Ohio State Swim Club 2014-2015 Team Handbook
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Ohio State Swim Club
2014-2015
Team Handbook
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Who We Are 3
Our Facility 5
Communication 6
OSSC Practice Information 8
Team Registration and Fees 12
Apparel Expectations & Expenses 15
Swim Meet Information 16
Social Activities 18
Basic Rules of Conduct 19
Health & Safety 22
Transportation & Parking 23
Recreational Sports Services 24
2Introduction
The purpose of this team guide is to help our club swimmers and parents better understand our
team and the competitive world of USA Swimming. All of our members are expected to read this
team handbook in its entirety; it will answer a majority of the questions you may have and will
help you prepare for the upcoming season!
Our coaching staff wants our team parents to understand that your children’s involvement with
the Office of Student Life’s Department of Recreational Sports. Ohio State Swim Club will
necessitate your assuming certain responsibilities and will require a substantial investment of
both your time and money. We will require assistance from every active family at all of our home
meets; however, we believe that the benefit to your children is worth it!
Our swim team parents will not only have responsibilities, they will also have opportunities. We
want our team parents to help their children in high-pressure situations; we want to give them
opportunities to praise the achievements of their children, and to help them with their
shortcomings. There are very few opportunities for parents to interact with their children on this
kind of level outside of athletics. Our coaching staff believes that these opportunities for parents
and swimmers to bond helps reinforce a healthy relationship and increases the importance of
competitive swimming.
Who We Are
The Buckeye Aquatic Academy (BAA) is owned and operated by the Department of
Recreational Sports in the Office of Student Life at The Ohio State University. The Buckeye
Aquatic Academy has three programmatic components: The Ohio State Swim Club (OSSC), the
Ohio State Diving Club (OSDC), and Aquatic Events.
The Ohio State Swim Club and the Ohio State Diving Club are age-group competitive programs
sanctioned by USA Swimming and USA Diving respectively. Aquatic Events is the vehicle used
to support the hosting of home Buckeye Aquatic Academy events. The Buckeye Aquatic
Academy has been established as a university earnings fund operation meaning it must be
financially self-sufficient and function in a capacity un-supported by student or general funds.
Our Vision
The Buckeye Aquatic Academy is committed to developing excellence in our swimmers and
divers, both in and out of the pool. Through the sports of swimming and diving, we aim to help
our athletes achieve their goals and learn strategies to excel in every aspect of their lives.
Our Mission
The Buckeye Aquatic Academy aims to foster a lifelong love of swimming and diving in our
athletes from the developmental stages to the international ranks of competition.
Our goal is to provide excellent coaches, resources, and facilities for age group swimmers and
divers of all ability levels.
3We plan to improve our swimmers’ and divers’ physical development, while simultaneously
challenging them to become the best athletes they can be.
Whether your goal is to develop physical fitness and have fun learning skills appropriate for
local events, or to develop skills for the national or international stage, there is a place for you in
the Buckeye Aquatic Academy. Our comprehensive training style and resources at The Ohio
State University will give swimmers and divers the tools and direction necessary to bring out
their ultimate potential.
Our Values
At the Buckeye Aquatic Academy we value:
Behavior that is respectful
Unwavering determination
Commitment
Kindness and sportsmanship
Enthusiasm
You go all out attitude
Excellent team members
Our Coaching Philosophy
The staff of the Buckeye Aquatic Academy strives to be excellent role models, teachers and
friends to our swimmers and divers. One of the reasons we choose to work with age group
athletes is because of the positive influence that club swimming and/or diving, and our coaching
mentors, had on each of us. We believe that we are instilling our athletes with the discipline and
work ethic that they will use to be successful for the rest of their lives.
Even though our coaches have distinct coaching styles and methods, we all strongly believe
that the foundation of swimming and diving begins with proper technique and fundamentals.
While our athletes receive plenty of volume while training, our coaches’ primary focus is for our
athletes to maintain proper technique in practices and competitions, whether they are warming
down or competing for a championship. Technique is not a once in a while thing; it’s an
everyday thing!
As our athletes advance through our program, they will continue to be taught by coaches who
have a passion for teaching proper technique, even as they begin to receive additional
conditioning, strength, flexibility, body awareness, intensity and mental preparation in our upper
training levels. This unique coaching philosophy has led to incredible success for our athletes
since the Academy’s inception. Our swim team has quickly become the most successful swim
team in Central Ohio and one of the top 100 teams in America! Our diving team has become the
highest ranked junior program and the 11th highest ranked senior program in the country!
While swimming and diving are not traditionally viewed as team sports, it is our hope that
through our focus on each individual and by giving our athletes individual encouragement,
responsibility, goals and the direction by which to achieve their goals that they will become
mature and self-disciplined individuals who compete not only for themselves, but also in support
of their team.
Go Bucks!
4Our Facility
The McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion is located at 1847 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210.
Dedicated October 14, 2005, the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion is home to the Ohio
State Swim Club, the Ohio State Diving Club, The Ohio State Buckeyes men’s and women’s
varsity swimming and diving programs and varsity synchronized swimming program.
Considered one of the finest competition pools in the nation, the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion’s
technology provides a venue for some for the fastest times and most rewarding aquatic event
experiences in the country. Connected to the Recreation and Physical Activity Center (RPAC),
the Aquatic Pavilion consists of the Mike Peppe Natatorium, the Ron O’Brien Diving Well, and
the Dive Spa.
The 50-meter Competition Pool, with
two moveable bulkheads to allow for
multiple configurations, is the pool
we primarily use for practices. The
Class Pool and Diving Well may also
be used by our team for some
practices.
Pool Dimensions
10 lanes of a 50 meter racing course
20 lanes of a 25 yard racing course
28 lanes of a 25 meter racing course
20 foot decks surrounding pools
14,156 square foot competitive pool
5Communication
Team Communication
Good communication is vital to the success of any organization, and the Ohio State Swim Club
is no exception. We have structured various systems to help with the disbursement of
information to our swimmers and families.
