From: Ohio Zone Team [mailto:bpeaden@woh.rr.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 10:14 PM
Subject: Zone notes 8/4/2009

Ohio Zone Parents,

Unless a last minute item comes up that is crucial for the weekend, this email will be the last note to the entire Ohio distribution.  Below are a few random notes, in no particular order

1.       NO TIME CHANGE - Indiana is on the same time as us right now.

2.       SHIRT ASSIGNMENTS - Thursday-RED shirt, Friday-WHITE, Saturday-BLUE, Sunday-GREY. Think “Red, White & Blue” in case you forget.

3.       LIVE RESULTS - This year, USA-Swimming plans to use LIVE results at ZONES.  Hopefully, it will be up and running.  The link is on the Ohio Zone website. 

4.       4 USA Zones – there are four Zones in the country (Southern, Eastern, Western, and Central).  Central is the largest – that is why we have two Zone meets in our region this summer.  The other Zones have 1 meet, for a grand total of 5 nationally.  The Zone championships is the only National Championship meet USA-Swimming sponsors for age-division swimming. If you want to follow all of the meets, you can go to http://www.usaswimming.org > EVENTS > ZONE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

5.       PSYCH SHEETS – there is no guarantee psych sheets will be posted prior to the start of the meet.  Keep checking the official meet homepage, as well as the “Live Results” link.  The host just formatted the meet on Tuesday, and USA rules do not require posting of a psych sheet (in fact – in case you were curious, Ohio is one of the few LSCs in the country that generally posts read-ahead psych sheets for most major invites)

6.       KEY TIMES - Thursday’s key events: Open Water – check-in at 7AM, OHIO Equipment Handout - 2PM at Noblesville Pool. Ohio team picture - 3:15PM, team practice is 3:30-4:30PM, Ohio Dinner/Social is 7PM.  All Travel Team members will receive a TEAM PICTURE.  If you are not on the travel team, inquire from the photographer.

7.       EQUIPMENT - If you cannot make equipment distribution on Thursday at 2PM, have another Ohio family pickup your equipment.  The pickup family must have an email or note from the “no-show” family.  Coaches cannot hold equipment bags for another day.  In case you are curious – there have been a few equipment packages not picked up in the past.  We usually store the package on one of the buses and it is a bit of a chore for the family to easily retrieve the package later during the weekend. (All travel athletes can pickup their package, they don’t need parents with them).

8.       COACHES MEETING - There is a COACHES meeting at 6:30PM at the pool on Thursday.  We do not anticipate anything being announced at this meeting that is critical for you to know.  If there is, we will put the information on our Ohio Team website Thursday night.  The meet directors are well aware that most families have begun their travels by this time, so have peace of mind that no major news will be announced that will disrupt your planning.

9.       WEATHER - The meet host will have contingency plans for inclement weather.

10.   WARMUPS -  for 13-14 and 15-18 prelims are 7:00AM each morning.  Warmups for the timed finals afternoon sessions for 10-under and 11-12 events begin “no earlier than 1PM”.  Plan for warm-ups to begin at 1PM -- per USA rules, they won’t begin any earlier.  Warmups for Finals for 13-14 and 15-18 begin at 4PM, finals start at 5PM.

11.   SEATING - Seating for parents will be “open” in the available bleachers.  Admission is $35 for the weekend, or $15 for the day, or $4 for finals only.  $10 meet program, $4.00 daily heat sheet, and $1 finals heat sheet.

12.   MEET DETAILS - Read up on the link titled “General Information About the Meet” on the Ohio Team Website.  Details are provided about the general format of the meet.

13.   AWARDS -  medals for top 8 finishers and top 3 relays are handed out on the awards stand.  Ribbons for 9-16^th place (4-8^th for relays) are delivered to the coaches the following day.  If a coach cannot find your swimmer the following day (or you left), the Ohio Coordinator will deliver your awards to your team representative at the October House of Delegates meeting.

14.   MEET THEME - The meet host has done away with the “70s, 80s, 90s” daily meet themes.  Instead, the meet will be Tropical every day.  Feel free to bring anything tropical to the meet to show spirit (parents included!)

15.   CLUB LOGOS - Swimmers, Coaches, Staff (and Parents, please) – no club gear, shirts, caps, bags, or other apparel are permitted while representing team Ohio.  Please adhere to this policy.

16.   OPEN WATER - We have no news on the Open Water information we sent out the other day.  The event is going on as planned.  Please check the Official Meet homepage prior to your departure just in case. Coach George Leatherman will attend Open Water as the official liaison.

17.   SUITS  – This meet is not an Indiana meet, it is a USA meet.  USA suit rules are in affect for this meet.  The suit that is purchased in your equipment package meets the guidelines for acceptable competition.

18.   CAPS - Only TEAM OHIO caps can be worn at this competition.  Coaches/Chaperones will have extra on hand.

19.   SOCIAL TICKETS - A few extra tickets are available for the Social on Thursday.  It will be fun – don’t miss it.

20.   THURSDAY LUNCH - Travel Team athletes will have boxed lunches when they arrive in Indianapolis just prior to 2PM equipment distribution

21.   TRAVEL TEAM TIPS – cell phones, ipods, music players, etc are small and easy to lose – bring at your own risk!  Also, Team Ohio provides everything you need for the trip (food, lodging, social activities, etc). However, you can bring some discretionary money if you want for souvenirs, trading caps with other teams, etc.  Just don’t bring anything you will miss if you lose it.

22.   TRAVEL TEAM SIGN OUT – If a parent needs to sign out their travel athlete prior to the return trip to Ohio, please fill out the Sign Out form on the Ohio website and have a coach or chaperone sign it at the time of check out.  Once checked out, the athlete cannot return to the Travel Team. Chaperones will have extra checkout forms with them.

23.   WATER - Meet Host will have plenty of water coolers on site for all athletes.  Ohio Travel Team athletes will have plenty of water and sports drinks to compliment.

24.   RELAYS - Relay lineups are set and posted to our website.  If you discover that you cannot make a relay – tell your coach at the meet as soon as you can.  We hope that relays are locked in at this point and making a change is not easy – but don’t feel bad of you overlooked and need to tell us.  We will do our best to find an alternate in your age group.

Here is the complete schedule for Thursday Aug 6^th

Thursday is a busy day for everyone, please follow the schedule out on the Ohio Team website under the link “Complete

8:00AM - Bus #1 departs Toledo St Francis HS  (Travel Team only)
11:00AM - Bus #1 departs Dayton Wright State University Student Union  (Travel Team only)
9:00AM - Bus #2 departs Columbus Worthington HS  (Travel Team only)
11:00AM - Bus #2 departs Cincinnati St. Xavier HS (Travel Team only)
7:00AM – Open Water Competition at Morse Reservoir (4-5 hours)
2:00PM – All Ohio Athletes and Staff meet at Forest Park Aquatics Center (Shelter 5) for equipment distribution
3:15PM – Ohio Team Pictures

3:30PM – Ohio Team Practice with team suit and caps (1 hour)

4:30PM – Ohio Team Practice Ends

5:00PM – Ohio Team Check-in at Team Hotel (Travel Team only)

6:30PM – General Meeting for Head Coaches and Team Representatives in Pool Hospitality Tent
7:00PM – Ohio Team Social & Dinner tentative start time
9:15PM – Swimmer Rules & Guidelines Meeting, Heritage Room (Travel Team only)

9:30PM – In rooms, lights out (Travel Team only)

Brent Peaden