PST Parent Handbook 2014-2015.Pdf

Paducah Swim Team Parent Handbook

Paducah Swim Team The Paducah Swim Team believes the sport of swimming can make a profound and lasting difference in the lives of the Paducah area youth. A positive, competitive swimming program promotes life skills such as self-discipline, goal-setting, perseverance, citizenship and leadership. Physical exercise benefits not only one’s physical health but also mental health and sense of well being.

Mission: To provide access to the youth of Paducah, and surrounding areas, to a quality, competitive swim program that offers an environment in which each swimmer can reach his or her potential.

PST Board of Directors The PST Board oversees the administrative functions of the team and supports the coaching staff in facilitating programs that maintain a team philosophy. The board consists of the offices listed below. If you are interested in joining the board, please contact the president.

2014-2015 Board Members Office Member Term Expiration Kevin Peck President May 2015 Christina Pitt Vice-President May 2015 Gayle Olberding Treasurer May 2016 Tina Johnson Secretary May 2016 Charlene Baker Two-Year Member at Large May 2015 Jackie Smith Two-Year Member at Large May 2015 Pam Stokes One-Year Member at Large May 2015 Becky Haus Assistant Treasurer (Non-Voting) May 2016

PST Bylaws The PST bylaws are available on the Parent tab of the team website (paducahswimteam.com).

PST Mailing Address Paducah Swim Team c/o Paducah Athletic Club 115 Lebanon Church Rd. Paducah KY 42003

PST Office Phone & Coach Email (270) 554-SWIM [email protected]

PST Web Site www.paducahswimteam.com

PST Fee Structure PST is a non-profit organization. The coaches are paid staff employed by the Board of Directors. Primary expenses of the club are coaching salaries and facility rental.

USA Swimming Registration Fee Each swimmer must register with USA Swimming and pay the annual fee of $80 in August. This fee may change based upon USA Swimming policy.

PST Group Fees The group fees are paid monthly at the following rates: Stroke Development (SD) $75 Age Group 1 (AG1) $85 Age Group 2 (AG2) $100 Senior Prep (SP) $115 Senior (SEN) $130 High School Prep $200 (total training fee due at the beginning of High School Prep practice sessions)

Invoices will be put in the swimmers folder by the 5th of each month and are due by the 10th of each month. You will be responsible for that month’s payment if you swim any days of that month. If you fall more than two months behind in payments, your child will be unable to swim or attend meets until payments have been caught up or other arrangements have been made.

Multi-Swimmer Discount Families with more than one child in swimming will receive a discount on multiple children as follows: 2nd child 5% 3rd child 10% 4 or more 15%

Yearly Payment Discount If you wish to pay for the entire year of swimming in advance, you will receive a 5% discount off the annual price (this is based upon the monthly group rate listed above times 12 months)

Swimmer Injury Should your swimmer have an injury and be unable to swim, please inform the Coach and you will not be billed for the time during the injury when he cannot swim.

Swimmer Break Please notify the coaching staff if your swimmer plans to take a break from practice and the team.

Meet Fees You may sign up to swim at meets and will be billed for the fees associated with the meet entry costs. If you cannot attend the meet after the registration have been sent, you will still be responsible for the meet costs as PST has already paid the entry fees. We will do our best to make certain everyone is aware of the registration deadlines so that you have time to plan. For away meets, we only bill the cost that the host team charges; therefore, that registration money has been paid to the host team.

Fundraising PST is a non-profit organization. Swimmer fees do not account for all team expenses and fundraising events help fulfill budget needs.

Home Swim Meets Each family is required to contribute to the operation and success of the team. Home swim meets are our major fundraisers for the team and require 100% participation from our families.

Our team could not function without the support of our families. To that end we genuinely need and expect participation from our families in all fundraising efforts.

Families are expected to support the team’s efforts in the following manner. Swimfest (September)  Each family will be responsible for selling $100 of advertising for the meet program (or a donation of $100). Winter Meet (January / February)  Each family is assessed a $25 meet fee.  Families have the option of additional team support by selling / buying advertising in the meet program.

