As approved at the September 2002 Eastern Zone Meeting
2002 SPRING EASTERN ZONE MEETING
BWI Marriott
Baltimore, MD
MAY 11, 2002 ---10:00 A.M.
The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m., by Dave Carson, Eastern Zone Director.
The previous minutes were approved with the following changes. Jon Larson and Mike Seip were added to the attendance list from Dearborn.
Isabelle Fraser gave the Financial Report. We have $1461.05 in the bank. We will owe a refund to Express Sports - $428.00 - this is the amount with the meet pins taken out. We will receive $500.00 from Star Swimming for this summers meet. We do not need to collect any dues at this time. This report was approved.
The Agenda was approved with a few items rearranged. Dave Carson thanked Roger Weinberg for arranging our meeting here in Maryland.
Report from our Board of Directors
Dave Carson reported that the Board of Directors Meeting was held in Omaha. Mutual of Omaha became a USA Swimming sponsor last fall. They want to use our athletes in their ads. They closed their meeting with a poster of Jeff Rouse - Jeff is one of our older athletes and is in training again to try to make the Olympic team in 2004. They want to get the message out that you are doing this because you want to, not because you have to. Agents in local areas might be interested in helping clubs.
V-8 splash signed on as a sponsor for two years. There will be displays and coupons in stores. The tear drop logo will be on all products. This will begin August 2002.
Randy Julian is the new Central Zone Sports Development Coordinator. Our coordinator Sue Anderson could not be with us today as one of her children is graduating from Penn State.
USA Swimmings' new "Signature Event" Australia vs. USA Dual Meet will be held in April 2003. "Duel in the Pool". This will be a team meet - scored. It will be in Indianapolis - April 6, 2003. NBC will televise 90 min. on Saturday and 90 min. on Sunday. Hopefully this will be the 1st in a series, always held in this country. The opponent may change.
Dues increase - It was felt that doubling dues was too much to ask. The increase would not be just for more TV exposure. It would be for operating costs and member services as well. Things that could benefit the grass roots - expand the toolbox, better resource materials - these could be supplied to clubs without cost. Coaches clinics etc.. Resources to help member clubs get into existing facilities, upgrade existing facilities, and maybe to foster the development of new facilities. If this passes this fall, the dues would go up $15.00 starting in September 2004, and then $1.00 a year for the following ten years. Jerry Hayes - VA- feels this is up to the Clubs to sell this proposal to their members, and that they need something ahead of time to let them know what is happening. This will be on the legislative agenda at the fall convention.
Club Membership proposal - This would begin with registration in September 2004. This would effect new clubs only. Others would be grandfathered. After the first year of registration, the new club would have to complete the requirements to be a member club.
Governance Study
There were no predetermined results expected. Lots of conferences by phone. Had a meeting at the Phillips 66 Meet. They spent a lot of time learning about the sport. The two things heard most often were: if it ain't broke don't fix it, and lack of attention to member clubs. It was felt that the club is the customer and they need more attention. We need to be mission driven and market sensitive. May need more field staff. Club Development team - staff and volunteers. Should be some performance standards for clubs - not always just competitive - some goal to aim for.
Could help LSC's do a better job of servicing their clubs. Some training for LSC officers. Our Sports Development Coordinators would help with this.
Do some redistricting of some of the LSC's.
Look at Committees - eliminate some and make some stronger. Club Development would be one that would be made stronger.
Task force was found to be the best way to get something done. Encourage electronic in put - chat rooms - phone in etc., as a better way of doing things.
I am attaching the sheet that lists the current and recommended USA Swimming Board of Directors and House of Delegates to these minutes.
