League Rules

Here is a printable pdf version of the rules <Maine YMCA League Rules 2024-2025>

 

PINE TREE CLUSTER SWIM LEAGUE RULES & Guidelines –2024-2025

 

  1. A. PHILOSOPHY

 

It is the philosophy of the Maine State YMCA Swim League that in order to:

– Meet accepted YMCA program objectives,

– Prepare our competitors for further swimming competition, and

– Foster in our participants a healthy outlook on life;

 

The League and its Teams must:

– Create a fair set of rules and enforce them firmly and consistently, and

– Seek out officials & coaches who will use every opportunity to demonstrate that

   fair, firm, and consistent rules are in the end better for everyone.

 

Recommendations:

  • YMCA teams support Maine YMCA meets first.
  • Each team may award ribbons to other swimmers as it seems fit. 
  • During league meetings, the group follows Robert’s Rules of order when an impasse occurs or issue is raised at the meeting.

 

Distribution:

 

It will be the duty of the league coordinator(s) to make available at or as soon as possible after the fall meeting:

*one copy of these rules to every Y which has a team in the league and have it posted on the web site and one copy of the league dir

*1 copy of the league directory

 

  • GENERAL RULES

 

  1. The rules of the USA Swimming Technical rules shall be the Official Rules of this League with the following additions and changes:

 

  1. 2. The water depth at the end of the pool where any swimmer starts from a block or the

deck may be no less than that recommended by the National YMCA Competitive Swimming

and Diving Guidelines. If the water depth is less than recommended, swimmers must start in the water. 

 

  1. The eligibility of any swimmer to represent a YMCA shall be determined by the National Rules That Govern YMCA Competitive Sports and by the Local YMCA Board of Directors. The league commissioner, whose decision shall be final, will rule on any case in question. The penalty for allowing an ineligible swimmer to compete for points shall be disqualification 
  2. The Official Winter Swimming Season shall be from September 1st to April 30th. The

Summer Swimming Season shall be from May 1st to August 31st.

 

  1. A swimmer’s age group for winter competition shall be determined by his or her age

on December 1st of the current season except when meet information  indicates an alternate date. A Swimmer’s age group for summer competition shall be determined by his or her age on the first day of the meet in question.

  1. a. The 8 & Under Division shall consist of competitors age 8 & under.
  2. b. The 9 &10 Division shall consist of competitors age 10 & under.
  3. The 11 & 12 Division shall consist of competitors age 12 & under.
  4. d. The 13 & 14 Division shall consist of competitors age 14 & under.
  1. The Senior Division shall consist of competitors who are age 12 or over on the 1st day of that season’s Short Course National Championships. but less than age 21 on the day of competition, who have not represented any scholastic institution beyond grade 12 in competitive swimming.
  2. Open Division is available to all eligible swimmers.

 

The League Commissioner, whose decision shall be final, will rule on any case in question. The penalty for allowing a swimmer to compete in an age group in which he or she is not eligible to compete shall be forfeiture of all points earned by the offending team in those events in the meet in question.

 

  1. The League shall maintain records for 8 & under, 9 & 10, 11 & 12, 13 & 14, 15 – 18 and Senior. Records shall be maintained for all events in the League Event List and for any other events in which records are kept by the National YMCA. Records may be established only in YMCA competition, sanctioned or approved by the League Coordinator and only in the event, distance, and stroke actually contested, except that the first swimmer on a relay team may establish a record as specified in the regular Rules 104.2.1 parts D & E.. The Cluster Coordinator(s) will rule on any record or performance in question.

 

  1. A separate set of short course Yards, short course meters and long course meter records will be maintained”
  2. In order to establish a State Record, electronic or 3 stopwatch timing must be used.
  3. Coach of the new record must submit to the records chair all pertinent information on the record in question.

 

  1. Amendment:
  2. Any amendment, change, addition. or deletion to the General Rules, the  League Meets Rules, or the Championship Meet Rules must be proposed and adopted at the Spring League Meeting, and must be adopted again at the Fall League Meeting in order to become official.

 

  1. Each team present at the meeting shall have one vote. If there is a tie vote, the motion fails.

 

. 

  1. Each swimmer that qualifies for and competes at Winter and/or Summer Nationals in an individual event will receive a reimbursement of up to $250 per swimmer or a max of $4,000 ($3000 for winter, $2000 for summer)  throughout the league. Payable to the athlete’s team (if sufficient funds are available) 

 

  1. 9. Anti-recruitment policy: *see attached  doc. 