Swim-a-Thon An annual swim-a-thon is planned each spring. Swimmers are asked to swim as many lengths as possible within a two-hour time frame and seek pledges in support of the team.

Additional Support As a non-profit organization, there may be other times where we ask each family to help out in other fundraising and to support our home meets. We encourage and need your support to provide the assistance so we may host other teams at our facility and to enable us to highlight the talent and progress our children have made.

Volunteering Our volunteers are an important part of the PST family and play a key role with the operation of home swim meets.

Home Swim Meet Family Expectations Each family is required to contribute to the operation and success of the team. Home swim meets are our major fundraisers for the team and require 100% participation from our families.

Meets are divided into five sessions. Each family is required to work two full sessions per meet. This is a family requirement and can be fulfilled by any adult in your family. All required positions must be filled two weeks prior to the meet. Unfilled requirements will be assigned by the Meet Director. If you cannot honor your work obligation, it is your responsibility to provide a substitute and inform the Meet Director for approval. Each family will also be asked to donate or solicit items for the hospitality and concession stand for each home meet.

A summary of family expectations for each home meet are listed below. Swimfest (September)  Each family is responsible for volunteering for TWO sessions during the duration of the meet.  Each family is responsible for soliciting and / or donating items for the hospitality and concession areas. Winter Meet (January / February)  Each family is responsible for volunteering for TWO sessions during the duration of the meet.  Each family is responsible for soliciting and / or donating items for the hospitality and concession areas.

The Meet Director will seek the following volunteers for each home swim meet.  Clerk of Course: The C of C arranges swimmers into the correct event, heat and lane, as well as escorting them to the starting blocks. This position is vital to keeping our meet running on time!  Concessions: Volunteers to serve and receive payment in the concession area. Volunteers are permitted to leave the space while their swimmer is in the water.  Hospitality: A hospitality room is provided for coaches and officials. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are served. Volunteers are permitted to leave the space while their swimmer is in the water.  Ribbons: No experience needed for this position. Labels are printed off - you simply remove, stick on ribbon and place ribbon in correct team bag.  Safety Marshall: This position requires you to observe all areas around the pools. You must be willing to speak to parents and swimmers if there is a safety issue (playing in the small pool or running). Meet Director will address parents or swimmers if they are not complying with the Safety Marshall’s request.  Computer Table: This position must be filled by someone with experience. Any new parent wishing to serve in this capacity must be trained.  Timers: This position does not require any experience. A timer meeting will be held 15 minutes prior to the start of the meet. Here you will learn your responsibilities and be assigned a partner and lane. This is a great place to volunteer; you get to see every race up close!

Parents and other interested individuals can also become USA Swimming Officials and perform their volunteer time in this manner. Contact Christina Pitt ([email protected]) for information. The team is always in need of parents who are willing to train to become USA Swimming Officials. Without these parent volunteers, we cannot host home swim meets.

Coaching Staff PST has a head coach whose job it is to supervise the entire competitive swim program and the team’s assistant coaches. Each coach is dedicated to providing a program for all age group swimmers under the guidelines of USA Swimming.

Head Coach Jason Cravens joined the Paducah Swim Team as head coach in May of 2012. Coach Cravens has been coaching competitive swimming since 1995. He is certified by the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) and has worked with and developed swimmers from the novice to national levels of the sport throughout his career.

Coach Cravens is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University where he earned a BBA in Management Information Systems.

Assistant Coach Lindsay Cravens joined the Paducah Swim Team as an assistant coach in May of 2012. She is certified by the American Swimming Coaches Association and has been coaching swimming since 2003 at the summer league and USA Swimming club levels of the sport.

Coach Cravens is a graduate of Truman State University where she earned a B.S. in Exercise Science and a Master's degree in Education.

Team Communication The Paducah Swim Team communication plan will utilize the following tools in our efforts to keep our members informed and prepared for success in and out of the water.

Team Website www.paducahswimteam.com The team website will be the centerpiece of our communication plan. The website is located at www.paducahswimteam.com. The website will include all pertinent information regarding member registration, team structure, practice and swim meet schedules, team announcements, and team contact information. It will also act as an archive for team policy documents, meet results, meet information, directions to away meets, team records & top times, parent and swimmer education articles, and our team newsletter (Paducah Bazooka).

