YMCA League Rules

PINE TREE CLUSTER YMCA SWIM LEAGUE RULES

A. PHILOSOPHY

It is the philosophy of the Pine Tree Cluster YMCA Swim League that in order to:

- Meet accepted YMCA program objectives,

- Prepare our competitors for further swimming competition, and

- Foster in our participants a healthy outlook on life;

The League and its Teams must:

- Create a fair set of rules and enforce them firmly and consistently, and

- Seek out coaches and officials who will use every opportunity to demonstrate

that fair, firm and consistent rules are in the end better for everyone.

It is recommended that the home team provide a period of fellowship and refreshments for the

swimmers of both teams (by agreement of both coaches) following each YMCA League

Dual Meet.

B. GENERAL RULES

1. The rules of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Swimming and Diving Rules

shall be the Official Rules of this League with the following additions and changes.

2. The eligibility of any swimmer to represent a YMCA shall be determined by the

NationalRules That Govern YMCA Competitive Sports and by the Local

YMCA Board of Directors. In order to compete in this League, a swimmer must

represent only his/her local YMCA in any open competition during the current season.

(Note: A swimmer may compete in open competition unattached, but may not

represent any team other than his/her local YMCA). The Competitive Swimming

Cluster Coordinator(s), whose decision shall be final, will rule on any case in

question. The penalty for allowing an ineligible swimmer to compete for points shall

be forfeiture of all points earned by the offending team in those events.

3. The Official Winter Swimming Season shall be from September 1st to April 30th.

The Official Summer Swimming Season shall be from May 1st. to August 31st.

4. A swimmer's age group for winter competition shall be determined by his or her age on

December 1st of the current season. A Swimmer's age group for summer competition

shall be determined by his or her age on the first day of the meet in question.

a. The 8 and Under Division shall consist of competitors age 8 and under.

b. The 10 and Under Division shall consist of competitors age 10 and under.

c. The 12 and Under Division shall consist of competitors age 12 and under.

d. The 14 and Under Division shall consist of competitors age 14 and under.

e. The Senior Division shall consist of competitors who are age 12 or over

but less than age 20 on the day of competition, who have not represented

any scholastic institution beyond grade 12 in competitive swimming, and

who have not competed in a YMCA Master's Meet.

The Competitive Swimming Cluster Coordinator(s), whose decision shall be final, will

rule on any case in question. The penalty for allowing a swimmer to compete in an age

group in which he or she is not eligible to compete shall be forfeiture of all points

earned by the offending team in those events in the meet in question.

5. The League shall maintain records for 8 and Under, 10 and Under, 12 and Under, 14

and Under and Senior Divisions. Records shall be maintained for all events in the

League Event List and for any other events in which records are kept by the National

YMCA. Records may be established only in YMCA competition sanctioned or approved

in writing by the Cluster Coordinator(s), and only in the event, distance, and stroke

actually contested, except that the first swimmer on a relay team may establish a record

as specified in the regular NCAA Rules. The Cluster Coordinator(s) will rule on

any record or performance in question.

a. Times from 25 yard pools will be considered official.

b. A separate set of Short Course Meter Records will be maintained for times

obtained in 25 meter pools.

c. A separate set of Long Course Records will be maintained for times obtained in

50 meter pools.

6. Amendment:

a. Any amendment, change, addition, or deletion to the General Rules, the Dual

Meet Rules, or the Championship Meet Rules must be proposed and adopted at

the League Spring Meeting, and must be adopted again at the League Fall

Meeting in order to become official.

b. Any change, addition, or deletion to the Championship Meet Procedures and

Instructions must be proposed and adopted at the League Fall Meeting in order

to become official. In addition, however, the Championship Meet Committee may

issue further detailed instructions if necessary regarding the use of the State Meet

Facility.

c. Each team in the League shall have one vote.

7. Distribution:

a. It will be the duty of the Cluster Coordinator(s) to distribute at or

immediately after the Fall Meeting three copies of these Rules to every YMCA

which has a team in the League.

b. In addition it will be the duty of the Cluster Coordinator(s) to distribute

to each YMCA at or immediately following the Fall Meeting:

1 copy of the League Directory

1 copy of the League Schedule

1 copy of the National YMCA Rules That Govern Competitive Sports

1 copy of the Rules for the YMCA National Championship

1 copy of the YMCA National Youth Board Philosophy

1 copy of the Pine Tree Cluster YMCA Swim League Coaches' Handbook

1 copy of the National YMCA Competitive Swimming Rules

c. It will be the duty of the Cluster Coordinator(s) to distribute to each YMCA

after the Spring Meeting:

The Rule Change Proposals for the Fall Meeting

The schedule for the Next Winter Season.