 

  • LEAGUE MEETS – WINTER SEASON

 

  1. Dual Meet definition: A dual meet is defined as a scored meet between 2 different Y teams that use a uniform order of events as presented by the league unless both coaches agree. 

Closed Meet definition: A closed meet is a Y meet set-up between 2 or more Y teams using a non-dual meet order of events with the list of event files as provided by the league and non-scoring. Adjustment in order of events can be made as long as all coaches agree.

Open/Invitational Meet definition” An open/invitational meet is a Y meet with no pre-set criteria for competition and no scoring except for what is in the meet information.

Double Dual/Triple Meet: A scored meet between 3 or 4 teams that compete at the same time but are scored as 3 dual meets (1v2, 1v3, 2v3) that use a uniform order of events as presented by the league unless all coaches agree. 

 

If the Schedule is not accepted and if no alternative is agreed upon, the submitted Schedule shall be the official League Schedule for the following year. The League Commissioner will attempt to arrange equal numbers of home and away dual meets and to alternate home and away meets from year to year by order of State Meet finish. Once the League Schedule is published each team must swim all scheduled dual meets unless the team is released by the Cluster Coordinator(s), or the meet is canceled due to weather or extenuating circumstances.

 

  1. Each competitor shall be allowed to compete to score in three events including relay at dual meets. For closed meets swimmers shall be allowed to swim in no more than four events. This rule may be waived if all coaches agree, but if there is no agreement the Referee shall enforce this rule as written.

3A. All Meets: The host coach must contact the visiting coach to discuss relevant information by 5:00 pm on Wednesday before the meet. The visiting coach must send his or her full Meet Entry and Team Roster (also from Hy-Tek Team Manager – with Seed Times) to the host coach by 9:00 PM on the Thursday before the Meet. remove-The host team must e-mail the Meet Manager Back-Up to the visiting coach if requested. Any changes after that time must be submitted in writing at the meet by (on the form provided if there is one) or to the Scorer’s Table prior to the beginning of the event or by confirmed email prior to the meet.

3B. Closed Meets: 

  1. Sessions are limited to 4 hours (warm ups are not included) 
  2. 400IM, 500, 1,000 & 1,650 are not included in the timeline.

All cuts will be done in this format:

  1. all exhibition swims are cut first
  2. Last team in the meet is cut first
  3. Host team will communicate the warm up schedule to teams entered in the meet.

4 For all disqualifications, results must have the Hy-tek DQ code identifying the DQ or provide a DQ slip to the coach. 

 

  1. For Dual Meets: Scoring shall be  9,4,3,2,1 for individual events and 11,4,2 for Relays. Max 3 score per team per. ind. event, Top 2 per team in relay event. 

 

  1. 6. Every League meet must have officials as indicated by the Current National YMCA Swimming and Diving Black Book. If the host team does not have a Certified Official as the Referee, the visiting team will have the right to designate a Referee. The League Commissioner will rule on any case in question, and failure to allow the visiting team to execute its right will cause the host team to forfeit the meet. If the host team is unable to secure a Certified Official, they shall inform the visiting coach in advance.

 

  1. In all League meets there must be electronic timing, or three watches on the first and second place swimmers and at least one watch on each of the other lanes. If either team requests three watches on every lane and can furnish watches and timers, the Referee shall allow the request and will set up the timing accordingly.

 

  1. When touch pads are used – for all 8 & under & 9-10 events available touchpad times will be used unless the back-up button time is faster by .3 seconds or more, in which case the button time will be used. For all 11-12, 13-14 and Senior events the USA Swimming rule will apply as written.

 

  1. Awards for open/closed meets will be stated in the Meet Announcement.

 

  1. The host team shall send a complete set of meet results to the Results Chair (according to his or her instructions), the webmaster and to the visiting team in Meet Manager Backup within 1 business days of the end of the meet. If meet results are not sent, the meet will not count as a meet for the host team, but would count for the visiting team unless there are extenuating circumstances. All times will be valid

 

11A. The Order of Events for all League Dual Meets will be as listed on pages 5 & 6 of these

Rules and will include all listed events. Scoring will be done on the 88 event format on page 7. 

 

11B. The Order of Events for all League Closed Meets is determined by the host club. Scoring is not required for closed meets. 

