2018-19ParentInfoNight

Agenda• NavigatingtheNHACwebsite&On-DeckApp• SwimMeets101- thehockeygamesofswimming!– Whathappens/whattoexpectatmeets?– WhatmeetisrightformyHammerhead?– Aqua7meets&theawesomePotlucks!– MontrealTravelMeet

• BecomingaSwimOfficial(akaHowtoGettheBestSeatataSwimMeet)

• TeamFundraising&Sponsorship- whyisitsoimportant?• TeamApparel&SwimSuits• Communication&ParentReps• TeamBuildingEvents- pleasebringyourideas!!

NHACWebsiteBasics

• KeyAreas:– HomePage: Accesstoaccountinfo,NewsSummary,Events&Calendar

– TeamEvents:registeringformeets,jobsandteamevents

– TeamNews:importantmessages&information– TeamCalendar:showspracticetimes(andcancellations),meets&events

SuperHelpfulApps• MeetMobile=SmartPhoneAccess:

– YourAccount,– TeamEvents/sign-ups,– NewsFeed,– Notifications(weathercancellations,lastminuteinfo)– Findit:AppStore,GooglePlay– OnDeck Training:https://university.teamunify.com/ondeck-naa/getting-started

• MeetMobile:– MeetResults– inrealtime– FollowSwimmers&Teams– HeatSheets/EventSchedule

SwimMeets101• WhygotoSwimMeets?

– Meetsarethehockeygameofswimming– BigBenefitsforSwimmers– confidence,goalsetting,coping&

personalgrowth– VisitTeamNews(orSwimSwam.com)forsomegreatarticles:

• 7ReasonsEverySwimmershouldgotomeets• WhyTeamTravelMeetsareImportant

• TypesofNHACSwimMeets– SprintMeets

• Introductiontoswimmeets• SaturdayAMmeetsforHammerheadsonly• Short(25-50m),funraces

SwimMeets101• TypesofNHACSwimMeets(cont’d)

– Developmental/Aqua7Meets• ForALLHammerheads– JrtoGold• LocalInter-clubmeetseg Aqua7vsWilmotorNoPainNoGain• Focus:SkillDevelopment,ChallengingPersonalGoals/Bests,HAVINGFUN• Teambuilding– olderswimmersmentor&helpnewswimmers• PersonalBest(PB)ribbons

– MeetswithTimeStandards• RegionalsorInvitationalMeets,OntarioFestivals/Provincials,AgeGroupsetc• Officialtimesarerecordedatsanctionedmeets(eg Sprint/Aqua7)• SwimmermustQualifyforthesemeetsinordertoattend

– I.e.Yourswimmer’srecordedtimesneedtobeatorbelowthetimesetbythehostclub/organization(eg WesternRegion,SwimOntario,SwimmingCanada,FINA)

– TravelMeets(eg NeptuneInvitational,EastCoastProvincials,Silver2MeetinConnecticut)• Typicallytherearetimestandards• Greatopportunityforswimmerstodevelopskills,self-confidence&independence• ChaperonedbyNHACparents&headcoach

Aqua7Meets• Beginnermeetsbetweenlocalclubs– NHAC,WilmotAces,Ancaster Alligators,StThomasJumboJets,CambridgeAquat Jets,Ingersol SilverOttersandWRossMcDonald

• FourMeetsperseasonPLUSAqua7Finals(earlyMay);– 2NHAChostedAqua7s

• ThePOTLUCK:thehostteamprovidesapotlucklunchafterthemeet– PleasesignuptobringfoodontheJobspagefortheevent

SwimMeets101:WhattoExpectataMeet– Warm-ups:

• Usually1hourbeforethemeet;• Nodiving(unlessthere’sadedicatedlane);• Coachwillbeondecktogiveinstructions

– Age-Groups&Sessions• Singlesessionsareall-ages(eg SprintMeets)• Multi-SessionMeets:

– Sessionsfor13&Over(AM)and12&Under(PM)– MayincludeFinalsfor13&O;timefinalsfor12&U

– Events&Heats• EventsforAll4strokes(Back,Breast,Butterfly&Freestyle)plusIndividualMedley(Back->