Communication from the coaching staff to you:
1. E-mail is the most valuable communication tool that we have. Please read all e-mails
from the coaching staff thoroughly.
2. Our team website contains all of the meet information prior to a meet, and all of the
results at the conclusion of a meet. It also contains our team records, practice and meet
schedules, important forms, team updates, coaching and facility information, and much
more. Please bookmark our team page – located at swimclub.osu.edu – and check it
frequently.
3. Each family has an assigned folder at the pool. Swimmers will have access to these
folders before and after each practice. Meet awards, bag tags, USA Swimming IDs and
other items are distributed to our swimmers through these folders. Please remind your
swimmer to check his or her mailbox frequently!
4. Our coaches make announcements before, during and after practices. Please ask your
swimmers about the daily announcements.
Communication to the coaching staff from you:
1. Coaches will not accept calls, texts or notes while they are on the pool deck working with
swimmers! Do not attempt to contact a coach during meets or practices through any of
these methods.
2. Your child’s head level coach is the person that you should contact for all practice and
meet-related questions. Please ask your coach how he or she wants to receive
communication from you. For most coaches, e-mail is the preferred method of
communication, followed by phone calls and/or texts. Although most coaches provide
their phone numbers, please be respectful of their family time and try to limit calls
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., unless there are extenuating circumstances.
3. Parents, we strongly encourage our swimmers to communicate directly with the coaches
about absences, athletic concerns, entries, etc. Please have your son or daughter speak
directly to his or her head level coach rather than contacting the coach on his or her
behalf.
4. Coaches are happy to meet with swimmers and/or parents after practice, but please
contact the coach to prearrange a meeting so that the coach can prepare for the
meeting.
5. Unless it is an emergency, please allow a coach 48 hours to reply to your
communication. Most of our coaches have families and multiple jobs, but they will reply
as soon as possible.
6Who to Contact
Please contact your head level coach, the coach who directly oversees your son or daughter at
practice, for questions regarding your child’s:
practice attendance
progress, stroke technique, strengths, weaknesses, etc.
events that have been chosen for a particular meet
The email addresses for every head level coach can be found under the “Coaches” section of
our team web site. Your head level coach will also provide you with a phone number to reach
him or her.
Please contact Head Coach Kyle Goodrich for the following issues:
joining the team
team records
verifying practice or meet information, if it is not already posted on the team web site
questions regarding your status with Ohio Swimming or USA Swimming
web site questions involving your password or log-in
sending photos, videos, or other forms of media from team practices or meets
Kyle’s contact info is goodrich.89@osu.edu or (614) 292-1303.
Please contact Billing Coordinator Katie Aukerman for the following issues:
all payment or billing questions and concerns
web site questions involving your invoice or payment history
apparel and team photography questions
questions regarding sponsorship opportunities for your business, such as providing food
at a home meet or social event in exchange for advertising in the meet program or on
our team web site
Katie's contact info is baabilling@osu.edu or (614) 688-1108.
Please contact the Buckeye Aquatic Academy Director Christine Z. Thompson for the
following issues:
questions regarding the pool temperature or other facility-related questions
concerns about, or praise for, the lifeguards, crew chiefs, or other non-coaching staff, or
about the music being played in the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion
questions regarding aquatic events and volunteering
Christine’s contact info is thompson.1363@osu.edu or (614) 247-7370.
Please contact the Membership Director Kris Myers if you are interested in joining Rec
Sports. Kris’ contact info is myers.785@osu.edu or 614-688-8461.
Please contact our Officials’ Chairperson Brian Serafy for questions related to becoming a
USA Swimming official, educational requirements, experience, etc. Brian’s contact info
is bkserafy@juno.com.
7OSSC Practice Information
Swim Seasons
The USA Swimming competitive swim year runs from September through August. There are
short breaks between the Short Course and Long Course seasons. The seasons are as follows:
Short Course (SC)
Pre-season High School - runs from late September through early November. This
training group only practices with the OSSC until their high school seasons begin, at
which time they will train with – and compete for – their respective high school
teams. Many of these swimmers return to the OSSC in the Senior group at the
conclusion of high school season.
All other SC training groups - begin in mid-September and end somewhere between
late February and early April, depending on the date of the swimmer’s championship
meet. All swimmers are welcome to continue training with the OSSC through early
April, regardless of their final championship meet.
Long Course (LC)
This season runs from late April until early August for all training groups.
Training Group Descriptions & Expectations
To help you understand what our expectations will be, we have developed these guidelines.
Most of these guidelines are not rules; they may be adjusted to suit your individual needs and
goals in swimming. These discretionary guidelines will assist us in promotions from group to
group and will provide direction for each group. They will also help our athletes determine the
objectives and responsibilities of the groups in which they are entering.
Pre-Competitive
Age range – 5 years of age and older.
Attendance Expectations – one to two practices a week.
Ability Expectations – must be able to float on front and back and be able to swim, face in, half
way across the pool in any style of stroke.
Group Emphasis – this group helps swimmers transition from swim lessons to swim team.
Swimmers work to swim 25 yards of freestyle with bilateral (on both sides) breathing and 25
yards of backstroke. Proficient form is not required. Swimmers should be able to pay attention to
instruction.
Meet Expectations – this group does not compete.
Novice
Age range – 5 years of age and older.
Attendance Expectations – at least two a week.
Ability Expectations – must be able to swim 25 yards of freestyle with bilateral (on both sides)
breathing and 25 yards of backstroke. Proficient form is not required. Swimmers should be able
to pay attention to instruction.
Time Standards – none.
