SECTION 1 - ADMINISTRATION OF THE SWIMMING PROGRAM

A. REGISTRATION OF ATHLETE MEMBERS

1. General
   All swimmers competing in sanctioned events must be registered athlete members of United States Swimming. They must meet representation rules contained in Article 303 of the USA-S Rules and Regulations. In particular: “For a swimmer to represent a USA-S club in a competitive event, 120 consecutive days must have elapsed without the swimmer having represented, any other USA-S Club in USA-S competition.” They must meet eligibility rules contained in Article 304 of the USA-S Rules and Regulations. Swimmers must retain the registration card and present it when requested by the Meet Director or Referee or their designated representative at sanctioned swim meets. 
   
   
2.  Registration
   Registration of SNS athletes shall be conducted by the Sierra Nevada Registration Coordinator. Registration is effective upon receipt by the Registration Coordinator of the registration form with applicable fee. Applicants and transfer information may be obtained by telephone or writing to the Registration Coordinator.
   
   a. Athletes’ membership (registration) fee is set by the Board of Directors and includes membership in United States Swimming, membership in SNS. Checks for the fee must be made payable to SNS,
   
   b. The fee for a 12-month athlete’s membership is $51.00 and should be submitted directly to the Registration Coordinator by the athlete’s swim team.
   
   c. The fee for a Seasonal Swimmer membership is $28.00 and should be submitted directly to the Registration Coordinator by the athlete’s swim team.
   
   d. In the event of duplicate registration, there shall be NO REFUNDS except as authorized by the Registration Coordinator. 
   
   
3.  Transfers
   
   a. Swimmers transferring representation from one club to another must do so according to Article 303 of the Code of USA-S. Swimmers must apply for transfer to Unattached status by writing to the Registration Coordinator stating the swimmer’s name, address, birth date, name of club from which transferring, date of last competition with that club, and name of new club (if any) to which the swimmer intends to attach after completion of the 120-day unattached period. The swimmer must return the current Registration card. There is no service fee for transfers from another LSC into SNS.
   
   If 120 days have elapsed since the last appearance by the swimmer for his attached club, then the swimmer may transfer immediately without going unattached.
   
   b. Upon completion of the 120-day unattached period, a swimmer may remain in the unattached status. If attachment to a team is desired, application by letter for such attachment must be submitted to the Registration Coordinator stating the swimmer’s name, address, birth date, name of club to which they wish to attach, that they are eligible to so attach in accordance with Article 303 of the Code of USA-S and return the current Registration card.
   
   c. Swimmers competing for a secondary school, college or university need not apply for formal transfer to unattached status at the commencement of their swimming season, nor return to attached status with the club in which registered at the end of their swimming season. However, if they wish to attach to a different club than the one in which they are registered, they should contact the Registration Coordinator for qualification and procedural requirements. 
   
   
4.  Compliance
   
   a. Compliance with sections A.2 through A.3 above must be accomplished prior to competition in a sanctioned event. Any athlete not in compliance may be deemed “Deficiently Registered” by the Registration Coordinator and subject to the penalties as described below, subject to review as provided for in the USA-S Rules and Regulations and Bylaws of SNS (Article 12).
   
   b. Any athlete entering a sanctioned event as properly registered as a member of United States Swimming, and SNS as applicable, who is in fact not so properly registered shall be subject to a fine of up to $50.00 as shall be determined by the Board of Review, and shall be ineligible for registration until such fine is paid.
   
   c. Any athlete entering a sanctioned event as properly registered as a member of a specific club or team (i.e., “attached”), who is in fact not eligible to be so attached, shall be subject to a fine of up to $25.00 as shall be determined by the Board of Review, and shall be ineligible for registration as a member of a specific club or team (i.e., attached”) until such fine is paid.
   
   d. In the event the “deficiently registered” athlete described in paragraphs b. or c. above is a member of a “relay team” which swims in a sanctioned event, the club or team so represented by such relay team shall be subject to a fine of up to $100.00 as shall be determined by the Board of Review, and shall be ineligible for membership as defined in Article 2, until such fine is paid.
   
   e. The Meet Director and Referee of each meet are authorized to and shall assure themselves that any and all swimmers entered in a sanctioned event are properly registered swimmers in accordance with Section 1, Paragraph A hereof, and shall take whatever action is necessary to ensure compliance with this Paragraph A.
   