Email [email protected] The PST coaching staff will utilize email as the primary form of direct communication with the team as a whole. Any time sensitive announcements, practice changes or cancellations, meet entry deadline reminders, and upcoming event info will be sent out via group email. The PST coaching staff can be reached at [email protected]. The board of directors and the meet director will also utilize email as a primary means of communicating to the team membership.

PST File Box Each family has a file in the team file box. The primary purpose for this box is to provide a place for each family to pick up their monthly invoices (typically placed in your file at or near the 1st of the month). This is also where you can submit your payments (place them in the PST Treasurer file near the front). In addition, the coaching staff may utilize the file box to distribute items such as meet awards (ribbons/medals) to the athletes.

Paducah Bazooka The team newsletter will typically be released once every month or two throughout the season. The newsletter will provide detailed meet recaps and swimming education articles for parents and swimmers. We will also utilize the newsletter to recognize or highlight athlete achievement in and out of the pool (i.e. practice attendance medalists, scholastic achievements, etc…)

Team Bulletin Boards on Deck Bulletin boards on deck contain updated team information.

Parent Meetings PST will host at least two general membership meetings each season. They typically take place in September and April and will cover a number of important topics. Board elections take place at the April meeting, either formally or informally. The PST coaching staff will host new parent meetings each season and may host meetings for each training group when the need arises to address specific items related to that training group.

Parent/Coach Conference The PST coaching staff may request an individual meeting with an athlete and their parent(s). This type of meeting could be scheduled to discuss any of a number of items ranging from athlete development to disciplinary issues.

Complaints or Issues with the PST Coaching Staff The PST coaching staff aims to respectfully address any disagreements that may arise between parents, athletes, and coaches. Please utilize the following steps when communicating complaints or concerns with a member of the PST coaching staff.

1. Speak directly to your child’s primary coach about the matter. This may require a parent/coach conference. Please note that it is not appropriate to discuss matters of this nature during practice time or on the pool deck with other parent or athlete members of the team present. 2. Speak directly to the head coach regarding the matter. The head coach will address the complaint with the coach in question (if necessary) and may request a parent/coach meeting to resolve the issue. 3. Communicate directly to the President of the PST Board of Directors. A written complaint may be required at this time in order for the Board of Directors and the Head Coach to come to a final decision on the matter.

Practice Attendance Guidelines Practice attendance will play a vital role in each swimmer’s success as they progress through the sport. The PST coaching staff provides the following guidelines (by group) for our athletes and parents to consider as they plan for a successful swimming experience this season.

Stroke Development Group Practices are 60 minutes in length and swimmers are encouraged to attend practice on a consistent basis for proper development.

Age Group 1 Practices are 60 minutes in length and swimmers in this group should attend at least 3 practices per week.

Age Group 2 Practices are 75 minutes in length and swimmers in this group should attend at least 4 practices per week.

Senior Prep Training sessions range from 105-120 minutes and swimmers in this group should attend at least 5 practices per week.

Senior Swimmers in this group are expected to attend 100% of the practices offered to the group. Individual training plans may vary when it comes to dryland training and water doubles (2 sessions per day).

High School Prep The High School Prep swimmer is offered four sessions per week. 100% attendance is encouraged for maximum results, but not required. The athlete's high school coach may have an attendance requirement for the high school team and the High School Prep coach will track attendance and report to the high school coach if that information is requested. The focus of this group is to serve the swimmer that does not train year-round, but instead focuses primarily on the high school competitive season.