Group Emphasis – the main focus of this group is increasing the efficiency of freestyle and
backstroke and teaching breaststroke and butterfly. Learning proper push offs and streamlines
is essential in the Novice group. Start and turn work and stroke technique is taught with an
introduction to interval training and clock reading.
8Meet Expectations and Requirements – Home meets and “B” meets, as well as the Barbara
Kay Mini Meet, which is the championship meet for most Novice swimmers. Attendance at the
highest-ranking team championship meet is required (if they qualify, even for a relay only).
Bronze
Age range – 7 years of age and older.
Attendance Expectations – at least two to three a week.
Ability Expectations – swimmers should be able to legally swim freestyle, backstroke, butterfly
and breaststroke. Swimmers should be able to make 10 x 50 freestyle on 1:15.
Time Standards – none.
Group Emphasis – this group’s primary focus is on advancing stroke technique in all four
strokes with the addition of interval sets to better prepare them for the next level. A continuation
of start and turn work from the Novice group is also emphasized. Also, executing proper push
offs and streamlines is continued from Novice. Flip turns are implemented at every wall for
freestyle and backstroke in addition to legal turns for butterfly, breaststroke and individual
medley transitions. Bronze swimmers learn stroke drills and the reasons for those drills.
Swimmers will develop leadership skills in the pool. Swimmers will learn to adjust productively,
including set intervals using the pace clock, interactions and lane etiquette with teammates,
various water conditions, and equipment problems (e. g., leaky goggles) during sets.
Meet Expectations and Requirements – at least one meet per month, including all home
meets, as well as the Barbara Kay Mini Meet, Regionals, or JOs. Attendance at the highest-
ranking team championship meet is required (if they qualify, even for a relay only).
Silver
Age range – 8 years of age and older.
Attendance Expectations – three to four practices a week.
Ability Expectations – swimmers should be able to do 10 x 50 freestyle on 1:00, and be
proficient in all four competitive strokes. Swimmers should be able to execute a proper push off
with a streamline.
Time Standards – swimmers should strive to make “A” national time standards or better.
Group Emphasis – the emphasis of this group is stroke mechanics with further introduction to
competition, training, starts, turns, and dryland exercises. Flip turns are implemented at every
wall for freestyle and backstroke, along with legal turns for butterfly, breaststroke and individual
medley transitions. Swimmers will become better adjusted to interval sets and clock reading.
Swimmers will work toward accomplishing difficult sets and encouraging their teammates to do
the same. They will learn to be leaders in the pool and during dryland exercises.
Meet Expectations and Requirements – a minimum of five to six meets, including all home
meets, Regionals (all days) and JOs (if they qualify, even for a relay only). Attendance at the
highest-ranking team championship meet is required (if they qualify, even for a relay only).
Gold
Age range – 9 through 14 years of age.
Attendance Expectations – at least four practices a week. For swimmers in a different fall
sport, please try to attend at least two to three practices a week during your fall sport. Beginning
in November, the expectation of four practices a week will begin for those athletes as well.
Ability Expectations – swimmers should be able to do 4 x 200 freestyle on 3:30, 10 x 50 on
:50.
Time Standards – swimmers should strive for JO times and national AAA time standards.
Group Emphasis – the Gold Group is an advanced training group. Gold swimmers have
generally attained National “BB,” “A,” or “AA” time standards and are committed enough to the
sport to practice at least four times a week for a period of two and a half hours per practice. The
priorities in the Gold Group are skill development and physical conditioning, along with the
development of mental training and race preparation concepts. Swimmers will learn to be
9leaders in the pool and during dryland exercises. Swimmers will demonstrate healthy eating and
sleeping habits and manage their time wisely. They will be able to set short-term and long-term
goals. Gold swimmers will show respect for their coaches and teammates by coming to
practice/meets on time, being good leaders and verbalizing any problems or issues as they
develop. Swimmers will begin to work more with race strategy. Conditioning takes on a greater
importance to the athlete. All previous technical instruction will be continued and advanced.
Meet Expectations and Requirements – a minimum of six to seven meets, including all home
meets. Attendance at the highest-ranking team championship meet is required (if they qualify,
even for a relay only).
Platinum
Age range – 11 years of age through eighth grade.
Attendance Expectations – at least four practices a week. For swimmers in a different fall
sport, please try to attend at least two to three practices a week during your fall sport. Beginning
in November, the expectation of four practices a week will begin for those athletes as well.
Ability Expectations – swimmers should be able to do 5 x 200 freestyle on 3:00, 5 x 200 IM on
4:00 (all held under 3:30).
Time Standards – swimmers should strive for JO time standards and/or high school district
times or better.
Group Emphasis – the Platinum group is a bridge group between our age group program and
our Senior programs. Platinum swimmers have generally attained National “A” time standards
and are committed enough to the sport to practice at least four times for a period of two and a
half hours per practice. The priorities in the Platinum Group are skill development and physical
conditioning, along with the development of mental training and race preparation concepts.
Swimmers will be leaders in the pool and during dryland exercises. Swimmers will demonstrate
healthy eating and sleeping habits and manage their time wisely. They will be able to set short-
term and long-term goals. Swimmers will begin to work more with race strategy. Conditioning
takes on a greater importance to the athlete. All previous technical instruction will be continued
and advanced.
Meet Expectations and Requirements – a minimum of six to seven meets, including all home
meets. Attendance at the highest-ranking team championship meet is required (if they qualify,
even for a relay only).
Senior
Age range – should be in high school or beyond.
Attendance Expectations – at least four practices a week.
Ability Expectations – swimmers should be able to do 5 x 200 freestyle on 3:00, 5 x 200 IM on
4:00 (all held under 3:30).
Group Emphasis – swimmers will demonstrate good sportsmanship by encouraging younger
or less experienced teammates to work hard toward their goals. They will demonstrate healthy
eating and sleeping habits and manage their time wisely. Swimmers will be able to set short-
term and long-term goals. Swimmers will continue to work with race strategy. Dryland
conditioning is an important aspect of the training. All previous technical instruction will be
continued and advanced. Swimmers will be positive representatives of the Ohio State Swim
Club when representing their high school teams.
