2009 ECAC Open Swimming & Diving Championships February 27 - March 1, 2009 Blodgett Pool, Harvard University, Boston MA Meet Information

Downloads:
  Printable Meet Information Packet (Adobe PDF)
  Qualifying Standards (Adobe PDF)
  Institution Declaration Form (Adobe PDF)
  Hy-Tek Time Standards File (zipped)
  Hy-Tek Events File (zipped) (corrected 2/16/09 for W 1M diving event)
  Excel Entry Grid: Women (MS Excel)
  Excel Entry Grid: Men (MS Excel)

Meet Personnel and Planning Committee

Important Dates and Meeting

Institution Eligibility

Only those Division I, Division II, and/or Division III institutions that are classified as such and are current members of the ECAC are eligible to participate in the ECAC Open Swimming & Diving Championships.

Institution Declaration Procedure

Institution Declaration forms must be submitted via fax or mail to the ECAC Office no later than Friday, February 13, 2009 at 5:00pm.  The Institution Declaration Form can be found as an attachment to this meet information.  Declaration forms should be sent to Jennifer Dabrowski, ECAC Championships Assistant (email: championships@ecac.org; fax: 508-771-9481; mail: ECAC, 1311 Craigville Beach Road, Centerville MA 02632).

Institutions that declare after the declaration deadline will be brought to the Meet Committee, who will then decide whether or not to allow the institution to participate in the meet.

Order of Events

Entry Procedure

Entries are due by 12:00 noon on Monday, February 23, 2009.  Late entries will not be accepted.

All possible entries must be listed on the entry form and best times must be submitted.  Each team is permitted eighteen (18) competitors as described in the following: an entrant who swims will be counted as one; an entrant who dives will be counted as one-third; an entrant who swims and dives will be counted as one.  A competitor is permitted to compete in a maximum of seven (7) events, of which no more than three (3) may be individual events.  Coaches may enter competitors in more than three individual events, and may enter more than 18 competitors, as long as they “scratch down” to the appropriate numbers by the scratch deadlines.  Divers who will not compete must also be scratched by the appropriate scratch deadline.

Entries submitted must be best performances attained between September 1, 2008 and February 22, 2009.  All entrants must achieve the “A” time standard in at least one individual or relay event.  Entrants must achieve the “B” time standard for any additional events entered.  All relays must achieve the “A” time standard.

It is requested that coaches submit entries using Hy-Tek Team Manager.  A Team Manager events file will be distributed to all coaches.  If you submit a Hy-Tek Team Manager entry, you must also submit a copy of your Team Manager entry report (preferably in Adobe PDF format). Coaches may alternately submit entries using an electronic Microsoft Excel spreadsheet entry form that will be distributed to all coaches.

It is important that all aspects of the entry form be completed as indicated, including the official first name, middle initial, last name, date of birth, and year in school for each athlete.  These values will be used for the purposes of NCAA proof of performance submission as well as USA Swimming NTV submissions.  In particular, for athletes that are registered with USA Swimming, please make sure the name on the entry form matches the name used for USA Swimming registration.  The “preferred name” field is to be used for appropriate nicknames, which will be printed on heat sheets and results, and will be the name used for announcing purposes.  (I.e., “Mike” instead of “Michael”.)

Completed entries should be sent to Carol Healey, Entries Chair (email: ecac-entries@meetresults.com; mail: 47 May Street, Needham MA 02472).

Time Challenges

All time challenges for Friday events (#1-12) must be verified by 10:00pm on Thursday evening.  All time challenges for Saturday and Sunday events (#13-40) must be verified by 6:00pm on Friday evening.

Entry Fees

The entry fee will be $100 per team plus $30 per competitor.  Women’s and men’s teams from the same institution shall be calculated separately.  Entry fees should be made payable to “ECAC” and sent to Jennifer Dabrowski, ECAC Championships Assistant (ECAC, 1311 Craigville Beach Road, Centerville MA 02632).

Withdrawal Policy

Institutions that declare their intent to participate in the ECAC Open Swimming & Diving Championship may withdraw their intent to participate without financial penalty until the entry deadline date (Monday, February 23, 2009).  If an institution does not have any qualifying athletes, the institution is subject to neither a financial penalty nor the withdrawal process.  Institutions that withdraw from the competition should notify Jennifer Dabrowski, ECAC Championships Assistant (email: championships@ecac.org; phone: 508-771-5060 x234; fax: 508-771-9481; mail: ECAC, 1311 Craigville Beach Road, Centerville MA 02632).