Practice Observation by Parents Parents are welcome to observe PST practice sessions from the bleachers. Please read through the following guidelines so that you are assisting the PST coaching staff in providing the ideal training environment for our athletes. 1. The PST practice environment is much like a classroom environment at your child’s school. Please consider that as you observe the session and respect the teaching / training environment the staff is committed to fostering. 2. Parents should not attempt to communicate with their child during a practice session. The PST coaching staff will handle all necessary disciplinary action and involve the parents if they deem necessary. If an emergency arises, please approach the coach first and request the removal of your swimmer from the practice session. 3. Please do not approach the coaching staff with general questions or concerns during a practice session. The coaches’ attention to the lesson / practice plan for the day and the safety and instruction of the entire group should be their focus. A coach will make every reasonable effort to answer your questions outside of practice time. You may direct any question to the Head Coach via email at [email protected]. 4. Parents are not swim coaches and should not participate in coaching the swimmers at practices or meets. The PST coaching staff is professionally certified and uniquely qualified to provide instruction and feedback to your swimmers. Please respect these boundaries and don’t hesitate to ask questions if you don’t understand something that you are observing in practice or at meets.

Parents are expected to respect the rules of the Paducah Athletic Club (PAC). These rules are found on page 15 of this handbook. You should review the PAC rules regarding PST members by clicking on the appropriate link under the Parent Menu of the PST web site. Please ensure that any siblings of PST swimmers are abiding by these rules and respecting the practice environment described above.

PST Swim Suits, Caps, & Training Equipment PST swimmers are encouraged to purchase the team swim suit for use in competition.

Pannell Swim Shop is the official PST team vendor this season. We will place an initial order with Pannell using the order form posted on the PST Swim Suits, Caps, and Training equipment page of the team website (see parent tab on main menu bar). Please turn in your order form along with payment to the apparel folder in the team filebox by Friday September 12 (checks made payable to Pannell Swim Shop). Future orders will be placed on an individual basis and handled via a team page on the Pannell Swim Shop website. We will post instructions for you on this page regarding that process once they become available.

PST swimmers are required to wear the team swim cap at competition.

PST swimmers will need the following training equipment (listed by group), which you can also purchase from Pannell Swim Shop.

Senior/Senior Prep - Swimsuit, Goggles (an extra pair is recommended), Swim Cap (extras are recommended), Personal Equipment Bag, Kick board, Pull Buoy, Hand Paddles (see coach for size recommendation), and Training Fins (see coach for style recommendation)

Age Group 1/Age Group 2 - Swimsuit, Goggles (an extra pair is recommended), Swim Cap (extras are recommended), Personal Equipment Bag, Kick board, and Training Fins (see coach for style recommendation)

Stroke Development - Swimsuit, Goggles (an extra pair is recommended), Swim Cap (extras are recommended), and Kick board (provided by team)

Note: Training swimsuits should be competitive training suits. Boys typically wear Briefs or Jammers. Girls typically train in one-piece training suits. The primary competitive swimwear brands include Speedo, Nike, and TYR.

Overview of Competitive Seasons

Paducah Swim Team (PST) is a USA Swimming team that operates on a year-round basis. All USA Swimming meets are governed by USA Swimming rules and regulations. Current rules and regulations are available on the USA Swimming website (www.usaswimming.org). There are two primary competitive seasons that PST will participate in during the year.

USA Swimming Short Course Season The short course season begins in September and continues through a series of LSC (Local Swimming Committee) and Regional championship meets that take place in March. National level swimmers participate in the National and Junior National Short Course Championships in December. PST is a member of the Kentucky Swimming LSC. Meets are conducted in a 25 yard short course pool during this season.

USA Swimming Long Course Season The long course season typically begins at the conclusion of the short course season. PST will participate in long course meets as early as April and as late as August each year. The LSC and Regional long course championship meets take place in mid-July to early August. The National Championship meets take place in early to mid-August. Meets are conducted in 50 meter long course pools, which is the Olympic distance.

There are a couple of additional competitive seasons PST swimmers will participate in during the year.

Kentucky High School Swimming PST athletes of middle and high school age may participate in the high school competitive season. The first high school meets typically take place in late November / early December and the KHSAA Regional and State Championship meets take place in February. PST swimmers who participate represent their schools at these meets. Meets are conducted in a 25 yard short course pool. High School swimming is governed by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) rulebook. Select competitions such as the state meet may be observed by USA Swimming officials in accordance with Kentucky Swimming rules in order to make the times posted at these meets by USA Swimming members eligible to be added to the national USA Swimming SWIMS database.

