TRI-COUNTY AQUATIC SWIM LEAGUE
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
Revised 3/09 

PURPOSE

The Tri-County Aquatic League shall endeavor to provide girls and boys with the opportunity to develop competitive skills in an atmosphere where sportsmanship, team spirit, and integrity are stressed.

ORGANIZATION

The Executive Committee shall determine each year's meet schedule. The Executive Committee shall consist of the team coach, coaches, or team representatives. Each member association shall have one vote. Team association should select a representative to attend meetings in the event the coach cannot attend. Any additional teams added to the league will be added to the schedule by the Executive Committee. Extra meets may be set up by the individual teams. The Executive Committee shall sponsor the Championship meet at the end of the season. Monthly meetings of the Executive Committee will be  March, April, May, June and August unless otherwise scheduled.

The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Immediate Past President, Secretary/Treasurer, and one representative from each team.

Rules Committee shall consist of the league President and 4 officials (no more than 2 from any one team) who hold current certifications from a recognized certifying organization (ie. USA Swimming, YMCA, OHSAA, NCAA, FINA).[beginning in 2006]

DUTIES

President:

a. Shall preside at all the meetings. She/He shall be Chairperson of the Executive Committee by virtue of his/her office and shall be a member-at-large of all committees.

b. Shall appoint the Chairperson of all committees.

c. Authorize all bills to be paid by the Treasurer.

d. Perform other duties incident to the office of President.

e. Endeavor to serve the entire organization in a strictly impartial manner.

f. Be familiar with all rules and regulations of the organization.

g. Keep the membership informed as to official communications concerning the organization.

h. Shall serve a two-year term as prescribed in the by-laws.

Secretary/Treasurer:

a. Shall attend meetings and shall record the proceedings of such meetings, issue notice of the meetings, and perform other duties from time to time that may be prescribed.

b. As Treasurer of the organization, she/he shall receive and deposit, in a bank, approved by the Executive Committee, all monies of the organization and keep an accurate account thereof, shall make report of the finances of the organization annually and whenever so requested by the Executive Committee, and shall make disbursements, subject to such regulation as may be determined from time to time by the Executive Committee. At the end of his/her term, she/he shall deliver to his successor all books of account, monies and other property of the organization in his possession. The original bill and/or another document clearly stating what the expenditure is for MUST accompany all disbursements.

c. Shall serve a two-year term and be from the same team as the President.

Rules Committee

a.      Responsible for protest resolutions.

b.     Will provide certification/training opportunities for league officials.

c.      Update league By-Laws to be current with the governing rule book and Executive Committee exceptions.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

The fiscal year of the organization shall be from May through May. The books and financial transactions of the organization shall be audited annually by the Treasurer and two (2) other members from different teams as the Treasurer, as appointed by the President. All withdrawals of funds from the organization shall be made by checks.

AMENDMENTS

These By-Laws may be amended at any official (see below) meeting of the Executive.  Amendment must then be presented to the membership at the next meeting.

LEAGUE MEMBERSHIP

The membership can be initiated by nomination by any league coach or representative. A majority vote is required for membership.

Dues will be discussed and set by the Executive Committee according to expected expenses. These dues will cover printing costs, telephone calls, awards for each meet, and Tri-County All League Championships awards and expenses (bills authorized by the Executive Committee.

A league representative is needed for each meeting. A two-thirds attendance is required for a meeting to be held. Each team has ONE VOTE. In case of a tie, the President may vote to break the tie.

Beginning in 2006, each team must provide at least one certified official (ie. USA Swimming, YMCA, OHSAA, NCAA, FINA) for every dual, tri, and championship meet.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

a. Rules for strokes are governed by the current rules issued by United States Swimming, with the following amendments:

1. The Start.  The home team will be responsible for supplying a starter for each home meet.  The race shall begin by the Starter or Announcer announcing the event/heat, followed by the Starter giving a Whistle Command to step up on the blocks.  In a backstroke event, the Starter will give a whistle command to enter the water, a second whistle is blown to call the swimmers to the wall and get ready to take their mark. In all events, the next command by the Starter will be “Take your Mark”,  followed by a starting signal (start box tone, whistle, gun). Swimmers must come to a motionless position after the “Take your mark” command.  If a swimmer moves or enters the water after the “Take your mark” command and before the sound of the start device, the swimmer shall be judged to have committed a false start.  The Starter, Referee, or another designated official will, at the end of a race ( or as the last swimmer approaches the wall ) blow a whistle ( approximately 4 short blasts ) to alert the swimmers behind the block that the next event is ready and to alert the swimmers just finishing to get out of the pool.