C. LEAGUE MEETS - WINTER SEASON

1. This League shall consist of three Conferences as follows:

Northern Central Southern

Bangor Auburn/Lewiston Boothbay

Downeast Camden Bath

Mt. Desert Kennebec Valley Casco Bay

Old Town/Orono Waldo County Northern York

Piscataquis Waterville Portland

Sanford

A League Schedule shall be submitted by the Cluster Coordinator(s) at the Spring

Meeting for a vote of acceptance. If the Schedule is accepted or if no alternative is

agreed upon, the submitted Schedule shall be the official League Schedule for the

following year. The Cluster Coordinator(s) will attempt to arrange equal numbers

of home and away meets, to alternate home and away meets from year to year, and to

schedule each team to swim all the other teams in the same Conference and to swim

some teams in the other Conferences by order of State Meet finish. Once the

League Schedule is published each team must swim all scheduled meets unless

the team is released by the Cluster Coordinator(s) at the Regular Fall Meeting or

the meet is canceled due to weather and/or traveling conditions.

2. Each competitor shall be allowed to compete to score in three events including relays.

This rule may be waived if both coaches agree, but if there is no agreement the Referee

shall enforce this rule as written.

3. All events in the Order of Events will be offered in every dual meet, unless both coaches

agree to an alternative format.

4. Exhibition swimmers will be allowed in any position which is assigned to a team and

which is not occupied by a competitor eligible to score. In addition, at the request of

either coach, a maximum of six exhibition heats in a six lane pool or ten exhibition heats

in a four lane pool will be scheduled in a meet. If both coaches agree the number of

exhibition heats in a meet will be unlimited. An exhibition entry must be clearly indicated

and shall not count as one of a competitor's three events. Exhibition Heats must

be submitted to the Referee before the start of the meet. The Referee shall rule on any

cases in question.

5. Scoring shall be as agreed upon by coaches prior to the meet consistent with the meet

format, or shall be according to the Official Rules if the coaches haven't agreed.

6. Every League meet must be refereed by a Certified YMCA Level II, MSOA Level II, or

USS Level IV Official. If the host team does not have a Certified Official as the Referee,

the visiting team will have the right to designate a Referee. The Cluster Coordinator(s) will rule on any case in question, and failure to allow the visiting team

to execute its right will cause the host team to forfeit the meet. If the host team is

unable to secure a Certified Official, they shall inform the visiting coach in advance.

7. In all League dual meets there must be electronic timing or three watches on the

first and second place swimmers and at least one watch on each of the other

lanes. If either team requests three watches on every lane and can furnish watches and

timers, the Referee shall allow the request and will set up the timing accordingly.

8. In dual meets YMCA Ribbons will be awarded to all swimmers (including exhibition

swimmers) for each event in which they participate unless they are disqualified. League

Ribbon colors are as follows: 1st Blue, 2nd Red, 3rd Yellow, 4th White, 5th Pink, 6th

Green, 7th Purple, and 8th Orange.

9. The host team shall send a clear, reproducible set of meet results to the Results Chairman. Each team will be assessed $10 for each meet for which clear,

reproducible, complete and accurate results are not postmarked within 72 hours

of the end of the meet or received by the Results Chairman within 7 days. The

Results Chairman must be informed of any cancellations within the same time frame.

These results must include first and last names, team, and time for all individual

swimmers; and first initial or first name and last name for all relay swimmers with

the relay team and time. The Results Chairman shall send a copy of the results to

each team which pays for the service. The price for the service is $75, as set by

vote of the League at the Fall Meeting. Make check payable and send to the League Results

Chairman. (See League Directory for address).

10. The Order of Events for all League Dual Meets will be as listed on page 5 of these rules,

unless both coaches agree otherwise.

