PEAK Handbook - Pearland Aquatics

Documentation of Revisions to Team Handbook
Rev 1- May 6, 2009, minor revisions to job descriptions of board members
and committees
Rev 2-July 26, 2009, entered revised training group requirements
Rev 3-September 1, 2009, revised Board of Directors job descriptions
Rev 4-September 29, 2009, correction to Appendix C-Meet Entry Instructions
step 1
Rev 5-January 27, 2010, revised discipline policy and swimmer suspension
for late fees
PEARLAND AQUATICS TEAM HANDBOOK
Last Revised January 2010
Table of Contents Introduction and Team Philosophy 5
Introduction 5
General Description and Objective 5
Mission Statement 5
Vision Statement 5
USA Swimming 5 Team History and Coaching Staff 7 Swimmer's Training Seasons and Responsibilities 11
Practice and Attendance Responsibilities 11
Swimmer Training Responsibilities 12
DISCIPLINE AND DISMISSAL POLICIES 13 PEAK Parents Roles and Responsibilities 14
Your Swimmer Needs You 14
Parent Responsibilities 14
Transporting Swimmers to Practice and Meets 16
Communicating with the Coaches 16
Resolving concerns and differences with Your Swimmer's Coach 17 Board of Directors and Committees 18
PEAK Board of Directors- Roles and Responsibilities 18
President 18
Secretary 19
Member(s) At Large 19
Committees- Roles and Responsibilities 19
Registration Committee 19
Social Committee 19
Meet Committee 19
Fundraising Committee 20
Volunteer Committee 20
Team Merchandise Committee 20 Financial and Insurance Information 21
Fees and Payment Policies 21
Importance of Timely Payment 21
Cancelling PEAK Membership AND Going "Inactive" 21
Insurance 21 USA Swimming Meets 23
Meet Philosophy 23
COMPETITION...and the winner is... 23
PEAK Philosophy of Competition 23
What If Your Swimmer has a Disappointing Swim? 24
Competitive Strokes 24
Very Basic Swimming Rules 24
Starts 24
Turns and Finishes 24
Swim Seasons 25
Levels of Achievement 25
Types and or Levels of Swim Meets 25
The Annual Meet Schedule 27
Championship Meets 27
Receiving Awards in Public 29
Meet Invitations 30
The Meet Entry Process 30
Meet Entry Terminology 31
Team Uniform 32 Nutrition 33 Appendix A: Terms and Conditions for Participation 37 Appendix B: PEAK Creed 39 APPENDIX C: Making Meets a Success: A Step-by-Step Process 40
What To Take To A Meet 45 Appendix D: Glossary 46
The Ten Commandments For Parents of Athletic Children 5
Before the Meet 5
PEARLAND AQUATICS TEAM HANDBOOK
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction and Team Philosophy
Introduction The purpose of this handbook is two-fold: to explain to new members just
what Pearland Aquatics (PEAK) is and to outline various policies that
affect all swimmers, year after year. The handbook attempts to address most
situations PEAK member families may encounter; however, situations may
arise that are not mentioned. Therefore, the board and coaching staff
reserve the right to address any situation on a case by case basis. All
families should read the handbook so that they may become familiar with
important facts and rules of the club.
General Description and Objective PEAK services the NORTHERN Brazoria, Galveston, and Fort Bend counties.
Mission Statement PEAK's mission is to develop contributing members of the community, a
competitive atmosphere of good sportsmanship, and the value of teamwork
through the sport of swimming.
Vision Statement
PEAK's vision is to have athletes competing at the highest levels of local,
regional, state, national, and international competition through the
technical/physical development of our athletes and educational development
of our coaching staff; both will be supported by a fiscally and
organizationally responsible board of directors.
