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(Revised 9/09/2008)

Representatives of the league will coordinate and organize swim team competition for summer swim teams in St. Charles County. The goal of the league is to provide the opportunity for St. Charles County Children to participate competitively while experiencing the awareness of team spirit and individual growth.

Each member team will provide two league members. Each member team will send one or more representatives to scheduled league meetings. The regular team representative shall be someone other than the team coach, however, the team coach can represent and vote for the team at the monthly league meeting if no other representative is available. Although teams may have more than one representative, each team is allowed only one vote. Chances to the following rules and regulations will be made by majority vote of those in attendance at scheduled meetings. Abstentions will not count either for or against a motion. (Example: A vote of 4 yes, 3 no, with 4 abstentions, would pass.) The League Director will be the tiebreaker in the event of a tie. Scheduled meetings will be once a month from March through August.

The league is governed by the Executive Board made of the following positions: League Director, Assistant League Director, All County Meet Director, Assistant All County Meet Director, League Secretary, and League Treasurer. The Executive Board will have the Assistant League Director and the Assistant All County Meet Director move into the Director's positions the following year. League Secretary and League Treasurer positions will be a two year term. These positions will be rotated through the teams. The League Director will call pre-season meetings and be available for coordination purposes during the season. The Assistant League Director will be supportive of the League Director and be in training for the League Director's position. The All County Meet Director coordinates this event with all the league representatives. The Assistant All County Meet Director will be supportive of the All County Meet Director and be in training for the League All County Meet Director position the following year. The League Secretary will take minutes of all meetings and update the list of League Representatives. The League Treasurer is responsible for all league financial transactions. League representatives are chosen by each team.

The Executive Board will have the right to enforce monetary and participation sanctions on a team if the board position and/or team responsibilities are not met in accordance with the rules of the St. Charles County Swim League. These sanctions could include monetary and possible exclusion from the league the following year.

Executive Board and league representatives will serve without compensation

The league is divided into (2) divisions. Each division will be reviewed annually based on team size from the previous year's roster and as teams are added or subtracted. Divisions will be set at the end of the year using the following criteria:

1. The Lewis Division will consist of the 8 teams with the largest roster sizes from the previous year's team roster
2. The Clark Division will consist of the 8 teams with the smallest roster sizes from the previous year's team roster.

Exemptions to this bylaw may be petitioned to the Executive Board.

1) Swimmers Regulations

A) All competitors 18 and under must be members for the team for which they are competing with full dues paid to that team. Coaches 18 and under may compete if their duties are covered at that time. Any lifeguard must pay the swim team fee required by that team and be listed on the team's roster to be allowed to swim in any meets.
B) The age of the competitor on June 1st of the current year will be the age status for the season
C) Swimmers may swim in a higher age group at any time, but not in a lower age group.
D) The maximum number of events for each swimmer will be determined by the size of the team (See section L under Meet Regulations)
E) Events #5, 10, 27, and 32 will be gender mixed. Selection of the number of boys or girls is left up to each team to determine and does not have to match the other team's selections

2) Meet Regulations

A) A separate team area must be provided for each team. Swimmers should stay in their area during the meet.
B) Use of a bullpen is mandatory.
C) There will be 3 timers per lane (meet can start with 2 timers if necessary). There should be a backup timer. The stopwatch time will be the official time. Timers are not to judge where swimmers place in an event. With 3 times, the middle of the three times is used. With 2 times, the average of the two times will be used. In the event only one time is recorded, that time will be the official time.
D) Meets will start at the time designated by the pool at which the meet is being held
E) Lightning Delay/Cancellation: League representatives' call. If the teams have completed more than ½ of the meet event, it will be considered an official meet. The teams may reschedule a makeup meet for incomplete meets by agreement of both league representatives. Makeup meets will restart from event #1 or, by agreement of both league representatives, be restarted from the last completed event. New swimmers on the roster at the time of the restart can swim in the makeup meet. If a mid-meet restart is used, no swimmer can swim more than the total events normally allowed in a meet.
F) Host teams will provide drinks for all meet workers throughout the meet.
G) Workers are requested to report ½ hour before the scheduled start for the meet. Each team is to provide 50% of the workers for a dual meet, 33% of workers for a tri-meet. Workers include:

(a) Starter (host team) - The starter will start each event and judge false starts. The starter meets with the timers, judges, and officials prior to the start of the meet.
(b) Announcer (host team) - The announcer will call events for the bullpen and assist the starter.
(c) Stroke Judges- Each team must have a minimum of two stroke judges. The stroke judges shall not be coaches. Stroke judges must attend the league stroke judge clinic to gain certification valid for three years provided the stroke judge judges at least one meet per swim season. If a stroke judge is deemed rude or unprofessional, a formal written complaint must be issued by the team making the claim. The league director will follow up with the accused stroke judge. If a second written complaint is issued to the league in the same swim season from a different team regarding the same stroke judge, there will be a hearing by the Executive Board and the accused stroke judge. If the complaints are deemed valid, the accused stroke judge's certification will be reviewed and possibly revoked.
(d) Awards- Each team should provide 2 or more workers to assist scorers and to write ribbons. The awards table is the responsibility of the host team. The host team should be sure to have enough ribbons to cover the meet.
(e) Bullpen- This requires several workers who will assign swimmers to lanes and inform the starter of the number of heats or of a combination of events. Each team is to provide workers in the bullpen.
(f) Timers- It is mandatory that each team be represented with timers and their own stopwatches. (Each lane should have at least one timer from each team.)

H) Awards will be presented for 1st through 6th place, with participation ribbons given to those swimmers not placing in any event in the meet. Awards should be given to the appropriate team representatives to be passed out to their team members.
I) Disqualification will abide by short course guidelines and will be defined and set by those attending the stroke judge clinic. It is the responsibility of each team's stroke judges to fully inform their team of the guidelines before the first meet of the season. All coaches may attend the stroke judge clinic. Be sure that a written copy of the guidelines is posted where all swim team members and families can read them.
(a) Stroke technique- the swimmer must swim with the correct stroke for an event for the entire race.
(b) If a swimmer swims more events than allowed, the swimmer forfeits all points he/she accrued, including those for any relays he/she swam in, for the event(s) over the number allowed.
(c) Swimmers violation (NO TOLERANCE RULE). Any display of vulgarity or unsportsmanlike conduct directed at another swimmer or any meet/league official will mean automatic disqualification from the meet- no loss of points already earned.
(d) Parents/adults violation (NO TOLERANCE RULE). Verbal abuse or vulgarity:

(i) Removal of person from premises
(ii) Team disqualification

J) Protests must be presented to a league representative and not the starter, stroke judge, timer, or scorer. The league representatives will meet with the stroke judge and discuss the ruling in question. A refusal to complete the meet will result in automatic forfeiture by that team.
K) A team roster must be presented to the awards table at the start of each meet. Rosters must include names, ages, and sex of each swimmer. Use of team manager software is recommended. Also, a legible copy of the team roster must be sent to the League Director at least two days before the team's first league meet. Swimmers will remain on the roster unless the team receives a written letter from the swimmer's parents withdrawing them from the team.
L) Team size is that of the roster of paid members on the team, not the number participating in any given meet. Based on team size, swimmers may enter the following number of events:

Team Size	Total Events Allowed (individual & relays)
Up to 40	6
41 to 80	5
81 & Up	4

M) Scoring:

Place	Individual Events	Relay Events
1st	7 points	14 points
2nd	5 points	10 points
3rd	4 points	8 points
4th	3 points	6 points
5th	2 points	4 points
6th	1 point	2 points

i) Ribbons will be awarded to all swimmers for 1st through 6th place; however, each team will only receive the points from its highest placed swimmer or relay team in each event.
ii) The stopwatch time will be the official time. The timers are not the judge where a swimmer places in an event.
iii) When a heat card indicates two times that are exactly the same, that time will be used, not the third time that may be higher or lower. (Example: Times of 1.17, 1.17, 1.28 are recorded, the official time would be 1.17)
iv) When two swimmers in an event have duplicate official times, both will be awarded the same points and the same place ribbons, but no ribbons or points will be awarded for the next place in sequence. (Example: Two swimmers share 1st place, then no second place ribbons or points would be awarded for 3rd through 6th place.)
v) Carbons are to be used for result sheets so that at the end of each meet each team may take home a copy. This may not apply to the All County Meet. Scores must be posted as they become available.
vi) The only people allowed to approach the awards table are the League representatives and the meet director for that meet.