Meet Expectations and Requirements – one or two fall meets before the high school season
begins, including all home meets (before and after high school season begins for swimmers
who also swim for their high school). Attendance at the highest-ranking team championship
meet (both short and long course) is required (if they qualify, even for a relay only).
National Team
Age range – should be in junior high school or beyond.
10Attendance Requirement – 85% practice attendance or better is required to be on the National
Team.
Ability Expectations – 15 x 100 on 1:20, averaging 1:15 or faster, 10 x 200 on 2:45, averaging
2:30 or faster.
Time Standards – Sectional time standards or beyond are required to receive an invitation to
the National Team.
Group Emphasis – swimming is a very high priority for these athletes as they strive for
personal excellence and elite level performance. They will be able to handle time management
and balance their academic and athletic schedule. Swimmers will demonstrate good
sportsmanship by helping their teammates reach their goals through positive encouragement
and actions. Swimmers will have the support of their families to help them reach elite level
performances. Swimmers will be motivated to operate in the proper training environment as
young adults, be responsible for themselves, and in control of the factors that affect
performance (sleep, nutrition, and psychological preparation). Practices for these swimmers
include significant dryland activities. National Team swimmers strive to participate in National-
level competition! Swimmers will be positive representatives of the Ohio State Swim Club when
representing their high school teams.
Meet Expectations and Requirements – a minimum of six to seven non-championship meets,
including all home meets for non-high school athletes. Attendance at the highest-ranking team
championship meet is required (if they qualify, even for a relay only). High school-aged
swimmers should attend one or two meets before the high school season begins.
Pre-Season High School
Age range – high school swimmers only.
Attendance Expectations – at least four practices a week.
Ability Expectations – none.
Group Emphasis – swimmers will demonstrate good sportsmanship by encouraging younger
or less experienced teammates to work hard toward their goals. They will demonstrate healthy
eating and sleeping habits and manage their time wisely. Swimmers will be able to set short-
term and long-term goals. Swimmers will continue to work with race strategy. Dryland
conditioning is an important aspect of the training. All previous technical instruction will be
continued and advanced. Swimmers will be positive representatives of the Ohio State Swim
Club when representing their high school teams.
Meet Expectations – one or two fall meets, including all home meets, before the high school
season begins.
Practice Schedule
All training groups will have a practice schedule posted on the team website. Changes will be
emailed in the weekly team updates. Please make sure you read our team emails on a regular
basis.
Cancellation Due to Inclement Weather
In case of inclement weather, families should assume that the OSSC will hold practice unless
The Ohio State University has closed its doors, classes are not in session, or the Franklin
County Sheriff's Office has declared a Level 2 Snow Emergency. OSSC swim families will
receive an email and notice regarding this closing on the OSSC’s team web site.
Each family needs to weigh weather conditions and other safety factors when deciding to attend
practice.
11Private Swim Lessons & Camps
If you are interested in private swim lessons, then please contact the coach with whom you
would like to conduct your lessons.
The Ohio State Swim Club does not currently run any swim camps or clinics(outside of our
Sunday stroke technique “clinics” and in-water filming sessions for our members only). The Ohio
State University Department of Athletics offers camps throughout the year. You can read
information about those camps at ohiostatebuckeyes.com/camps/.
Long Term Absences
Lane space is at a premium and we are counting on your swimmer to participate in practice to
develop their skills and be competition ready. Your child may be participating at the possible
exclusion of another swimmer. If your swimmer is unable to participate in practice for an
extended period of time to another obligation or medical condition, please inform your
swimmer’s head level coach so that we are aware of your situation.
Team Registration and Fees
Registration
Returning and new OSSC members will register on-line through our team website. We have
made this process as simple as possible for our families.
Returning team members will have the opportunity to register first. Registration for the 2014-
2015 season will open on Monday, July 14, 2014. There is no “deadline,” but our returning team
members will no longer have priority registration once this period closes.
Once the initial registration period has ended for our returning swimmers, we will then open our
on-line registration period to new swim team members. This registration will open on Monday,
July 21. The registration period for each training group will remain open until that specific
training group is full for the year.
To register for the club, please follow these steps:
1. Schedule a tryout (for new to OSSC swimmers only)
Email Coach Kyle Goodrich – goodrich.89@osu.edu
Bring a completed waiver to your tryout
The coach with whom your swimmer completes their try out will discuss with you
the appropriate placement for your swimmer
2. Complete online registration – swimclub.osu.edu > Join our Team
3. Submit online registration payment – swimclub.osu.edu > Parent Info > Make a Payment
You will know the amount to pay through the completion of online registration
4. Complete and submit annual registration paperwork in one of these ways:
Drop off your paperwork to the secure Buckeye Box
Email completed paperwork to BAABilling@osu.edu
Fax completed paperwork to (614) 247-4746
12Waiting List
If there are no remaining spots for a particular training group, then a waiting list will be
established for that group.
If someone was to leave a specific group and a spot would open, the family at the top of the list
would be contacted. Each family thereafter would be contacted until that specific group is filled.
Please note that no swimmer will be placed outside the training group that was recommended
by his or her coach. The waiting lists are established by chronological order of registration with
our club.
The OSSC reserves the right to accept siblings of current OSSC members into any of our
training groups at any time, regardless of our team cap in that particular training group.
Fees & Payment Schedule
We offer several training groups at the Ohio State Swim Club. Each training group has a
different cost, because of the different levels of instruction, the amount of time in the water,
anticipated participation in swim meets, and the amount of time outside of the water. These are
yearly fees paid per athlete and are non-refundable.