2. There will be one allowable false start.

3. Back stroke turn - The turn requires that some part of the swimmer's body contact the end wall. Once the swimmer has past the backstroke flags at the end of the pool where the turn will occur, after the final arm pull, prior to the turn, the swimmer's shoulders may turn past vertical, but such motion must be followed by flip or summersault turning action with the swimmer assuming a position on the back before the feet leave the wall. After the upper shoulder rotates beyond the vertical toward the breast, an single arm pull or simultaneous double-arm pull may be used to initiate the turn. After the initiation of the turning action, no additional arm pull may be taken; however, kicking and gliding actions are permitted.

4.  We strongly urge that you have dual confirmation by two (2) officials on false starts and relay take off if at all possible. When dual confirmation is used, it must be used for all heats of an event.

5. Mixed relays shall consist of two females and two males. They can swim in any order.

6. Swimmers of a younger age group can swim up in an older age group, however, for relays there must be at least one swimmer in the correct age group that the relay team is swimming.

7. In pools with a depth of less than 4.5 feet (or the minimum depth specified by the State of Ohio) a water start must be initiated. Swimmers must start in the water with their hand visibly touching the wall as the preceding swimmer touches the wall (or immediately afterwards) prior to their take-off.

8. In the event of darkness, it is the responsibility of the meet referee to determine if the meet can continue.  Considerations for this should include the safety of the swimmers foremost, and the fairness of continuing the meet to the swimmers.

9. Any future amendments as formally adopted by the League.

b. Eligibility:

Age grouping for the League will be determined by the age of the child on or before May 31.. Exception: age brackets for invitationals will follow this guideline, unless, at the discretion of the host team ages are determined by the child's age on the day of the invitational.  Swimmers may compete up to the age of 18, as long as they have not enrolled on a college swim team.

c. League Meets:

1. The home team will provide workers for all "critical jobs" in running a meet. A starter, meet referee, head timer, head scorer, and an announcer

2. Swimmers are allowed to be entered in a maximum of three individual events and two relays

3. All teams in a meet should provide a stroke and turn judge, and one scorer. The home team will supply 2/3 timers, away team 1/3 timers.

4. Ribbons will be provided for League meets. The home team is responsible for distributing first through twelfth place ribbons to individuals, first through fourth place ribbons in relays. Coaches will provide participation ribbons for all other legal swims (to take effect by the 2006 season). Points will be given to the 1st and 2nd place relays only.

d. Swimmers may swim up in an age group. However, a swimmer may not repeat an event in another age group. A swimmer may swim free style events in two age groups providing the two events are of different lengths (ex. 50 yard free in 13-14 age group and 100 yard free in 15-18 age group).

e. In triangular meets each swimmer may swim two events no matter how many heats it creates.

f. Meets start at 5:30 p.m. unless other wise determined by the coaches participating in the meet.

g. In the event of inclement weather, the teams participating in the meet, by mutual consent, may choose from one of the following options:

1. Delaying the start of the meet if it is perceived that the inclement weather will pass shortly.

2. Cancel the meet on the scheduled day with the intent of making it up at some date.

3. Cancel the meet in its entirety.

If the teams cancel the meet prior to arrival at the host team's pool, then no credit toward the required three (3) meet rule in the Championship Meet will be given. If teams do show up at the host team's pool and the meet is canceled and not made up or delayed after arrival, credit for those swimmers who showed up will count toward the three (3) required meets. In the event of a cancellation in the above situation, score sheets should be sent to the President.

h. Events will be scored:

Individual Events –Dual Meet :5, 3, 2, 1

Individual Events – Tri Meet: 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Individual Events – Championships: 9, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Relay Events – Dual Meet:  7, 4

Relay Events – Tri Meet  7, 4, 1

Relay Events – Championships:  18, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2

In relay events, a team may score all places. In individual events, ribbons will be awarded to 12 places and participation ribbons for all legal swims (beginning in 2006 season) in both dual and tri meets. In individual events, teams may only score all places.  Ribbons will be awarded as placed.

i. A team roster must be submitted to the League President and Secretary prior to July 1st. If a roster is not on file with the
Secretary on time, then that team will be fined $25.00.

j. PROTEST: Written protest must be submitted to the President of the Executive Committee, Secretary, and opposing coach stating protest within 48 hours of the meet.

k. In the event that a team cancels a meet (if hosting) or decides they will not be attending a meet (as visitors) unexpectedly or for an inappropriate reason, no credit will be given to that team toward the required three (3) meet rule for the Championship Meet. This meet will count as a forfeit for that team. However, the opposing team will be given credit for that meet toward the Championship Meet by swimming against themselves or arranging a meet with another team on that same date. Inappropriate reasons to be determined by the League President.

l. RULES FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP MEET:

1. Each swimmer may swim a maximum of 2 individual events plus 2 relays.  Teams with a season roster of 50 or less swimmers for Championships will have the option to have swimmers entered in 3 individual events plus 1 relay, but this is not a requirement.

2. The entry cut-off date is the league meeting one week prior to Championships.

3. Swimmers must swim in at least three league meets to qualify for the Championship Meet. One of these three meets may be a league sanctioned “closed” invitational meet.

4. Times used for seeding must be from Tri-County League meets, or from a League sanctioned "closed" invitational.

5. No late entries will be allowed unless approved by a majority vote of the meet committee. This committee will consist of the League President, the Meet Director, the Meet Referee, the Head Official, and one coach to be selected by the Executive committee.  All late entries approved by this committee will be assessed a $50 fine.  Under no circumstances will any entries be accepted later than 4 days prior to the meet.

6. Awards will be selected by the Executive Committee. Heat ribbons will be awarded for 10 and under.

7. Each swimmer must have swum in at least one league meet in each event in which they are entered. "No-times" will not be allowed to be entered. This rule may be waived for the 8-under age group.

8. If a coach inadvertently enters a swimmer in more events than is allowed, the first sequential events for that swimmer will be allowed, and any events after that will be scratched.

m. MEMBERSHIP FEE: $150.00 is due on or before June 1st. Roster and $3.00 per registered swimmer are due on or before
July 1st. A swimmer is considered part of the team once they have swum in an official meet for you and therefore may not be taken off your roster.

n. SCORE SHEETS: Each score sheet shall be given to all teams participating in that meet, and one copy for the League Secretary. All sheets must be signed by the coaches and the meet referee. Times will be written for each swimmer and relay team. Score Sheets will be divided according to age and sex (ex. One sheet for 7-8 boys and one sheet for 7-8 girls, etc.). Legal size Carbon should be used for copies. One scorer for boys and one scorer for girls and another person will be responsible for organizing event cards and keeping a running total of each team's score. Score sheets must be turned into the League President by the Monday of the following week. Score sheets should be turned in even if the meet was cancelled so that the teams can receive credit for the meet. It is the responsibility of the home team to mail score sheets. For those teams using Hy-Tek Meet Manager, electronic submission is allowed.  Mail score sheets to the league president.

o. CHAMPIONSHIPS will be held at the pool chosen by the Executive Committee at the final meeting of the prior season, and no later than the first meeting of the current season.

p. LEAGUE ROTATION: Beginning with the 1994 season, the office of President and Secretary/Treasurer shall be a two-
year term and shall rotate from team to team.

2006-07 Moundbuilders Country Club

2008-2009 Chevington Woods

2010-2011 Pataskala

2012-2013 Huntington Hills

2014-2015 Bexley

Groveport

Canal Winchester

Baltimore

Lancaster Country Club

Valley View

Millersport

Stingrays

Pickerington Swim Club