   B. REGISTRATION OF NON-ATHLETE MEMBERS
   
   In addition to the fee for membership in USA Swimming, the fee for non-athlete members of Sierra Nevada Swimming is $5.00 per year or portion thereof. This fee is applicable to all classes of membership defined in Article 2 of the Bylaws of Sierra Nevada Swimming, except for life members, for whom no fee is required.
   
   C. CLASSES AND TIME STANDARDS
   
   1. Classes of Swimming Competition
   
   a. Swimming competition shall be conducted by various classes.
   
   The classes and age group divisions are:
   
   (1) Senior
   
   (2) Juinor-Senior
   
   (3) Age Group - 8/under, 10/under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18.
   
   (4) Open - All USA-S registered athletes, unclassified.
   
   (5) Novice
   
   b. Classified age group meets (those with time standards - see Section 4) may offer 15-18 age group or 13-18 age group events, Swimmers must qualify at their own age group time standards.
   
   c. Unclassified age group meets (those without time standards, such as invitational and league meets) may offer 15-18 age group or 13-18 age group events.
   
   d. 19/over. At the option of the sanctioning club, 19 & over swimmers may participate in any 13-18 or 15-18 class, but without scoring and without awards.
   
   2. Time Standards
   
   a. Time standards regulate the qualifying of swimmers for a given class of competition and are set by the Time Standards Committee. Time standards are USA Swimming Top 16 Based Age Group Times, except for 8-Under time standards. All times shall be convertible from yards to meters or meters to yards in accordance with the formula given in Section 2.D.
   
   b. Time standards may be found in Part III of this Swim Guide. There are no time standards for the 6/under age group, which is limited to 25 yard/meter Fly, Back, Breast, Free, and 50 yard/meter Free.
   
   c. Special qualifying times (Q-times) are used as time standards for selected championship and qualifying meets.
   
   d. The time standard used for compiling the top ten SNS age group times for each season is the National Age Group Times AAA minimum, also called the Sierra Nevada Reportable Time (SNRT).
   
   e. National Reportable Time (NRT) is the time standard used for compiling the top 16 United States Swimming age group times for each season.
   
   D. SCHEDULING
   
   1. Swimming Seasons
   
   a. Senior and Junior-Senior meets shall be short course only from January 1 to the date of the National indoor (short course) Championship Meet.
   
   b. AA and A meets shall be short course only from January 1 to the date of the Junior Olympic Short-Course Championships and September 1 to December 31.
   
   c. Senior and Junior-Senior meets shall be long course from the date of the National Short Course Championship to August 31.
   
   d. AA meets shall be long course from the date of the Junior Olympic Short-Course Championships to August 31.
   
   e. A meets may be either long or short course from the date of the Junior Olympic Short-Course Championships to August 31 with preference being given in scheduling to those meets applied for in 50 meter pools.
   
   f. During a year of the Olympic Games, Senior meets scheduled between January 1 and the date of the Olympic Trials may be long course.
   
