GCSTO 2019.2020 Fall/Winter Swim Meet Information

Photo by Sylvain Cordier

 All entry questions should go to your coach!

GCSTO CORE In-Seasonal Meet Schedule

Each level on our team (Novice, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4 & Level 5) will have a CORE set of swimming meets on their schedule in which athletes are expected to participate. All athletes in those levels will automatically be entered into the swimming meets listed as CORE meets for their level. Note that for Novice swimmers this will be for, ONLY, those Novice swimmers who are have paid the $135 registration fee to participate in USA Swimming meets. In any case, if a family absolutely cannot participate in one of their CORE meets they must contact their coach to be removed from the entries. It is the responsibility of the family to insure that this is done prior to the final meet entry deadline. No fees will be assessed for withdrawing from the meet prior to the entry deadline.

 GCSTO CORE Championship Season Meet Schedule

Competing Novice and all Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4 & Level 5 swimmers will have a CORE set of Championship swimming meets on their schedule in which athletes are required to participate. All athletes in that level will automatically be entered into these swimming meets.

GCSTO Optional Swimming Meet Schedule

Each level on our team (Novice, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4 & Level 5) will have an OPTIONAL set of swimming meets on their schedule in which athletes are allowed to participate above and beyond their CORE meets. Athletes will NOT, however, be automatically entered into the OPTIONAL swimming meets but must actually accept the invitation to participate in that meet once that invitation is sent out. As such, you must positively indicate entry into that meet by responding to that invitation with an acceptance. It is the responsibility of the family to insure that this is done prior to the final meet entry deadline for that meet.

Swim Meet Charges

Each time you are entered into a swimming regardless of which meet that is, you are charged a $15 admin entry fee for entry into that meet. Ohio Swimming receives a portion of that which assists them in securing quality championship facilities and creating a travel fund for athletes participating in upper level USAS meets. A portion of that $15 entry fee also pays for our relay entries into state championship level meets and regular season meets throughout the year as we do not charge relay swimmers individually at these meets. At USAS Sectional meets and above, however, we do charge participating individuals for relays that they swim. The remaining portion of this entry fees assist us in paying our entry administrator for their duties to enter our team into meets.  

If you enter into a swimming meet you are charged a "per event" fee by the host team. Normally that is in the $5 per event range for timed final meets (where the athletes swim each event just once). It can be more for prelim/final meets (meets where athletes swim their events earlier in the day then come back to swim in a finals session in any or all of their events in the evening). That information can be found in the meet packet for each meet. As such, if your athlete is entered into a swimming meet in 4 events and they charge $5 per event your total charges will be $15 (our admin entry fee) plus $20 [4 X the $5 per event meet host charge] for $35 total. We then simply charge off your credit card on file with us (which is absolutely a required form of payment for swim meet participation) after entries have been made.

Note that regardless of the meet level or the meet host (GCSTO or some other team) once entries are in and accepted by the meet management you are bound to pay all fees whether you compete in all events, a portion of your events or no events at all (you don't show for the meet). Again, this is true for all meets inclusive of GCSTO meets, as well. No refund can be issued and no credits applied in cases where athletes miss some portion of or all of their events.

MANDATORY REQUIREMENT FOR ANY SWIMMER PARTICIPATING IN A GCSTO SPONSORED OR Ohio Swimming, Inc. SPONSORED MEET
Any swimmer participating in an Ohio LSC meet or parent/guardian allowing a swimmer to participate in an Ohio LSC meet MUST read the following document for compliance with House BIll 143 of the 129th General Assembly:
Ohio Department Of Health Youth Sports Organization Concussion Form

Note For Meet Participants
 Please do not bring any peanuts or peanut containing products into any swimming meets out of respect to those with severe peanut allergies. Thanks!

Ohio Swimming Age Group REGIONAL Championship Meet School Release Permission Letter

Ohio Swimming Age Group STATE Age Group Championship Meet School Release Permission Letter

GCSTO Swim Meet Information - Long Course 2020 (Tentative)