The Ohio State Swim Club uses an all-in-one payment structure. This means that your training
fees cover more than just practicing with the club, including your swimmer’s USA Swimming and
Ohio Swimming membership, use of training equipment, swim meet entry fees, their team t-
shirts, latex swim caps and more.
Several discounts are available to families with multiple swimmers, members of Recreational
Sports, families that make their training fees payment in full by September 15 and enrolled or
fully enrolled Ohio State Students. Fees for each training group and available discounts are
listed on the Fees & Frequently Asked Questions document as well as the registration
paperwork both of which may be found in the “Join our Team” tab of our website.
A fees calculation worksheet is available in the registration paperwork that will enable you to
figure out how much you will owe for the entire training year and what the cost will be if you
enroll in the 10-payment plan. It is important for you to know this figure so you may plan to make
timely payments. Please note that additional purchases such as additional T-shirts, swim caps,
or additional banquet seats may cause your invoice amount to differ from these projections.
Invoices are auto generated on the first day of each month. When this occurs, items that are
auto-invoiced (such as training fees) are then visible on your invoice. Within the first two days of
the month invoices are sent to your email.
Account balances are always visible:
Sign in to your account
Click “My Account”
Click “$My Invoice/Payment”
A number of options exist in this screen that enables you to see what you currently owe as well
as what you are projected to owe on the next invoice. A tutorial is also available by clicking the
question mark next to “Learn About Your Billing Summary.”
Fees are due according to this schedule:
Registration fees are due immediately at the time of registration.
13 Annual/lump sum payments are due on or before September 15, 2014.
Schedule for 10-payment plan is: Invoices generated on the 1st of each month, payments
due on or before the 15th of each month for the months of September, October,
November, December, January, February, March, April, May, and June.
All fees for additional items (regardless of payment plan) are due at the time of the
transaction or invoiced on the 1st of each month with payment due on or before the 15th
of each month.
Payment Penalties
Prior to joining the club, it is important to be aware of the cost of participation and to ensure that
it fits within your family’s financial plan. Additionally, making your payments on-time helps us to
most efficiently operate the club. When our attention is diverted to chasing late payments, less
attention is given to helping to improve swimmers’ performance and club experience.
Invoices are available on the 1st of each month and payments are due by the 15th of each
month.
The following guidelines will be followed for payments received after the 15th of the month:
Late fees assessed on the 16th of the month: A $10 late fee will be auto-assessed to accounts
without a zero balance on the 16th of the month. Payment of the late fee should be included
with the late payment.
Suspension from participation: If your payment has not been received by the 16th of the month,
your swimmer will be suspended from practice, other club activities, and may be restricted from
meet registration until the outstanding balance has been received.
If payments are consistently late, we reserve the right to remove the account holder from the 10-
payment plan and assess the remainder of the season’s fees in one lump sum.
If you are experiencing a financial hardship, it is imperative that you make us aware of your
situation by emailing BAAbilling@osu.edu before you miss a payment so we may discuss a
potential payment plan. University guidelines require that we submit accounts to collections
when they fall 60 days behind in payment unless a special financial arrangement has been
approved.
Travel Expenses
Swimmers are responsible for arranging their own transportation to out-of-town meets, as well
as hotel reservations. Kim Serafy will secure hotels for our out-of-town meets and post them on
our team website under “Meet Info/Hotel Info.” Please reserve your hotel room(s) quickly, as the
team rates and availability are always limited for big invitationals.
14Apparel Expectations & Expenses
Provided Apparel
Every OSSC swimmer will receive two free latex caps and three team T-shirts each season, or
upon joining the team for the first time. All swimmers will be required to wear their OSSC team
cap at all meets, if they choose to wear a cap.
Uniform Requirements
We require our swimmers to only wear OSU, OSSC or generic apparel (shirts, shorts, etc.)
during meets. OSSC swimmers will not be permitted to advertise any other swim teams – USA-
S, summer league, or YMCA – at swim meets or practice while representing the OSSC.
All swimmers should wear our team suit (or a generic suit with no other team logos) at all non-
championship meets, unless the Head Level Coach has permitted his or her swimmers to wear
a high-tech (“fast”) suit for that meet. Team swimsuits can be purchased from the OSSC’s on-
line team store.
It is recommended that OSSC swimmers wear team warm-ups to each meet that has been
purchased through our team store. We want to wear our team colors with pride and show our
team spirit! All purchases are the responsibility of each swim team family.
Additional Apparel & Customization
For the 2014-2015 season the Ohio State Swim Club will use Get Out Swim, an online team
vendor, through our website. Team apparel fitting dates will be held in early September in lobby
of the Aquatic Pavilion. All orders will be made online. Information related to apparel sizing and
ordering may be found by signing in to our website and clicking Parent Info > Apparel. The
items that your order will usually be shipped directly to you in 4 - 7 business days and item that
you order will NOT be embellished with the team logo.
If you wish to have your purchased items customized with the team logo and your swimmer’s
name, you will need to bring those items to the concession stand to place an embroidery order
one of our embroidery order days in mid to late September and early October.
Orders for customized silicone swim caps and additional t-shirts (outside the two latex caps and
three that are provided to year round swimmers) may also be placed in mid-September. All
costs for these purchases are the responsibility of each family and must be made prior to the
placement of the order.
Individual & Team Pictures
Individual, training group and a large team picture will be taken in the fall for all competitive
training groups. Swimmers will be required to wear a team T-shirt, which will be provided on that
day, as well as solid pants or shorts. Photos will be available for purchase shortly after photos
are taken. Details vary slightly each year and will be available on our website when practices
begin.
15Swim Meet Information
The Ohio State Swim Club will not allow its swimmers to scratch from a championship meet
(relay or individual) for any reason, outside of a medical emergency or similar circumstances
which the coaches feel supersede the importance of a swim meet.
By joining our competitive swim team, you do so with the understanding that you will not
scratch from finals because you are not having a good meet or want to get home early on
Sunday.