 

PINE TREE CLUSTER SWIM LEAGUE

Dual Meet  – STANDARD ORDER OF EVENTS

 

Format 1                                                                        Format 2

  1. 8 & Under Girl 100 Free Relay                                      1. 8 & Under Girl 100 Free Relay
  2. 8 & Under Boy 100 Free Relay                                      2. 8 & Under Boy 100 Free Relay
  3. 10 & under Girl 200 Med. Relay                                    3. 10 & under Girl 200 Med. Relay
  4. 10 & under Boy 200 Med. Relay                                    4. 10 & under Boy 200 Med. Relay
  5. 11 & 12 Girl 200 Med. Relay                                         5. 11 & 12 Girl 200 Med. Relay
  6. 11 & 12 Boy 200 Med. Relay                                         6. 11 & 12 Boy 200 Med. Relay
  7. 14 & under Girl 200 Med. Relay                                     7. 14 & under Girl 200 Med. Relay
  8. 14 & under Boy 200 Med. Relay                                    8. 14 & under Boy 200 Med. Relay
  9. Senior Girl 200 Med. Relay                                            9.   Senior Girl 200 Med. Relay
  10. Senior Boy 200 Med. Relay                                          10. Senior Boy 200 Med. Relay
  11. 8 & Under Girl 25 Free                                                11. 8 & Under Girl 25 Free
  12. 8 & Under Boy 25 Free                                                12. 8 & Under Boy 25 Free
  13. 11 & 12 Girl 200 Free                                                  13. 8 & Under Girl 100 I.M.
  14. 11 & 12 Boy 200 Free                                                  14. 8 & Under Boy 100 I.M.
  15. 13 & 14 Girl 200 Free                                                  15. 9 & 10 Year Old Girl 100 I.M.
  16. 13 & 14 Boy 200 Free                                                  16. 9 & 10 Year Old Boy 100 I.M.
  17. Senior Girls 200 Free                                                   17. 11 & 12 Girl 100 I.M.
  18. Senior Boys 200 Free                                                   18. 11 & 12 Boy 100 I.M.
  19. 8 & Under Girl 25 Fly                                                    19. 13 & 14 Girl 200 I.M.
  20. 8 & Under Boy 25 Fly                                                    20. 13 & 14 Boy 200 I.M.
  21. 8 & Under Girl 50 Free                                                  21. Senior Girl 200 I.M.
  22. 8 & Under Boy 50 Free                                                  22. Senior Boy 200 I.M.
  23. 9 & 10 Girl 50 Free                                                       23. 8 & Under Girl 25 Fly
  24. 9 & 10 Boy 50 Free                                                       24. 8 & Under Boy 25 Fly
  25. 11 & 12 Girl 50 Free                                                     25. 9 & 10 Girl 50 Free
  26. 11 & 12 Boy 50 Free                                                     26. 9 & 10 Boy 50 Free
  27. 13 & 14 Girl 50 Free                                                     27. 11 & 12 Girl 50 Free
  28. 13 & 14 Boy 50 Free                                                     28. 11 & 12 Boy 50 Free
  29. Senior Girl 50 Free                                                       29. 13 & 14 Girl 50 Free
  30. Senior Boy 50 Free                                                       30. 13 & 14 Boy 50 Free
  31. 8 & Under old Girl 25 Back                                            31. Senior Girl 50 Free
  32. 8 & Under Boy 25 Back                                                 32. Senior Boy 50 Free
  33. 9 & 10 Girl 50 Fly                                                         33. 8 & Under Girl 25 Back
  34. 9 & 10 Boy 50 Fly                                                         34. 8 & Under Boy 25 Back
  35. 11 & 12 Girl 50 Fly                                                        35. 9 & 10 Girl 50 Fly
  36. 11 & 12 Boy 50 Fly                                                       36. 9 & 10 Boy 50 Fly
  37. 13 & 14 Girl 100 Fly                                                      37. 11 & 12 Girl 50 Fly
  38. 13 & 14 Boy 100 Fly                                                      38. 11 & 12 Boy 50 Fly
  39. Senior Girl 100 Fly                                                        39. 13 & 14 Girl 100 Fly
  40. Senior Boy 100 Fly                                                        40. 13 & 14 Boy 100 Fly
  41. 8 & Under Girl 25 Breast                                                41. Senior Girl 100 Fly
  42. 8 & Under Boy 25 Breast 42. Senior Boy 100 Fly
  43. 9 & 10 Girl 100 Free 43. 8 & Under Girl 25 Breast
  44. 9 & 10 Boy 100 Free 44. 8 & Under Boy 25 Breast

 

PINE TREE CLUSTER SWIM LEAGUE

Dual Meet  – STANDARD ORDER OF EVENTS (Cont.)

