CALL TO ORDER: Jim Mohr, General Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:15 P.M. See the Meeting Sign-in for participants.

1. REVIEW OF MINUTES: Bruce Maas moved and Dale Nichols seconded approval of the October 26, 1999 minutes. Motion passed.

2. REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS

General Chairman: None:

Treasurer: Mary Schneider, Treasurer, commented on the last fiscal year (1/1/99 through 12/31/99) for Wisconsin Swimming, Inc. (WSI). Income from member registrations, the largest single source of income, was $176,149, while expense for USA Swimming registrations, the largest single expense, was $158,660 having a surplus of about $17,500 from registrations. Income from investments was $7,790, and income from Meet Surcharges (from Meet Entries) was $32,779. For general operations, WSI had income of about $65,900 from all sources and expenses of about $45,100 for a surplus of about $20,900.

For the Travel Fund, that restricts expenditures to reimbursement for coach and athlete travel expenses for regional and national competitions, Schneider reported income of $94,923 and expense of $107,297. The reduction in the Travel Fund of about $12,000 was consistent with WSI’s current policy to reduce the Travel Fund. While an $8,000 reduction was budgeted, a $12,000 reduction occurred largely due to reimbursement of coach travel expenses to Junior and National Competitions that WSI approved after the budget was approved.

The LSC has $189,000 "in the bank." NOTE: USA Swimming recommends that a Local Swimming Committee (LSC), which WSI is, have a six to nine month reserve of total expenses.

Cathie Marty moved and Janis Noonan seconded exempting Badger State Games (BSG) from paying WSI’s Meet surcharge. Discussion: The Meet surcharge is a percent of all individual entry fees that a Meet host pays to WSI. However, BSG charges a swimmer a flat fee of $20 to enter its Meet, rather than a fee for individual entries. BSG conducts a WSI approved Meet. Motion passed.

Age Group Chairman: Mohr reported on behalf of Steve Schiessl, Age Group Chairman. Schiessl has ordered all WSI awards for 2000 and 2001 Championship Meets. He ordered 1,200 award medals at $.27 each from Crown Trophy for WSI’s four Championship Meets (Long Course and Short Course) and award ribbons for WSI’s eight Sectional Short Course Meets. Each Meet host then pays WSI for the cost of the awards used for each Meet. WSI will charge a Sectional Meet host for the cost of all Sectional ribbons not returned to the Age Group Chairman by the end of the WSI 13 and Over Short Course Championships, March 12^th.

Registration Coordinator: Carol Graham, Registration Coordinator, reported as follows:

WSI By-Laws and Rules: Graham distributed updated By-Laws and Rules to members present and will mail them to members of WSI House of Delegates not present.

Registrations: Graham reported changes in Club members to include: 1) Rice Lake Swim Club (RLSC), Stoughton Aqua Racers (STAR), Fondy Flyers Swim Team (FLY), and West Allis Swim Club (WASC) did not renew their Club memberships; 2) Appleton YMCA Marlins (AYM) changed its name to Fox Cities YMCA Marlins (FCYM); and 3) Burlington Swim Club (BURL) will have seasonal members only. She reported membership as follows:

Verification of Member Registrations: Graham reminded coaches and Club Entries Coordinators not to enter an athlete in a Swim Meet until the athlete is a registered member of USA Swimming and not to count on her availability on Friday afternoons prior to swim Meets for last minute registrations. She also reminded Meet Directors to verify the registrations not only of athletes (may be done prior to Meet by requesting verification from Graham), but also of coaches and officials. WSI has specified fines for having non-registered athletes compete or for having coaches or officials on deck who currently are not USA Swimming members. A coach’s USA Swimming registration card has the expiration date printed on it. Graham issues a new registration card when she receives a coach’s new training credentials. An official’s registration card has the registration year printed on it. She also commented that USA Swimming’s "new coach" test continues to be ignored and/or delayed. She cannot register a second year coach without his/her having passed the test.

Safety Chairman: Cathie Marty, Safety Chairman, reported:

USA Swimming Publications: Marty reported USA Swimming has discontinued its "Safety Quarterly." However, USA Swimming has a new safety poster available and soon anticipates having a "Safety Education Manual."

Safety Training for Swim Coaches: Marty said that the Red Cross requires at least six participants for this training. She asked that Clubs identify soon their needs for this type of training, especially for summer coaches. She identified the following classes:

Technical Planning Chairman: Dave Anderson, Technical Planning Chairman, reported.

Central Zone Meeting: Anderson, Blaine Carlson, and Drew Walden represented WSI for a Central Zone Meeting on November 4, 1999 in Chicago. The agenda was discussion of the Central Zone’s design for its USA Swimming Sectional Meets. The Central Zone was the first Zone to meet for such discussion. Tentatively, Wisconsin would be included in a Sectional with Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The Central Zone is recommending to USA Swimming that its funds previously awarded to Clubs hosting Junior Championship Meets be awarded to Clubs hosting Sectional Meets and that each Zone have authority to establish its own Meet qualifying standards and Meet format. He said that WSI may bid to host a Sectional Meet in 2002 using the Schroeder YMCA pool. If the Central Zone awarded the bid to WSI, then the Schroeder pool would not be available for the WSI Championships.

