YMCA Swimming Notes
TEAM/COACH REGISTRATION
Please remember team and coach registration is due by FEBRUARY 1, 2014! I have verified all coaches up to this point who have registered and provided proof of certifications and will be mailing out deck passes soon; however, there are a lot of teams left to register and many coaches still unverified because I haven’t received proof of certification. Let’s work together quickly over the next 2-3 weeks to get this knocked out!
Here are the most common issues with registration:
- Registering as a coach but not providing proof of certification. This is by far the most common issue I run into. I cannot verify you in the system or send a deck pass if I do not have proof of the certification dates you entered. Your options are either to attach an image of your certificates when you register (preferred because then they are always on file) or you can also email or mail me a picture or scan of your certificates.
- Registering with the wrong certification dates. This is also a common issue where a coach registers and provides proof, but the date entered in the system does not match what is on the certificate. Please double check that the dates you enter match what is on your certificates.
- Registering the team but not registering any coaches. Occasionally, teams will register and sometimes even send proof of coaches certifications, but no coaches are registered yet so therefore I cannot verify any coaches if they are not in the system or re-registered from a previous year. Registration involves both team registration and coach registration.
I also get a number of questions about payment. The $30 is an annual fee to cover your entire coaching staff for coach registration. The payment gets mailed to your Group Representative (me) but is made out to YMCA of the USA.
MEET SANCTIONS
Meet sanction requests are due 60 days prior to the meet. Here are a list of meets I have approved sanctions for this season:
- Wisconsin Y State Championships
- Chicago District Championships
- Illini District Championships
- Town & Country District Championships
Please remember that all athletes participating in a sanctioned event must have been Y members for at least 90 days prior to the meet, must have represented their Y in competition at least once prior to the meet and do not violate any of the eligibility rules stated in the Rules That Govern. All coaches on deck at sanctioned events must be registered online and currently certified in Coaches Safety, First Aid, CPR and Principles of YMCA Competitive Swimming. All teams participating in sanctioned events must be registered.
Please recall there are a couple new policies regarding sanctioned meets:
- Starting this season, each team participating in a sanctioned YMCA meet will submit a statement signed by the executive director of your YMCA confirming that all coaches representing your YMCA at the meet have all required current certifications. This form has been attached and will also be provided to the sanctioned meet hosts to distribute to all participating teams.
- Following a sanctioned YMCA meet, the meet host will submit the results, along with a list of all coaches on deck at the meet and all officials who worked the meet to the Group Representative and to the national database manager. A sign-in sheet for coaches and officials will be provided to the sanctioned meet hosts.
NEW GROUP REPRESENTATIVE WANTED
I have served in the role of YMCA Group Representative for Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri and Kansas since 2007 and have decided I will not renew my commitment to the role for the 2014-2015 season. My team has grown and will be expanding even more this spring and I have also become more involved with committees within my own YMCA and I feel going forward I will not have the time to devote to this role in order to do the best job possible for you. It has been a tremendous opportunity to meet so many great coaches and I hope I have served you well. I will continue to be your Group Rep through the summer. If you are interested in this role and would like more information about what is involved, please contact me and I will get you in touch with the Group Rep coordinator.
Dave Hedden
Head Coach, Joliet Y Jets Swim Team
GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA
C.W. Avery, Central City, Galowich, Morris, Smith
1350 S. Briggs St, Joliet, IL 60433
Phone: (815) 726-3939, ext. 412
Fax: (815) 726-3968
Cell: (815) 603-1114
Website: www.jetsyswimteam.org
