Welcome to Flashes Aquatics

www.ftswimming.org

This handbook is intended to outline procedures and guidelines for our new members as well as existing members.

Flashes Aquatics is sanctioned by USA Swimming, the National Governing Body for the sport of swimming in the United States of America. You may visit their website at www.usaswimming.org for valuable parent and swimmer information. This is also where you should set up your swimmer's “Deck Pass" which will list all meet results, times, and club information.

All clubs in the state of Indiana are locally governed under Indiana Swimming, Inc., www.inswimming.org. This is the best place to find detailed meet information and swimming news for our state. It is highly recommended that all parents visit this site and return often for updates.

All Flashes Aquatics swimmers are required to register and become members of USA Swimming. As a USA Swimming member, you’ll represent Flashes Aquatics and be eligible to participate in competition swim meets.

Flashes Aquatics’ Board of Directors and coaching staff are dedicated to providing a strong swim program in which all members can excel.

Flashes Aquatics also requires parental involvement in several available capacities.
Lifeguards, Officials, Timers, Coaches, and mentors to families new to our club are crucial to our success and growth as a swim club. Information on Lifeguard or Official training programs can be obtained by speaking with our head coach, or a member of the board.

Mission Statement

Flashes Aquatics is designed to provide a forum to allow swimmers to improve and enhance their swimming ability. Flashes Aquatics provides a foundation to prepare swimmers for middle school, high school, and college level swimming and strives to create championship level athletes without burnout.

Goals

To improve each child’s competitive swimming ability through good instruction and participation in competition.
To allow for each swimmer to obtain their highest potential over his or her career.
To reinforce good social and teamwork skills.

Communication

Communication within the club is mainly through email and the Flashes Aquatics website www.ftswimming.org. It is very important that you update your email address in the Flashes Aquatics googlegroup or you may miss important information/changes. If you do not have an email address or access to a computer, please make sure that we have your current phone number so that someone can contact you, if needed. Please subscribe to the googlegroup below.

Subscribe to FlashesH2O

Email:

Visit this group

Practices

Swimmers are required to arrive promptly for practices and be ready to swim at the appointed practice time. In the event of changes in the practice schedule, you will be notified via email. Changes will also be posted to the club’s website, www.ftswimming.org. In the case of school holidays and snow days: if Franklin Township schools are not in session, there is no swim practice unless otherwise noted on the team calendar or announced through the googlegroup.

Swimmers are expected to attend at least 75% of all regular season practices. Coaches are to be informed as to the reason for the swimmer’s absence.
Swimmers are expected to be at practices and be ready to get in the pool at the designated time. That means swimmers will need to arrive early to get changed, stretched, and equipment ready (including having cap and goggles on).
Swimmers arriving late, or not working out to their fullest potential, will be given penalty yards at the end of practice (i.e. 500 yd swim for Flashes level swimmers).
Swimmers are expected to pay attention to their group’s coach or any Flashes Aquatics coach when directions, instructions, corrections, etc. are being given. If a swimmer does not understand what a coach is saying, the swimmer is expected to let the coach know so it can be repeated or restated.
Swimmers are expected to be respectful, polite, and courteous to all the Flashes Aquatics family, including other swimmers, coaches and parents.
Swimmers are expected to give their best effort (speed and technique) during every practice.
Swimmers are expected to treat all equipment (kickboards, paddles, flippers, etc. ) with care and put them back in the proper storage location at the end of practice.
Swimmers will be allowed one bathroom and drink break during practice at the coach’s discretion.
Swimmers are not to be in the stands; parents will not be present on the deck unless it is an emergency.
Swimmers are expected to exit the pool immediately at the end of practice and will have 10 minutes to use the locker room.
Parents are expected to be at the pool to pick up their swimmer(s) within 10 minutes of the practice scheduled ending time. Note: Parents of swimmers in LTS and Storm groups are strongly encouraged to stay and watch their child from the stands. This helps give confidence to the young, beginning swimmer.

Team Uniforms

All members are REQUIRED to have the following:

Swimsuit

Competition style for practice
Flashes Aquatics team suit for swim meets

Goggles

Swim Caps

Light colored cap for practice (name will be written on it to be visible to coaches)
Team cap with Flashes Aquatics logo for swim meets (usually received at registration)

Swim Meets

Flashes Aquatics normally will compete in one or two swim meets each month during the session.

The majority of meets are Invitationals which are held on the weekends and are broken down into sessions by age group. You will need to indicate on the sign up sheet which days your swimmer will be able to attend. Events that your swimmer participates in on that day will be determined by their coach.

A dual meet is a meet in which one club competes against another. There are no entry fees required to participate in a dual meet. Dual meets are usually only for one day or evening, and may last from 3-4 hours. If the meet is sanctioned, there will be a fee of $1.50 per swimmer.

All events in a swim meet are individual events except for the relay events. Coaches decide who will fill the spots on relay teams.

