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Can I be a Timer?
So, you noticed those parents on deck! If you think you can be impartial, stand for long hours, and stay alert then you are a good candidate for Timer. Timers operate a stop watch and/or a plunger to backup the automatic timing system. There is a brief training session before every home/away meet. |
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Can I be a YMCA Official?
To be a YMCA Level I Swim Official you must be able to be impartial, stand for long hours without breaks, think fast, and stay alert. The YMCA follows USA Swimming rules so the tests are very similar. To certify, you take a 4 hour course and an open book test. Watch the BYB site and the YMCA sites for course announcements. |
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I paid for the team, why do I have to volunteer?
The team fee is a small part of what it takes to run our team. Families should plan to donate food items, volunteer at home meets, and volunteer at away meets. At each meet we are assigned a number of timers and officials slots and other jobs pop-up. As you know, splitting 3 hours into six slots will make it much more pleasant for everyone. It's not only fair to share the work--it also avoids "volunteer burnout." Jump in, every job is important to our team! |
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What volunteer jobs are available?
If you are interested in chipping in, please check the link to SuperMeets regularly. SuperMeets is a web page that lets you see what we need and sign-up. Examples are: "bring a bag of apples," be a timer, work at a table selling snacks, or fill out the backs of Personal Best award ribbons. Chances are you can find something that works for you. We will try to keep the SuperMeets list up to date with jobs and descriptions so you can plan ahead. |
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Can I be a USA-S Official?
To be a USA Swimming Stroke and Turn Official you must be able to be impartial, stand for long hours without breaks, think fast, and stay alert. USA Swimming officials can work at YMCA meets. To certify, you take a 4 hour course, an open book test, Athlete Protection Training, and complete a number of apprenticeship meets. Watch the BYB site and the NES LSC sites for course announcements. |
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What do I bring to a meet?
Wear your team swim suit, goggles, team cap, team t-shirt, warm layers, a towel, bring water, and a healthy snack. Experienced swimmers bring backups of everything. Write your name on everything. |
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I was "DQ'd," what does that mean?
There are technical rules governing the execution of strokes, turns, starts, and finishes. When a swimmer is "DQ'd" they are disqualified from the race for violating one of those rules. The coach will have a DQ slip with details of why the swimmer was disqualified and advice on how to improve. A DQ is an opportunity to learn and improve. |
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Why do the swimmers write numbers on their hands at meets?
Writing the event number and lane on the swimmer's arm or hand helps them remember. This frees up the coaching team to focus on the swimmers on the blocks and in the pool. |
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Can I pick the events I want to swim? Do I have to pick the events or will the coach do it for me?
Unless you specify a financial reason, the coach treats events in your opt-in e-mail as requests. The coach will choose events appropriate for your swimmer's development. |
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Why are SCY/SCM times faster than LCM times for the same distance?
Swimming short course (50y or 50m) pools means you will get more turns. So, a 100m freestyle will turn (3) times in a short course pool. In a long course (LCM = 50m) pool, the swimmer only turns once. Good turns, like starts will give the swimmer a speed boost from pushing off the wall. |
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What is the age up date?
Swimmers in the same age group compete together. For example, 8 & under or 10 & under swimmers would compete in the same group. When you change from one swim group to the next you are "aging up." The Team Manager software keeps track of it. YMCA in New England and USA Swimming use different dates for determining your age for competition. This year YMCA uses your age on December 1 for your age at all short course meets (for the whole short course season). However, when we compete in National YMCA meets your age on the first day of the meet is the age up date. USA Swimming uses your age on the first day of the meet you are competing in. |
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Do I have to swim in meets?
No. Athletes are not required to swim in meets. We do hope that the athlete will compete at some time, as it is the best way for the coaches to see how they are progressing and what the athlete needs to work on. Exposure to competition is also a great character and confidence builder, but the final decision is up to the individual. To swim in EMASS YMCA Districts meets or beyond, you must have competed in (3) regular season closed YMCA meets. |
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What is a "closed" meet?
A closed meet is one that is open to YMCA teams only. For example, club teams would not be included in a closed competition. |
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What do the swim cap initials stand for? (ANA, BAT, NSSC, etc.)?
You can decode the swim cap abbreviations (the LSC code) by following the link below. |
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What do X, DFS, DQ, NS, NT mean?
These are abbreviations on meet entry and results sheets that show up from time to time. X exhibition, is applied to events that don't count towards the team score NT no time, for swimmers who do not have a seed time yet in this event DQ the swimmer was disqualified NS no show or no swim, swimmer did not swim and did not DFS DFS swimmer presented themselves to the Referee and declared they would not compete |
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What is a virtual meet?