Paducah Marlins Summer Swimming Southeast Missouri Swim Conference (SMSC) Many of our PST athletes participate on the Paducah Marlins summer league team. The Marlins are members of the Southeast Missouri Swim Conference, which is an AAU affiliated league. The swim season typically begins in late May and the championship meet takes place in late July. The PST coaching staff encourages all eligible PST swimmers to participate in this fun and exciting portion of our summer program.

Swim Meets - Overview & Philosophy Swim meets are at the very heart of why the Paducah Swim Team (PST) exists. The sport of competitive swimming has a rich history and when you join a team like PST, the implication is that you are ready and willing to begin the process of becoming a competitive swimmer. Swim meets play a vital role in the development of swimmers at all levels of the PST program. This overview of our swim meet philosophy will provide some basic information about what swim meets entail, how to sign your child up for swim meets, the PST guidelines for swim meet participation, and a description of the types of swim meets we participate in. Finally, it will introduce the important concept of the Team Focus Meet and what the PST coaching staff hopes to achieve at these important events.

Swim Meet Basics The USA Swimming website has a parent section that includes a nice article for those of you who may be attending a swim meet for the first time (www.usa-swimming.org).

Swim Meet Sign-Ups The PST coaching staff prepares the team entry for each meet well in advance of the meet entry deadline established by the host club. In most cases, this is at least two weeks prior to the meet start date. The PST coaching staff will establish a meet entry deadline for the team and post it on the current season’s meet schedule. Email reminders will be sent out to the team as the entry deadline approaches.

The official meet announcement will be posted on the PST website once it is released by the host club. This document will give an overview of the meet format and provide any details released by the host club. It is important to remember that the entry deadline posted by the PST coaching staff is the one you are responsible for in terms of the meet signup process if you want your child to compete.

Please use the following steps to sign your child up for swim meets. 1. Check and make sure your child’s group is included in the “Groups Attending” column on the official PDF version of the current season’s schedule. If you have any questions about your child’s eligibility for the meet, please check with their primary coach. 2. Send Coach Jason Cravens an email at [email protected] indicating your intention to sign up your swimmer(s) for the meet and what days you are available to participate. This must take place before the posted PST Entry Deadline. 3. The PST coaching staff will determine what events the swimmer will participate in (please do not include a list of events the swimmer prefers to participate in). 4. Once the team entry has been sent to the host club and accepted, the team entry report will be posted on the Meet Schedule page of the PST website along with any other pre-meet info provided by the host club. Each family is responsible for the meet entry fees associated with the meet once the team entry has been sent to the host club. The fees will be included on your next invoice.

Swim Meet Participation Guidelines

Stroke Development – Swim meet participation is strongly encouraged at this level for application of the skills being developed in the practice environment. The PST home meets and away meets in Murray, Carbondale, and Cape Girardeau are the most appropriate choices for swimmers in this group. Swimmers in this group are also strongly encouraged to participate in the SMSC summer league meets throughout the summer months.

Age Group 1 – Swim meet participation is required at this level of the program as the swimmer begins to focus on learning to race each stroke over each distance offered in his/her age group. The IM Ready (IMR) events are highlighted by the coaching staff (see Parent section of the PST website for an explanation of the IMX and IMR development programs). PST home meets and away meets in Murray, Carbondale, Cape Girardeau, and Newburgh are the most appropriate choices for swimmers in this group. Swimmers in this group will also compete in the SMSC summer league meets throughout the summer months.

Age Group 2 – Swim meet participation is required at this level of the program. The IMX events are highlighted by the coaching staff (see Parent section of the PST website for an explanation of the IMX and IMR development programs). PST home meets and away meets in Murray, Carbondale, Cape Girardeau, Newburgh, Nashville, and Memphis are the most appropriate choices for swimmers in this group. Swimmers in this group will also compete in the SMSC summer league meets throughout the summer months. In addition, the swimmer should begin to participate in the long course competitions offered to the group each spring/summer.