 

Format 1 Format 2

 

  1. 11 & 12 Girl 100 Free 45. 11 & 12 Girl 100 Free
  2. 11 & 12 Boy 100 Free 46. 11 & 12 Boy 100 Free
  3. 13 & 14 Girl 100 Free 47. 13 & 14 Girl 100 Free
  4. 13 & 14 Boy 100 Free 48. 13 & 14 Boy 100 Free
  5. Senior Girl 100 Free 49. Senior Girl 100 Free
  6. Senior Boy 100 Free 50. Senior Boy 100 Free
  7. 8 & Under Girl 100 Med. Relay 51. 8 & Under Girl 100 Med. Relay
  8. 8 & Under Boy 100 Med. Relay 52. 8 & Under Boy 100 Med. Relay
  9. 9 & 10 Girl 50 Back 53. 9 & 10 Girl 50 Back
  10. 9 & 10 Boy 50 Back 54. 9 & 10 Boy 50 back
  11. 11 & 12 Girl 50 Back 55. 11 & 12 Girl 50 Back
  12. 11 & 12 Boy 50 Back 56. 11 & 12 Boy 50 back
  13. 13 & 14 Girl 100 Back 57. 13 & 14 Girl 100 Back
  14. 13 & 14 Boy 100 Back 58. 13 & 14 Boy 100 Back
  15. Senior Girl 100 Back 59. Senior Girl 100 Back
  16. Senior Boy 100 Back 60. Senior Boy 100 Back
  17. 9 & 10 Girl 50 Breast 61. 9 & 10 Girl 50 Breast
  18. 9 & 10 Boy 50 Breast 62. 9 & 10 Boy 50 Breast
  19. 11 & 12 Girl 50 Breast 63. 11 & 12 Girl 50 Breast
  20. 11 & 12 Boy 50 Breast 64. 11 & 12 Boy 50 Breast
  21. 13 & 14 Girl 100 Breast 65. 13 & 14 Girl 100 Breast
  22. 13 & 14 Boy 100 Breast 66. 13 & 14 Boy 100 Breast
  23. Senior Girl 100 Breast 67. Senior Girl 100 Breast
  24. Senior Boy 100 Breast 68. Senior Boy 100 Breast
  25. 9 & 10 Girl 200 Free Relay 69. 9 & 10 Girl 200 Free Relay
  26. 9 & 10 Boy 200 Free Relay 70. 9 & 10 Boy 200 Free Relay
  27. 11 & 12 Girl 200 Free Relay 71. 11 & 12 Girl 200 Free Relay
  28. 11 & 12 Boy 200 Free Relay 72. 11 & 12 Boy 200 Free Relay
  29. 13 & 14 Girl 200 Free Relay 73. 13 & 14 Girl 200 Free Relay
  30. 13 & 14 Boy 200 Free Relay 74. 13 & 14 Boy 200 Free Relay
  31. Senior Girl 200 Free Relay 75. Senior Girl 200 Free Relay
  32. Senior Boy 200 Free Relay 76. Senior Boy 200 Free Relay
  33. Senior Girl 400 IM 77. Senior Girl 500 Free
  34. Senior Boy 400 IM 78. Senior boy 500 Free

 

PINE TREE CLUSTER SWIM LEAGUE

88 EVENT LIST FOR RESULTS AND SCORING FOR REGULAR LEAGUE MEETS

 