Normally a meet is scored by ranking the swimmers at the event competing in the same pool. A virtual meet compares times of swimmers at multiple pools. The swimmers swim at their local pool but compete across all pools. For example, the Y Virtual National meet compares times from YMCAs across the country to determine rankings. |
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What is an invitational meet?
An Invitational is a swim meet where teams request an invitation to attend the meet. |
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What is a heat?
When there are more swimmers than there are lanes, the event is divided into multiple heats. The results are then ranked by time to determine final rankings. |
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Where do I find my times after the meet?
Times will be posted throughout the meet on the pool facility wall for parents and swimmers. Our web site will have a link to the meet results file as soon as it is available. That link will be on the Events page under the specific Event. Occasionally, live results will be available on the meet web site. |
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I am running late for a meet, what do I do?
If you arrive late you will be "scratched" from your swims. This is done to get the best possible races for the swimmers by ensuring the lanes are filled and seeded properly. If you inform the coach you are running late, sometimes they may be able to help prevent a scratch. Call Coach Taffe's mobile phone and he will get your message to the coach on deck that session. |
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On the scoreboard or heat sheet, what do RES and NE mean?
NE = Best time done at a New England calendar meet by a USA Swimming registered swimmer. RES = Best time done anywhere by a New England registered swimmer. |
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When should I arrive for practice?
All swimmers should arrive on deck 15 minutes before their scheduled time to warm-up. Bring your bags on deck--do not leave anything in the locker rooms. |
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When is practice?
Each group (Green, Gold, etc.) has a practice time. From time-to-time there may be changes to accomodate YMCA activities. The latest practice schedule is always available on the BYB home page under Time Sensitive | Practice Schedule. |
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Can I wear my team suit to practice?
Team suits should be worn for meets only. |
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Do I attend all (6) practices?
Swimmers may attend as many practices as they are comfortable with. Having (6) slots gives families flexibility to juggle their other priorities. 12 & Unders are not expected at all (6) practices. 13 & Over swimmers should attend as many practices as they can make. Experience says that there is a high correlation between attendance and improvement. See the practice schedule for more info. |
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Do I need flippers?
Athletes will need flippers in swim sets several times per week. They may use YMCA flippers, but having a pair that fits is quicker and easier for the athlete and coaches. They are required for (LCM) swim practices at MIT. |
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Do I need a mesh bag for my buoy and flippers?
The mesh bag allows equipment to air dry between uses. This helps to avoid mold and odor issues. |
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What do the practice (National, Gold, Red, etc.) groups signify?
Green: swimmers will be introduced to the competitive program with major emphasis on stroke technique Bronze: swimmers will spend time refining stroke mechanics and are introduced to training skills Silver: swimmers will spend time on stroke refinement and training skills. Swimmers will work hard with a positive attitude. Gold: swimmers will work on stroke refinement with an increased attention to conditioning. Swimmers will work hard with a positive attitude. Junior: swimmers are ready for increased attention to conditioning and will set goals and have excellent attitude, excellence, and attendance. USA Swimming is strongly recommended. Senior II: swimmers are working on stroke technique and conditioning with a positive attitude and increased attendance Senior I: swimmers have the ability to participate in a comprehensive training regimen including dry land and are expected to set goals. USA Swimming membership is required. National: swimmers have made or are working toward YMCA National SCY cut times and have demonstrated the ability and desire to train at the highest level. USA Swimming membership is required. |
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Do I need to wear a swim cap?
All swimmers with shoulder length or longer hair must wear a swim cap. |
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Should I "taper" or skip practice to rest before a meet?
Absolutely not. Training and conditioning are meant to be a routine. Changing your routine the day before a competition is the worst thing you can do. |
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Where do I put my gear during practice?
Bring your bags on deck and put them on the start end bleachers (far end)--do not leave anything in the locker rooms. |
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What do I bring to practice?
Suit, goggles, towel. You may not use a mobile phone on deck or in the locker room. |
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Can I watch practice?
Seating is provided in the lobby where you can relax and watch practice. You can also watch during your workout from the gym upstairs. No parents are allowed on deck. |
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What are YMCA, New England, and USA Swimming?
