P.O. Box 1262, Troy, Michigan 48099-1262
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P.O. Box 1262, Troy, Michigan 48099-1262
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Poseidon Swim Club program is designed to give children the opportunity to progress from beginning competitive swimming to championship levels. Our swimmers work together as a team, with an emphasis on individual improvement. We hope to provide a successful program through leadership, discipline, training, positive motivation, communication, recognition , fun and encouragement. Poseidon Swim Club (PSC) is an age group program. This means that our swimmers compete in meets against others in their age group: 8 and under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-18. (Some meets will also feature an Open division; it is open to any swimmer, regardless of age.) For practice purposes, however, our swimmers are grouped by swim ability so they receive the specialized instruction they need: • Apollo – Beginner • Pegasus - Advanced beginner • MERCURY- INTERMEDIATE • Medusa – jUNIOR GROUP • Titan – SENIOR GROUP PSC is affiliated with USA Swimming and its Local Swim Committee (LSC), Michigan Swimming. PSC offers year-round training for USA Swimming Competition events: Fall/Winter – Late August through the swimmer's last qualifying short course season meet which will occur between late February and March. During the championship season, only swimmers who are qualified for an upcoming meet may attend practice. Championship meets include Junior Olympics and all State meets. Spring – April through May /Short Course (25 yards) Summer – June through July / Short course (25 yards) and long course (50 M) We work continually to accomplish specific goals. PSC provides:
• FUN — Swimming should be
fun! • PARTICIPATION — Our goal is 100% swim meet participation and regular practice attendance. • TEAMWORK — We stress working together rather than competing against each other. • PROFICIENCY — Every swimmer should become competent in all strokes and types of events. • SPORTSMANSHIP — It is important to learn to win and lose gracefully. • INDIVIDUAL GOALS SETTING — We require our swimmers, regardless of swim level, to set personal, attainable goals and then encourage and work with them to achieve these goals. General Information
• Michigan Swimming Guide (found on their web site — www.uss-michigan.com. All questions and comments can be addressed to either of the Head Coaches.
All team communications are done via email and the team website. Please check the team website regularly for the latest team news. Swimmers should come to as many practices and meets as possible. There is a direct correlation between efforts and results. Being on time is also important so swimmers can be prepared for practices and meets. Swimmers may not go into the pool area until a coach has arrived at practice. Swimmers should have the following equipment:
When a child joins the team, his or her parents commit to participate in and support the activities of the team. Each parent’s help is vital to the success of the program. It is important that PSC parents: • volunteer their time when necessary. When PSC hosts swim meets, parents will be expected to work. • are enthusiastic and supportive. • show their interest by ensuring their child’s attendance at practices and by personally cheering them on at meets. It is also very important that their swimmer knows he or she is loved and supported, regardless of his or her swimming performance. • encourage and help their swimmer(s) track their progress. Maintain accurate records of your swimmer’s best times, and use these records to complete the entry times on meet entry forms. The Meet Entry Chair can also provide a record of times from swim meets. • refrain from being their child’s coach. Leave the coaching to the coaches. • provide nutritional food for their swimmer(s); it is the fuel for good performance. • raise funds to support the team. We encourage parents to sponsor lanes at our USA meets, place ads in the meet program, etc., in support of their swimmer(s) and PSC. 1. All swimmers must wear the Poseidon Swim Club (PSC) team suit at all meets they attend. Swim caps are mandatory for every swimmer and are sold through the Club. 2. Swimmer placement in a particular practice group is the sole prerogative of the coach(es). 3. Swimmers, with input from coaches, select the individual events a swimmer will enter in swim meets. 4. In championship meets, relays are comprised of the fastest possible combination of swimmers, based upon the most current official times. Members of the relay may have been swimming together all season or may never have swum together. Regardless, the ultimate decision is the coaches’. 5. Age group records may be set by any swimmer who is a registered and paid member of PSC and currently swimming with the team. Records are achieved by age, and not by age group, using the swimmer’s age at the time of the relevant swim. Times that must be converted from meters to yards may not be used. Swim team records may be achieved only at PSC-participated meets. High school or middle school times may not be used for records, but may be used to enter swimmers in meets. 6. Middle school and high school swimmers who swim on a MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association) sanctioned middle or high school team must follow the MHSAA rules and regulations. This means they may participate in a maximum of two PSC meets during that swim season. 7. Cell phones with camera or video capabilities are not allowed in locker rooms. Michigan Swimming Fees and Team Fees are due and payable when the swimmer has decided to join the team (see Try Outs below). The second installment of the Team Fees is due on or before December 1. Fees for the Spring and Summer season must be paid in full at the beginning of each session. Swimmers will not be allowed to enter practices or participate in swim meets if any payment is overdue. Fees will be reduced if more than one swimmer from the same family joins the Club. See the current fee schedule for the amounts. No refunds of the Michigan Swimming Fees or Team Fees will be given after a swimmer has begun practicing with the Club. PSC allows families to pay in 2 lump sum payments, in order to spread the cost over the season. Fees will not be prorated during any of the months, unless approved by the Board. Absences due to extended, (3 or more weeks), medical illnesses or injuries may be considered for a fee adjustment but only after a swimmer’s parent makes a written request and only with approval by the Board. The current fee schedule is available for download at the website (http://poseidonswimclub.usswim.net).