N) Starting Rules-Saint Charles County Summer Swim League will follow the 2008 National Association of State High Schools'(NFHS) rules for starting depths. Minimum water depth for racing starts during practice and competition shall be measured for a distance 3'3 ½" (1.0 meter) to 16'5" (5.0 meters) from the end wall. Starting requirements for each swimmer, including relay swimmers, and the height of the starting blocks shall be:

i) In pools with water depth less than 3'6" at the starting end, the swimmer must start within the water.
ii) In pools with water depth 3'6" but less than 4 feet (1.22 meters) at the starting end, the swimmer must start from the pool deck or within the water.
iii) In pools with water depth 4 feet (1.22 meters) or more at the starting end, deck starts are permitted. Starting platforms may be used and shall meet the height requirement of 2'6" (30 inches) above the surface of the water.

IF THE HOST POOL HAS MORE STRINGENT RESTRICTIONS, THEY WILL TAKE PRECEDENT OVER THIS RULE.

3) Dues and Fees

A) The annual league dues will be determined each year by the league representatives. A $2 per swimmer participation fee will be assessed. Cost of ribbons and medals will be based on the percentage of swimmers from the previous year's roster. All new teams will pay at a 3% flat rate for the first year.
SCCSSL BYLAWS
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B) New teams joining the league must be able to host meets.
C) League Account Balance Management - The League General Funds should
be managed to be within a specified balance range as defined in
subparagraph 3.C.i. When league balances are outside of these defined
ranges corrective action should be initiated an implemented by the
League Board as defined in paragraph 3.C.ii.

i) Acceptable League Balance Range - The league cash position
(account balances plus outstanding receivables less outstanding bills)
should be no less than $5,000 and no greater than $8,000. This analysis
should reviewed annually during the February Board Meeting.
ii) Corrective Action Process - In the event that the balance is
outside the established boundaries the following steps should occur:

a. In the event that the balance exceeds the upper threshold, the
league will develop a team expense subsidy plan to reduce the league
balances to $5,000. Team subsidy allocation will be determined based on
the current number of teams and the previous season roster sizes.
One-third of the total subsidy pool will be distributed equally to all
teams. Two-thirds of the total subsidy pool will be distributed by on
roster sizes from the previous season.

The Treasurer will be responsible for implementing a process for subsidy reimbursement to teams for current season expenses. Approved expenditures are defined by the Treasurer. By the final league meeting of the season, credits are to be used. Failure to do so will result in credits being placed back in the general league fund. Exceptions may be made by the approval of the Board.

b. In the event that the balance is below the minimum threshold, the
Board will evaluate the root cause of the cash reserves decline and
recommend a fiscal recovery plan to the league for implementation. The
plan requires a two-thirds approval by the league representatives to be
implemented.

4) All County Meet

The all county Meet is a meet in which all swimmers in the league may compete at the end of the regular season.

A) All teams are REQUIRED to use Team Manager software for meet entries.
B) All teams are required to provide workers for this meet.
C) Swimmers must pay an individual fee to participate in this meet. This fee will be determined each year prior to the meet.
D) The league will determine the basis of the awards annually.
E) A swimmer must compete in three or more season meets to compete in the All County Meet.

5) Correction Action Process for Infractions to League Rules

A) For those teams choosing not to buy suits from the official league and All County vendor, a $5 per rostered swimmer fine will be levied against the above team. Fines are to be paid in 60 days of when the fine was levied. Failure to do so may result in suspension from the league until the fine is paid. Failure to pay the fine before the next season's schedule is made may result in suspension for that swim season. (A motion was made by Pearson Buell (LSL) and seconded by Lisa Ritter (O'Fallon) to approve this clause. All teams present except Joe McDonald (Wentzville) and Rob Lechner (Vineyards) approved this clause. The majority passed the clause.
B) All teams must provide two league representatives. Each team is to provide one league representative or a delegate from their team at all league meetings. Teams missing three or more meetings may be subject to probation and will be re-evaluated at the end of the swim season and may be subject to possible suspension from the league.
C) Teams not providing a member to their designated Board position will be subject to probation and will be evaluated at the end of the swim season and may be subject to possible suspension from the league. (A motion was made by Pearson Buell(LSL) and seconded by Cheryl Livingston (O'Fallon) to approve this clause B and C. All teams represented approved.