Event No Event Event No

For Girls For Boys

1 8 & U 100 yard Medley Relay 2

3 9 & 10 200 yard Medley Relay 4

5 11 & 12 200 yard Medley Relay 6

7 13 & 14 200 yard Medley Relay 8

9 Senior 200 yard Medley Relay 10

11 11 & 12 200 yard Freestyle 12

13 13 & 14 200 yard Freestyle 14

15 Senior 200 yard Freestyle 16

17 8 & U 100 yard Ind. Medley 18

19 9 & 10  100 yard Ind. Medley 20

21 11 & 12 100 yard Ind. Medley 22

23 13 & 14 200 yard Ind. Medley 24

25 Senior 200 yard Ind. Medley 26

27 8 & U 25 yard Freestyle 28

29 9 & 10  50 yard Freestyle 30

31 11 & 12 50 yard Freestyle 32

33 13 & 14 50 yard Freestyle 34

35 Senior 50 yard Freestyle 36

37 8 & U 25 yard Butterfly 38

39 9 & 10  50 yard Butterfly 40

41 11 & 12 50 yard Butterfly 42

43 13 & 14 100 yard Butterfly 44

45 Senior 100 yard Butterfly 46

47 8 & U 50 yard Freestyle 48

49 9 & 10  100 yard Freestyle 50

51 11 & 12 100 yard Freestyle 52

53 13 & 14 100 yard Freestyle 54

55 Senior 100 yard Freestyle 56

57 Senior 500 yard Freestyle 58

59 8 & U 25 yard Backstroke 60

61 9 & 10  50 yard Backstroke 62

63 11 & 12 50 yard Backstroke 64

65 13 & 14 100 yard Backstroke 66

67 Senior 100 yard Backstroke 68

69 8 & U 25 yard Breaststroke 70

71 9 & 10  50 yard Breaststroke 72

73 11 & 12 50 yard Breaststroke 74

75 13 & 14 100 yard Breaststroke 76

77 Senior 100 yard Breaststroke 78

79 8 & U 100 yard Freestyle Relay 80

81 9 & 10  200 yard Freestyle Relay 82

83 11 & 12 200 yard Freestyle Relay 84

85 13 & 14 200 yard Freestyle Relay 86

87 Senior 200 yard Freestyle Relay 88

 

 

 

PINE TREE CLUSTER SWIM LEAGUE

STATE MEET – ORDER OF EVENTS 

Event # For Girls Event Event # For Boys

 

Friday, Session 1                                                                       Saturday, Session 4  

1                                                         Senior 200 Yard Medley Relay                         46  

2                                                         13 & 14  200 Yard Medley Relay                     47  

3                                                         Senior 200 Yard Freestyle                      48  

4                                                         13 & 14 200 Yard Freestyle                         49  

5                                                         Senior 200 Yard Individual Medley                50  

6                                                         13 & 14 200 Yard Individual Medley              51  

7                                                         Senior 50 Yard Freestyle                               52  

8                                                         13 & 14 50 Yard Freestyle                           53  

9                                                         Senior 100 Yard Butterfly                             54  

10                                                       13 & 14 100 Yard Butterfly                           55  

11                                                        Senior 100 Yard Freestyle                         56  

12                                                       13 & 14 100 Yard Freestyle                             57  

13                                                       Senior 500 Yard Freestyle                         58  

14                                                       13 & 14 100 Yard Backstroke                         59  

15                                                       Senior 100 Yard Backstroke                         60  

16                                                       13 & 14 100 Yard Breaststroke                         61  

17                                                       Senior 100 Yard Breaststroke                           62  

18                                                       13 & 14 200 Yard Freestyle Relay                     63  

19                                                       Senior 200 Yard Freestyle Relay                   64  

20                                                     Open 200 Backstroke non-scoring                65  

21                                                       Open 200 Breaststroke non-scoring                 66  

22                                                      Open 200 Butterfly non-scoring                     67  

23                                                      Open 400 Yard Med Relay non-scoring           68

   

 

                             

Saturday, Session 3                                                                    Sunday, Session 5  

38                                       9 & 10 200 Yard Medley Relay               70  

39                             9 & 10 100 Yard Individual Medley          72  

40                               9 & 10 50 Yard Freestyle                         74  

41                               9 & 10 50 Yard Butterfly                 76

42                                   9 & 10 100 Yard Freestyle               78  

43                                    9 & 10 50 Yard Backstroke                  80  

44                                    9 & 10 50 Yard Breaststroke                82  

45                                     9 & 10 200 Yard Freestyle Relay             84

 

 

 

Sunday, Session 6                                                                                              Sunday, Session 5

 

86                                  11 & 12 200 Yard Medley Relay                  69  

87                                      11 & 12 200 Yard Freestyle                       71  

88                                 11 & 12 100 Yard Individual Medley     73  

89                                 11 & 12 50 Yard Freestyle                 75  

90                           11 & 12 50 Yard Butterfly                        77  

91                                  11 & 12 100 Yard Freestyle               79  

92                                 11 & 12 50 Yard Backstroke                     81  