Meet Schedule
Some meets last one day; some meets run the entire weekend. Swimmers may choose to
compete in single or multiple sessions at any meets.
Meet information will be posted on our team website, including our swimmers’ entries, meet
fees, and special instructions such as what time OSSC swimmers are to arrive at the pool for
warm-up. If a swimmer is not at the pool by the beginning of warm-up, then a coach may, in his
or her discretion, remove that swimmer from relays.
The dates and times of our meets are always available on our website. Swimmers should arrive
at the time stated on the meet list for stretching and a short team meeting. It is essential for a
swimmer to have a proper warm-up and be on time to avoid being scratched from the meet.
All OSSC swimmers are required to sit on the deck with their coaches and teammates during
meets. Swimmers are not to sit with their parents or other swim teams. Swimmers may quickly
meet with their parents in the stands after an event only after receiving permission to do so from
the OSSC’s coaching staff.
Attending a Meet
While swimmers train for many reasons, most swimmers train in order to compete. The
coaching staff firmly believes in the value of competition for all levels, including Novice. We
encourage our swimmers to participate in meets as frequently as possible. All OSSC swimmers
must be registered with USA Swimming and Ohio Swimming regardless of their level of
participation in meets.
Each individual swim meet has a particular format which restricts entries in some way. Each
meet will have either an age-group format where each event is broken down into age group or a
qualifying format where anyone can swim those events, no matter how old, as long as they have
previously achieved the time standard for that event.
Some meets are designed to accommodate only the slower swimmers. These meets will
typically require the entries to be slower than the national “B” standards. The time standards
progress as follows: B, BB, A, AA, AAA, AAAA time standards, and can be found under “Time
Standards/NAG Time Standards” on our team website.
Meet Procedures
It is important that you understand meet procedures and how they relate to you.
16At the beginning of each season, we will post a list of the meets that the OSSC will attend that
season. It is the responsibility of each family to pay attention to the time standards for each of
those meets (which will be stated in the meet information or “notes” section of the entry page),
as well as the registration deadline for each meet. The OSSC coaching staff allows its
swimmers to indicate the events that they would like to swim on the website entry page;
however, the coaches always make the final decision about individual events and relay
participants/order.
Once the entry deadline has passed, no changes may be made to your entries.
The coaches determine what events the swimmer will swim in the meet. We believe that our
swimmers should participate in all events that they are capable of doing. Sometimes swimmers
will be entered in events in which they do not excel, but our coaches still want our swimmers to
have the experience of trying! Parents should support the coaches and encourage their
swimmers to do their best at all times. A ten-year-old breaststroker with an illegal fly could
become a National Champion flyer years later. Early experience in all strokes and events is an
important part of the swimmer’s total development, both in terms of skills, and in terms of
developing a positive attitudes toward difficult tasks. We do not allow scratching from meets
except in special circumstances determined only by the coach.
Swimmers should only swim in meets that the coaches recommend. Swimmers or parents are
not allowed to enter in meets outside of the Ohio State Swim Club schedule without prior written
approval of their Head Level Coach and the Head Coach.
Relay line-ups are decided in the sole discretion of the coaching staff, and we reserve the right
to change our relays at any time and for any reason. Relays are often configured by Team Unify
to make the fastest combination of swimmers available, but exceptions could occur if a swimmer
is late to warm-up, or if another swimmer has competed better/faster throughout a meet. We ask
our team parents to support these coaching decisions. We understand that can be a challenge
when your child is left off a relay, but we want to encourage all of our athletes to exhibit support
for their teammates regardless of personal disappointment. If your child has a question or
concern about these types of matters, please encourage him or her to communicate directly
with the coach. This will allow the coach to explain his or her decision, and can be a positive
experience for our swimmers as they learn to deal with both success and failure.
Hosting Meets
Swim meets are a necessary part of the sport of swimming. They provide your swimmer with the
opportunity to compete, and to demonstrate his or her achievements. As in past seasons, we
will host invites and championship meets this season. These meets require a tremendous
amount of time and effort and only through the interest and participation/involvement of all
families will the effort be equitably distributed throughout the club. Your cooperation and
assistance as a parent is essential in order for our team to experience success when hosting
competitive swim meets. Our OSSC swim team families will be required to fill all job duties that
are required to successfully run a meet.
Parent Home Meet Work Requirement
Parents (or a representative for your family) are required to work at least one session at each
one-day home meet and at least two sessions at each two or three day home meet in which
their swimmer is participating. Parents will be expected to sign up for work slots as they are
registering their swimmer(s) for home meets. It is important to know that failure to sign up in
17advance for the required meet worker positions by the emailed deadline may result in
your child being removed from that meet.
While it is very important and necessary for us to have your help during swim meets, parents
who are not able to work (or send a representative from your family) may opt out of working by
paying a fee of $100 per swim meet in advance of the closing of meet worker sign ups. Doing so
will free you of your family’s obligation to work that swim meet. To notify us that you would like
to pay the fee rather than serving as a meet worker for a particular meet, please email
AQevents@osu.edu and copy BAABilling@osu.edu then proceed to our website at
swimclub.osu.edu, and click on “Parent Info” and “Make a Payment.” Payment of this fee and an
email must be received by the sign up deadline or your swimmer may be removed from the
meet.
Officials
The OSSC always needs certified USA Swimming Officials in order to run our home swim
meets. OSSC covers the USA Swimming membership cost for our officials; however, we cannot
reimburse you for any costs you assume on your own. Please contact Brian Serafy, our
Officials’ Chairperson, at bkserafy@juno.com to learn more about completing the certification
process, and contact Christine Thompson at thompson.1363@osu.edu to arrange the purchase
of your USA Swimming membership.
Social Activities
Banquet
A banquet will be held at the end of the season in August. Details change yearly. The cost for
the swimmer plus one guest to participate in the banquet is covered in the team fees. The cost
for additional guests is the responsibility of each family.