Senior Prep – Swim meet attendance is required at this level and should be regular and consistent throughout the season. PST Home meets, and all away meets throughout the region are appropriate for swimmers at this level. The USA Swimming long course season will be highlighted in the spring/summer months and SMSC summer league participation will be considered on an individual basis. Swimmers are automatically entered in each meet assigned to the group unless the swimmer opts out by the team entry deadline.

Senior – Swim meet attendance is required at this level and swimmers in this group should attend all meets assigned to the group. Swimmers are automatically entered in each meet assigned to the group unless the swimmer opts out by the team entry deadline.

Types of Swim Meets

Dual Meets – A dual meet is a meet between two or more teams. The format can vary depending on the purpose of the meet. PST swimmers participate in dual meets during the SMSC (summer league) and high school competitive seasons. Dual meets are possible in USA Swimming, but they are not as common.

USA Swimming Age Group Meets – This is the most common type of meet that PST participates in. Age Group meets typically take place over 1-3 days and include multiple events contested in multiple age groups (i.e. 8&under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15&over or Open). These meets can be run with a variety of meet event lists and formats. Most of them are conducted in a timed final format, which means that the swimmer will only compete in each entered event once during the meet.

Short Course Events include: 25 Free, 50 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free, 500 Free, 1000 Free, 1650 Free, 25 Back, 50 Back, 100 Back, 200 Back, 25 Breast, 50 Breast, 100 Breast, 200 Breast, 25 Fly, 50 Fly, 100 Fly, 200 Fly, 100 IM, 200 IM, 400 IM

Long Course Events include: 50 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free, 400 Free, 800 Free,1500 Free, 50 Back, 100 Back, 200 Back, 50 Breast, 100 Breast, 200 Breast, 50 Fly, 100 Fly, 200 Fly, 200 IM, 400 IM

Championship Meets –In most cases, these meets conclude the competitive season. These meets take place at all levels of the sport and may have qualifying times in order to participate.

LSC (Local Swimming Committee) - PST is a member of the Kentucky Swimming LSC (KYLSC). The KYLSC short course championship meets take place in middle to late March and the long course championship meets take place in middle to late July. These meets use the prelim/final format for most age groups and events, which means that swimmers will swim in heats during the morning prelims, with the top qualifiers advancing to the finals session in the evening.

Regional – The regional championship meets involve the USA Swimming Zone that we participate in, which is the Southern Zone. For age group and senior swimmers, the Southern Zone Championships take place in August and the swimmers that qualify will represent Kentucky Swimming at the meet. For senior swimmers, the Speedo Champions Series (Sectional Championships) take place in March (usually short course) and July (long course) respectively.

National – The national level is the highest level of the sport that members of USA Swimming participate in unless they qualify to represent our country in international competitions. The short course Junior National and National Championships take place in December. The long course Junior National and National Championships take place in August. The US Open, US Olympic Trials, and Grand Prix Series are also national level competitions that take place on the national calendar depending on the year.

High School Meets -High School teams will participate in dual meets and one day invitational meets during the season. The KHSAA regional and state championship meets are in the prelim/final format and take place in February.

Team Focus Meets The PST coaching staff will designate certain meets as Team Focus Meets each season. These meets are usually the championship meets that conclude a competitive season. All qualifiers are expected to participate in these meets as we aim to be at full strength for these competitions. Performance at team focus meets are one of the best ways the PST coaching staff can measure our progress in the water. Our training plans are designed to allow for peak performance at these meets and most of the other teams participating treat the meets the same way. This allows our swimmers and our team to measure our progress when everyone is trying to be at their best.

The 2014-15 short course season focus meets are the Kentucky LSC Championship Meets (sometimes called Kentucky State Champs). The 2015 Kentucky State Qualifying Times will be released in the Fall of 2014. The 12&unders will compete on the weekend of March 13-15, 2015 and the 13&overs will compete on the weekend of March 19-22, 2015. Point totals for the 9-10, 11- 12, 13-14, and 15&overs will be compiled to determine the team champion.

The 2015 long course season focus meets will be the Kentucky LSC Championship Meets. These take place in middle to late July. Exact dates for Summer 2015 should be available during the short course season.

We ask that each PST family considers the importance of these meets when you plan your meet participation each season and that you make plans to have your child attend should they qualify.