On this sheet it says top 40 clubs would be representatives. Also we must have 20% of our athletes as delegates. Top 40 clubs would probably be picked off of National Championships. 20 off of spring Nationals, and 20 off of summer Nationals. Each LSC would pick two clubs not on the top 40. They could pick these in any way they like. There was some discussion on this. The feeling being that this would not be much different representation than what we have now. The top clubs are usually made up of many college swimmers who stay and train with their college coach each year. Also we need to have grass roots club support, not just top 40. A club that had a 75% time improvement and never had a National swimmer could be called a top performer. We have 2900 clubs in the country. No club would be allowed two votes.
Another item brought up was that Convention Delegates be appointed a year in advance. It was felt this would be difficult, some people appointed as delegates may not be around a year later. It was brought up that maybe first year delegates not be able to vote.
Another item that could be a big change, would be the formation of a Nominating Committee, to come up with a slate of officers for the HOD to vote on, instead of the election process we have now.
The Governance report is going to be discussed at the fall convention -2002 - and then will be voted on in the fall of 2003. Greg Eggert ended the discussion with the following message. 1. Read the report on line. 2. Look for where the athletes are going to be best served. 3. Performance.
Get this info out for feedback, so we all know what we are listening to and for, at our fall convention. The Board will meet in August to discuss how to implement the discussion at our fall convention.
Info for the club excellence program from our member clubs is due in to National by June 1st, 2002.
June 2nd - Splash TV - Nickelodeon GAS (Games and Sports) - life style shows focused on 14 and unders. This is the #1 cable network in the country. This will be the 1st of 5. This will be at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Check USA Swimming web page for other times.
There is a new video available - $15.00 - called flying - featuring Phelps & Bowman. Go to the web site to order it.
Anyone wanting to run for offices, get your name into National by June 4th . People may still put their name in at Convention.
One last thing from Kerry and Dave, is the US may not send a team to the open water meet in Egypt due to conditions in the Middle East at this time. It will be decided later.
Meet Coordination Committee Report
Ellen Mace stated that the Spring Zone Meet was a great success. Lots of great swims. She gave out paper results to each LSC. She thanked George Breen and his staff, and Joann Faucett and her officials for all their help. Problem areas - Saturday night is still a problem with dangerous behavior. Body paint is very hard to get off the locker room walls and floors. The other area is stealing team clothing. It was suggested that warm down lanes be allowed between the two pools while the a.m. meet is going on.
Bids for Short Course 2003 Zone Meet
The only bid was for Gloucester Institute of Technology again. This will be run by Middle Atlantic. The dates will be: March 27, 28 & 29, 2003
2002 Long Course Zone Meet update
Both pools will be used - Erie Community College, and U. Buffalo - Amherst Campus. The meet dates are: August 7,8,9,10. The open water swim will be on Sunday.
Cut times for summer zones - voted on later in this meeting, are as follows. Times for 10 & Under boys, and for 11-12 boys will be identical to the 10 & Under and 11-12 girls that are currently listed. This will be implemented this summer.
The meeting was adjourned for lunch, and resumed at 1:30 p.m.
Sectional Reports
Region II - Kerry Ellett reported for Kit Mathews. The Spring meet was held at George Mason University, Fairfax, VA - hosted by Curl-Burke. There were 87 teams, 732 athletes, 1979 individual splashes, and 227 relay splashes. There were 184 US Open cuts, 68 National cuts - 20 of those being new National cuts.
The summer meet will be at George Mason - July 25 - 28, 2002. The entry times for 2002 long course will be the same as 2001 long course times.
Bids for 2003 Short Course Speedo Championships - only bidder was GCIT in Gloucester, New Jersey. The meet dates are: March 20 - 23, 2003. Bids for 2003 LC and 2004 SC and LC will be decided at Convention in September 2002. All bids will be done 2 years out from that point forward. Discussion of entry times for distance events. Need to tighten distance swim times. Motion to change distance times to 40th entry time of the previous years event. This was approved.
Region I - Good meet in Long Island - faster than the previous year. The 200 IM, 400 IM, and the 1000 free cuts on the female side need to looked at for 2003. Need to be faster. There were 97 teams, 572 athletes, 1746 individual splashes, and 181 relay splashes.