All checks should be made payable
to: Poseidon Swim Club
A swimmer new to PSC, but who has participated on another competitive swim team in the past, may try out PSC for 3 practices over a one week period. At that time the swimmer will be required to make a decision and fill out the MI Swimming form and officially join the team if they wish to continue.. A swimmer who has never swum on a competitive swim team may try out PSC for 4 practices over the course of 1 week. At that time the swimmer will be required to make a decision and fill out the MI Swimming form. PSC wants to give swimmers every opportunity to try our team, however, that needs to be balanced with our need to ensure that our liability insurance obligations through MI Swimming are met. A positive correlation exists between regular attendance at practices and performance in competition. We encourage all swimmers to attend practices as frequently as they can, given family time commitments as well as other opportunities for personal growth outside the pool setting. Practice Guidelines for Swimmers 1. Swimmers will train for all events, regardless of the stroke in which a swimmer excels. It is not uncommon for swimmers to change their “main events” two or three times by the time they graduate from high school. 2. Swimmers are expected to attend practices on a regular basis and come as often as possible. 3. Swimmers must sign in on the Attendance Sheet or notify their coach of their presence for each practice. 4. While at the pool, swimmers should behave in a safe, respectful and courteous manner toward both coaches and fellow swimmers. This includes, but is not limited to: • being attentive and still when the coach is talking • following coaches’ directions • walking (not running) on the pool deck • using no put-downs toward coaches or fellow swimmers Swimmers who do not comply may be asked to leave the practice or swim meet. Coaches and/or Board members will discuss continuing discipline problems with parents and/or swimmer(s) and deal with the situation accordingly, up to and including asking the swimmer to leave the Club. 5. Swimmers must be on deck on time to stretch and listen to daily information updates. 6. If a swimmer is going to be late or must leave practice early, the parent should inform the coach. For liability and tracking purposes, it is necessary to have some type of verification of the swimmer’s whereabouts. 7. For cleanliness and safety reasons, no food or glass containers are allowed on deck. 8. Swimmers are encouraged to bring a water bottle to practice and to drink plenty of water. 9. Swimmers should wear sandals or flip-flops when walking to and from the pool. PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS 1. Parents are encouraged to talk with coaches, either by telephone, e-mail, or by arranging a meeting before or after practice. Given the instructional and safety needs of swimmers during practice, parents must not interrupt practices for discussions with coaches. Furthermore, if one parent is talking to the coach then all of the swimmers are missing out on that coach’s attention during that time. 2. To avoid distracting swimmers, and to allow the coaches to coach your swimmers, parents are not allowed on deck during practice. All of the pools have spectator sections where practices may be observed. Swimmers are assigned to practice groups that assemble swimmers of similar abilities — not necessarily by age. The Poseidon Swim Club consists of five groups: APOLLO - Beginner competitive swimmers Swimmers focus on mastering basic skills for freestyle and backstroke and are introduced to breaststroke and butterfly. In addition they are introduced to starts and turns. Swimmers are also introduced to beginning training and swim meet procedures. Swimmers should be able to swim the following set: 10*50*1:30 to advance to Pegasus. PEGASUS – Advanced Beginner Swimmers have achieved an intermediate skill level for freestyle and backstroke. Swimmers are introduced to breaststroke and butterfly and continue to refine starts, turns, freestyle and backstroke. Swimmers must be able to complete the following training set: 10 x 50yd. @ 1:10 doing freestyle and have four legal competitive strokes to advance to Mercury. MERCURY – Intermediate Training in this group moves swimmers toward an advanced skill level for all four competitive strokes. Emphasis is also placed on endurance training. To achieve this skill level, it is recommended that Mercury swimmers attend at least four practices a week. MEDUSA – Junior Group Swimmers in this group concentrate on refining strokes, performing advanced drills and endurance training. Swimmers must be able to achieve the following set for admittance: 10 x 100 yd. @ 1:40 doing freestyle. Swimmers in this group are capable of achieving “B” time standards and above. To achieve this skill level, it is recommended that Medusa swimmers attend at least four practices a week. TITAN – Senior Group Swimmers in this group train to achieve “A” time standards and above. Swimmers who are capable of performing the following set will be admitted: 10 x 100 x: 1:25 doing freestyle. To achieve this skill level, it is recommended that Mercury swimmers attend at least five practices a week.