Breast->Fly->Free)andIM/FreestyleRelays• Heats:racesforeacheventareswumyoungesttooldestANDSlowesttoFastest

– Marshalling&GettingReadyforHeats• SWIMMERSARERESPONSIBLEforbeingontimefortheirevent– theRefdoesn’twait!• Developmentalmeets– theClerkchecksswimmersinandMarshals(eg Mrs Jolly/Mrs

Vandermeer)helpswimmerslineup• HigherlevelmeetshaveaClerkbutswimmersorganize&marshalthemselves

SwimMeet101:Misc.Info

• MeetPackage:– Everythingyouneedtoknowaboutthemeet;finditundereventinfo

• Fees:foundinthemeetpackage– Aqua7&SprintMeets:costiscoveredthroughFundraising&Sponsorship– InvitationalMeets

• Registration&SplashFeesapply($5-15perevent)• Travelexpenses(bus,hotel,meals)mayapply

• HeatSheets:listsalltheevents&swimmers,inorder;usuallysoldbythecluboronMeetMobile

• ShortCoursevsLongCourse:meetsheldin25m(SC)&50m(LC)pools• TimeStandards:

– Varybylevelofcompetition(eg RegionalsvsProvincialChampsvsOlympictrials)

– Wheretofind:NHACwebsite,OnDeck app,SwimOntarioorSwimmingCanada

SwimMeet101- Questions

SwimOfficials

• SwimOfficialsare– ParentVolunteers– TrainedtorunaFair,UnbiasedSwimMeet– Understandthesportofswimmingandhowtorunaswimmeet

– TheONLYspectatorswiththeBEST SEAT INTHE HOUSE

SwimOfficials• SwimOfficialsaretrainedandcertifiedthroughSwimmingCanada• 5Levels:Level1toLevel5;clubsareREQUIRED tohaveofficialsatalllevelsinordertohostswimmeets• DescriptionofOfficial'sPositions/Clinics• IntrotoSwimmingOfficiating (LevelI):timekeeping,meetbasics,typesofofficials&theirresponsibility,roleof

thecoach• SafetyMarshal(levelI):coverstheSafetyMarshalpositiononthedeck.• InspectorsofTurnsandJudgeofStroke (LevelII)- teachestherulesoftheswimmingstrokes,turnsandfinishes.• ClerkofCourse (LevelII)- ensurethattheevents/heatsareproperlyorganized,thatswimmersmakeittotheir

lane,provideinfotocoaches/helpmanagescratchesanddeckentries• ChiefTimer(CT) (LevelII)- briefs&overseesthetimers,troubleshootsandmanagestimekeepingissuesduringthe

meet• ChiefFinishJudge/ChiefJudgeElectronics (LevelII)– approvethetimesforeachracebycheckingtheautomated

electronictimes(eg Dolphinsortouchpads)andmanualtimes(plungers &stopwatches).Theseofficialsrun&managetheelectronicsforthemeet.

• Recorder/Scorer (LevelII)-recordandscoreresultsandplacingsforeveryswim;runstheMeetmanagersoftwareforthemeet

• MeetManager (LevelII)- overseestheswimmeettomakesureitrunssmoothlyon&offdeck.• Starter (LevelII)- WorkswiththeRefereetoensureconsistent,fairstartsforeachrace• Referee (LevelIII)- managesthemeet.TheRefereemonitorsandisinchargeofthewholemeet/pooltoensure

fairplay.

VolunteerCommitment

• 15hoursofvolunteertimeperfamily– ~½thehoursbymid-season

• $375chargeifnotcompleted• HowtoEarnVolunteerHours– Officiatingatmeets(SprintMeets~1.5hrs,Aqua7Meets– 3.5hrs)

– Jobs:Potlucksetup,BottleDrives,FundraisingEvents

– Board&Committees

TeamFundraising&Sponsorship• MainClubFundraisers:– Jensen’sCheeseBoxes(readyintimeforChristmas)– MardiGrasDinner&Dance(Mar2019)– SharkWeek

• FundraisingCommittee/Reps– LoriMcMinn(FundraisingChair)– TriciaAtkinson(JrRep),LizJolly(BronzeRep),TrishTatarka (SilverRep)

