Midwestern Swimming, Inc
House of Delegates Meeting|
Sunday, October 26, 2003
Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, NE

In attendance:Betty Kooy, Mary Losee, Patrick Rowan, Lisa Ellis, Mary Kocsis, Archie Heffernan, Erin Holtmeyer, Gary Flury, Bruce Schomburg, Mike Jacobson, Kim Pappas, Brian Jensen, Gretchen Lindner, Jack Jackson, Jeanie Neal, Robyn Lowe, Larry Ohs, Ginger Turner, Karen Heyd, Marsha Ketcham, Mike Fenello, Greg Rorris, Dick Hammer, Pat DiBiase, anc Candy Hemmer.

 Meeting was called to order at 12:06pm.

 Minutes:
Mary Losee added a correction to the minutes of the May HOD meeting. Marvin Fast was to serve on the committee with Lisa Ellis and Mary Losee to look into workers’ compensation insurance and issues related to member clubs in MW. Minutes were accepted unanimously with this one correction.

 Treasurer’s Report: Mary Kocsis
Mary passed around a current budget report—a Year to date report. She said that the budget for 2004 is finished and ready for evaluation. She also stated that the audit was completed, and everything is okay.

 Convention Reports:
Pat Rowen reported on the convention issues he keyed on. One is retaining boys, having separate groups for boys, coaches going easier on boys until they are older to try to keep them in the sport. He talked about the Nutrition web-page on the USA Swimming web-site. He said they promoted camps and encouraged MW to consider doing a “Catch the Spirit Camp”. He said due to Top 16 labels, the Central Zone Meet is considering adding 200 stroke events and distance free events for 11-12 to the slate. If Zones adds these events, we should consider adding them as well.

 Erin Holtmeyer said that most of the athlete meetings revolved around conduct at the House meetings, and Roberts rules of order and a review of the legislation that would be voted on at the House.

 Archie Heffernan said a key issue at convention was the doing away with the group that oversees recruiting. This was voted down. He said that they reviewed research for 02-03 about shoulder injuries, and stated that 03-04 research would revolve around eating disorders, and 04-05 will study exercise induced asthma.

 Betty Kooy reported that the All-America list is done and has many high achievers on it both swimming and academically. She went to web-site meetings, and rates ours as very good—ahead of most LSCs. Central Zone site is still being maintained. Times and meets are archieved on the web. She reported that the Zone 04 meet will be in Topeka and that there will be a Central Zone meeting of General Chairs in May.

 Jack Jackson reported that the National Meet cuts for February have been relaxed to US Open cuts. He also reported that a motion was passed that cards for disabled athletes will be provided them and they can give such card to the meet referee of a USA Sanctioned swim meet. The card will describe the disability of the athlete, and describe what the acceptable rule changes are according to the International Para-Olympic Committee for such an athlete. The athlete must be registered with the International Para-Olympic Association to get the card. USAS has agreed to follow the International para rules at Nationals. This should create more slots for the US to take swimmers to the Para-Olympics and give more kids opportunities to go. Jack also reported that Eric Nelson was re-elected as the Coach Director for the Central Zone.

 Mary Losee reported that MW is ahead of many LSCs on many issues, ie. Having a Redbook, working on a policies manual, computer run meets, main office, web page, among other issues.

 Registration:
Gary Flury reported that 700 athletes are registered to date which is 1/3 of where we were for 2002.

 Technical:
Bruce Schomberg, technical chair, has formed a committee. This committee will be looking at D1/D2 meet time standards, eliminating NTS meets, scheduling 1 D1 & 1 D2 meet each month, eliminating 8&Unders from LSC Champs, adding 11-12 200 stroke, 400 IM and distance Free events, offering Senior events at LSC Champs, filling events at LSCs to 16 people so we can fill a console & finals heat, cutting off LSC entries at 30 or 36 per event, running all national event format, relays at championships, scoring alternatives, allowing teams to only score 3 individuals per event, getting rid of relay only swimmers, having 8&Unders have their own championship meet, new format for D2 championships. The committee includes Bruce, Pat Rowan, Brian Jensen, Gary Flury, Kim Pappas. This committee is to report at the December Board meeting.