Awards
At our team banquet, the following awards will be distributed:
Participation plaque – any swim team member who represented the OSSC in a meet.
High Point Male/Female – Awarded to the male and female swimmer in each age group who
scored the most individual points for our team at our highest-ranking team championship meet.
If we do not have representation in a particular age group at the JO Champs, then we will use
the Regional Championship points for that age group.
Most Improved – This is one swimmer from each level who has best:
dropped considerable amounts of time
improved his or her stroke technique
developed a better understanding of competitive swimming
learned how to race throughout the year.
B.U.C.K.E.Y.E. – This is one swimmer from each level who has best demonstrates:
Behavior that is respectful. Unwavering determination. Commitment. Kindness and
sportsmanship. Enthusiasm. You go all out. Excellent team member.
18Social Events
Throughout the year, different events will be planned for team building. Social themes and
purposes change yearly.
Basic Rules of Conduct
Natatorium Rules and Regulations
No one is to enter the water until the coaches have given permission. Lifeguards must be at
their stations before any swimmer may swim.
Lifeguards have the responsibility to enforce regulations and have the authority to remove
anyone for unsafe or inappropriate behavior. Lifeguards will consult with the OSSC coaching
staff before asking a swimmer to be removed.
Swimming in the Diving Well is prohibited without prior authorization.
Food, beverages, gum and tobacco products are prohibited on deck.
No band-aids or casts may be worn into the pools.
Spitting, blowing the nose or urinating in the pools is forbidden.
Use of the recreation pool and recreation areas when not used for team practice are
restricted to recreational sports members who enter through the RPAC turnstile with
appropriate identification.
If a swimmer chooses to not follow the above rules, a meeting will be requested with the family
and disciplinary action may be taken, which could include suspension of swim privileges or even
revocation of your OSSC membership.
Non-Discrimination Policy
Discrimination against any individual based upon protected status, which is defined as age,
ancestry, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, military status,
national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status, is prohibited. However,
the OSSC coaches and staff members employed by The Ohio State University reserve the right
to revoke a family’s swim team membership at any time for any non-discriminatory reason, such
as a violation of team rules.
Conduct and OSSC Expectations
All swimmers and family members of swimmers are to be respectful of the McCorkle Aquatic
Pavilion facility and staff at all times. Inappropriate rowdiness or damage to the facilities could
result in a team suspension. If damage occurs in the natatorium due to negligence or
misconduct on behalf of an Ohio State Swim Club member or family member, it will be that
family’s financial responsibility to restore the damaged item/area back to its original state.
Swimmers and family members will also conduct themselves in a positive manner and will be
required to maintain good sportsmanship when representing the OSSC. If for any reason an
OSSC swimmer or family member exhibits unacceptable behavior when representing the team,
whether it is toward an OSSC teammate, another team member, staff member and/or an official,
19a meeting will be requested with the family and disciplinary action may be taken which could
include suspension of swim privileges or even revocation of your OSSC membership.
A family member or swimmer may be asked to leave a facility if the staff suspects that person of
being under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs or other drugs that alter awareness. If a
family member or swimmer is caught stealing or possessing illegal drugs, he or she will be
asked to leave the facility. A meeting will be requested with the family and disciplinary action
may be taken which could include suspension of swim privileges or even revocation of your
OSSC membership.
The OSSC has adopted the USA Swimming Action Plan to Address Bullying which may be
found on our website under Athlete Info > Anti-Bullying.
Parent’s Role
The OSSC coaching staff allows parents to watch practice from the east bleachers; however,
the coaches request that parents never go down to the pool deck unless there is an emergency
or unless they have a prearranged meeting with a coach.
Here are some important guidelines to keep in mind when observing a practice.
First, young swimmers will always seek the approval of their parents. If they know that you are
watching practice, it’s only natural for some of their attention to be directed to you. However, for
the swimmers to learn as much as possible, it is imperative that the coaches have your child’s
undivided attention during practice. We ask that you not communicate with your child during
practice so that the coach can have his or her undivided attention.
Second, we insist that parents do not interrupt the coaches on deck while they are coaching. If
you need to communicate with a coach, please do so after practice (if they are not coaching
another group) or during a prearranged meeting.
Third, our coaches spend a considerable amount of time planning weekly training sessions for
each of their practice groups. Each training set or instructional drill has a purpose and one
practice and/or set often builds on another throughout the week. If you have not attended all of
the practice sessions, you may not understand the purpose of what the swimmers are doing on
a given day.
Fourth, please do not try to coach your child based on what you see (or think you don’t see) him
or her doing at practice. Many times when teaching stroke skills, the coaches ask our swimmers
to do things that might look incorrect or might actually be illegal according to the rules, but those
drills have an important purpose in teaching skills (e.g., swimming one-arm butterfly or
breaststroke with a flutter kick). With these various reasons in mind, we ask parents to not
attempt to interfere with your child based on what you observe at practice. Please leave the
coaching to our experienced coaching staff!
Competitive swimming provides many benefits to young athletes such as self-discipline, good
sportsmanship, time management skills and physical fitness. Competition allows the swimmer to
experience both success and defeat in a positive environment. Parents add to this experience
and contribute to the success of both the child and the team.
Be Enthusiastic and Supportive
As a parent, you can make a major contribution to your child’s success by providing a stable,
loving and supportive environment, and by serving as a positive role model. Always show good
20sportsmanship toward coaches, officials, other parents, opponents, and teammates. Supply the
love, the support and the encouragement necessary to help your young athlete always feel like
a winner. Encourage your child to establish his or her own goals and strive to achieve them.
This will help your child develop a positive self-image. Be careful not to impose your own
standards and goals. Never overburden your child with winning, or achieving best times. A best
time is the result of a swimmer working hard in practice and improving fundamentally. Praise
your swimmer for doing these things!