Swim Meet 101

What to Bring  Your swimmer will need goggles, swimsuit, swim cap and at least two towels. If your child has not received their free cap the coach will provide one on the day of the meet. It is very important to keep the swimmer’s muscles warm between events, a sweatshirt and pants can be helpful. Coaches recommend sneakers and socks to protect arches and keep heat in the body.  There can be a considerable amount of down time between events. Be sure to bring something to keep your swimmer and yourself entertained.  You will also want to bring chairs for you and your swimmer. Bleachers are available but limited. We like to encourage PST to sit together. This is a great time for your child to connect to other swimmers and you with other parents.  Your child will burn a lot of calories while swimming. You will want to make sure they refuel and hydrate after their events. Concessions are available (and a major fundraiser for the team) however, you are allowed to bring in your own food and drinks at our events. When planning, remember to pack healthy snacks that will help your swimmer maintain his/her energy level. Candy and high sugar snacks are discouraged.  A highlighter and sharpies are useful for marking the events your swimmer is in.

Meet Preparation  Your swimmer should eat a well-balanced meal prior to the meet. Check out USA Swimming for tips on meals and snacks.  Make sure you know when your swimmer’s warm-up is scheduled. Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to warm-up to give your swimmer time to prepare. Your swimmer should be ready to enter the water at least five minutes prior to warm up.  During warm-up is a great time to purchase and highlight events in the meet program. Heat sheets are generally available at the concession stand.  After warm up you will want to write your swimmers events on their arm or leg. This is where the Sharpie comes in. You should write the event #, heat #, lane #, stroke & length. An example of how to write your swimmer’s events is below.

Event Heat Lane 5 2 4 50 Free 23 1 2 100 Back 53 3 1 200 Free Relay

During Meet  If your swimmer is 8 years or under they will check in with Clerk of Course. You should send your child to speak with the Coach an event or two prior to the one posted at Clerk of Course.  It is your swimmer’s job to make sure they are ready for their event at the appropriate time. Parents of younger swimmers often assist, but this is an attribute each swimmer must develop as they advance.  After the race your child will need to speak to the coach and warm down in the assigned lane. The order which those happen will be instructed by the coach.

After the Meet  Let the clean-up begin! Please be sure to help out, you can start by making sure your own area is clear of any trash.

Paducah Athletic Club Facility Rules

The Paducah Athletic Club is a private health club with a membership that pays for the privilege of using the facility. PST has a usage contract in place with the PAC for lane space and time to run our program on a year-round basis. It is imperative to maintain a mutual working relationship with the facility and the management. Please review the PAC’s facility rules.

PST membership does not include a membership to the Paducah Athletic Club (PAC). All PST parents are encouraged to consider membership to the PAC, but it is not required to be a member of the team.

The PAC facility rules in regards to PST parents and swimmers are as follows:  PST parents and swimmers who are not members of the PAC are not permitted in the water at any time unless participating in a PST practice session, swim meet, or team event under the direct supervision of a PST coach who is a certified coaching member of USA Swimming.  PST parents who are members of the PAC, MUST check in at the front desk before using any pool, hot tub, or workout areas in the facility.  PST swimmers are NOTpermitted in the hot tub or teaching pool during our practice sessions for any reason. This includes the time just prior to a practice session when they arrive and right after a practice session when they are preparing to leave. PAC members are asked to respect this buffer time before and after our practice sessions and abide by all PAC rules and regulations regarding the use of the aquatic facility.  PST swimmers and parents are expected to assist us in keeping the facility clean and in good working order. Please make sure your swimmers clean up equipment after using it and throw away any trash they are responsible for before leaving.

Helpful Sources

Paducah Swim Team paducahswimteam.com

USA Swimming usaswimming.org

Paducah Athletic Club paducahathleticclub.com

Kentucky Swimming kylsc.org

Kentucky High School Swimming khsaa.org/sports/winter/swimming

Southeast Missouri Swim Conference (SMSC) www.smscswim.com

Swimville USA swimvilleusa.com

Swim Outlet swimoutlet.com