   2. Scheduling of Meets
   
   a. A schedule of meets for the ensuing calendar year shall be proposed by the Scheduling Committee for approval by the Board of Directors at the September meeting of the SNS Board of Directors.
   
   b. SNS meets will be awarded to clubs based upon a recommendation by the Scheduling Committee with approval of the Board of Directors. The Scheduling Committee will give each application consideration based upon the following criteria:
   • SNS Meet Schedule
   • Location
   • Facility
   • Host club’s priority designation
   • Local conflicts
   • Availability of officials
   • Prior history of the meet operation
   • Prior history of compliance with submission deadlines for sanction requests, meet directors’ and referees’ reports, LSC fees, and meet results.
   
   c. Teams who are awarded Senior/Junior meets that are to be held two or three weeks prior to USA-S National Championship meets shall agree to provide NTV officers with complete results within three days of the end of the meet.
   
   d. Notice of intention to cancel a scheduled SNS meet must be given to the chair of the Scheduling Committee at least 90 days before the meet. The Board of Directors may bar an organization unable to fulfill its obligation to conduct a meet from holding or applying for meets the following year.
   
   e. Exceptions to these policies shall require a 2/3-majority vote of the SNS Board of Directors.
   
   3. Deadlines for Meet Applications
   
   a. All requests to host meets shall be submitted in writing on SNS meet application forms.
   
   b. Bids for SNS Senior and Junior meets and SNS Championship and Junior Olympic meets shall be received by July 15.
   
   c. Bids for SNS B-A+ meets shall be received by July 15.
   
   d. Bids for Age Group Open and Relay meets shall be received prior to August 15.
   
   e. Teams wishing to submit bids after these published deadlines must request approval from the SNS Board of Directors.
   
   f. Dual meets do not require approval, and will not be placed on the SNS Meet Schedule.
   
   E. SANCTIONS
   
   1. Sanctioned Meet
   
   a. All USA-S swimming events, whether they be competitive meets or exhibitions, must be sanctioned, except those closed meets held by and on the premises of a club which is a member of SNS, the entries being confined to members of the club. All organizations and swimmers participating in a sanctioned meet must be members in good standing of USA-S.
   
   b. Sanction fees are as follows:
   
   (1) $10.00 per day.
   
   (2) There is no sanction fee when there is no entry fee.
   
   c. Application for sanction
   
   (1) Sanction applications will be provided to the host club with a copy of a suggested meet sheet format for the appropriate class of meet.
   
   (2) Completed applications, sanction fee, and one copy of the proposed meet sheet shall be submitted to the Sanctions Coordinator at least 90 days prior to the meet date.
   
   (3) Make check for sanction fee payable to Sierra Nevada Swimming.
   
   2. Approved Meet
   
   a. An approved meet is a designated meet conducted by organizations other than USA Swimming member clubs from which swimmers may use their times as USA Swimming qualifying times. A designated USA Swimming Official must be present to attest that the conduct of the competition conforms to all relevant USA Swimming rules and meet standards.
   
   b. Complete official results of an approved meet must be furnished to the SNS Records Coordinator.
   
   F. SNS RECORDS AND AWARDS
   
   1. Records
   
   a. SNS records may be set only by Sierra Nevada registered swimmers.
   
   b. Records may be made in any meet held under sanction of SNS and will be recognized and recorded from meet results or as per paragraph c below.
   
   c. SNS records set by Sierra Nevada registered swimmers in meets held in other LSCs, in regional meets, or in national meets shall be recognized from correct official meet results submitted to the SNS Records Coordinator. The results should be submitted in a meet results file in SDIF format that has been zipped. Alternatively, if this is not possible, the record should be submitted with the claimed record clearly marked or from a statement by meet officials giving date and location of the meet. Responsibility for submission of record times achieved out of SNS rests with the swimmers and coaches involved.
   
   d. Times submitted for records must be from three watches or from automatic electronic timing and judging systems. In 50-meter pools, all record times for 50-meter distances must be achieved with fully automatic or semi-automatic timing equipment.
   
   e. Records for both Short Course and Long Course will be recognized for the year period beginning September 1 through August 31.
   