93                                  11 & 12 50 Yard Breaststroke                 83  

94                                11 & 12 200 Yard Freestyle Relay        85

95                                 Boys 200 Free Relay Time Trial

96                                Girls 200 Free Relay Time Trial

97                                 Boys 200 Med Relay Time Trial

98                                    Girls 200 Med Relay Time Trial  

 

 

 

 

Saturday, Session 2                                                                       Saturday, Session 2

 

24                                     8 & U 100 Yard Medley Relay                          25

26                                    8 & U 25 Yard Freestyle                                      27

28                                    8 & U 25 Yard Breaststroke                              29

30                                    8 & U 25 Yard Butterfly                                          31

32                                   8 & U 50 Yard Freestyle                                    33

34                                    8 & U 25 Yard Backstroke                                 35

36 8 & U 100 IM 37

38                                    8 & U 100 Yard Freestyle Relay                      39

  • CHAMPIONSHIP – WINTER SEASON

 

  1. The eligibility of a team/swimmer  to compete in the Championship Meet will be determined by applicable State and National YMCA regulations. The League Commissioner will rule on any cases in question. That ruling will be final.

 

  1. Every swimmer must swim in at least three League Meets, contested on separate dates, in the current winter season in order to be eligible to swim in the current Winter Championship Meet. In order to qualify as a League Meet, a meet must be on the League Schedule issued by the League Commissioner or must be a make-up of one on the League Schedule, or must be approved by the Commissioner by December 31 of current season. The League Commissioner will rule on any cases In question. Only if a coach notifies the League Commissioner within 48 hours after the last sanctioned League Meet of the season and only in extenuating circumstances, may the League Commissioner waive this rule. The Commissioner decision will be final. The Commissioner will notify all coaches of all waivers before State Meet Entries are due. Time trials swum at a regularly schedule meets does not count towards the 3 meet rule.

 

  1. All other problems (except eligibility questions noted above) relating to the entry process or the conduct of the meet will be decided by the Championship Meet Committee. Their decision will be final. The Championship Meet Committee in any session will consist of the Meet Director (s}, the Referee (s}, and the Official Starter(s) for the Championships and a Coach and an Alternate Coach who will be elected at the January Meeting. The Alternate Coach will serve if the primary Coach’s team is involved. It should be noted that not all members of the Meet Committee might be present during any one day of the Competition, and that therefore a majority vote of those in attendance will be adequate to resolve any problem arising during the competition.

 

  1. The Championship Meet Committee may issue further detailed instructions, if necessary regarding the use of the State Meet Facility.

 

  1. Team Entries must be created from a Hy- Tek Windows Team Manager and must be sent as a Hy- Tek Entry File by e-mail to the Seeding Chair & League Commissioner, as follows: (Specific date timeline is established in January). NOTE* need to define entry deadlines for states
  • Rosters/Entries due 5 days before the state meet? 
  • 24 hrs for corrections?/ Entry confirmation?
  • Psych sheets?
  • Parent info? one month prior
  • Paperwork: Declaration form, Insurance, Volunteers, Award nom, Senior bio’s, Officials certs, ? 

 

  1. Each team may enter an unlimited number of swimmers in individual events. Each swimmer may enter a maximum of three events. A team may enter eligible swimmers as exhibition competitors in National YMCA Nation Championship meet Qualifying Events provided: The team coach makes a request to the meet committee; the event is swum only once and the time is close to qualifying. The team coach arranges for sufficient timers. The time trial will be held as follows: Boy time trial at the beginning of the 13 & over girls session, a girls time trial at the beginning of 13 & over boys session. 

 

  1. Swimmers who are left off Entries or from a complement of 3 events may be added at the meet director’s discretion, only as Non-scoring Exhibition Competitors for that event, only in empty lanes in existing heats, and at a cost of $25 per swimmer per event. Any swimmer affected by a relay scratch will be allowed to compete in empty lanes in existing heats for no cost. These swims are non-scoring.

 

  1. 8. The Meet Directors will have the authority to ban from the rest of the Meet any Individual(s) who vandalizes any part of the host facility or who disobeys rules and regulations regarding its use.

 

  1. Place judging for the Championship Meet shall be by Modified Ballot unless an automatic timing and judging system is used. All 8 and Under Events will use three buttons instead of touch pads as the primary finish. For all 9 & 10, and 11 & 12 Events available touchpad times will be used unless the back-up button time is faster by 0.3 seconds or more, in which case the button time will be used. For all 13 & 14 and Senior Events the USA Swimming rule will apply as written.