The summer meet is at Erie Community College in Buffalo - August 1-4, 2002. Cut times remain the same as the spring meet. It was proposed that we look at a Super Sectionals - one meet - Region 1 & II for the summer 2003. This will come up for discussion in September.
A motion was made and approved to have the top 16 relays at night - beginning in the spring 2003 meet. (have only had top 8). The spring meet will be in Long Island again - March 6,7,8,9, 2003.
The summer 2003 meet will be bid in the fall. The dates we had set are: Aug. 1,2,3,4 2003. The National Office will be involved in the bidding of future sectional meets, providing the legislation for this passes in September. In September we should have dates for LC 2003, SC 2004, and LC 2004.
Zone Survey - Ed Dellert - Technical Chair -
sent out a survey to the 12 LSC's in the zone. He received 10 replies. Out of this survey - came the following.
- Would like to see one booklet for the two sectional meets - same information - just put in the needed info for the two meets that would be different.
- Only sanctioned, approved, or observed swims may be used for meet times to enter Speedo Sectional Meets. (important for High School & College dual meets to know this).
- No entry fee increase.
- Most wanted to see a Zone website, but no one wanted to look after it.
- Would like a discussion in the fall on one long course meet.
The delegates at this meeting voted on putting the distance events for 12 and unders into the zone meets. On the ballot was: 400 - 500 free for 10 & Unders, all the 200"s for 11-12, 400 IM for 11-12, and the 1000(800), 1650(1500) for 11-12's, and using a % from 13-14 to determine the 11-12 time standards if they are approved.
The following is what passed: New event for 10 & Unders is the 400 - 500 free. New events for the 11-12 year olds are: 200 back, 200 breast, 200 fly. The % will be used to determine the cuts for the 11-12's for the summer meets. The 400 IM and the distance events did not pass at this time. This will start in the spring of 2003 at the meet in Gloucester. The new event schedule will be available by convention 2002.
Murray Stephens - Technical Committee Vice-President
Murray said he would speak to Rod Davis- Marketing about the contract and money requirements for the Speedo Championship Series Meets. At this time if you want the $10,000. you have to do everything USA Swimming wants. Maybe it could be revised some way to say if you do certain things you get $10,000. or if you do some of it, you get $5000. Some way to allow for different things to be done.
He spoke of a shoulder seminar given by Orthopedic doctors and physical therapists. There were 6 recommended exercises - on the lower edge of demanding he was impressed with. They will go up on the web site soon. They hope to get a video together on it.
Eastern Zone Service Award
this was given to Jim Wood. Greg Eggert spoke about Jim. He has given us all many years of work on behalf of all our athletes. We all thank you Jim. We now know your birthday is May 11th.
Unfinished business
Cut times for summer zones - long course 2002 and thereafter. Times for boys and girls 10 &Under and 11-12 will be identical. These cut times will be the current girls time standards. This passed unanimously.
Jerry Hayes told the delegates that Louise Limerick had had a heart attack recently and was doing well. She was not allowed to travel yet. We all wish her well.
New Business
A motion was made to align the Zone bidding process to the same as the Sectional process. This means that this fall we will award Long Course 2003, Short Course 2004 and Long Course 2004. This passed. This means we could be awarding nine bids at convention 2002. 3 Zone meets and 6 Sectional meets.
Elections
Patric Mills was elected to be the Non-coach Representative to Age Group Planning to finish Maryann Condon's term. Spring Zone Meeting - 2003
Niagara - in Liverpool, New York and Middle Atlantic in Philadelphia, both bid on next years meeting site. It was awarded to Middle Atlantic in Philadelphia. The date will be May 10, 2003.
National Committee Reports
Jim Wood - OIOC
Jim said there would be four meets picked off Nationals this summer. Pan Pac's in Yokohama, World University Games - Taegu, So. Korea, World Championships - Barcelona, Spain, and Pan Am's - Santo Domingo.