USA Swimming Parts reprinted from "A Tradition of Excellence" by USA Swimming. USA
Swimming is the National Governing Body for amateur competitive swimming in
the United States. At its headquarters office, located at the Olympic
Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Swimming staff interact
with 59 Local Swimming Committees (LSC's), athletes, coaches and volunteers
at all levels to provide a variety of services to 300,000 registered
athletes, 25,000 non-athletes and 3,000 swim clubs. USA Swimming was conceived in 1978 with the passage of the Amateur Sports
Act, which decreed that all Olympic sports would be administered
independently. Prior to this Act, USA Swimming was the Competitive Swimming
Committee of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) located in Indianapolis,
Indiana. USA Swimming headquarters were moved to Colorado Springs in 1981. Today, with its headquarters at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado
Springs, Colorado, USA Swimming is a Group A member of the United States
Olympic Committee. Independent and a model for all amateur sport national
governing bodies, USA Swimming is in the vanguard of the Olympic movement
around the world. As the National Governing Body for the sport, USA Swimming is charged with
the responsibility to formulate rules, conduct national championships,
disseminate safety and sports medicine information, select competitors to
represent this country in international competition, insure the development
of its member clubs and age group swimmers. USA Swimming hosts three major swimming meets each year--the Phillips
66/USA Swimming Spring and Summer National Championships, and the US Open,
sponsored by Speedo America. Sixty-six percent (66%) of the revenues of the USA Swimming budget come
from registration dues from athletes and membership fees from non-athletes
and clubs. Without the support of its membership, USA Swimming could not
offer quality programs to its members. The remaining revenues are generated
through corporate sponsorship, United States Olympic Committee development
funds, event income, publications and promotional merchandise. Year-round athletes pay an annual registration fee. For current fee
amounts, contact the PEAK registration coordinator. Athletes receive a
membership card (held by the CSC registration person) and have both
liability and secondary medical insurance coverage. PEAK is a club member of USA Swimming. Membership benefits include USA
Swimming Rules and Regulations, membership certificate and certificate of
insurance. Clubs joining USA Swimming have liability insurance coverage for
approved insured activities. USA Swimming is the ruling body of sanctioned swimming meets in the United
States. USA Swimming meets are designed to protect the swimmer, provide
fair and equitable conditions of competition, and promote uniformity in the
sport so that no swimmer shall obtain an unfair advantage over another. The International Center of Aquatic Research, dedicated in 1988, provides
the opportunity for state-of-the-art research and testing in the sport. The
information gained through this facility, which includes a swimming
treadmill, will be applied to improving swimming performances. Obviously, the "wet" side of the sport receives a tremendous amount of
money and attention, but the "dry" side of the sport receives considerable
study as well. Coaches and athletes education play an important role in USA Swimming.
Programs such as the successful Coaches College, presenting the most
current coaching and scientific literature, assist coaches in their efforts
to provide optimal training conditions for their athletes. USA Swimming National Headquarters strives to educate and inform its'
membership through continued communication. Once a year USA Swimming
publishes an updated version of the USA Swimming Rules and Regulations, the
final word in technical swimming rules. Splash is a bi-monthly publication
providing current and timely information of interest to all USA Swimming
members. Lanelines, the USA Swimming coaches newsletter, is also included
in Splash. The USA Swimming Headquarters provides a variety of services and programs
for its membership. Some of the additional services provided by USA
Swimming are fund-raising activities, sports medicine programs, video
resources and general information about swimming related activities. USA
Swimming staff are available to assist in answering questions or providing
additional information about USA Swimming. For information or assistance,
contact: USA Swimming National Headquarters
One Olympic Plaza
Colorado Springs, CO 80909-5770
(719) 578-4578 Team History and Coaching Staff History
Pearland Aquatics (PEAK) was established in the summer of 2006. Prior to
2006 the club was known as Synergy Aquatics Club. Head Coach Juan Caraveo
started the club with 20 swimmers in the fall of 2003 at Harby Junior High
in Alvin, TX. The club moved from Harby Junior High to Alvin High School in
January of 2003, and to its current home at Manvel High School in October
of 2006. The team quickly grew from 30 swimmers to 60 the year PEAK moved
to Manvel High School and has continued to grow to its current roster size
of 120. The coaching staff has also grown. Coach Rick Veal was first to
join the club in 2006 and soon after Coach John Burke joined in the spring
of 2008.
Coaching Staff
Nothing has a greater influence on the quality of any sport than the
excellence of the coach. The PEAK staff consists of professionally trained
coaches. They, as member coaches in the American Swimming Coaches
Association, have access to the most comprehensive training and
certification program for coaches of any sport in the United States.
Certified coaches in USA Swimming programs possess training and experience
in the physiology and psychology of adolescen