Granite State Swimming Association (GSSA)

Minutes of the annual meeting held on May 8, 2004

NASHUA COUNTRY CLUB, NASHUA, NH

 

 

ATTENDANCE:  The meeting began at 9:05 a.m. Representatives were present from the following teams: SSA, BST, RAYS, GTRS, PST, BGCN, MKS, AST, ORO, JVST, CTS, NCC, PWSC, BAB, BLUE, SGBC(formally RRSC), JRS, EST, MYT, LRW, CCBS, CMS WST HHS, WMR, NST, CONY, NASY, EST.  Representatives from the following teams were absent: GSC and SYT.  A representative of the Manchester swim team, MST, was present order to petition for membership. 

 

PRESIDENT NOTES:

Teams were handed copies of the bylaws. These bylaws are now posted on the GSSA website (www.gssa-swim.org). The president welcomed all teams to the meeting and began the meeting with the nomination of officers.

 

NOMINATION OF OFFICERS:

President:                    Jim Rezzarday by SGBC.  SECONDED by WST. Jim accepts.

Vice-President:            Ed McLaughlin by WMR SECONDED by LRW.  Ed accepts.

Secretary:                    Jack Fabian by PWSC.  SECONDED by LRW. Jack accepts.

Treasurer:                    Joanne Jackson by CTS.  SECONDED by SBGC.  Joanne accepts.

 

READING OF THE MINUTES:

All teams were sent a copy of the minutes from last years annual meeting held on May 3, 2003 and a copy of this years meeting agenda via US mail. One change was made to the minutes from last year, and that was to add PST to the attendance list since they were inadvertently omitted.

 

A MOTION was made by LRW to accept the minutes as amended. SECONDED by SGBC. The Minutes of the May 3, 2003 annual meeting were unanimously approved by acclamation.

 

TREASURERS REPORT:

Joanne Jackson presented a banking summary from 5/21/2003 through 4/26/2004. Total inflows in fiscal year 2003-4 were $14,840.07 while total outflows were $13,490.52.  A profit of $1349.82 was reported for the 2003-4 season.  The report also presented the account balances as of 4/26/2004. The starting balance in the checking account on 4/30/2003 was $5477.65 and the balance as of 4/26/2004 was 6,827.47.  This amount reflects a profit of $1349.82.  Joanne recommended keeping all the fees and the awards the same for 2004-5.

 

A MOTION was made by SGBC to accept the treasurerıs report as presented.  SECONDED. VOTE. Approved

 

REVIEW OF UPGRADES and MEMBERSHIP:

Team Manager 4.0 is now available, however upgrading to this version is not required at this time.   The cost to upgrade to TM 4.0 is $69 and the program contains several powerful features that may be of use to teams in the league at some point in the future.

 

The Manchester Tiger Sharks did not come to the meeting or state meet last year. No one has heard from them and no representatives are present.  The request to join the GSSA by the MTS has therefore been denied.

 

The coach of the Manchester Swim Team (MST), Steve VanDerBeeken, addressed the meeting with his request to be accepted into the GSSA. They anticipate 45 swimmers on the MST summer team for this year.  The level of their swimmers vary and they have very few older boys but otherwise a relatively equal representation of swimmers in each of the other age groups.  They are a US registered team.  All kids are US registered.  Missy Rowell was interested in the ability level of MST swimmers.  Steve answered that they had a strong finish to the winter season and placed 7th at the NHSA state meet.

 

A MOTION was made by SSA to accept MST into the league with a three year probation period with dues payment determined by the division it is assigned.  SECONDED by WMS.  A VOTE was taken on the MOTION to accept MST into the league.  ACCEPTED.

 

REVIEW OF ALIGNMENT:

Jim handed out several spreadsheets for team alignments at the championship meet. 

 

SSA/ORO proposal. John Barbary of SSA and Laura Fant of ORO proposed alignment for the state championship based on US swimming affiliation.  Historically the whole league was at one venue.  50 meters pools are challenging to adapt to for swimmers that are not used to this format.  Some swimmers that want to swim Long Course but canıt due to alignment are slighted.  From a liability point of view, USA swimming is getting more difficult to mix non-US and US swimmers.  Discussion followed about whether or not this format makes sense. 

