June 30, 2009  The first version of the Pre-Meet Psych sheets are here.  USA SWIMMING NOTICE REGARDING SUITS  <<CLICK HERE>>

The TV Broadcast Schedule is here

June 30, 2009  Congratulations to each of these Student-Athletes.  The Scholastic All-America Team is comprised of high school student-athletes, who have a grade point average of 3.50 or higher, and have achieved a specific time standard in an individual event during the qualifying period. They must have completed 10th, 11th, or 12th grade and be a USA Swimming member athlete. For further requirements, information and deadlines, please reference the applications form.  Complete applications are due by August 1, 2009. Three certificates will be awarded to each individual achieving Scholastic All-America status (one for the athlete, one for the school and one for the USA Swimming club). A special pin will be awarded to individuals earning a 4.00 grade point average. A special award will be issued to individuals named to the team three times.

June 24, 2009  The IMX Challenge is a motivational program whereby swimmers will be scored and ranked nationally [USA National Database] on their performance in a combination of five or six events. The purpose of the program is to promote versatility in age group swimming while advocating greater participation and development across a range of events that are integral to long term success in swimming.  The MA Rankings are here

June 24, 2009  The first release of the Middle Atlantic Long Course Top 10 is here.  The meets included are from September 1, 2008 and the swimmers ages are calculated as of the date of the meet swum, therefore several swimmers may appear in two different age groups. We have moved to the USA Swimming Single Age Groups for all age groups over 10. We have also included the Senior age group which will include many of our college athletes.  The USA Swimming National Top 10 (through 6/23) may be viewed here.  The Middle Atlantic Short Course Top 10 is here.

June 20, 2009   USA Swimming today named the open water swimmers that will compete at the FINA World Championships in Rome, Italy and the FINA Open Water 10K World Cup in Roberval, Quebec, Canada. Swimmers were selected to the two teams based upon their performance at the 10K USA Swimming Open Water National Championships in Fort Myers, Fla., on June 14.

The open water team at World Championships will be headlined by Pan American champion Fran Crippen (Philadelphia, Pa.) and 2008 NCAA champion Emily Brunemann (Crescent Springs, Ky.), who earned the top qualifying spots in the 10k race in Fort Myers. Both swimmers will compete in the 5k and 10k races in Rome. Second-place qualifier Andrew Gemmell (Wilmington, Del.) will compete in the 5K and 10K, while the women’s second-place finisher Eva Fabian (Keene, NH) will compete in the 10k and 25k. Rounding out the open water World Championships team will be Sean Ryan (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Alex Meyer (Ithaca, N.Y.), who will both compete in the men’s 25k, and Emily Hanson (Bloomington, Ill.), who will compete in the women’s 5k and 25k. The head coach for the open water team in Rome will be Catherine Vogt (Los Angeles).

The open water events in Rome will take place July 19 – 25, in Ostia Lido di Roma in Ostia (Harbor of Ostia).

Open water swimmers selected to compete at the 2009 FINA Open Water 10K World Cup include Deni Cullom (Dana Point, Calif.), Josef Kinderwater (Lancaster, Pa.), Christine Jennings (Longmont, Colo.) and Nicole Vernon (Wilmington, Del.). The competition will take place on July 23 in Roberval, Quebec, Canada, and Michael Gobrecht (Camp Hill, Pa.) will serve as the team’s head coach.

June 14, 2009   Germantown Academy's Fran Crippen took top honors by an American (this meet also served at Canada's World Championship Trials as well), followed closely by Delaware Swim Team's Andrew Gemmell.  Both of these swimmers will represent the United States in Rome later this Summer at World Championships. 

Pan American champion Fran Crippen (Philadelphia, Pa.) qualified for the 2009 World Championships in Rome, Italy this summer as the top U.S. finishers in the men’s and women’s 10K USA Swimming Open Water National Championships. Andrew Gemmell (Wilmington, Del.) also qualified to compete at Worlds this summer with second-place finishes in the event.

Placing 6th and making the USA National Team was WSY Swimming's Josef Kinderwater and Delaware Swim Team's Nicole Vernon.  Full Men's Results are here.  Full Women's Results are here

June 1, 2009   Following the ruling by FINA on May 19, 2009, regarding approval of swimsuits for international competition, USA Swimming’s Rules and Regulations Committee has announced an amendment to rule 102.9, covering swimsuits at USA Swimming competitions. The committee has also outlined specific rules applying to swimsuits allowed at the 2009 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships and World Championship Trials and 2009 Open Water Word Championship Trials. These amendments are designed to provide consistency with the rules as established by FINA.

Effective June 1, 2009, swimmers competing in USA Swimming-sanctioned or approved competitions will be governed by the following rules.

Only swimwear approved by FINA, as reflected on its published list of approved swimwear, may be worn in any USA Swimming sanctioned or approved competition.  Additionally, since the FINA-approved list only addresses “new model” swimsuits submitted by swimsuit manufacturers, swimmers will, until otherwise directed by FINA, also be able to wear traditional swimsuits provided the suits meet the following criteria:
 

For female swimmers, the swimsuit shall not cover the neck, extend past the shoulders or past the pelvis, and

For male swimmers, the swimsuit shall not extend above the navel or below the knees.

May 13, 2009   Effective May 1, 2009, USA Swimming’s Board of Directors modified the racing start rule, 103.2.2, to further clarify that racing starts should only be taught under the direct supervision of a USA Swimming member coach, and to expand the definition of teaching racing starts to make clear that no swimmer who has not been certified as proficient by his or her coach should be performing racing starts into less than six feet of water.

