Hosted by: The Holland Aquatic Center
Friday-Sunday, April 14-16, 2023
At Holland Aquatic Center
550 Maple Ave., Holland, MI 49423

USMS Sanction #193-S007

Registration closed.

MEET DIRECTOR:   Ian Townsend: [email protected]

SCHEDULE:
General Check-in, Warm-up, and Competition Schedule:

EVENTS:

FACILITIES:
Location. The Holland Aquatic Center is in Holland, Michigan. For information about this facility visit: www.hollandaquatic.org. 

Parking. There is ample parking directly outside of the Holland Aquatic Center entrance. 

Swimming Pool. The Holland Aquatic Center is a competitive 50-meter pool with the meet setup of two 25 yard/8 lane courses.  Lockers are available in the locker rooms, but swimmers should bring their won locks, and Holland Aquatic Center will not assume responsibility for lost or stolen articles. The length of the competition course without a bulkhead is in compliance and on file with USMS in accordance with articles 105.1.7 and 107.2.1. The primary timing system will be automated with sound device at the start and swimmer touching the pad at the finish with the time recorded on a scoreboard. Official times from this automated timing system will be submitted for USMS Records and USMS Top Ten times for all courses. For Short/Long Course Meters the time will be submitted to FINA for Masters FINA Top Ten and Masters FINA World Records. 

RULES: 

Competition Rules. United States Masters Swimming (USMS) rules and Michigan Local Masters Swimming Committee (MI-LMSC) policies will apply. The USMS rule book is available online at http://www.usms.org. The Michigan LMSC polices are located at https://michiganmasters.com under the “Information” tab.

PROCEDURES AND POLICIES: 

Age Groups. Age on April 16 (last day of the meet) determines a swimmer’s age for the entire meet. Individual event age groups: 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74 … 5-year increments as high as necessary. Relay age groups: 18+, 25+, 35+, 45+, 55+, 65+, 75+, 85+ … 10-year increments as high as necessary. Age groups for relay events are determined by the age of the youngest person on a relay team. 

Warm-up/Cool-down. Swimmers must enter the water feet first in a cautious manner during all warm-ups/cool downs. Diving is permitted only in designated sprint lanes. NO EQUIPMENT IS ALLOWED DURING WARM-UP OR COOL DOWN PER USMS REGULATIONS. 

CHECK IN: 

• General check-in. Every swimmer must report for general check-in upon arrival at the meet to verify entry status, pick-up a copy of the meet heat sheets. 
• Distance event check-in. Each swimmer who is entered in a distance event (400y IM, 500y freestyle, 1000y freestyle, 1650y freestyle) must report for a positive distance event check-in. Swimmers who do not verify intention to compete before the check-in deadline will be scratched from that event. The Meet Director reserves the right to re-seed the distance events after check-in if subsequent scratches will allow consolidation of heats. The deadlines for distance event check-ins are provided in the “Schedule” section of this meet announcement. 

SEEDING. Seeding will be slow to fast for individual events of 200 yards or less and for relay events, with men and women seeded separately. Seeding will be fast to slow for distance events (400y IM, 500y free, 1000y free, 1650y free), with men and women seeded together. “No time” entries will be assigned to the slowest heats for all events. 

HEAT SHEETS. A general check-in, swimmers will receive heat sheets that show heat and lane assignments for all events that are 200 yards or less in distance. Separate heat sheets for the distance events (400y IM, 500y free, 1000y free, and 1650y free) will be posted at the pool when distance-event check-in for that event is complete.

SCRATCHES. For all events, the swimmer is responsible to report to the assigned heat and lane in a timely manner. Failure to appear by the time of the Referee’s short whistle commands will be considered a scratch; the swimmer will not be allowed to swim in another heat of the same event.

TIMING: 

• Timing system. A Colorado timing system with electronic and manual back-up timing and a full-display scoreboard will be used. All events (except some heats of the distance events) will be timed using this system. Manual back-up timers will be provided at each lane. 
• Swimmer responsibilities. Hit the timing pad firmly. Do not cut through lanes until all swimmers have completed the event. During relays, remain clear of the timing pad area until the event is completed by all swimmers. Alert the Starter to request the required three manual back-up timers if you or your relay is attempting a USMS (national) record. Supply your own lap counting personnel for distance events. 

SCORING. Individual events: 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 points. Relay events: 18-14-12-10-8-6-4-2 points. 

RESULTS. Event results will be posted at clearly marked locations announced at the meet and at the awards table. Results will also be available via Meet Mobile. Results will be published on the website (www.michiganmasters.com) following the meet.

AWARDS:

1st, 2nd, 3rd – Individual Events – State Championship Medals
4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th – Individual Events – State Championship Ribbons
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th – Relay Events – State Championship Ribbons
High Point Award – Age Group Women and Men – State Championship Trophy Plaque
High Point Team – Large Team Division – State Championship Trophy Plaque
High Point Team – Small Team Division – State Championship Trophy Plaque
High Point Team – Large Team Women – State Championship Trophy Plaque
High Point Team – Small Team Women – State Championship Trophy Plaque
High Point Team – Large Team Men – State Championship Trophy Plaque
High Point Team – Small Team Men – State Championship Trophy Plaque

PRESENTATION OF AWARDS: 

• • Pick up individual and relay event awards at the awards table. 
• • Presentation of age group high point awards and overall team high point awards in all categories will begin 30 minutes after the completion of the last event, namely the 1000y freestyle (event # 39). The large and small team divisions will based upon the number of total entries for each team. 
• • Please be prompt so award presentations are not delayed. Swimmers and team representatives are responsible to pick up any awards earned. Awards will not be mailed. 

RECORDS. A Michigan State Record may only be established by a swimmer registered through the Michigan LMSC. A Meet Championship Record may be established by any swimmer entered in the meet. 