Executive Secretary Report:
Betty Kooy:      Proposed meet cuts for 03-04 are out.
TM online:  recommends that we try it for one year.
Star times—every swim from every meet goes into this data base.
Swimmer reimbursements were due Sept 15, and most are in.
Summer meet sanction requests due March 1.
Policy & Bylaws – recommends going through minutes for last 10 years to update policies
Officials – has posted current officials on Website.
Website:  we need more space and a domain name of our own.
Recommends Redbook out on CD Rom and hang it on the web to download.
Discussion regarding suggestions of the Executive Secretary:

Brian Jensen said the STAR times are very slow, it is cumbersome to get times on multiple kids, can only get one year at a time. Betty indicated that the Central Zone pays $200/year for domain name and 250 megs of space.  MV and Wichita have a “group rate” deal that Betty feels we can also take advantage of. Brian Jensen made a motion for Betty to purchase a domain name and 250 megs of space. Motion seconded, passed unanimously.

Brian Jensen made a motion for MW to try TM-online for one year. Motion seconded and passed unanimously. Betty said this costs $50/month and that it is much easier to manipulate that the searchable database. It will mirror the Midwestern TM database.

Mike Jacobsen made a motion to accept the proposed MW meet qualifying times. Seconded and passed by a majority.

 Announcement: There will be 2 referees’ meeting on the next two Sundays.  These are mandatory for all referees—they must attend one.

 New Business:

            Mary Losee was nominated and elected unanimously as General Chair.

            Recommended Allstar cost $100 per swimmer. Motion to accept, seconded, approved.

            Clinic/Awards banquet committee will be Lisa Ellis, Ginger Turner, Pat Rowan and Peggy Speer.

            Budget was approved as presented..

            Jack Jackson made a motion that all income/monies from the MW championship meets be separated by splash, meet, sales revenue, etc instead of being lumped together by short course or long course meet. Seconded and passed unanimously.

 Redbook changes:

House keeping items were approved unanimously:  chairman to chair, etc.

Mike Jacobsen moved to approve all as proposed. Motion seconded, then opened for discussion.

Item 2.1.1 – insertion of the following: “All applications by new clubs will be reviewed by the Registration/Membership Coordinaotr to assure that all required elements are present. The package will then be forwarded to the Central Zone Sport Development Coordinator for approval. Upon notification of approval club membership will be granted.” was pulled.  2.1.1. After discussion of By-Laws vs Policies and Procedures,  Jeanie Neal moved that this section be put into a policies and procedures manual and that it be added to Part 5, page 69, under Club membership. Seconded. Passed.

Item 2.1.1 A – insertion of the following: “All athletes, coaches, club officers as well as House of Delegates representatives of the organization must be members in good standing of MWS and USA Swimming. The Club Safety Coordinator must be a non-coach member of MWS and USA Swimming.” Jack Jackson moved to drop “non-coach” and make it “non-athlete” for 2.1.1A. and also to eliminate “club officers” from the language. Seconded, passed.

Item 2.1.1 C – recommended deletion of section which in effect would delete Seasonal Clubs.

Brian Jensen moved NOT to delete 2.1.1C and to leave the Seasonal Club status alone. Seconded, Failed. Starting in 2005 there will be no option of a Seasonal Club.

Item 4.1 – recommended the removal of “the Athlete Representatives, the Coach Representatives.” Jeanie moved to NOT include 4.1 as recommended. Seconded, passed.

Items 4.1.3 and 4.1.4 – recommended items be moved to Article 6. Jeanie moved to NOT move 4.1.3 and 4.1.4 to Article 6. Seconded, Passed.

Brian moved to change article 6 verbiage to “year-round”.Seconded, passed.

Mike Jacobsen moved to remove the insertion of 4.13 (provisions for Absentee Ballots). Seconded, Passed

Item 5.1.14 – addition of “Association of Club Members” to the verbiage.

Mikes original motion was amended by Gary to approve as amended changes to 2, 3, 4, 5 and to table the remainder until the next HOD meeting. Seconded, Passed.

Jack made a motion to discuss article 6-end of Gary’s proposed changes at the May HOD. Seconded, passed.

 Nominating committee will be chaired by Scot Sorensen, and will include Jack Jackson, Jeannie Neal, and Ginger Turner.

 Motion to adjourn.
 Respectfully submitted,
Lisa Ellis, Secretary