** Group advancement/promotion is based on factors listed above and coach recommendation. Many factors effecting group advancement are subjective. Please note that the coaching staff, especially the Head Coach, will have the final say on all group placements. The practice schedule is posted on this website and via email. It is available for download in Adobe format . The PSC Hotline (248-872-7112) will be updated weekly. Due to high school and community activities that take precedence at the pools, there may be last minute changes. Every effort has been made to keep practice times and locations consistent; however, PSC has no control over the pool times available. Anticipated practice time changes and/or cancellations will be verbally communicated from coaches to swimmers, sent via email, and included in the PSC Hotline messages. Swimmers may also receive flyers notifying them of practice time changes and/or concerns. PSC team suits are strongly advised for all swim meets. Team caps are mandatory for every swimmer for competition races. Caps are available from Debbie Blinstrub, PSC Apparel Chairperson. The cost is $5.00 per latex cap and $12.00 per silicone cap. Different Strokes Swim Shop. The Club uses Different Strokes Swim Shop as its supplier. Different Strokes will come to a practice in the fall for a suit fitting and suits maybe ordered at that time. Types of Meets Poseidon Swim Club (PSC) competes in various types of meets during the Fall/Winter and Summer sessions. A meet schedule will be posted on the team website. PSC selects a large cross section of meets each year in order to allow all levels of swimmers to compete. Meet Schedule and Logistics Typically, two to three weeks in advance of a meet, an e-mail will be sent out notifying you of a meet and the entry deadline. The packet typically includes: • a meet description • a list of events scheduled for that meet • a meet entry form Because each meet has an entry deadline, it is very important that swim families check their emails and the team website regularly. If an entry deadline nears for a meet your swimmer would like to attend and you do not have a meet packet, please see your swimmer’s coach immediately or contact the Meet Entry Coordinator The meet schedule is posted on the team website. Transportation to and from meets is the responsibility of individual swim families, although car pools are encouraged. Some USA meets require overnight accommodations that are the financial responsibility of the individual families. Whenever possible, swim families and coaches stay at the same location, though this is not always possible and certainly not mandatory. (When overnight accommodations are needed, a designated PSC parent may book a block of rooms at a group rate. Meet packets may also have details and reservation numbers.) Directions to away meets will be posted on our website. All USA meet entry fees are due and payable by individual swim families according to the specified date indicated on the meet packet. PSC members are not responsible for relay fees at any meets. There is a $10.00 Poseidon surcharge attached to each swimmer for every meet attended. Checks should be made payable to “Poseidon Swim Club.” Invitational Meets
A number of teams are invited to come together and compete in the same events against each other. In most cases, a team may enter an unlimited number of swimmers per event, sex and age group. If the number of swimmers exceeds the available lanes for a particular event, more than one heat will be conducted. All swimmers’ times for all heats of the event will be compared to determine final placement. End of Season Championship Meets At the end of the season, swimmers achieving specific time cuts are eligible to swim against each other in championship meets. As with the invitational, an unlimited number of swimmers may swim in a particular event, with multiple heats conducted, as needed. Districts, Junior Olympics, State, Zone and Senior Nationals are championship meets. Events in a Swim Meet Short course events are swum in a 25-yard pool, and long course events are swum in a 50-meter pool. Events consist of individual and relay events: 1. Individual events • Swimmers swim butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke in separate events, with the events ranging from 25 - 200 yards (or meters), depending on the age group. Freestyle events are also swum in separate events ranging from 25 - 1650 yards (or 1500 meters). • Swimmers also swim individual medleys (IM’s), an event in which they use all four strokes in a specific order — butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. Distances range from 100 - 400 yards (or meters), depending on the age group. 2. Relay events • The medley relay is an event in which four swimmers on the relay team each swims a different stroke — backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle. Distances in the medley relay range from 100 - 400 yards (or meters). • The freestyle relay is an event in which four swimmers on the relay team each swim freestyle. Distances in the free relay range from 100 - 800 yards (or meters).