Let the Coach Do the Coaching
The best way to help your child achieve his or her goals is to remember that you are the parent
and the coach is the coach. It is important that swimmers receive all the technical information
and constructive criticism of their performance at meets and during practice from only one
source – their coach. Too much input from too many sources will only confuse and overwhelm
your swimmer.
Checklist for the Supportive Parent
1. Try to get the swimmer to practice regularly and on time. Try to attend meets to watch
your child swim.
2. Become familiar with various officials’ duties at meets. Make yourself available for meets
if you are a USA Swimming Official.
3. Become an active volunteer to show your child that you support the OSSC.
4. Give credit to the swimmer when an improvement is made, whether it was a winning
time or not.
5. Set an example of a healthy attitude toward competition that your child will emulate.
6. Check with the coaches whenever you have a question pertaining to the team and your
child’s participation. Avoid such inquiries during practice.
7. Have the swimmer at the meet on time! It is unfair both to the swimmer and to the
coaching staff to have the swimmer show up after instructions have already been given
and administrative adjustments made.
8. Check with coaches before you leave a meet to make sure the swimmer is really
finished and not in a relay.
9. Parents should conduct themselves in an orderly manner while attending meets. It is the
function of the coach to advise swimmers how to swim their events and to review the
results with them.
10. Give encouragement to the swimmer when needed.
11. Treat all swimmers, parents, coaches and officials with respect and consideration. (The
way you and your swimmer want to be treated.)
12. Register all complaints and criticisms, along with suggestions for improvement, only to
coaches and not to other parents in the stands.
13. Remember, the attitudes and behaviors of the parents in regard to their outlook on the
sport, has an important effect on the child. Every child can gain from his experience
21whether or not he or she ever wins a single race. The important thing is to keep on
striving to do better next time. The secret is not to produce great swimmers, but to
produce great young people who happen to swim.
14. Parents are not to be on the pool deck during practices or meets.
15. Giving encouragement does not mean making stroke corrections. Leave the stroke work
and training to the coaches.
16. Do not try to talk to or communicate with your child during practice. The entire attention
of the swimmer should be given to the coaches.
17. Don’t expect swimmers to swim best times every time. They won’t!
18. Don’t assume that a swimmer doing a stroke incorrectly has not been told to correct it
(and how to correct it) by the coaches, or that the swimmer is not consciously trying to
correct the stroke. Some habits are difficult to break, and may take time.
19. Avoid giving materialistic rewards for good performances. It de-values the
accomplishment itself, and puts all the emphasis on the prize.
20. Avoid participating in negative conversations about any swimmers, opponents, parents,
facilities or coaches.
21. Don’t approach or argue with officials when they make a decision against your child or
team. Let the coach handle such problems and always be ready to accept the possibility
that every child may get disqualified sometime – even yours.
Health & Safety
Medical Authorization Form
Each year we collect new registration paperwork including a medical authorization form. On this
form, we ask for specific personal information about your child to make sure that we are
prepared to coach your child in the best way possible. We understand that some parents may
worry that by disclosing personal information, it may bias us against their child or lead us to
misinterpret the information. We understand and respect that concern; however, it is better to
share that concern with us to prepare our staff and provide your child the best team experience
possible.
Medical forms are also used in our communication with emergency medical personnel if there is
an emergency involving your child. It is very important that we have the most current information
for your child. If there are any changes during the swim season of we should be aware, please
let us know by emailing BAABilling@osu.edu so that your form may be updated.
Concussion Information for Youth Sports
The Ohio Department of Health has guidelines in place to educate families on the signs and
symptoms of concussions and the dangers of returning to sport too soon after a head injury.
22Information may be found by clicking here or by visiting healthy.ohio.gov/. In compliance with
Ohio’s Return-to-Play Law, we require that any swimmer that is known to have sustained a
concussion or a head injury to complete a Return to Play form in order to return to practice or
competition.
Emergency Procedures
If an emergency arises while your child is in our care, our facility staff will guide athletes to an
area of safety.
In case of a tornado warning, fire, or other emergency during practice, all building occupants
(parents in the spectator areas, athletes and coaches on deck) will evacuate according to the
natatorium’s evacuation procedures. Athletes and parents will be directed by the staff to a safe
place as designated by The Ohio State University. The tornado safe place location is at pool
level and is located in the hallway under the spectators’ area or in the main RPAC locker rooms.
Fire and other evacuation locations may vary depending on the situation.
Campus Security
Students, parents, faculty and staff can be confident in the security levels and emergency
management plans for the Ohio State University campus.
OSU Emergency Management has developed a comprehensive plan to communicate to our
students, faculty, staff and families in the event of an emergency.
The backbone of this plan is the Buckeye Alert. Buckeye Alert is a tool that can notify thousands
of people in minutes via text and voice messages on their cell phones. Emergency messages
will only be sent to the campus community if Public Safety officials determine that our campus
community needs to take immediate action to preserve their personal safety. Information
provided during registration will not be used for any purpose other than the Buckeye Alert.
Additional, redundant methods of communicating in an emergency have been developed. These
include email, campus phone notification, WOSU, local media and OSU's cable TV system.
If you are interested in registering for Buckeye Alert, please take a couple of minutes and go to
buckeyealert.osu.edu and register your cell phone number. It is easy, quick and free!
Tobacco Free Campus
Ohio State has adopted a tobacco free policy that supports a healthy environment for all
members of the Buckeye Nation. Effective January 1, 2014, the use of all types of tobacco
products is prohibited in all university buildings and on all university-owned properties, including
parking lots, garages, and all outside areas.
Transportation & Parking
Swimmer Drop-Off and Pick-Up
Some families choose to drop off or pickup their children at the curb of the Neil Avenue Circle
which is located on the east side of the Aquatic Pavilion. Others choose to park and walk their
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