YMCA meets are meets held among swim teams based at Ys. USA Swimming (USA-S) is a national organization that is part of FINA (international swimming). USA Swimming is the governing body for competitive swimming in the United States and selects the US Olympic team. Generally speaking, USA-S swimmers are at least considering national competition and the Olympics but that is not at all a requirement to compete. Although separate bodies, YMCA meets follow the USA-S rulebook with some minor exceptions. Occasionally, a Y meet will optionally report times to USA-S. New England Swimming is the name for our USA-S region (see LSC). |
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What is a Championship meet?
Championship meets are held at the end of short course and long course seasons. Swimmers must meet a minimum or qualifying time in order to compete at a Championship meet. |
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What do Short Course and Long Course mean?
A long course is a 50m long pool and a short course is a 25y long pool. Burbank YMCA has a 25y pool. Sometimes you will see swim times posted as SCY (short course yards) or LCM (long course meters). |
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What do "Opt-In" and Opt-Out" refer to?
Swimmers get choose to whether or not they wish to swim in a given race. If you wish to participate in an upcoming race you will look for a notification asking you to "opt-in". For a few races the coach will ask you to "opt-out" instead. Most of the time, there will be a button on our home page you can click to send a pre-formatted e-mail to the coach (easier for him to find and sort). One opt-in per e-mail. |
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What does Class E mean?
Swimmers are grouped by age at competitions. Sometimes, the YMCA events will reference age groups as Classes. Class E is 8 & under, Class D is 9-10, Class C is 11-12, Class B is 13-14, and Class A is 15-18 year olds. |
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What is an LSC?
USA Swimming is broken into (59) geographical regions called "Local Swim Committee" or LSC. BYB is in the New England LSC which is referred to as New England Swimming. The LSC "sanctions" meets, ensuring USA-S rules and standards are followed. LSCs are also grouped into (4) Zones and we are part of the Eastern Zone. |
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What is a pull buoy?
A pull buoy is a technique tool used to help the athlete obtain proper body position and posture. the pull buoy is also used to aide the athlete in proper shoulder rotation and breathing. |
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What is an "open" meet or an "open" event?
"Open" means that swimmers of any speed are eligible to compete. |
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What does "positive check-in" mean?
At a "positive check-in" meet, the swimmer must mark their name on a list upon arrival to affirm their presence and intention to swim. |
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What is a "senior" meet?
"Senior" means that swimmers are not grouped by age for competition. |
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What is a "session"?
Meets are divided into nominally 4 hour chunks called "sessions" with breaks between them. This is to make the meet more manageable. Meets last longer than 4 hours including warm-ups and any delays but they cannot be planned to be longer than 4 hours. |
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What does FAQ stand for?
_F_requently _A_sked _Q_uestion |
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What is SWIMS?
SWIMS is the name of a database that keeps tracks of swimmers' times in USA-S sanctioned meets. More commonly it will be referred to indirectly through other tools you use to get at those times. This database is mostly useful to compare nationwide because you will get your times sooner by other means. Only times in the database are considered official for entry and recognition programs. It stands for Swimming Web-Based Interactive Membership System. |
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What is SWYMS?
SWYMS is the name of a database that keeps tracks of swimmers' times in YMCA sanctioned meets. Kind of sounds like SWIMS, doesn't it? This database is mostly useful to compare nationwide because you will get your times sooner by other means. |
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What is a heat sheet?
Swimmers are entered into events and then assigned a heat and lane based on their entry times. A paper sheet listing all of the events by number, the heat numbers, with swimmers names and their lanes is usually for sale a few minutes before the meet starts. It is helpful for following along with the meet. |
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What is a "seed time?"
At each swim meet, the coach submits the swimmer's name, events they want to swim, and their personal best time in the events they want to swim. This time is the seed time for that meet. The entire field is then ranked by those times and placed in heats and lanes to make each heat as competitive as possible. Seed times are also used to predict or plan the meet's timeline. In some meets you will see "NT" on the heat sheets which means the swimmer has no seed time. |
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What is a Zone?
USA Swimming is broken into (59) geographical regions called "Local Swim Committee" or LSC. LSCs are also grouped into (4) Zones--Western, Central, Eastern, and Southern. We are part of the Eastern Zone. |
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What are YMCA Divisions?
The Eastern Massachusetts YMCA District is broken into Divisions by competitive level. Division IA: Andover, Beverly, North Shore, South Shore. Division I: Attleboro, Burbank, Hockomock, Melrose, N. Attleboro. Division II: Fitchburg, Framingham, Lowell, MetroWest, Melrose, Newton, North Suburban, West Suburban, West Roxbury, Woburn. Division III: Danvers, Dorchester, Middleboro, Peabody, Somerville, Malden Division IV: Brighton, Charles River, Cambridge, Needham, Oak Square, Roxbury, Waltham, Winchendon. |
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What is an Age Group swimmer?