The Aussie - US dual meet will have 26 men and 26 women picked from the 2003 World Championship qualifiers, and other selections at the discretion of the National Team Coaches.
The swimmers that went to Moscow this spring did a great job. Lindsay Benko set a new world record in the 200 meter free - 1:54.04, Aaron Peirsol set a record in the 200 back - 1:51.17 and the USA set a record in the 400 Med. relay - 3:29.00 - Peirsol, Denniston, Marshall, Lezak. These are short course meter times.
At the Fina Congress held - 113 swimmers had had out of competition testing. He said there was a strong statement made against genetic manipulation.
Marci Callan - Age Group Planning - She gave out a survey to be completed and given back to her by the end of the meeting.
Club Development - Mike Seip - working on facility issues, dual meet structures, and more info to go into the tool box.
Open Water - Patric Mills - Recommended distances - 10 & Unders - 1K, 11-12's - 3K, and 13 and overs - 5K. Will have a workshop at Convention to work on LSC's to run Open Water camps.
Adapted - Bea Hartigan - Disability Championships - Open Water - Back Bay - Atlantic City. August 16th. National Championships - Federal Way, Wash - June 13,14,15, 2002. Need to get athletes to swim - check the web site for consideration times. Get results in to Bea.
Unfinished business - Maine would like a discussion at Convention, on current limitations on Olympic Qualifying times for trials.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Isabelle Fraser - Secretary-Treasurer
Eastern Zone
Rule Change proposed - 204.9 Sectional Championships
.3 (new) The bidding process for each of the Sectionals shall be initiated by USA Swimming with the mailing and distribution of the annual National Events Bid Opportunities book in late January (for competitions for the following year). Bids shall be returned to USA Swimming headquarters and the zone directors by June 1. The sites for each Sectional shall be determined by the zones and/or sections by August 15.
This rule will set guidelines for the bidding and the awarding of the Speedo Championships Series Competitions. Rationale - currently, the Speedo Champions Series is bid for and awarded differently in each zone and section. This causes incredible inconsistency with how information is communicated to each of these competitions. In addition, steamlining the bidding process would also ensure that each prospective site knows all the requirements related to these competitions before bidding on the meet.
Effective Date: Jan, 1, 2003 (for the 2004 competitions)
Attendance - Eastern Zone Meeting - Saturday, May 11, 2002
AD - JoAnn Faucett, Anne Jorgensen, John Ogden
AM - Pete Gannon, Diane Connor
CT - Steve Carroll, Clark Cooper, Bill Krumm, Nan Cooper
Maine - Bonnie Alcaide, Steve Alcaide, Gabe Mazurkiewicz
MD - Roger Weinberg, Chad Cradock, Chris Gibeau, Jamie Cahn, Adrienne Glasgow, Sheryl Lepisto, Tom Himes, Chuck Jacobs
MR - Larry Collins, John McIlhargy, Barry Roffer, Bea Hartigan, Gil Smith, Todd Trotman
MA - Tom Southmayd, Dave Carson, Cherita Gentilucci, George Breen, Patric Mills, Mike Seip, Doug Copper New England - Isabelle Fraser
New Jersey - Roger Ridenour, Rob Kirschbrown, Ed Dellert, Ellen Mace, Jim Wood, Greg Eggert
Niagara - Marci Callan, Frances Klier, Barbara Paradis, Dave Finger, Steve Root, Andrew Lehner
Potomac Valley - Thirl Crudup, Kit Mathews, John Hirschmann, Jim Garner, Bob Walker, John Blaschke, Greg York, Irene Millman
VA - Jerry Hayes, Bill Randolph, Terry Randolph, Peter Maloney, Jessica Simons, Dave Henderson, Diane Cayce
US Swimming - Kerry Ellett-PV, and Murray Stephens-MD
Total 63 Delegates