 

Concern was voiced about implementing this format this year.  It was brought up that the league was planning to realign at this meeting and therefore it was possible to try something new.  If none of the new alignments are accepted then the default will be the bylaw alignment.  Issues about insurance for US swimmers were brought up.  BLUE asked that we review our bylaws before making a decision, since we will need to US register all swimmers on the summer team.  LRW voiced concern about non-registered swimmers unknowingly competing in the meet. PWSC brought up the issue that this is not a US league so teams should be prepared to compete against non-registered swimmers.  Missy Rowell brought up the issue of the need for the league to buy an umbrella policy for the state meet.  The league is not incorporated so every coach and adult at the meet is liable at the meet. David Grilli from the RAYS proposed to investigate the cost of umbrella policies. US swimmers and coaches have their policy are voided when competing at non-USS swim meets. 

 

 LRW made a MOTION to keep the SSA/ORO alignment as an option until the league decides to VOTE.  SECONDED by SGBC.   

 

A proposal was submitted to the league by JVST for an alternate team alignment.  The JVST proposal is based on points and ends up dividing teams into two major groups.  One group consists of teams that are year round teams and the other group consists of teams that are summer programs. This plan has an alignment similar to the SSA/ORO plan with some minor changes to accommodate year round teams such as BGCN which are not USS registered.

 

MKS moved the question to keep this as an option until we VOTE.  SECONDED by CTS.   

 

GSSA proposal.  Jim Rezzarday presented a GSSA proposal to the league. This proposal presents team alignment based only upon results at the 2003 championship meet, number of entries at the 2003 championship meet, number of points scored at the 2003 championship meet and the number of athletes entered at the 2003 championship meet. Discussion followed about the results of last season.  CCBS was concerned about interpreting results based on only 70 events.  SSA questioned the formula used for the analysis, they felt it represents adding numbers in such a way that ³one was adding apples and oranges to see how many pears there were²? Matt Laramie from CTS brought up that there are two philosophies that are presented, one based on US swimming and another based on history.  Matt wanted to know how do the teams that are realigned feel about the proposals and , how do Division 2 teams feel about going up or down.

 

LRW moved the question to keep this as an option until we VOTE.  SECONDED by SGBC. 

 

A MOTION was made by WMR to keep the 2003-2003 alignments for this year until we have data from two full state meets provided we get coverage.  Put off realignment until next year. SECONDED by CCB.  RAYS feel we need to move forward from this point.  VOTE. Failed

 

A VOTE was taken on the GSSA proposal.  VOTE. Failed.  SSA mentioned that they would like to lend support to the JVST proposal year-round versus non-year round alignment.  ORO agrees with SSA.  A VOTE was taken on the JVST proposal. Vote results: 22 in favor 2 against.  Approved.   The RAYS brought up the question that year round programs with summer swimmers might want the choice to compete in the year-round league or summer league. Teams stated their affiliation about summer and year round teams.  Bedford asked to be moved to the year round program although they are a summer program.  Split is 15 in year round 14 in summer.  Groups will be subdivided in into groups.  A VOTE was taken on approving the alignment as proposed.  Approved.  During the meetings, reps will be chosen for each division.

 

NEW VENUES FOR 2005 AND 2005.

Milford, Claremont, and Dover are proposed sites.  Patty Deshaine of CTS reviewed the success of the meet and is willing to host the meet for the next two years.  Several coaches commented on how helpful the organizers were.  MOTION was made to accept Claremont as the site. SECONDED by AST.  VOTE. Approved.

 

SWIMMER ELIGIBILITY

Two teams had the eligibility of their swimmers challenged at the 2003 championship meet at Dover in 2003.  One swimmer from GTRS and two swimmers from the RAYS were challenged at the meet by a coach from RRSC. The coaches from the two teams were allowed to present their account of the swimmers who were disqualified from competition after being ruled ineligible. 

 

Jack Fabian of the GTRS told the meeting that his swimmer had competed in two USS long course meets that were GSSA sanctioned meets, and also competed in a dual meet at Peterborough which made him feel his swimmer was eligible.  However, the swimmer was entered in the USS meet as unattached and therefore the league felt that the USS meets did not count toward the swimmers meet commitments for the GSSA championship meet.  Jack stated that he would accept the judgment of the league in this case, however, he felt that any swimmer competing in the USS meets must be held to the same standards.  This means that any swimmer that competes for a USS team in the winter, but competes for a different GSSA team in the summer, cannot count any of the USS meets at Dover to count towards their GSSA meet eligibility.  A swimmer at the SSA meets must be USS registered with their summer team at that meet in order for this meet to count towards eligibility at the championship meet. There was general agreement with this point at the meeting.