• HelpingwithFundraisingevents(eg MardiGras)earnsVolunteerHours

Fundraising&Sponsorships• SponsorshipCommittee:JoanneOpersko &CarlaVanKessel

• Process:– Dropoffasponsorshiprequestletteratabusinessyouknoworyourwork;

– Talkaboutourteam&whywevaluetheirsupport– Letusknowifyouhaveabusinessweshouldapproachbutaren’tcomfortableaskingyourself

• AnnualFundraising&SponsorshipNeeded:– ~$30-40,000– Coverspoolrental,Aqua7meets,coaches’expensesformeets

TeamApparel&SwimSuits• ApparelCo-ordinator:DebraVandermeer

– Email:jdvandermeer@gmail.com orText:(519)410-0440• Inorderforyourchildtoparticipatetheyneedthefollowingequipment:

– ‘Speedo’typebathingsuits- Racingbacksuitsforgirlsandjammersforboys.

– Goggles- amusthavetoallowthemtoseethebottomofthepool&topreventeyeirritation

– Fins– (Bronze&up) – Theyneedtobesizedproperly.SeeDebraforsizingortoorder

– SwimCaps–• Recommended,particularlyforswimmerswithlonghair;• Keeponeforpractice&oneformeets• Importantforswimmeets– tohelpcoacheskeeptrackof

swimmersthepool

Communication&ParentReps• ParentRepsfromeachprogramlevel:– Shareimportantinfoaboutupcomingevents,fundraisers,meetsetc

– Listentoconcerns&sharethemwiththeboard

– Haveanswerstocommonquestionsorknowwhotoask

• Silver1/2ParentRep:TrishTatarka• Bronze1/2ParentRep:LizJolly• JuniorParentRep:TriciaAtkinson

Communication• WebsiteorOnDeck App:

– CheckTeamEventsregularly• SwimMeets:mostarelistedearlybutwecanonlystart

registrationwhenthemeetpackageisavailable• TeamBuildingEvents• Jobs,OfficialsClinics

• Emails:mosteventsandimportantinfowillbecommunicatedviaemailthathavealinktotheevent

• PushNotificationsviaOnDeck – allowsrapidcommunicationaboutshortnoticechanges

• InclementWeather:checkyouremail/text&OnDecknotifications– ALWAYSuseyourdiscretion.

• ParentReps&‘BoardMembers• Coaches:email,touchbasesafterpractice

TeamBuilding• OurHammerheadsrangeinagefrom7to19yearsold• Practicetimesarespreadoutthroughtheweekwithlittle

chanceforinteractionsbetweenswimmersorparents– Knowledgetransferbetweenparentsisveryimportant

buthardtofindthoseopportunities• Ourswimmersalllovetheirsportfordifferentreasonsat

differentages.– Howcanourolderswimmerssharetheirdedicationwith

youngerswimmersandhelpthembuyintothesport?– Howcanournewswimmershelplong-timemembers

recapturetheexcitement&enthusiasmofbeingnewtothesport?

TeamBuildingEvents

• Ourpast&currentTeamBuildingactivities:– Ziplining/Banquet@EcoAdventures– AfterPracticeMovies– Bowling– SharkFest– SprintMeets– EndoftheSeasonBBQ

• Yourthoughts&ideasarehelpful

UpcomingEvents• Aqua7Meet– Wilmont @NHAC(Nov4,2018)- AllHammerheads

• BADInvitationalMeet(Nov2-4,2018) – Silver2&Gold• Wilmont FallInvitational(Nov16-18,2018)– AllHammerheads• NeptuneInvitational,Montreal(Nov30-Dec3,2018)–– Silver&Gold;Bronze– speakwithCoachJoanneifinterested

• Aqua7- NHAC@StThomas(Dec8,2018)– AllHammerheads• GHACDevelopmentalMeet(Dec15,2018)• NHACSprintMeet(Dec22,2018)– HammerheadsONLY• WesternRegionChampsakaRegionals(Jan31,2018)• NHACShort&SweetLCMeet@UWO(Feb23,2018)