Please keep in mind that the only change to this USAS rule is that there is now a requirement for a coach to document, by means of a checklist, the fact that in their professional judgment a swimmer has been taught how to properly execute a racing start. The requirement to teach swimmers to properly execute racing starts has been in place in our rules for a long time, with or without a checklist. The procedures that should take place at a meet are no different now than they were before the checklist was implemented. Coaches should be doing whatever they were doing in the past with respect to swimmers who had not yet been taught to properly execute a racing start. The checklist does not change a thing except to require a coach to document the process and there is no need to add any additional procedures at a swim meet as a result of this.

The following documents will help explain this rule change: Amendment to Article 103.2.2 of the USAS Rules Racing Start Certification Checklist USA Swimming Safety Notice to Member Clubs and Coaches USA Swimming Safety Notice to Parents Frequently Asked Questions

May 13, 2009   One of the new 2009 rules passed at the USA Swimming Convention bans high-tech suits for 12&U competition. The new rule reads "Swimsuits worn for all 12 & under age group defined competition shall not cover the neck, extend past the shoulder, nor past the knee". The rule becomes effective May 15, 2009

May 13, 2009   As of today, we have 8978 athletes.  Our highest number ever was last year at 8415.  We are up 9.4% and fully expect to break the 9,000 mark by the end of the year.  Here is the breakdown by age.  Here is a comparison by age group for the last six years.  Hopefully each of our clubs are seeing this same 10% growth

June 16, 2009  On August 23, the Penn Charter Aquatic Club will host the Swim Champions’ Fitter & Faster Tour. This is one of 50 stops along the tour, and it is a great opportunity for swimmers to meet Olympians, including Megan Jendrick, Christine Magnuson, Matt Grevers, and Mel Stewart. The purpose of the Tour is to energize, motivate, and inspire swimmers. Baseball, basketball, and football fans get to see their heroes every day on TV and attend ball games multiple times a year. The organizers of the Fitter & Faster Tour want to give young swimmers the chance to meet their heroes and connect with some of the greatest athletes in the world who also stare at a black line day in and day out. Participants will hear motivational stories, swim with the Olympians, hold real Olympic gold medals, take tons of photos and re-connect with their love of the sport. A percentage of the proceeds from every tour stop will be donated to the USA Swimming Foundation to help expand their efforts. To sign-up for the clinic please visit www.pcacswim.com  Space is limited, so please sign-up early!

April 14, 2009  Congratulations to the Middle Atlantic Zone Team who performed very well at this year's SC Zone Meet held in Webster, NY. The men's team placed first overall with a solid 24 point spread over the second place finisher. The women's team placed 4th out of 10 teams. The combined score placed the Middle Atlantic Zone Team as 4th overall [Team Scores Here].
 

We would like to give a special congratulations to Benjamin Creekmore who broke a zone record in the 11-12 200 butterfly. He set the new mark at 2.02.04! [Full Meet Results]

April 27, 2009    All Clubs which host meets in Middle Atlantic are expected to be able to provide sufficient officials to adequately staff and run such meets. Failure to have sufficient certified officials may be cause for a Club not to receive a sanction for such meets. Clubs sending significant swimmers to MA hosted meets should also provide officials in order for MA to appropriately staff and support these meets. Any club wanting to host a clinic should contact us officials@maswim.org.

April 22, 2009  Here are some answers to your questions regarding your USA Swimming Coaches Membership.  If your Lifeguarding has expired, you must take the 25 question test here PLUS have an up to date Lifeguarding (or safety training for swim coaches).  You only need to take the 25 question test after your current Lifeguarding has expired.  The Middle Atlantic swimming office will NOT issue new coach credentials until all certifications and tests have been completed.  Here are some other forms that may help all Middle Atlantic Coaches:

Coaches Safety Curriculum for 2008-2009

Approved Courses for 2008-2009

New Coach Packet for 2008-2009

April 22, 2009  Coaches should be aware that college swimmers returning to their home club team may or may not be registered for 2008-09 with their college team.  These swimmers must be registered to participate in meets this summer and may need to be transferred from their college LSC to Middle Atlantic.  Check with Deb or Amy at the Middle Atlantic office about any swimmers whose registration or affiliation status is uncertain.

March 5, 2009  Here is a list of Observed, Accepted, and Approved Meets that have been run within the Middle Atlantic LSC.  We will keep these lists current.  Here is an explanation for each type of meet

December 15, 2008 The Middle Atlantic Swimming Records have been updated as of 12/15/08 Our Records Chairman, Bob Platt, has thoroughly reviewed each of the recent National meets as well as the Christmas meets. Thanks to Bob for all his hard work and his continued dedication to the Middle Atlantic swimmers.

Please review the definitions below so that you may better understand what each designation means. Corrections or questions should be e-mailed to our Records Chairman. If you believe that a faster time has been achieved in a particular event, please include a link to the meet results for that time.


D - District Record: The District Record is the fastest time achieved by any swimmer from any LSC or a foreign athlete within the boundaries of Middle Atlantic Swimming.

R - Resident Record: The Resident Record is the fastest time achieved by a registered Middle Atlantic athlete swum in a USA Swimming-recognized competition whether in the United States or abroad.

C - Championship Record: The Championship Record is the fastest time achieved by a USA Swimming-registered athlete at a Middle Atlantic Senior Championship Meet (short course or long course).

 

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