Midwestern Board of Directors Meeting
Titan Hills School, Council Bluffs, IA
1/10/05

In Attendance:  Erin Holtmeyer, Mike Jacobson, Gretchen Lindner, Bruce Schomberg, Gary Flury, Mary Kocsis, Betty Kooy, Lisa Ellis, Bryan Kratky, Mike McKamy, Mary Losee, Jenn Kocsis, Paul Kemp, Sarah Abraham

Meeting was called to order at 1:30pm.

Erin Holtmeyer reported that she had contacted other LSCs to find out how much they spent on their Zone team athletes.  WI gives a warm-up, shorts, bag, suit, 3 caps and 2 t-shirts.  They charge $80-90 for these items and the athletes pay for travel and lodging.  IN gets a warm-up, bag, towel 3 t-shirts, suit and 3 caps.

Erin moved that we provide 3 t-shirts and 3 caps and a team suit for each athlete and that the cost to the athletes for the Zone trip remains at $150.   Friendly amendment that coaches get 1 polo and 3 t-shirts as well.  PASSED

Paul Kemp reported that we have 121 officials and of which 42 are illegal.  He has scheduled stroke & turn clinics for January and February.  Paul stated that our LSC needs 150 to function properly.

Paul will bring 2 proposals to the House of Delegates in May.

1.      All registered teams of MWS are required to have at least one legally registered Official in their club.  Any new teams or any current teams that do not meet this standard have six months in which to meet this requirement.

2.      Any team wishing to host a swim meet must have at least three legally registered officials in their club.  If they do not meet this requirement, they may co-host the meet with another team for a combined total of three.

Paul is forming a committee of current Officials to review all of the Officials requirements and bring their recommendations before the board at the next meeting.  He said that we are out of sync with national minimum standards—some of our rules are to lax and others are too stringent.
Paul recommended using dually certified officials for the NE state HS meet. Gary objected on the grounds that one cannot dually officiate two sets of rules at the same time effectively.

Gary Flury reported that we may have a small gain in registrants in 05.  He reported that 23 clubs have re-registered.  CKST is the only club that did not renew for 05.

Betty Kooy reported that 76 swimmers are going to All-Stars.

Motion was made that for future All-Star meets the Application, money and Code of Conduct must be received by Monday after the last qualifying meet AND the swimmer must be registered by January 1 in order to be considered for the team.  PASSED

Betty said she will post the form for H.S. observation requests to the website, tell Keith and Candy, and e-mail all coaches and clubs.  She emphasized that no time will be used for MWS purposes (i.e. record breaker and Top 8) if the swimmer is not registered at the time of the swim.  No time will be used until the $4 splash fee is paid for that time.  (Splash fees can be paid after State.)

USA Swimming, however, will take proof of times for unregistered swims to use for sectional entries.

Betty reported that some clubs are not turning in the coaches and officials lists and the financial reports from meets or splash fees.

Bruce Schomburg proposed that the MWS Division 2 meet be split into two sites.  Swim Omaha will host BSC, BTSC, CBSC, GOAL, MOST, MAC, MS, OWSC, SCH, SCH, SLS, SSD, WAC.  These teams can opt to go to Hastings by February 1.  All other teams will go to Hastings.  PASSED  There were no other bids to host the two D2 meets. 

Pat Rowan expressed via e-mail that he feels D2 should NOT be prelims/finals, but splitting the meet is necessary. 

Mary reminded everyone that the D2 meet was voted on last May and cannot be changed at this point.  It will be prelims/finals and it will run all the distance events for the 11-12 age group.

Bruce also proposed to move the D2 meet to the last weekend of February and the D1 meet to the first weekend of March.  This motion was not seconded.

Old Business:

Mary stated that the Redbook is on the website.  She proposed that it will be updated as changes happen in House meetings, Board meetings, or USA Swimming directives.  She proposed that time standards not be “in” the book, because they are available on the web page.  Gary amended that there should be no duplication in the Redbook document that is otherwise available on the MW home page, ie clubs, records, officers and club contacts.
PASSED
Redbooks will no longer be printed and mailed to clubs by MW.

Mike Jacobson reported on the budget.

Mary Losee requested a balance sheet and monthly reports be directed to her as well as the reports for each board meeting.

New Business:

Lisa will talk to Eric about scoreboard, timing system and blocks at UNO for D1.

Sanction committee will meet Saturday, February 5 at Cracker Barrel in Lincoln at 9:00am to discuss division of tasks for D1.

Nominating Committee for the nomination of new Board members will consist of Sarah Abraham, Gretchen Linder, Mike Jacobson and Sara Juster

General Chair meeting in January:  Peggy will go because Mary can’t 

Next BOD will be March 20, at noon, at UNO.

Next HOD meeting is May 7, in York at NOON.

Meeting adjourned at 3:40pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Lisa Ellis, Secretary