   Records will be recognized for all age groups in all individual and relay events recognized by United States Swimming, plus the following 8 and Under events:
   
   (1) Short Course: 25 yards freestyle, 50 yards freestyle, 100 yards freestyle, 25 yards backstroke, 50 yards backstroke, 25 yards breaststroke, 50 yards breaststroke, 25 yards butterfly, 50 yards butterfly, and 1 00 yards individual medley;
   
   (2) Long Course: 50 meters freestyle, 100 meters freestyle, 50 meters backstroke, 50 meters breaststroke, and 50 meters butterfly,
   
   2. Awards
   
   a. All times must be submitted to the SNS Records Coordinator by September 10 to be considered for SNS awards for that year.
   
   b. Age Group Swimmer Awards shall be made annually to the top three boy and girl swimmers in each of the age divisions: 8 and under; 9-10; 11-12, 13-14; 15-16; and 17-18. Separate awards shall be given for both the short course and long course seasons. The basis for selection shall be tabulation of SNRT times SNS, based on a scoring system of 5-4-3-2-1 points per placement in the end-of-year Top 5 listing. The awards shall be presented at the annual SNS Banquet.
   
   c. Single awards shall be made annually to the outstanding Senior female swimmer and Senior male swimmer. Selection of these athletes and of Sullivan Award nominees shall be by secret ballot by the Board of Directors.
   
   F. PROTESTS
   
   Attention is called to the USA Swimming Code:
   
   1. Protests affecting the eligibility of a swimmer to compete on the basis of his/her classification (e.g., the swimmer has previously attained AA, but enters an A meet event at slower time) shall be made to the Referee of the meet. The Referee may allow the swimmer to compete under protest, withholding awards and scores from the event until the dispute is adjudicated. The Protestant must furnish proof of time for the disputed entry prior to the conclusion of the meet.
   
   2. Protests against judgment decisions of the Starter, Stroke, Turn, or relay Take-off Judges can be considered only by the Referee of the meet.
   
   3. Written protests to the Referee must be submitted within 30 minutes of the alleged infraction and must cite the rule under which relief is sought. The referee shall act within 24 hours on said written protest or may refer the protest to the Sierra Nevada General Chair. If the referee acts on the protest, then any party to the protest may appeal the referee’s decision to the General Chair by notifying the General Chair within 48 hours of the action of the referee or its appeal. The General Chair may request additional information in writing and make a decision or may refer the matter to the Board of Review.
   
   4. Written protests of application of rules, registration and affiliation of athletes falsifying entries, swimming out of classification, etc. must be filed with the Sierra Nevada General Chair and must state all substantiated facts as they are known by the Protestant. Protests must include names, addresses, and phone numbers of Protestants.
   
   a. Any written protest may be referred to the Board of Review by the Sierra Nevada General Chair for report and recommendation. To be considered, the protest must set forth the grounds of protest citing factual and specific rule violations in as much detail as possible.
   
   b. Upon a protest being referred to the Board of Review, the Board of Review Chair shall send a copy of the protest for review to the respondent. The respondent shall, within 30 days following receipt of the protest, file a written response with the Board of Review Chair, the petitioner, and the Sierra Nevada General Chair. The petitioner may, within 10 days following receipt of a copy of the response, file a written rebuttal with the Board of Review Chair, the respondent and the General Chair. The Board of Review Chair may decrease or increase the time limits for any of the foregoing, upon request of either party and if circumstances should warrant it.
   
   c. The Board of Review shall meet and confer upon said protest and response. The Board of Review may set the matter for formal hearing or may act on the written material.
   
   d. If a hearing is set, it must be set within 60 days of the date of filing the petition. If a hearing has not been set and the matter is to be handled on a written record, then a decision shall be made within 75 days from the date of filing the protest based on the record submitted for review.
   
   e. A written recommendation shall be sent to the Sierra Nevada General Chair with copies to all parties, The protest, once reviewed and decided, shall not be reopened for reconsideration by the Board of Review, except as directed by the General Chair.
   
   f. Appeals of decisions of the Sierra Nevada General Chair shall be made to the SNS Board of Directors.
   
   

 

 

 

 

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