New England Swimming

Wellesley Community Center, Wellesley, Massachusetts

November 9, 2004

 

Present, Members:� Ray Grant (SSA), Kathy Dacey (BGSC), Carol Healey (SAC), Dave LeBlanc (YNS), Ray Grant, Jr. (SSA), Mariella Allard (UN-NE), Bob Gauvin (SCA), Pam Warner (BOSS), Ev Crosscup (BAT), Chuck Batchelor (CUDA).� Guests:� Mary Riddell (NE), Rick Osterberg (NE), Joe Bernal (BGSC), Matt Craven (SAC).

 

Secretary�s Report, Kathy Dacey (BGSC):� Minutes from October 12, 2004 meeting were accepted with several small typographical changes.�

 

Treasurer�s Report, Carol Healey (SAC):� as of 11/12/04

����������������������� Checking Account:��� �������������� $� 86,363.15

����������������������� Money Market Account:� �������� $111,000.00

 

Reimbursement, Mary Riddell (NE):� Motion made to allow for waivers for the CUDA swimmers requesting them by Mariella Allard (UN-NE), Pam Warner (BOSS) second, motion passes.� Waivers granted for those swimmers for Senior Nationals.� Motion made to pay requests for Sectionals Reimbursement by Mariella Allard (UN-NE), Kathy Dacey (BGSC) second, motion passes.� Motion made to add Chuck Batchelor (CUDA) to the list for reimbursed coaches, and to pay all reimbursement requests, motion passes.

 

Mary Riddell (NE) discusses the current Reimbursement Policy, and the necessary changes to update our policy. �Topics include adding the new Junior Nationals meet back into our reimbursement policy (US Swimming Junior National meet only).� Motion made to have the policy read that NE swimmers should compete in 5 (five) calendar meets per year (short course and long course combined), with Junior nationals on the calendar as an allowable reimbursable competition, and having our policy encourage past New England swimmers who are now in college request reimbursement.� Motion made by Carol Healey (SAC), second by Chuck Batchelor (CUDA), motion passes.

 

Calendar Committee, Bob Gauvin (SCA):� Discussion regarding listing all national-level events on the New England calendar, the calendar committee likes having these events on our calendar so top senior swimmers can plan accordingly.� The calendar will not list World University Games, and the Grand Prix (FINA) events.� Motion made to post the calendar as discussed by Dave LeBlanc (YNS), second by Carol Healey (SAC), motion passes.� Calendar will be posted on the website.� Short Course bids are due February 1st, bids will be posted as they come in.

 

Meet Fee Policy:� Discussion regarding implementing a swimmer surcharge or facility use surcharge to offset the rising cost of facility rental here in New England.� Such policies exist elsewhere in the United States.� Further discussion about whether the Board feels that this is the best avenue for New England to take to supplement the rapidly rising cost of facilities and have clubs make enough of a profit on an event to remain motivated to host events.� The Board asks the Technical Committee to further develop and discuss these issues, additionally reviewing whether this should apply to only calendar meets or championship meets (which currently have a subsidy allowance) or both.� Motion made to allow a surcharge (facility) for New England calendar meets (non-championship meets), pending the Technical Committee finalizing the details, by Mariella Allard (UN-NE), second by Chuck Batchelor (CUDA), motion passes.� Motion made to put no cap in place at this time on this surcharge fee by Chuck Batchelor, second by Carol Healey, motion passes.

 

Clinic and Banquet, Mary Riddell (NE):� There was a full house at the Annual Banquet; Erik Vendt was the speaker and he did a superb job.� 508 tickets were sold for the event, Erik was gracious and signed everything which was given to him, was extremely encouraging and gladly stood for everyone with a camera.� All the feedback from the banquet was very positive and complementary.� The clinic the day before was very well attended, 120 swimmers with 4-5 BOSS coaches volunteering their time.� It was a very positive and enjoyable event.� Chairman Ray Grant received many positive emails regarding this event.�

 

Coaches Report, Chuck Batchelor (CUDA):� There has been feedback from the coaches that New England Seniors may be a lightly attended meet, as many will opt to go to Sectionals and the NE Open and bypass the Senior meet.� Timing appears to be the issue, the location is not a problem (meet scheduled for Bowdoin College in Maine).

 

Invitational Meets:� Invitational meets (closed meets with only a specific number of invited clubs from New England or elsewhere) have the potential to present a problem for the New England calendar.� There is a growing trend of teams using invitational meets to guarantee their team�s entry into a competition on a given weekend and to guarantee a certain amount of profit.� Invitational meets are particularly attractive for large teams, who may not be able to get into a calendar meet unless their entry is one of the first to arrive.� This presents a problem for smaller teams, who will never get exposure to swimmers from the larger clubs, and for teams running calendar meets which are scheduled against an invitational.� The calendar meet may not be full, having the host team lose money or in some cases, have to cancel the meet.� Invitational meets are run by the same standards as calendar meets, and there is a surcharge paid to New England of $.50 per swimmer.� Technically, a time swum at an Invitational meet can be used as a qualifying swim for Sectionals, as long as it is observed.� However, the times cannot be used in the SWIMS program. �

 

Discussion about how New England runs its calendar.� Reference was made to the AA, A, B & C Meet format which Virginia, California and Metro uses.� This was the system which New England used in the past.� Further discussion about the lottery system, our current calendar format and the invitational meet issue.� Chairman Ray Grant (SSA) asks the Technical Committee to consider these issues and consider a task force to rejuvenate the current New England calendar.

 

The next meeting of the Board will be December 7, 2004.

Meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Dacey, Secretary