USA procedure requires a team to submit an entry to participate in an Invitational meet. Sometimes a meet will “fill up” which may result in our club not being accepted into that particular meet. Meets scheduled on the team calendar are tentative. In the event that we are not accepted into a meet, you will be contacted by email. When possible, the coaches will seek another meet to attend instead.

Meets sanctioned by USA Swimming are officiated by USA Swimming-trained Officials. Officials are trained to observe proper procedure and stroke technique. If your swimmer has been disqualified for any reason at a meet, remember that this is a learning experience and not the end of the world. Nearly all swimmers have been DQ’d at one time or another, even in the Olympics!! Just ask!

Most of all, remember that your behavior at a meet not only reflects on you, but also on Flashes Aquatics.

Swim Meet Sign-up Procedure

Notifications for upcoming swim meets will be posted on the club website, www.ftswimming.org as well as on the team calendar. Deadlines for dates to sign up will be posted as well. The sign-up will be ONLINE ONLY. You will need to indicate your swimmer’s name, and days available to swim. Coaching staff will determine which events your swimmer is entered in. If you have any questions, please see the coach.

Club members have a minimum expectation for participation in meets determined by their ability group. All fees will be added to your family account.

Prepaid meet fees are non-refundable.

If your swimmer/s is/are unable to attend a meet for which FA has already registered, PLEASE notify one of the coaches as soon as possible.
You must understand that, if you do not attend a meet that has already been paid for by FA, you will not be able to receive a refund for meet fees paid, as Flashes Aquatics will not receive a refund from the hosting team.

In the event that a swimmer qualifies for Championship level meets, participation in those meets will be paid for by the swimmer’s family in advance of the meets. Also, all regular season fees must be paid in full for a swimmer to be entered in championship level meets. If a swimmer misses an event/events at a championship meet, and Flashes Aquatics must pay penalty fees, those penalty fees will be owed to Flashes Aquatics by the swimmer’s family.

What to Expect at a Swim Meet

The swimmer will Sign In when he/she first arrives at a swim meet. This lets the host club know who is in attendance and ready to swim. Swimmers will arrive before the stated warm-up time so he/she will have time to sign in. If you’re not sure where the sign in sheets are, ASK!!
The swimmer will need to find the coach and get ready for warm-ups. The coach will tell the swimmers where they should sit with other team members until individual events are called. Parents are not allowed on the pool deck per USA Swimming standards/procedures/insurance policy.
After the swimmer has finished his/her last individual event, he/she will check with the coach before they leave the meet. The coaches may have signed them up for a relay event. If the swimmer leaves before the scheduled relay event, this may cause teammates to forfeit the relay event.

Swimmers will arrive at the meet at the proper time for warm-up and will be ready to get in the pool at the designated time. Swimmers will need to be at the pool early to get changed, stretch, and have all equipment (goggles, cap etc.) ready.
Swimmers will wear team attire (unless wearing a speed suit to obtain championship times).
Swimmers will follow the coaches’ instructions during warm-up/meet procedure.
Swimmers are expected to know their events and seeding and be on time to swim their events. This information can be obtained from the coaches prior to warm-up.
Swimmers will follow up with their coach after each swim to discuss their performance.
Swimmers will support their teammates and will be respectful to other teams competing at the meet.
Parents will encourage their swimmer/s and be supportive of the team.
At any home meet, at least one adult representative from each family is expected to be an active member of a club committee to help promote, enhance, and improve the club.

High School swimmers competing in other school sports and/or swimming will follow IHSAA participation rules for practices/games in other school sports. These will take precedence during their scheduled season; complete the "out of water" form by the 15th of the month prior to practice starting.

What to Bring to a Swim Meet

Team Swim Suit (required)
Team Cap (required)
Goggles (required)
Sweat suit/warm-ups
Flip Flops or other waterproof Shoes
2+ towels
Entertainment (books, cards, paper, pens, MP3 player)
Gatorade, Water, and/or snacks (sometimes available at Concession stand)

Overview of Strokes

Freestyle

The swimmer may swim any stroke they wish. Most common is the Australian Crawl (freestyle). This stroke is characterized by the alternate overhand motion of the arms and flutter kick.

Backstroke

The swimmer must remain on his/her back at all times except during turns. The stroke is an alternation overhand motion of the arms with flutter kick. The swimmer is not required to touch the wall before execution of the turn.

Breaststroke

The arms move simultaneously on the same horizontal plane. The hands are pushed forward from the breast, on or under the surface of the water, and are brought backward in the propulsive stage of the stroke simultaneously. The kick is simultaneous thrust of the legs called a “frog” or breaststroke kick. No flutter or dolphin kicking is allowed. Swimmers must touch the wall with BOTH hands before turning. Swimmers are allowed only one underwater pull with the arms off the start and turn.

Butterfly

The butterfly features the simultaneous overhead stroke of the arms combined with a dolphin kick. The dolphin kick features both legs moving up and down together. No flutter or frog kick is allowed. As in Breaststroke, the swimmer must touch the wall with both hands before turning. This stroke is commonly referred to as Fly.