Whistle Start: Anderson reported that USA Swimming already was using the whistle start for national meets. However, the Committee recommended no whistle starts for the remainder of the Short Course season, including Sectional Meets and the WSI Short Course Championships. Since Stirn already has sanctioned these meets without whistle starts and Meet hosts have distributed the Meet Information, use of the whistle start is a moot issue.

Future WSI Championship Meets: Mohr asked Schiessl, Age Group Chairman, Drew Walden, Senior Chairman, Anderson, Technical Planning Chairman and their Committees, and Stirn, Administrative Chairman to develop alternate formats, time standards, and/or other recommendations to treat all swimmers fairly considering the availability of pools for WSI Championship Meets.

Travel Reimbursement: Mohr asked the Technical Planning Committee to make recommendations for consideration by the Rules Committee and the Finance Committee for reimbursement of travel expenses for members competing or coaching in the Central Zone Sectional Meets.

Athletes’ Representative: Mohr reported on behalf of Sarah Caldwell, Athletes’ Representative. Caldwell reports that several high school swimmers are reluctant to return to USA Swimming because USA Swimming lacks team competition. Some swimmers, Caldwell reports, compete better when swimming for a team and not just for themselves. She asked WSI if some way exists to place more emphasis on team competition and team rewards.

Coaches’ Representative: No report.

3. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES

Camps Chairman: Jim Weitzer reported for Lynn Winnicki, Camps Chairman, on WSI 2000 Camp Programs. He is assisting with the Camps programs. Key items reported:

• Dates for the Camps will be set after the Spring/Summer Meet Schedule is established.

• For the 12 and under swimmers, no personalized invitations will be mailed this year. Rather, head coaches will receive Camp applications for distribution to all swimmers who have achieved 2AA times.

• For the 13 and over swimmers, each team may nominate two swimmers who 1) have never participated in a WSI camp; and 2) have achieved a minimum time of 1.05.00 in the 100 yard Freestyle. If not all 50 places are taken, then teams may nominate additional swimmers.

• Coaches are needed for the Camp dates. USA Swimming pays a stipend. If interested, contact Lynn Winnicki at 1032 Cedar Street, West Bend, Wisconsin 53095, 262/335-0399 (H), 262/335-8802 (W), or lwinnicki@yahoo.com.

Officials Chairman: Sue Zblewski, Officials Chairman, reported as follows:

Whistle Start: The 1999 USA Swimming Convention established the whistle start as the approved start method for all USA Swimming Meets effective May 1, 2000. Consequently, officials will use whistle starts for all WSI Meets beginning May 1^st.

WIAA Boys Swimming Championships: A coach must give the WSI officials the swimmer’s name, event (stroke and distance) and heat prior to the start of the Meet. The officials will forward their observations and Meet Results to Jackie Groiss, WSI OVC Coordinator. The WSI officials on deck to observe swims are:

New Officials Training Clinics: Zblewski asked for assistance in recruiting individuals for training and announced training dates:

Requests for Interpretations: Dave Dahler asked the Officials Committee to discuss the appropriateness of disqualifying a swimmer for laying his/her arms over the lane lines. Wagner DeSilva asked the Committee to discuss also a standard for assessing a delay of Meet penalty, how long is too long a delay.

Rules Chairman: Dave Dahler, Rules Chairman, asked for volunteers to serve on the Committee. The following volunteered: Blaine Carlson, Bill Greymont, Patty Kramer, Janis Noonan, Phil Sass, Mike or Barb Stirn, and Jim Weitzer,

LSC’s Central Zone Manager: Mohr appointment Pete Purchatzke and Patty Kramer as co-managers. WSI’s Team Wisconsin will compete in the Central Zone Championships in Grand Forks, North Dakota with pool events on August 4^th-6^th (Friday-Sunday) and the open water events on August 7^th (Monday). University of North Dakota Dormitory rooms with air conditioning have been reserved. A meal plan is included. House of Delegates asked that Team Wisconsin information specify: 1) the conditions under which a swimmer may compete in Central Zones who also has qualified for USA Swimming Junior Championships; and 2) the qualifying times for competing in the open water events.

Nominations: Mohr chaired the Nominations Committee of Patty Kramer, Mary Schneider, Dave Westfahl, and himself and announced the following candidates:

4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None

5. NEW BUSINESS

Request for Release from WSI: Eau Claire YMCA (ECY) requested that WSI release the Club from its jurisdiction so that ECY may request joining Minnesota Swimming, Inc. because of its proximity to Minneapolis, the location of more swim Meets, and ECY's difficult in participating in WSI Meets and meetings. Mohr moved and Marty seconded the motion to release ECY from WSI jurisdiction. Kramer moved and Schalla seconded tabling this motion until WSI House of Delegates meeting on June 27, 2000. Motion passed.

WSI 13 & Over Short Course Championships: Jeff Wirch said that Barracuda Swim Team will try to post psyche sheets and the time line for this Meet on WSI’s web site.

WSI 12 & Under Short Course Championships: Don Heinz will post seeding for this Meet on WSI’s web site by March 8^th.

6. NEXT MEETING: June 27, 2000 (Tuesday), University of Wisconsin Center, Waukesha.

7. ADJOURNMENT: 9:00 P.M., by consensus.
 
 
 
 

Prepared by ____________________________________________ February 29, 2000

Patricia A. Kramer, Secretary
Wisconsin Swimming, Inc.

cc: Carol Burch, Membership Services Director, USA Swimming, Inc.