MEMBERS PRESENT:  See attached Meeting Sign-in.

CALL TO ORDER:   Barb Stirn, Administrative Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:15 PM.

APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES:   Mary Schneider asked that the minutes of the May 25, 1999 meeting clarify, in Item 2, (Regarding USA Swimming's Club Membership Proposal) (Reports of Officers and Board Members), line 4 that "the LSC Board of Directors felt that USA Swimming is pressuring the teams to advance."  With that clarification, Mary Schneider moved, Dale Nickels seconded acceptance of the May 25, 1999 minutes.  Motion passed.

GENERAL CHAIR REPORT:   Barb Stirn, on behalf of Jim Mohr, General Chair, reported:

USA Swimming's Club Membership Proposal:  A second draft is available with a third draft pending.  She reported that the LSC Board of Directors continues to doubt the benefits that USA Swimming projects that include:  fostering a more business-like approach to club operations; establishing standards for club operations; providing additional assistance to clubs, and providing professional development opportunities for coaches.   She said that the LSC Board anticipates more structure for clubs and more opportunity for USA Swimming to raise funds through club dues.  The Wisconsin Swimming delegates to the 1999 USA Swimming Convention have been asked to speak and vote against the current proposal.

National Club Championships:  Stirn lead a discussion on the USA Swimming's anticipated new Championships with Dave Anderson and Drew Walden, in particular, participating.  With its National Championships, USA Swimming eliminates the regional, Junior Championships and any mid-level competition between LSC Championships and National Championships.  USA Swimming intends to develop a "power point ranking" system from the Sectional competitions to identify men's and women's teams to compete in the National Club Championships.  Such a Championship does not meet the interests of small clubs.  The Wisconsin Delegates to the 1999 USA Swimming Convention will voice their concerns.

TREASURER'S REEPORT:   Mary Schneider, Treasurer, reported the LSC's 1999 YTD (July 13, 1999) financial status as follows:

ADMINISTRATIVE CHAIR REPORT:   1999-2000 Fall/Winter Swim Meet Schedule:  Stirn:

• Reminded members of the LSC procedure if a club wants to change the date of a meet to a date on which another club(s) already has bid a meet:  the club requesting a change in date must obtain the approval, in writing, of any club(s) hosting a meet on the club's proposed date and forward that written approval to Stirn.
• Lead a discussion pertaining to revisions of the draft Meet Schedule.
• Accepted a bid from the floor from Barracuda Swim Team (BST) and Southeast Aquatic Swim Team (SEAY) to host the LSC's 2000 Short Course 13 and Over Championships with the understanding that the clubs will provide all workers.
• Explained the bid of the Badger Aquatics Club (BAC) to host the LSC 2000 Short Course 12 and Under Championships.  Namely, that BAC bid originally to conduct the Meet on the first weekend in March at the University of Wisconsin - Madison Natatorium.  However, the University recently denied BAC use of the pool for the first weekend in March and offered instead the third weekend in March.  BAC continues to negotiate with the University to conduct the Meet on the first weekend in March.  An alternative is permitting another club now to bid to host this meet in a smaller pool (less lanes and/or less seating space) for the first weekend of March.  Patty Kramer moved, Cheryl Zimdars seconded:  The LSC award the 2000 Short Course 12 and Under Championships to BAC with the understanding that BAC will conduct the meet either the first or the third weekend in March.  Motion passed.

Wisconsin Swimming's Website:    Stirn also reported that the LSC Board of Directors approved having the LSC obtain its own URL, WisconsinSwimming.com,  for its Internet site with an initial cost of $75 and an annual renewal cost of $35.  Dale Nickels will handle the arrangements.   In addition, Nickels offered to assist any club in linking its website to the LSC website.

AGE CHAIR REPORT:  Steve Schiessl reported on an Age Group Committee meeting:

Time Standards for the LSC 2000 Short Course 12 & Under Championships:  Generally, these will be tightened based on the results of the 1999 Short Course 12 & Under Championships.

