New England Swimming

New England Swimming Annual Meeting

Wellesley Community Center

Wellesley, Massachusetts

May 6, 2006

[These minutes were approved at the May 5, 2007 Annual Meeting.]

Meeting called to order at 9:35 a.m. by Chairman Ray Grant (SSA)

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Secretary�s Report, Kathy Dacey (BGSC):� Minutes of 2005 Annual Meeting were reviewed. �Motion made to accept the minutes by Priscilla Davis (UN-NE), second by Bob Gauvin (SCA), motion passes

Officers:� Ray Grant, Chairman (SSA):� Thanked the Board members for their tireless help over the past year which is of great benefit to New England Swimming�s 6,500 members.� We should all be proud of our large and highly successful LSC (Local Swimming Association).� Chairman Ray Grant (SSA) believes that there will be a shift in the coming year to NE running its own meets for championship events, providing our athletes with excellent facilities and creating the opportunity for the Association to make money.�

Sectionals were held in New England this year � it was an excellent meet.

CORI checks, a Commonwealth of Massachusetts requirement for adults working with children will be integrated into NES�s requirements.� United States Swimming is also implementing a background check program which we will have to coordinate with our own state requirements.� Information will be posted on the website as we receive it after National Convention.

Committee Reports:�

Calendar Committee, Bob Gauvin (SCA):� Regionals will now be held at five facilities, NE is looking for additional facilities and clubs willing to host this meet.� Long Course Championships for 12 & Unders will be at Harvard, 13 & Overs will be at MIT.� Bids for the 06-07 short course season are due July 1^st, 2006.

Technical Committee, Dan Warner (NSSC):� no report at this time, but members of the New England Swimming community should feel free to get questions to him at any time.

Age Group Committee, Laura Matuzack (GMA):� Chairman Matuzack thanked the members of her committee and wants the New England Swimming community to know that they are open to feedback.� New England�s participation in the long course Zone Championships was the best ever, and all felt it was an extremely positive and productive experience.�

Laura Matuzack thanked United States Swimming for the improved education and communication that has come out of the National Office this past year.� Chairman Matuzack will be revising the cut times for the championship meets to either encourage more participation in some events, or tighten the qualifying times for events which are heavily subscribed.� Regionals will now be run out of 5 sites, and the timelines for these meets will be revised.� Additionally, the Age Group Committee will be working on a more formalized vision statement to further define the Committee�s scope and progress.

Senior Coach�s Representative:� Michele Bernal Sweeney (BGSC):� Thanked the community and Chairman Ray Grant in particular for their support and the hard work done during the past year.� Changes which were implemented during the year were based on comments and requests by coaches, including changes to meet structure and reimbursement.�

Safety Committee, Priscilla Davis (UN-NE):� As a member of the National Safety Committee, they are looking for nominees for the Adolph Keifer Award.� Members of the NE Swimming community who feel that someone within their club is worthy of this recognition should contact Priscilla Davis (UN-NE) directly.� Additional notes are:� there is a movement to NOT require marshalls to be members of United States Swimming, because certain areas of the country are having a difficult time getting marshals.� Priscilla Davis (UN-NE) will be preparing a referee�s checklist, and this will be available on the website.� And a final reminder, please keep video camcorders and cell phone cameras OUT of the locker rooms.

Registration, Mary Riddell (NE Swimming):� Mary Riddell reminded everyone that there is now a swimmer participation fee of up to $10.00 allowed to be added to a meet entry to help fund events for clubs.

Registration in New England currently sits at 6,126 athletes, 89 member clubs and 871 non-athletes.� Clubs are working well with the new registration process.� Mary Riddell reminds clubs again that funds payable to the NE Association should be made in the form of ONE check.

Dues will remain the same; the only difference is that NE will be keeping slightly less of the registration fee.� Registrations are turning around quickly, so teams are encouraged to follow up!

Camps, Amy Parratto (SSA):� The Catch the Spirit Camp will be held May 20^th, Laura Matuzack (GMA), Dave Bott, Keri Cunningham and Greg Gillette will be coaching.

SWIMS, Rosemarie Meisner (MAG):� Thanked everyone for their help during the past year, particularly Rick Osterberg (Webmaster).�

If someone is looking for a verified time at a non-New England event (swim observed), please contact her 10-28 days prior to the event, someone must fill out the paperwork.� The lead time is essential; she is having a particularly difficult time getting small college conference meets observed.� It is the responsibility of the coach, swimmer or parent to notify Rosemarie Mesiner (MAG) of new records.�

Athlete Representatives:� Ray Grant, Jr. (SSA):� Sectionals were held in New England it was an excellent event for New England athletes.� The application forms for the new junior athlete representative are on the website.

Treasurer�s Report, Carol Healey (SAC):�

Checking Account:�� $108,803.70

�� Money Market Account:� �� $114,946.61

Budget, Dave LeBlanc (YNS):� Note made that this year New England will take in $6,800 less from registrations, see the attached budget sheet.� Motion made to approve the budget as proposed by Scott Doty (PSC), second by Laura Matuzack (GMA).� Motion passes.�

Officials Committee, Dave LeBlanc (YNS) and Scott Doty (PSC):� The committee chairs thanked everyone for their help and hard work during the past year.� The officials committee is healthy and well respected nationally.� Goals during the next year are to improve communication and standards throughout the association.� Number of officials remains basically the same, with 330 officials, broken down into 50 referees, 85 starters, 25 facilitators and 200 stroke and turn officials.� Additional goals are to encourage more officials to work towards national certification.� They look to reorganize the committee with more members who will mentor new officials, evaluate and encourage, make recommendations for those who appear to want to become more involved and maintain the current high stands which the New England Swimming community has come to enjoy and expect.

Committee Chairman Dave LeBlanc (YNS) feels that New England athletes are well prepared for national competitions; they come in confident and know what they are doing in high level events.

Unfinished Business: ��None.

Elections:� The following slate of officers has been proposed:

General Chairman:� �� Ray Grant

Administrative Vice Chairman: Bob Gauvin

Financial Vice Chairman:� �� (empty)

Secretary:� �� Kathy Oates-Dacey

Senior Chairman:� �� Mike Parratto

Review Board:� �� Jon Hurst, Ron Zuwallack�

Alternates:� Jeff Johnson, Sophia Slote

Nominating Committee: �� Mariella Allard, Ev Crosscup, Bruce Mohl,

Pam Warner, Jeff Johnson

Nominations from the floor were made for Senior Chairman.

Secretary Kathy Oates-Dacey cast one ballot for all positions but for Senior Chair.

Election held for Senior Chairman.� Michael Parratto (SSA) is announced as the Senior Chairman.� The ballots are destroyed.

New Business:� The Addison Otters are having a problem running meets.� New England will petition United States Swimming to allow them to run meets at the Mount Abraham High School (allowing NE to sanction the event) when the club is in the Adirondack Association.� Kathy Oates-Dacey made a motion to allow this, second by Ev Crosscup, motion passes.

The meeting will now be broken up into three smaller groups consisting of Coaches, Officials and the Meet Manager�s meeting.� All are encouraged to attend their meeting of interest when they begin in 10 minutes.�

Motion made to adjourn by Bob Gauvin (SCA) and Pam Warner (UN-NE), motion passed.

Meeting adjourned at 10:35 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Oates-Dacey, Secretary

NES 2006 Annual Meeting