PROTESTS. Per USMS Rule 102.14.3, “protests against judgment decisions of starters and stroke, turn, and relay takeoff judges can only be considered by the referee, and the referee’s decision shall be final.” Other protests (e.g., concerns about seeding, awards, final results, eligibility, scoring, or entries) must be submitted to the meet director or referee by the team representative in writing. According to Section 3 of the Michigan LMSC Policies and Procedures, such protests will be heard by the Championship Committee. 

ENTRIES:
Entry Methods and Entry Deadlines. This meet utilizes an online entry system only. 

• Online entries.  Go to https://michiganmasters.com to enter the meet. The online entry deadline is the end of the day (9:00 pm) on Monday, April 10, 2023.
• Relay entries. Relay entries must be submitted by the designated team representative, not individual swimmers. Refer to the “Entry Procedures” described below.

ENTRY FEES:

• Individual entry fee – $95.00 (plus $3.00 online convenience fee.) until March 31,2023.
• Individual entry fee – $110.00 (plus $3.00 online convenience fee.) April 1, 2023 – April 10, 2023
• Relay event entry fee – $15.00 per relay with all names, if emailed by Thursday April 13, @ 12:00 noon or $20.00 per relay if deck-entered. (See full details in “relay” section below.)

ELIGIBILITY. Swimmers must have a current USMS membership as of the entry deadline to be eligible to compete in this meet. One-day event registrations (USMS rule 201.1.3) are not valid given that this is a 3-day meet with multiple events. Whether entering online or via mail, swimmers must agree to the USMS “Participant Waiver and Release of Liability, Assumption of Risk and Indemnity Agreement.” 

REPRESENTATION.When you register with USMS, you will designate your club (Michigan Masters (MICH). Each member of the Michigan Masters Club (and only the Michigan Masters Club) can also select which Workout Group or State Meet Team they would like to swim with for the annual Michigan State Meet Championship. You do not have to designate a Workout Group or State Meet Team to participate at the State Meet Championship (unattached); however, to swim in a Relay, you must designate a Workout Group or State Meet Team.

EVENT LIMITS:

• Swimmers may enter a maximum of 7 individual events for the entire meet (does not include relay events), with a daily maximum of 6 individual events. 

If more than seven individual events are listed on the entry form, only the first seven entries will be accepted. 

ENTRY FEES:

• Individual entry fee – $95.00.
• Relay event entry fee – $15.00 per relay with all names, if emailed by Thursday April 13, @ 12:00 noon
  or $20.00 per relay if deck-entered. (See full details in “relay” section below.)

ENTRY PROCEDURES:
Individual Events. Choose a maximum of individual 7 events (does not include relay events). Enter your best short course yards (SCY) times on the line labeled “entry seed time.” You may enter an estimated time or “no time” if you do not have a best time to report. “No time” entries will be assigned to the slowest heats. 

• Individual Events. Choose a maximum of individual 7 events (does not include relay events). Enter your best short course yards (SCY)times on the line labeled “entry seed time.” You may enter an estimated time or “no time” if you do not have a best time to report. “No time” entries will be assigned to the slowest heats.
• Distance Events. The 400y IM will be offered once during the meet on Saturday morning. The 1650 Free will be offered only on Friday. Refer to the check-in, seeding, and heat sheet procedures described earlier in this meet announcement for more information.
  • Relays. Designate one team representative to enter relays for the entire team.
    • Pre-entered relays. The team representative (only) should email pre-entered relays by Thursday, April 13 @ 12:00 noon, to meet host Ian Townsend [email protected]. For each relay team, please include:  event number, swimmers’ names, ages, and seed time.  Relay names and age groups may be changed up to 30 minutes before relay event starts.
    • Deck-entered relays. The team representative should enter relays and pay relay entry fees during general check-in on Friday from 5:00-5:45 pm, or on Saturday or Sunday from 7:30-8:00 am. Relay names and age groups may be changed up to 30 minutes before relay event starts.
    • At the meet. Relay cards will be distributed to team representatives at the meet. At that time, the relay cards must be completed with: (a) event information – the event entered, the age group for the relay team, and a seed time; and (b) swimmer information – swimmers’ names as they appear on USMS membership cards in the order of relay swim, as well as each swimmer’s age and sex. The relay age group is determined by the age of the youngest swimmer on the relay team.  The team representative must submit the relay cards to the Clerk of Course, who will add heat and lane assignments. Relay names and age groups may be changed up to 30 minutes before relay event starts.

REFUND POLICY:
By registering for this swim meet, you have purchased a “ticket”. As with a ticket to any sports or entertainment event, there are no refunds or credits if you are unable to attend. 

ANNUAL MEETING:
All swimmers are encouraged to attend the annual Michigan Local Masters Swimming Committee (LMSC) membership meeting held (in a large conference room to be announced at the meet) during the lunch break on Saturday. This is the time to vote on issues affecting the USMS National Organization, the Michigan LMSC, your local team, and yourself. An agenda of the meeting will be available at check-in on Friday, April 14.  IF YOU PLAN ON COMING TO THE LUNCHEON, PLEASE STAY FOR THE ENTIRE ANNUAL MEETING. 

Lifetime Achievement, Chetrick, and Lawrence Awards.:
The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated a lengthy record of swimming accomplishments, as well as many years of outstanding volunteer contributions that further the objectives of masters swimming in the State of Michigan. The Chetrick Award recognizes an individual who has exhibited outstanding service and commitment to the spirit of Michigan Masters Swimming on either the state or national level. The Lawrence Award is presented to a swimmer from the Michigan LMSC who has achieved outstanding performances in National competition during the past year, and across the person’s swimming career. Previous winners of these awards are noted under the “Awards” tab at https://michiganmasters.com.