Number of Entries:  For the LSC 2000 Short Course Championships, the LSC will retain the same number of individual entries as existed for 1999, namely:

• Six individual events for the 13 & Over Championships which is the same number as swimmers may enter for the Central Zone Championships.
• Seven individual events for 12 & Under Championships.

• No team awards will occur for the 2000 Short Course Sectional Meets.
• Individual event ribbons will be awarded to 16th place.
• The Committee recommends that clubs hosting Sectional Meets conduct Time Trials, but obtain a separate Meet Sanction to conduct the Time Trials, as a last chance for swimmers to qualify for the LSC Championships.

Spring Meeting:  The Committee moved, Drew Walden seconded, changing the Wisconsin Swimming Rule 7.41 to require the Age Group Committee to conduct a Spring meeting during April - May, rather than between May 1st and May 15th.  Motion passed.

Cheryl Zimdars added that USA Swimming was proposing, for consideration at its 1999 Convention, adding distance events for age group swimmers, and that the LSC Age Group Committee generally supported them:

1500/1650 for  swimmers 11-12 years old
400/500 for swimmers 10 years and & Under

Schiessl also reported, as Meet Director of the LSC 1999 Long Course Championships, on the time line for the Meet.

REGISTRATION/MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR REPORT:  Carol Graham reported:

Wisconsin Swimming Handbook:  This binder is intended as an information resource. Graham   asked those who had them to maintain them by adding new pages when they are distributed and retaining LSC Meeting Minutes in them.

LSC YTD Membership:
 

USA Swimming Registration:  The legal first name, middle initial, and last name are required.

Coach Registration:   The expiration dates of a coach's safety training now will be printed on his/her USA Swimming Registration Card.  In verifying a coach's eligibility to coach on deck for a Meet, a Meet Director now is responsible for determining that a coach's safety training is current by checking the expiration date.  If not current, the coach may not coach on deck.

USA Swimming Requirements for a New Coach:   For a coach starting his/her second year as a USA Swimming coach, the coach must accomplish four things:

• New:  Pass the USA Swimming Coach's test (USA Swimming mails test to each first year coach for the coach to take the test  and return it to USA Swimming to score.)
• Continuing:  Adult CPR, Standard First Aid, and Coaches Safety Training.

SAFETY COORDINATOR REPORT:   Cathie Marty reported:

USA Swimming's Coach's Safety Training Equivalents:  These are attached to the minutes.  She asked coaches to review them prior to having their safety training expire.

Red Cross Procedures:  The Milwaukee Chapter permits an instructor to hand write certifications immediately following a class.  However, the Madison Chapter requires that its Central Office prepare the certifications.

USA Swimming Accident Report:  Of the 395 accidents reported:

90% of the accidents occur to athletes.
42% of the accidents occur in the water.
50% occur at Meets.

Completion of Accident Report:  A copy of the Accident Report is attached to these Meeting Minutes and is available on the website for completion when an accident occurs.   A club must send a copy of any completed Accident Report to the LSC Safety Coordinator, Cathie Marty.

TECHNICAL PLANNING CHAIR REPPORT:  Dave Anderson accepted a proposal (copy attached) submitted by Pete Tourmanhoff to change in the "Wisconsin Scratch Rule" to conform with "USA Swimming's Scratch Rule."   Toumanoff reports that Wisconsin's Rule now penalizes "alternate" swimmers who fail to show for Finals, without scratching,  by disqualifying them for the remainder of the Meet.  Thus, a Wisconsin swimmer who is an alternate for Finals must scratch, if he/she does not intend to compete in Finals, just as do the Finalists.  He states that the proposal has merit because:

1)  Wisconsin's Scratch Rule complicates Hy-Tech's Meet Management software, that the LSC endorses, as the software cannot accommodate the Wisconsin Scratch Rule in scoring and eliminating the Alternate from the rest of the Meet.