 

  1. There will be no penalty for missing an event except for that event. NS will indicate a no show instead of a disqualification. Missing an event will count as an entered event but there will be no further penalty for the meet.  For all disqualifications, results must have the Hy-tek DQ code identifying the DQ. 
  2. 11. All Events will be run as timed finals. 

 

  1. 12. Each team may enter unlimited relay teams in each relay event, but only the highest placing relay team may score. If a relay team places but does not score, it will receive the awards for that place. The team coach shall designate the four swimmers assigned to swim on each relay team by listing their names on the meet Entry file. As many times as needed, a coach may scratch an individual event for any swimmer needed to fill out a relay, provided that one or more of the swimmers scheduled for that relay is scratched from the meet. 

 

  1. 13. Scoring shall be for sixteen places as in the regular rules. Relays have a value of four times an individual event.

 

  1. Appropriate awards will be awarded to the top eight finalists in each event. Ribbons will be awarded to ninth through sixteenth places. Heat Winner ribbons will be awarded to all Heat Winners. Each participant will receive a State Meet Participant Award.

 

  1. 15. Team awards will be presented to the winning Girls’ Team, Boys’ Team, and Combined Team in each of the following Age Groups: 8 and Under, 9&10, 11&12, 13&14, Senior, and Over-All. In addition an award will be presented to the Runner-Up and Combined Over-All Team.

 

  1. For each age group the order of events will be as listed in the State Meet Order of Events on  these Rules.

 

  1. 17. Awards will be presented at the State Meet to the YMCA Citizen for a Boy and Girl participant, Volunteer of the Year and to the YMCA Coach of The Year.

 

  1. The recipient of the Thomas “Tom” Manduca YMCA Citizen Boy & Girl will receive a $500.00 award payable to the recipients’ choice of charity.

 

Anti-Recruiting Policy

 

            Active recruiting – the solicitation of an athlete from one YMCA swim team by another YMCA swim team – is contrary to the best interests of the Pine Tree Swim League and its more than 800 members.

 

YMCA Swim teams within the Pine Tree Swim League shall be prohibited from directly or indirectly soliciting or encouraging an athlete of another YMCA Swim team to leave his or her existing team to join the soliciting team. This anti-recruiting policy shall prohibit a YMCA swim team officer, employee, or coach from directly or indirectly initiating contact with an athlete from another YMCA swim team in the Pine Tree Swim League, or the athlete’s family, with the intent that the athlete join the soliciting team.

 

For any new YMCA swim team, conduct in violation of this rule in the year prior to becoming a YMCA swim team may result in the sanctions provided herein.

 

The intent of this anti-recruiting policy is to prevent organized and team sanctioned efforts to persuade a member of one YMCA swim team to leave his or her team to join the other team. It is not the intent of this anti-recruiting policy to prevent athletes or parents of athletes of one team from initiating contact with coaches, officials, or athletes of another team for the purpose of inquiring about joining the other team. Once such contact is initiated, the restrictions of this anti-recruiting policy shall not apply to any contact with that athlete or family by that team. Nor is it the intent of this anti-recruiting policy to prevent athletes or parents of athletes from different teams from discussing any aspect of their respective YMCA swim teams, or incidental contact, such as may occur at a competition when a coach, parent, or athlete of one team offers to congratulate an athlete from another team. However, any such activities which are shown to have been promoted, encouraged or facilitated by a YMCA swim team officer, employee, or coach with the intent of recruiting shall be in violation of this anti-recruiting policy and subject the team and/or its coach to the sanctions of this anti-recruiting policy.

             

Nothing in this anti-recruiting policy shall prevent a YMCA swim team from conducting self-promotional activities such as advertising, team tryouts or camps for the purpose of recruiting athletes, as long as there is no direct solicitation of athletes of another team.

             

*Violation of this anti-recruiting policy may be reported to the Pine Tree Swim League Commissioner which, upon review of the complaint by committee (Commissioner, a CEO and one league Coach), Any YMCA coach found to have violated this anti-recruiting policy may be suspended from the Pine Tree League Championship meet for up to one year for a first offense and for up to two years for a second or subsequent offense. Suspension of a member coach for a violation of this anti-recruiting policy shall not prohibit the registration of the team, athletes or coaches.