Individual Medley

Commonly referred to as the I.M., this event features all four strokes. The swimmer begins with butterfly, changes to backstroke after one fourth of the race, then the breaststroke for another quarter, then finishes with freestyle. The swimmer must touch the wall with their hand for the backstroke to breaststroke transition.

Medley Relay

In the medley relay, all four strokes are swum by four different swimmers. No swimmer may swim more than one leg of the relay. The relay is swum: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle.

Freestyle Relay

Each of four swimmers swims one leg of the relay. No swimmer may swim more than one leg of the race.

*Please refer to the official USA Swimming rule handbook for complete details

Coach Responsibilities

The coach’s job is to supervise the entire competitive swim program. The Flashes Aquatics coaching staff is dedicated to providing a program for youngsters that will enable them to learn the value of striving to improve his/herself—“to be the best that you can be”. Therefore, the coaches must be in total control in matters of training and competition.

The coaches are responsible for placing swimmers in practice groups. This is based on the age and ability level of each individual. When it is in the best interest of a swimmer, he/she will be placed in a more challenging training group by the coach.
Sole responsibility for stroke instruction and the training regimen rests with the Flashes Aquatics coaching staff. Each group’s practices are based on sound scientific principles and are geared to the specific goals of that group.
At meets, the coach(es) will conduct and supervise warm-up procedures for the team. After each race, the coach(es) will offer constructive criticism regarding the swimmers performance. (It is the parent’s job to offer love and understanding regardless of their child’s performance.)
The coaching staff is constantly updating and improving the Flashes Aquatics program. It is the swimmers’ and parents’ responsibility to make the most out of the excellent opportunity this program provides for success in swimming.

If a coach is not performing their responsibilities to the best of their abilities, please request a meeting with that coach and the Board of Directors to discuss the matter.

Coaches perform additional responsibilities for our club. Our club consists of a mixture of volunteer and paid coaches.

All coaches have incredible knowledge of the sport and have been active participants and coaches for several years.
Coaches regularly attend coaching clinics and read related articles and keep current certifications in CPR (yearly), First Aid, and Coaches Safety Training (3 year certification).
At least one coach is present at every meet.
Our head coach is responsible for data entry on all meet entries, results, proving times at championship meets, running the HY-Tek system when meets are hosted, meet set-up (events, entry procedures, etc.), practice schedule, swimmer registration of initial batch, swimmer data entry, CISA committee and meeting representative, overseeing the organization, pool supervision.

Financial Obligations

All registration costs and USA membership fees are to be paid for at the time of registration (see Flashes Aquatics fees) unless arrangements for a payment plan are made with the club treasurer. We try to keep our registration costs as low as possible to encourage enrollment, but also have many financial obligations that are all a part of operating a successful swim club. Please note that returned checks will be subject to a $15 charge.

For those who opt to use the Flashes Aquatics payment plan, payments received after the agreed upon payment date will owe a $25 late payment fee to Flashes Aquatics.

Summary

We hope that this handbook helps in answering any questions you may have concerning the club. Flashes Aquatics is constantly growing and changing and improving over time.

We are thankful to the Franklin Township School System for the privilege of using the high school pool and expect our members to treat the pool, equipment, and facility with care. Our members are not allowed to wander the high school beyond the natatorium area. Anyone not following these rules may be subject to removal from the club. Also, family members may not use the pool facility during club practices.

Thank you for choosing to join our club! It’s always a wonderful feeling to watch our swimmers grow, improve, set goals, and achieve them. Should you have further questions, please see one of the coaching staff or a member of the Board of Directors. Best wishes for a GREAT SEASON!!

Why Should My Child Be a Swimmer??

Swimming is an outstanding activity for young people.
Swimming promotes fitness and teaches a child to strive for physical achievement. Many super-stars in other sports started out as swimmers and gained strength and coordination that helped them excel.
Swimming is an exciting individual and team sport.
Swimming is a “lifetime” activity. Participants may be 1-101 years old.
Swimming is relatively injury free in comparison to other youth sports.
Swimming teaches the life lessons of sport and sportsmanship which include to deal with winning and losing, as well as working with officials, teammates, and coaches.
Swimming motivates participants to strive for self improvement and teaches goal orientation.
Swimming cultivates a positive mental attitude and high self-esteem.
Learning to swim can prevent drowning.

Flashes Aquatics Club Contact Information

Board of Directors

Jennifer Mrozinski, President	525-3439 cell	jm@ftswimming.org
Dave Nadler, Vice President	862-1403	dn@ftswimming.org
Susan Hines, Treasurer	679-7087	sh@ftswimming.org
Beth Matthies, Secretary	862-1869 525-2497	bm@ftswimming.org

Club Officials

Dave Nadler

dn@ftswimming.org

Flashes Aquatics Website

Please visit the club website for the latest practice times, meet information and news. As this site is updated whenever new information or changes are made, it is crucial that you visit the club site as often as possible. You may also print the most recent version of the club calendar, and other pertinent documents on the Flashes Aquatics website.