Age group swimmers are grouped by ages for competition. National age groups are 10 and Under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18. Our LSC often has 8 and Under, 13 and Over, 15 and Over, Junior, and Senior. |
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What is "the family file?"
Each family has a folder in a file box with their name on it. Your family folder is used for team communications like notices, forms, awards, t-shirt orders, etc. The box is usually found in the waiting area during swim practices and it is good to check it regularly. Leave the folder in the box, but take the contents. Filled out forms are returned to the team file folder box by putting it in the appropriately labeled folder or in the Team Business-Sue Hunter folder. |
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Is a bluefin really fast or is just some fish?
The bluefin tuna is one of the fastest fish in the ocean at 43mph. That makes for a pretty good 25 time (1.2s)! They are built for speed and long distance swimming. They eat a lot. Sound familiar? |
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I am new to the team, is there something I can read?
We have a parent handbook and these FAQs. Don't be afraid of asking someone in the lobby during practices, we all went through the same thing and want to help. |
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What are try-outs like?
All new swimmers, and returning swimmers who do not pre-register are required to try-out. There will be about (4) sessions scheduled in the evening. Swimmers only need to attend one try-out. Each session will last about 30 to 40 minutes including registration. You will be notified after the last try-out of you assignment. |
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How much does it cost to be on the team?
Depending on the group you are assigned to the cost will be between $430 and $600 (SCY 2011-2012). Variable expenses include equipment, suits, meet fees, USA-S membership, etc. which will add to that amount. Probably the most visible expense is lost goggles :-) |
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Do I have to join the Y to be on the team?
Yes. You may also want to consider a family membership at the same time so you can workout and take advantage of babysitting during practice. |
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What is "the team file folder box?"
Each family has a folder in a file box with their name on it. Your family folder is used for team communications like notices, forms, awards, t-shirt orders, etc. The box is usually found in the waiting area during swim practices and it is good to check it regularly. Leave the folder in the box, but take the contents. Filled out forms are returned to the team file folder box by putting it in the appropriately labeled folder or in the Team Business-Sue Hunter folder. |
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How do I order a team suit (bag, cap, etc.)?
Periodically, the team manager will send out an e-mail soliciting orders for a group purchase. Gear is ordered from Varsity Swim Shop in North Reading. You will setup a Team Gateway account using the instructions attached below. Orders for BYB team gear must be placed by logging in through the Team Gateway rather than on your own. |
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Swim team, spring training, pre-team, swim team prep?
The swim team is a competitive Division 1 program for ages 6-18. Spring training allows swimmers to continue practicing without the commitment of USA-S long course. Pre-team swim club is a less competitive, coached workout focusing on endurance and stroke technique. Swim team prep prepares all ages and levels for competitive swimming. |
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How long does the Short Course (SCY) season last?
The season starts with the first practice sometime in early August and will run until the beginning of February. A few athletes qualifying for high levels of championships will run into March (younger kids) and April (older kids). The level of commitment is up to the swimmer. |
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How do I get that cool iPhone BYB icon?
You can add an icon to the desktop of many mobile devices. This gives you a quick one-click way to get to the BYB site to check for Announcements. You will probably be frequently accessing the BYB web site so this is worthwhile thing to do. On the iPhone or iPad you go to our web site at www.SwimBYB.com and click on the arrow next to the address/URL bar. A menu will ask you to select Add Bookmark | Add to Home Screen | Mail Link to this Page | Print. Choose "Add to Home Screen" and it will show up on your desktop with other Apps. A similar process works on other smart phones like Blackberry or Droid. |
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What is "?Help!" button on the bottom of each web page for?
The ?Help! button is a way for you to get help or request updates to the web pages. It will format an e-mail with the information we need to quickly respond to your need. |
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Why do I get an error message when I try to opt-in?
The BYB web site will launch your e-mail client for you and fill in the information the coach needs in a standardized format. This saves you work and saves the coach a lot of work. If you do not have an e-mail client installed the BYB web site cannot launch an e-mail client. In that situation, you need to either install an e-mail client or type the e-mail yourself as we have done in past years. |
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How do I know my opt-in worked?
If you want to know if your opt-in e-mail was sent just CC yourself. If you want to know if the coach received it and entered it into the meet software, check the meet entries file by pushing the Entries button for that event. If you are not on the list, check the file date (at the top of the file)--it may be "stale." The coach processes opt-in in batches. |
Cap Decoder
NES LSC
USA-S
Parent Handbook