PINE TREE CLUSTER YMCA SWIM LEAGUE

LEAGUE MEETS

STANDARD ORDER OF EVENTS

Event # For Girls Event Event # For Boys

1 8 & U 100 yard Medley Relay 2

3 10 & U 200 yard Medley Relay 4

5 12 & U 200 yard Medley Relay 6

7 14 & U 200 yard Medley Relay 8

9 Senior 200 yard Medley Relay 10

11 12 & U 200 yard Freestyle 12

13 14 & U 200 yard Freestyle 14

15 Senior 200 yard Freestyle 16

17 8 & U 100 yard Ind Medley 18

19 10 & U 100 yard Ind Medley 20

21 12 & U 200 yard Ind Medley 22

23 14 & U 200 yard Ind Medley 24

25 Senior 200 yard Ind Medley 26

27 8 & U 25 yard Freestyle 28

29 10 & U 50 yard Freestyle 30

31 12 & U 50 yard Freestyle 32

33 14 & U 50 yard Freestyle 34

35 Senior 50 yard Freestyle 36

37 8 & U 25 yard Butterfly 38

39 10 & U 50 yard Butterfly 40

41 12 & U 50 yard Butterfly 42

43 14 & U 100 yard Butterfly 44

45 Senior 100 yard Butterfly 46

47 8 & U 50 yard Freestyle 48

49 10 & U 100 yard Freestyle 50

51 12 & U 100 yard Freestyle 52

53 14 & U 100 yard Freestyle 54

55 Senior 100 yard Freestyle 56

57 Senior 500 yard Freestyle 58

59 8 & U 25 yard Backstroke 60

61 10 & U 50 yard Backstroke 62

63 12 & U 50 yard Backstroke 64

65 14 & U 100 yard Backstroke 66

67 Senior 100 yard Backstroke 68

69 8 & U 25 yard Breastroke 70

71 10 & U 50 yard Breastroke 72

73 12 & U 50 yard Breastroke 74

75 14 & U 100 yard Breastroke 76

77 Senior 100 yard Breastroke 78

79 8 & U 100 yard Freestyle Relay 80

81 10 & U 200 yard Freestyle Relay 82

83 12 & U 200 yard Freestyle Relay 84

85 14 & U 200 yard Freestyle Relay 86

87 Senior 200 yard Freestyle Relay 88

PINE TREE CLUSTER YMCA SWIM LEAGUE

LEAGUE MEETS

ALTERNATE ORDER OF EVENTS

Event # For Girls Event Event # For Boys

1 8 & U 100 yard Medley Relay 2

3 10 & U 200 yard Medley Relay 4

5 8 & U 100 yard Ind Medley 6

7 10 & U 100 yard Ind Medley 8

9 8 & U 25 yard Freestyle 10

11 10 & U 50 yard Freestyle 12

13 8 & U 25 yard Butterfly 14

15 10 & U 50 yard Butterfly 16

17 8 & U 50 yard Freestyle 18

19 10 & U 100 yard Freestyle 20

21 8 & U 25 yard Backstroke 22

23 10 & U 50 yard Backstroke 24

25 8 & U 25 yard Breastroke 26

27 10 & U 50 yard Breastroke 28

29 8 & U 100 yard Freestyle Relay 30

31 10 & U 200 yard Freestyle Relay 32

33 12 & U 200 yard Medley Relay 34

35 14 & U 200 yard Medley Relay 36

37 Senior 200 yard Medley Relay 38

39 12 & U 200 yard Freestyle 40

41 14 & U 200 yard Freestyle 42

43 Senior 200 yard Freestyle 44

45 12 & U 200 yard Ind Medley 46

47 14 & U 200 yard Ind Medley 48

49 Senior 200 yard Ind Medley 50

51 12 & U 50 yard Freestyle 52

53 14 & U 50 yard Freestyle 54

55 Senior 50 yard Freestyle 56

57 12 & U 50 yard Butterfly 58

59 14 & U 100 yard Butterfly 60

61 Senior 100 yard Butterfly 62

63 12 & U 100 yard Freestyle 64

65 14 & U 100 yard Freestyle 66

67 Senior 100 yard Freestyle 68

69 Senior 500 yard Freestyle 70

71 12 & U 50 yard Backstroke 72

73 14 & U 100 yard Backstroke 74

75 Senior 100 yard Backstroke 76

77 12 & U 50 yard Breastroke 78

79 14 & U 100 yard Breastroke 80

81 Senior 100 yard Breastroke 82

83 12 & U 200 yard Freestyle Relay 84

85 14 & U 200 yard Freestyle Relay 86

87 Senior 200 yard Freestyle Relay 88

PINE TREE CLUSTER YMCA SWIM LEAGUE

LEAGUE MEETS

CONDENSED ORDER OF EVENTS

(All Events are Co-ed, & Seeded by Time)

(All Events are All Ages unless otherwise indicated)

(Results will be by Sex and by Age Group)

