The Sleepy Hollow Swim Team competes in the Marin Summer League (MSL) along with nine other teams.  The swim meets are all in Marin County, and begin May 1st with a practice meet, and end with a league-wide Championship Meet on July 10th.  Sleepy Hollow offers a family oriented program which gives our children experience in self-discipline, healthy competition, and sportsmanship.  We strive for an atmosphere where our children can maximize their swimming potential without undue competitive pressure.  The MSL rules below are especially important for swimmers who swim for high school teams or as “unattached” swimmers for US Swimming.

MARIN SWIM LEAGUE MEMBERSHIP AND RULES

All swimmers ages 5 - 18 may join the team if they meet the following requirements:
The swimmer must be 5 years of age by May 1, 2009.
In order to be eligible to swim on the team the swimmer must be able to swim the length of the pool once.  It will be at the coaches’ discretion to determine a swimmer’s readiness.
No swimmer who has competed in college swimming will be allowed to swim in the MSL unless the swimmer was an active member of the same MSL team for the two previous seasons.  Marin Swim League rules also state that:
A person is ineligible to swim in any Marin Swim League (MSL) Meet, (Dual, All-Star, Championship), if that person practices with or competes as a member of any swimming entity, other than a MSL Team or High School or College Team (subject to Requirements as stated above) after the last day of scheduled competition of the USS Far Western Championships or May 1st whichever comes first.  High school swimmers may begin swimming in the MSL after their last high school competition.  MSL Swimmers may swim unattached in competitions outside the MSL provided their MSL Team does not have a meet that day.

TEAMS IN MARIN SWIM LEAGUE

COACHES
Mark Anderson – Head Coach
Phone: 455-5952 or e-mail: maaquatics@aol.com
Sean Hennessy – Assistant Coach
Lindsey Coye

Our esteemed coaches may offer private lessons to swim team members on week-ends and some evenings.  Their contact information is provided above.  Please respect that the coaches not be approached during practice time, but rather before/after or between practices.  They may also be contacted via phone or e-mail.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE:

2010 practice begins Monday March 1, 2010, RAIN OR SHINE
Monday thru Friday:

Swimmers are expected to attend their assigned practice.  Each practice will involve training drills to develop conditioning and strength.  Time will also be  devoted  to  learning  skills necessary for good swimming.  These skills will include all four competitive strokes along with the associated starts and  turns.  In order  that  practice  sessions  run  efficiently  with  proper discipline  and  concentration,  the  coaches  request  that  all  swimmers  be  ON TIME to their practice, and  that  they  stay  through  the  session.  Swimming  is  a  privilege,  and  no  child  has the right to ruin another child’s practice. If a child  is  disruptive  to  the  training  program, the coaches have been instructed to have  that  child  sit  out for the day. 

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MEETS:

AGE GROUPS

8 and Under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, and 15-18:  Swimmers are assigned to their age group based on their birth date.  If, during the swim team season your child has a birthday that will move him or her up to the next age group, the child must move up to that age group at the next swim meet.

• EVENTS

The events (and their order) consist of:
Mixed Medley Relays
Free style
Backstroke
Breaststroke
Butterfly
Individual Medley  (IM)
Mixed Free style Relay

Girls 8 and under swim first; then boys 8 and under—followed by the other age groups in ascending order.
 Distance for the individual events are as follows:

Each swimmer may participate in a maximum of 3 individual events plus either or both relays (coaches pick the swimmers for the relays).  Younger children may be limited to one or two events depending on the size of the opponent team and the number of lanes at the host team’s pool.

SIGN UP FOR YOUR EVENT:

By Wednesday of each week, swimmers are to sign up for the events in which they want to swim.  IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO LET THE COACHES KNOW IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE SWIMMING IN A MEET.  PLEASE E-MAIL MARK, AT MAAQUATICS@AOL.COM, IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE SWIMMING AT A MEET.

A schedule of who is swimming which events in which lane and which heat is always posted on a board at the meets.  The information will also be available on the Sleepy Hollow website the day prior to the meet.  It lists the swimmer by the event, heat, and lane in which they will swim. Bring a pen or marker to the meet and write your child’s heats/lanes on their hand. (i.e. Freestyle, Heat 1, Lane 3 would be F 1, L 3.)  This really helps to get them to the right place at the right time.  It’s very sad to miss a race by being in the wrong place!  At first, please get your new swimmer to the correct lane and then move away from the area – it’s always crowded.  There will be helpers for the 8 and Under swimmers (Clerks of the Course). Check lane assignments carefully and help guide your child to the correct lane.  They WILL get the hang of it!

MEET TIMES

HOME MEETS usually start at 8:30 a.m.  All swimmers need to be at the pool at 7:30 a.m. for warm-ups since the visiting team warms up last.
STARTING TIMES AT AWAY MEETS vary depending on the team.  Please check signs outside the Sleepy Hollow Pool area for start times, location, and directions to away meets. 

POINT SYSTEM:
Individual Events and Relays:

• 5 points for first
• 3 points for second
• 1 point for third

AWARDS

Host clubs provide ribbons for ALL heats and in all events, and also first place ribbons for the four members of the relay team. All swimmers get a Best Time ribbon whenever they improve their fastest time in an event from a previous meet.  Three Best Time Ribbons can be shown to the Coaches to receive a star which can be sewn on the warm ups.  This emphasizes the non-competitive nature of swimming—a child essentially competes with him/herself in order to improve their own personal best!

PRACTICE MEET – May 1st, 2010
This meet precedes the first league meet by one week, familiarizes us all with the procedures and allows the children a practice session.  It is Sleepy Hollow vs. Sleepy Hollow! 

CHAMPIONSHIP MEET - JULY 10th, (SATURDAY)

This is held the last day of season at Indian Valley College.  All of the teams compete and it is a full day event.  All swimmers may compete. 10 and under compete in the morning; 11 and ups compete in the afternoon.  Medals are given for first through eighth places, and ribbons for the ninth through sixteenth place.  The teams are scored individually.  This meet determines which team wins the Marin Swim League so don’t plan your vacation until after this weekend!

CHAMPIONSHIP DINNER AND AWARDS NIGHT - JULY 11th (SUNDAY)

This year the Championship Dinner & Awards Ceremony will be held on July 11th, at the Sleepy Hollow Clubhouse.  As always, it is an event for the entire family.  Following the dinner, the coaches present team awards, ribbons, team pictures, etc. (everyone is a winner!)  It’s a great ending to the season, and very much enjoyed by the swimmers.  Plan to attend!