2)  No penalty exists for an Alternate who does not scratch and fails to compete  for the last night of Finals, as no more Finals exist.  Therefore, penalizing an Alternate in a similar situation for Finals on earlier evenings of the Meet is unfair.

ATHLETES' REPRESENTATIVE:   Saran Caldwell reported:

Athlete Representative Election:  Nomination forms will be included in the coaches' packets on Thursday of the LSC Long Course Championships with the following time line:

• Nominations are due by the end of Prelims on Friday.
• Athlete ballots with the nominations will be given to a coach of each club during Prelims on Saturday.
• Ballots are due by the end of Prelims on Sunday.

COACHES' REPRESENTATIVE REPORT:  No report.

CAMPS CHAIR REPORT:  Larry Schalla reported for Lynn Winnicki that 150 swimmers participated in the Camps conducted last Spring.  Pictures of the Camps are available on the LSC website.  Winnicki welcomes help and suggestions for Camps in 2000 regarding rotating the Camp coaches, guest swimmer/speaker, qualifications for participants, etc.

CLUB DEVELOPEMENT CHAIR REPORT:   No report.

FINANCE CHAIR REPORT:  No report.

OPEN WATER CHAIR REPORT:  Meghan Olson is planning a three to four race series in 2000 that would include the SEAY quarry race, a race in Lake Michigan, and a race in the Madison area for both age group and adult swimmers.

OFFICIALS CHAIR REPORT:   Sue Zblewski reported on the Officials Committee meeting (minutes attached):

LSC New Officials Training and Recertification Clinics:  The LSC Long Course Championship Heat Sheets will announce dates.  Also, the LSC website will have the dates posted in addition to  distributing an announcement to all current officials for October training and recertification.

USA Swimming Video - Starter:   Zblewski will order copies of this video as a training guide for new and continuing Starter/Referees.

No Shaving/No Glass on Deck:   Zblewski asked that the Technical Planning Committee consider having the LSC adopt a policy that prohibits shaving and glass containers on deck and that Meet Information remind clubs, athletes, and coaches of these prohibitions.

Whistle Starts:  Zblewski, on behalf of the Committee, moved, Cheryl Zimdars seconded, using the new USA Swimming whistle starts for all age groups for all  LSC Sectional and Championship Meets in 2000.  Motion passed.  Zblewski will request an exemption from USA Swimming for Wisconsin Swimming to use whistle starts for these meets (as these starts now are limited to USA Swimming Championships) and will include whistle start training for Starter/Referees in the Fall Clinics.  She will have information printed in the Heat Sheets for these meets on the whistle start.

RECORDS/OVC COORDINATOR REPORT:   No report.

RULES CHAIR REPORT:  No report.

ZONE TEAM MANAGER REPORT:   Cris Lewis reported:

• Team apparel will include 3 T-shirts (1 each -- red, black, gray), black shorts, black swim suit, and 2 caps.
• Team Wisconsin Registration:  Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the LSC Long Course Championships.  About 40 swimmers have taken advantage of the early registration.
• Transportation & Lodging:  Coach buss and Hamiltonian Hotel.
• Equipment Manager:  Missy Holcomb.

NEXT MEETING:   October 26, 1999, Tuesday, University of Wisconsin Center, Waukesha.
ADJOURNMENT:  9:15 PM by consensus.

Prepared by _____________________________________________ September 28, 1999
  Patricia A. Kramer, Secretary, Wisconsin Swimming, Inc.

Attachments:  Meeting Sign-In, USA Swimming's Club Membership 2nd Draft; USA Swimming's The National Club Championship and The Sectional Championships; LSC Treasurer's Report; National Travel Reimbursement Request for Coaches Form; USA Swimming Coaches Safety Curriculum, 1999-2000 Requirements and Equivalents; USA Swimming Incident/Accident Report, Recommendation regarding the Wisconsin Scratch Rule
A:KRAMER:  MIN:HOUSE 799