Meet Guidelines and Rules for Swimmers 1. Swimmers are encouraged to swim in as many meets as possible. Swimmers sign up for USA meets by turning in a completed meet packet to Coach Drain by the entry deadline. 2. Swimmers are required to wear the PSC team suit at all meets. 3. Swimmers are required to wear the PSC team cap at all meets. 4. PSC swimmers are a TEAM and should behave accordingly. Cheering each other on is highly recommended; put-downs or other disrespectful behavior are not permitted. PSC swimmers must also show respectful behavior toward non-PSC swimmers and coaches. 5. Swimmers should arrive at the pool for a meet on time. 6. Swimmers should see the coach immediately after swimming. Coaches provide helpful encouragement and useful feedback. 7. Swimmers should sit with team members. 8. Swimmers should bring something to do when not swimming or cheering for teammates (deck of cards, books, etc.). For USA meets where swimmers are kept off the deck between events, blankets, pillows and/or sleeping bags can come in handy. 9. Swimmers should consume nutritious foods and drinks 10. Swimmers should have plenty of dry clothes and towels (2 - 3 towels) The USA swim program in Michigan, administered by Michigan Swimming, is organized so that all swimmers have an opportunity to compete against swimmers of similar ability. Swimmers with similar competitive times are grouped together. Swimmers are divided into three levels, (A, B, C), for most meets, as determined by a system of time standards. There are also levels of AAA and AA. Each level is defined below. Zone Qualifying times for the Zone meet. Q1 Q1 times indicate a time which qualifies for the state meet Q2 A Junior Olympic qualifying times A For swimmers who times are faster than or equal to the listed A times but slower then the Q2 times. Meets in the USA schedule designated as A-limited B also include a limited selection of events for B swimmers in addition to a comprehensive selection of A events. B For swimmers whose best times are equal to or faster than the B time cuts, but slower than the A cuts. B meets are often run in conjunction with A and/or C meets, e.g. ABC meets. C For swimmers whose best times are slower than the B cut. No C classification exists in the 13 and 18 year old groups. Those who have best times that do not qualify for A meets, swim in B meets, regardless of personal best times. C meets are often run in conjunction with B or ABC meets. Own-age Swimmers compete in age groups spaced at one-year intervals. Senior For all swimmers, regardless of age, provided they qualify for the events’ time cuts. Intended for elite swimmers striving to achieve qualifying times for national-level competition. Typically attended by collegiate, high school and fastest age group swimmers. Maintaining a Good Parental Perspective on Competitive Swimming Early in their swimming careers, many swimmers receive serious training for the first time that results in better strokes and faster times. Eventually, however, every swimmer will level off, and the long process begins where swimmers work very hard for every tenth of a second. As parents, we are tempted to fix our expectations on the massive improvements our swimmers initially experienced. When our swimmers’ performance begins to level off, we worry that something has gone wrong. Common reactions include: • blaming the coach • suspecting that your swimmer has slacked off in practice • believing that your swimmer hasn’t been trying or, even worse, isn’t capable of improvement • excusing the performance for some other reason Instead of decreasing the swimmer’s own anxiety at leveling off and helping him or her understand the reasons, parents often increase this anxiety by pressuring their children to perform. Soon the swimmer is overcome with anxiety that he or she is unable to swim well, despite his or her attempts to swim well and thus avoid disapproval from parents. To avoid this: 1. Leave the coaching to the coaches. Encourage, but do not coach them at home. 2. Discuss swimming at home only when the swimmer raises the subject. Swimmers spend a great deal of practice time at the pool; given this intensity, follow their lead. 3. Always find something positive to praise in your child’s performance. Your swimmer will experience highs and lows. Given physical and emotional changes your swimmer will experience, it is a mistake to expect they will always perform well. If handled properly, each failure can be a step toward success.
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