practice times for multiple family members may not coincide, the decision of when a swimmer is to practice is based on what is suitable for the success of the individual. Practice times will not be arbitrarily changed for individuals or families because of car pools, other sports schedules, friendships, etc. The decision regarding practice groups is the sole right of the coaching staff, based on what is suitable for all swimmers.

Descriptions of Practice Groups

PLEASE NOTE: Speed and endurance may play a roll in determining practice groups as well as the above mentioned criteria.

Practice Times and Focus

Each week the coaches will have a focus for practice.

A monthly calendar will be available for viewing regarding the focus of the day/week. Please take time to read this information on the Mariemont Aquatic Club Bulletin Board at Mariemont High School (MHS) or on the web site (www.swimmac.com).

MAC Fall Stroke Clinic Practice Times
  Sept. 1 - Sept. 25 Sept. 29-Oct. 30
  Mon.-Fri. Mon.-Fri.
Senior 4-5:30p.m. 4-5:30p.m.
Gold 5:30 - 6:30p.m.
Blue 5:30 -6:45p.m
Red 6:15 -8:00p.m
MAC Regular Season Practice Times
  Mon.-Fri. Saturday
Gold 5:45 - 6:45p.m. 9:00 -10:15a.m.
Blue 5:45 -7:00p.m. 9:00 -10:30a.m.
Red 6:30 -8:15p.m 10:00 -12:00p.m

Practice times allow for "warm-up" and "cool-down" for swimmers.

Equipment Purchases

Team suits and equipment will be available for purchase during suit-up day, in early October, when a representative from Kast-A-Way Swimwear will be present.

Additionally, you may purchase the swimwear etc. directly from Kast-A-Way. MAC swim caps will be included in the team fee. The team suit is the TYR Alliance Splice (Royal blue with gold edges). This suit will be embroidered with a MAC piranha and the words Mariemont Aquatic Club. Each child is expected to compete in a team suit/cap and goggles. Fins and paddles will also be available for purchase on this day.

Other practice equipment such as pull-buoys, kickboards, therabands etc. are provided by Mariemont at no additional charge and remain the property of Mariemont High School. Swimmers are to use the equipment only under the direction of the coaching staff. All equipment is to be returned to the appropriate storage containers after use.

Swimmer Conduct/Safety

The coaches’ primary responsibility is to the swimmers in the pool during practice. To ensure a safe environment, parents are responsible for the actions of their children when they are out of the pool. This includes locker room behavior and activity on the pool deck prior to and after practice. Inappropriate behavior in the locker room, including horseplay, playing in the showers, rough-housing with others, etc., will not be tolerated and will result in swimmers being excluded from using the locker rooms. Equipment on the pool deck, including the lifeguard chair, diving board, mats, etc. are off-limits to swimmers and non-swimming siblings.

Swimmers and non-swimming siblings are restricted to the pool and locker area only. The hallways, cafeteria and gym area are off -limits!

The coaches and the MAC Committee reserve the right to deny locker-room privileges and/or practice privileges to any swimmer who exhibits conduct that is dangerous to himself/herself or others, that is destructive of property, or is in violation of USA Swimming rules. A signed Parent/Swimmer Contract is required at the time of registration.

Parking/Pick-up

MAC parents are to park in the upper lot by the stadium, not in the fire lanes by the pool entrance. Cars parked illegally are subject to towing. PLEASE be aware of parking restrictions. Help MAC continue to have a good working relationship with the Mariemont City School District!

Swim practice is not usually canceled for basketball games, so be aware that parking will be tight during home games. Car pooling is encouraged. Swim practices may be delayed, however, due to Mariemont High School and Junior High School swim meets.

Swimmers are to be picked up promptly at the end of practice. Coaches cannot be expected monitor children once they leave the water. If you anticipate being late, remind your child to wait in the pool area only, by sitting quietly in the bleachers. All children should be picked up within fifteen minutes of the end of their practice.

Time Standards

Certain meets may have Age Group Time Standard requirements for entries. Entries of MAC swimmers must comply with the applicable standards. Qualifying time standards for USS State Championships must be achieved in sanctioned USA meets. These times are from events that the swimmer has actually swum in USA Swimming meets during this season. "Practice" times do not count. Times will not be "altered" for individual swimmers to qualify for an event.

Meet Entries and Associated Fees

Schedules of meets and other pertinent information will be posted on the MAC Bulletin Board as soon as it is available. Please make a habit of checking this on a regular basis and noting all deadlines. Entries received after the posted deadline may not be permitted. MAC will always try to work to ensure all interested swimmers are entered. However, the team entry will not be compromised due to a late entry by an individual.

Entry fees for meets are only required of those swimmers entering a meet and are debited from the swimmer’s escrow account. Entries cannot be processed without an accompanying balance in the escrow account. Entry fees are paid to the host club with the team entry and are non-refundable once submitted (host club rules).

Fines, if applicable, associated with a swimmer’s participation in a USA Swimming meet for such things as non-compliance of scratch rules, time standards adherence, etc. are the responsibility of the individual swimmer and will not be paid by MAC.

Communication

As with any organization, communication is key. There are several forms of communicating to keep parents well informed!

A web site located at www.swimmac.com is available for those using the internet. Forms and meet information as well as pertinent scheduling information will be located there.

The Head Coach and Parent Coordinator may also use an e-mail list to communicate messages. Please make sure your e-mail address is printed legibly on the registration form. This e-mail list will not be shared with any group and will only contain messages pertinent to MAC swimming.

The third form of communication is the ‘milk crate’ folder system. Please check your folder on a regular basis for monthly calendars or reminders. Ribbons are put in there after meets. Meet information is posted on the MAC bulletin board. Carpooling parents are reminded to check this board often for important deadlines. An Emergency Phone Tree will also be established to communicate unscheduled cancellations of practice.

Parents can communicate with the coaches or the MAC Committee by placing a note in the MAC Committee or Practice Group file in the front of the crate. For the safety of the swimmers, please do not interrupt coaches during practice time. E-mail communication with coaches is also an option via the web site. Contact information for the coaches, as well as their preferred method of communication will also be provided.

Fun activities!

As with years past, we will be trying some new fun activities! Don’t be surprised if your swimmer runs in at night and tells you about some great game he/she played at swimming! The coaches will always be conscious of stoke work with game playing…sometimes RELAY NIGHTS or water baseball or water polo can be just good old plain FUN! Watch the calendar on the board!

Commitment

The coaches are asking a lot of the children…come, work hard, be good sports, learn the sport of swimming, be disciplined and be committed! The parent committee has volunteered this year to do the same for the coaches, parents, and swimmers! If you have a question or concern, or can help us grow and improve…please do not hesitate to use the milk crate file folder or email contactus@swimmac.com. Any communication will be forwarded to the appropriate committee member.

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