No: Event

1 Mixed 8 & Under 100 Yard Medley Relay

2 Mixed 200 Yard Medley Relay

3 Mixed 100 Yard Butterfly

4 Mixed 200 Yard Freestyle

5 Mixed 8 & Under 25 Yard Butterfly

6 Mixed 50 Yard Butterfly

7 Mixed 100 Yard IM

8 Mixed 8 & Under 25 Yard Breaststroke

9 Mixed 50 Yard Breaststroke

10 Mixed 100 Yard Backstroke

11 Mixed 8 & Under 25 Yard Freestyle

12 Mixed 50 Yard Freestyle

13 Mixed 200 Yard IM

14 Mixed 500 Yard Freestyle

15 Mixed 100 Yard Breaststroke

16 Mixed 100 Yard Freestyle

17 Mixed 8 & Under 25 Yard Backstroke

18 Mixed 50 Yard Backstroke

19 Mixed 8 & Under 100 Yard Freestyle Relay

20 Mixed 200 Yard Freestyle Relay

PINE TREE CLUSTER YMCA SWIM LEAGUE

STATE MEET

ORDER OF EVENTS

Event # For Girls Events Event # For Boys

SESSION A

1 8 & U 100 Yard Medley Relay 2

3 8 & U 25 Yard Butterfly 4

5 8 & U 25 Yard Breaststroke 6

7 8 & U 25 Yard Freestyle 8

9 8 & U 100 Yard Individual Medley 10

11 8 & U 50 Yard Freestyle 12

13 8 & U 25 Yard Backstroke 14

15 8 & U 100 Yard Freestyle Relay 16

SESSION B SESSION C

17 10 & U 200 Yard Medley Relay 20

19 10 & U 50 Yard Butterfly 24

21 10 & U 50 Yard Breaststroke 28

23 10 & U 50 Yard Freestyle 32

25 10 & U 100 Yard Individual Medley 36

27 10 & U 100 Yard Freestyle 40

29 10 & U 50 Yard Backstroke 44

31 10 & U 200 Yard Freestyle Relay 48

SESSION D

33 12 & U 200 Yard Medley Relay 18

35 12 & U 200 Yard Freestyle 22

37 12 & U 50 Yard Butterfly 26

39 12 & U 50 Yard Breaststroke 30

41 12 & U 50 Yard Freestyle 34

43 12 & U 200 Yard Individual Medley 38

45 12 & U 100 Yard Freestyle 42

47 12 & U 50 Yard Backstroke 46

49 12 & U 200 Yard Freestyle Relay 50

SESSION E

51 Senior 200 Yard Medley Relay 52

53 14 & U 200 Yard Medley Relay 54

55 Senior 200 Yard Freestyle 56

57 14 & U 200 Yard Freestyle 58

59 Senior 100 Yard Butterfly 60

61 14 & U 100 Yard Butterfly 62

63 Senior 100 Yard Breaststroke 64

65 14 & U 100 Yard Breaststroke 66

67 Senior 50 Yard Freestyle 68

69 14 & U 50 Yard Freestyle 70

71 Senior 200 Yard Individual Medley 72

73 14 & U 200 Yard Individual Medley 74

75 Senior 500 Yard Freestyle 76

77 14 & U 100 Yard Freestyle 78

79 Senior 100 Yard Freestyle 80

81 14 & U 100 Yard Backstroke 82

83 Senior 100 Yard Backstroke 84

85 14 & U 200 Yard Freestyle Relay 86

87 Senior 200 Yard Freestyle Relay 88

D. CHAMPIONSHIP MEET - WINTER SEASON

1. The eligibility of a team to compete in the Championship Meet will be determined by

applicable State and National YMCA regulations. The Cluster Coordinator(s) will rule

on any cases in question. That ruling will be final.

2. Every swimmer must swim in at least three League Meets, contested on separate

dates, in the current winter season in order to be eligible to swim in the current

(Winter) Championship Meet. In order to qualify as a League Meet, a meet must be on

the League Schedule issued by the Cluster Coordinator(s), or must be a make-up of one

on the League Schedule, or must be approved by the Coordinator(s) by January 31. The

Cluster Coordinator(s) will rule on any cases in question. Upon the request of a coach

and only in extenuating circumstances, the Cluster Coordinator(s) may waive the rule.

The Coordinator(s) decision will be final.

3. All other problems (except eligibility questions noted above) relating to the entry process

or the conduct of the meet will be decided by the Championship Meet Committee. Their

decision will be final. The Championship Meet Committee in any season will consist of

the Meet Director(s), the Referee(s), and the Official Starter(s) for the

Championships and a Coach and an Alternate Coach who will be elected at the January

Meeeting. The Alternate Coach will serve if the primary Coach's team is involved. It

should be noted that not all members of the Meet Committee might be present during

any one day of the Competition, and that therefore a majority vote of those in attendance

will be adequate to resolve any problem arising during the competition.