 

MOTION was made by SGBC to put GTRS on probation for year if they make another infraction they will be fined $100 per event according to Neswimming rules.  SECONDED by WMR.  VOTE.  12 to 9.  Approved.

 

David Grilli of the RAYS addressed the coaches about two swimmers from his team who were disqualified because they did not compete in two league meets prior to the championship meet.  David accepted responsibility for the errors since he sent in the entries and admitted that he made a mistake and did not verify the eligibility of the two swimmers that were disqualified prior to sending in his entries.  David told the league that he would no longer submit entries for his team as a result of his error. Also, his team will use their website to present to team members and the public an accounting of swimmers and the number of league meets they have competed in prior to the championship meet. The coaches of the RAYS are confident that this will allow their staff, swimmers and the greater community an opportunity to review eligibility before entries are submitted to the championship meet.  Missy Rowell of SGBC pointed out that the RAYS were on their last year of a three-year probation period upon joining the GSSA.  She felt that since this error occurred during the probation period, that the probation should be extended with the probationary fees for additional year.

 

A MOTION was made by BLUE to extend their probation for a year and extend their dues for a year. VOTE. 13-3.  Approved.

 

COLLEGE AND EXHIBITION SWIMMERS AT CHAMPIONSHIP MEET

A MOTION was made by CTS to not differentiate between 19-year-old college swimmers and 19-year high school swimmers.  VOTE. Approved.

 

The issue of exhibition swimmers was brought up and discussion followed.  A MOTION was made by CCB to allow exhibition swimmers at the discretion of the meet directors. SECONDED BLUE. Approved.

 

RECORD COMMITTEE.  Brian Crawford was nominated as the chair of the record committee. Tim Thompson and Jack Fabian will also serve as part of this committee.

 

STROKE AND TURN REQUIREMENTS FOR COACHES?  The question was raised as to whether coaches should be required to take a stroke and turn course. The answer overwhelmingly was NO.

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

1.  Sanctioned Meets

            June 5-6          Team Specialty Meet-Jenny Thompson Pool, SSA

            June 19-20      Team Specialty Meet-Jenny Thompson Pool, SSA

            June 26            Pentathlon- Peterborough, PWSC

            July 3              Icebreaker ­Walpole, GTRS

            July 8-11         Qualifier Meet- Jenny Thompson Pool, SSA

            July 17            Queenie Quimby ­Claremont, CTS

            July 17            Freestyle Invitational ­Walpole, GTRS

            July 16-17       Rotary Meet-Milford, MKS

            August 4          50s Meet, Walpole, GTRS.

 

 

3.  An ad-hoc committee was formed to explore insurance and incorporation of the GSSA.  The Insurance and incorporation committee consists of Jim, Ed, Jo-Ann, and David Grilli.  A VOTE was taken. VOTE. Approved.

 

MOTION was made to adjourn the meeting by SGBC. SECONDED by WMR. Next yearıs meeting on the second Saturday in May, May 14, 2004. At 8:30 warm-up 9:00 AM start.

 

Meeting adjourned: 12:00 P.M.  Year round teams met to divide their championship meet into two divisions (Divisions 1&3) and summer teams me to divide their teams into two divisions (Divisions 2&4). Division representatives were chosen at this time. 
The results are presented below.  Division 1 and 3 teams will compete at Dover while the Division 2 and 4 teams will compete at Claremont.

 


NOMINATIONS FOR DIVISION REPS FOR 2004

 

Division 1: Rep= Ed Faszewski (BST)

SSA

GTRS

RAYS

BST

PST

BGCN

Division 3: Rep = Regan Reed (CONY)

MST

PWSC

BLUE

ORO

EST

CONY

HHS

NASY

LRW

Division 2: Rep = Brian Crawford (JVST)

JVST

ASC

CTS

MKS

NSTC

NCC

Division 4: Rep = Amy Millet (MMY)

CMS

JRS

WST

BAB

WMR

SGBC

CCBS

MMY