4. Team Entries must be created from a Hy-Tek Windows Team Manager and must be sent

as a Hy-Tek Entry File by e-mail or diskette to the Seeding Chairman, as follows:

a. By February 1st - each Team must designate an Entry Contact Person who

has e-mail, and who must request from the Seeding Chairman the State

Meet Order of Events file to be imported into Windows Team Manager.

b. By Noon on Monday, 5 days before the State Meet - each Team's Entry

File must have been received by the Seeding Chairman by e-mail or

diskette. If the Seeding Chairman is missing an Entry at the deadline,

he/she will attempt to contact the Team. If he/she is not successful, the

Cluster Co-Ordinator will contact the YMCA.

c. By 6:00 PM on Monday, 5 days before the Meet - the Seeding Chairman

will e-mail to each Team's Entry Contact Person an HTML file of that

Team's entries as entered into the State Meet Windows Meet Manager.

d. By Noon on Tuesday, 4 days before the Meet - all additions and

corrections to the HTML file must be received by the Seeding Chairman by

e-mail. These corrections and additions can be sent either as a revised

Entry File from Windows Team Manager or as an e-mail message. No

changes, additions, or corrections to the Team Entry will be allowed after

this time.

e. By 6:00 PM on Tuesday, 4 days before the Meet - the Seeding Chairman

will e-mail each Team Entry Contact Person an HTML file of the complete

Psych Sheet for the Meet.

f. By Noon on Wednesday, 3 days before the Meet - the Seeding Chairman

must have received by e-mail any corrections for typographical errors made

by the Seeding Chairman. No other changes or corrections will be

accepted.

g. By 6:00 PM on Wednesday, 3 days before the Meet - the Seeding

Chairman will e-mail an HTML file of the complete Heat Sheet for the

Meet to each Team Entry Contact Person.

5. By Tuesday, 4 days before the State Meet - a check for the full amount of the Entry Fees

due, accompanied by the Team Data and Authorization Form must be received by the

Cluster Co-Ordinator.

6. Swimmers who are left off Entries may be added at the Coaches' Meeting on the day of

the Meet, only as Non-scoring Exhibition Competitors, only in empty lanes in existing

heats, and at a cost of $15 per swimmer per event.

7. Each team may enter an unlimited number of swimmers in individual events. Each

swimmer may enter a maximum of three events. A team may enter swimmers as

exhibition competitors in Exhibition National YMCA Qualifying Events provided: The

team coach makes a request to theMeet Director, the event is swum only once, the event

is not a regularly contested event for that age group in this Championship, and the team

coach arranges for sufficient timers.

8. The Meet Director will have the authority to ban from the rest of the Meet any swimmer

who vandalizes any part of the host facility or who disobeys rules and regulations regarding its use.

9. Place judging for the Championship Meet shall be by Modified Ballot unless an automatic timing and judging system is used. All 25 yard events will use three

buttons instead of touch pads as the primary finish. For all other 8 and Under

and 10 and Under Events available touchpad times will be used unless the back-up

button time disagrees by 0.3 seconds or more, in which case the button time will

be used.

10. There will be no penalty for missing an event except disqualification from that event.

11. All Events will be run as timed finals.

12. Each Team may enter two relay teams in each relay event, but only the higher placing

relay team may score. If a relay team places but does not score, it will receive a

duplicate set of awards. The team coach shall designate the four swimmers assigned to

swim on each relay team by listing their names on the Relay Entry Card prior to the

event.

13. Scoring shall be for sixteen places as in the regular rules.

14. Trophies will be awarded to the top eight finalists in each event. Ribbons will be

awarded to ninth through sixteenth places. Heat Winner ribbons will be

awarded to all Heat Winners. Each participant will receive a State Meet patch.

15. Team awards will be presented to the Winning Girls Team, Boys Team and Combined

Team in each of the following: 8 and Under, 10 and Under, 12 and Under, 14 and Under,

Senior, and Over-All. In addition an award will be presented to the Runner-Up

Combined Over-All Team.

16. For each age group, the order of events will be as listed in the State Meet Order of

Events on page 8 of these rules.

17. Awards will be presented at the State Meet to the outstanding boy and girl participant

according to criteria and details as voted at the Fall Meeting.

2000/01 Season as of 9/00/11