No-Show Policy

If an institution enters the meet by submitting an entry form and subsequently fails to compete in the championship, the institution shall forfeit the entry fee, and will be subject to an additional $100 penalty.  These must be paid prior to admittance to any future ECAC Championship event.

Rules Governing the Championship

The 2008-2009 NCAA Swimming and Diving Rules shall be used for all competition, except as amended in this document or by the Meet Committee.  The decision of the Meet Referee shall be final.  The meet will be observed for the purposes of USA Swimming time verification.

Facilities and Equipment

Blodgett Pool features an eight-lane competitive course, which will be used with Kiefer Advantage II lane lines and a Daktronics Timing System with full alphanumeric scoreboard display and relay exchange pads.  The racing course has a depth of 7 feet.  There is a six-lane warmup course at the far end of the pool.  The diving well features two 1-meter boards, two 3-meter boards, and 1-meter, 3-meter, 5-meter and 7.5-meter platforms, and has a water depth of 15 feet.

Automatic Judging and Timing

Daktronics electronic judging and timing will be used throughout the meet.  Please note that NCAA regulations require that three watch times be used for NCAA Championship qualifying times in the event of an electronic timing system failure.  There will always be at least one meet-provided backup timer for each lane.  If you have a swimmer or relay whom you believe will qualify for the NCAA Championships, please be prepared to provide two additional backup timers for that swim in case of an electronic timing system malfunction.  We will follow Rule 4, Section 14, Article 6 of the 2008-2009 NCAA Swimming and Diving Rule Book regarding the use of electronic relay takeoff equipment.

Championship Format

The ECAC Open Swimming and Diving Championships is a three-day individual and team championship, with preliminary and final competition except in the 1650-yard freestyle.  The 1650-yard freestyle will be swum slowest-to-fastest with the last heat swum during the evening finals.  All but the fastest heat of the 1650-yard freestyle will swim starting approximately 1:30pm on Sunday afternoon.  The exact schedule will be posted following the scratch deadline.

In all prelims/finals swimming events, the evening finals will consist of a consolation final and championship final.  Eight lanes will be used for all competitions, and 16 places will be scored.  There will be no scratches permitted for the evening finals.  Competitors in the Championship Finals, as well as the fastest heats of the 1650 freestyle, will march-out from the “ready area” immediately before competing.  All relays will report directly to the blocks.

Awards

Awards will be presented to the first eight places in individual events and first three places in relay events.  Please see the detailed sequence of events for complete details on awards presentation.  Team awards will be presented first-, second- and third-place men’s and women’s teams.  Awards will also be presented to the Swimmer of the Meet, Diver of the Meet, and Coach of the Meet.

Scratch Procedure and Deadlines

Scratches may be submitted to the Meet Director, Meet Referee, Director of Meet Operations, or Entries Chair.  Scratches will only be accepted from coaches or the team’s official representative, and must be signed by both the team coach and the Meet Director, the Meet Referee, Director of Meet Operations or Entries Chair.  A receipt form will be used for scratch verification.  All entries not scratched by the scratch deadline will become official entries.  Coaches will be given a composite scratch form to list all scratches for a particular day.  Additional scratches may be made, by the scratch deadline, using individual scratch cards.  Diving sheets must be submitted by the appropriate scratch deadlines.  Divers who will not dive must be scratched. 

Unless excused by the Meet Referee due to extenuating circumstances, an athlete who qualifies for, but does not participate in, the consolation or championship final of their event, will be prohibited from participating in any further events.  If an athlete qualifies for, but does not participate in, the consolation or championship final on the final day of competition, that athlete’s institution will be assessed a penalty by the ECAC prior to admittance to any further ECAC Championship.

The scratch deadlines are as follows:
            Thursday, February 26, 7:00pm for all Friday events (at the beginning of the Coach’s Meeting)
            Friday, February 27, 7:00pm for all Saturday events
            Saturday, February 28, 7:00pm for all Sunday events

Heat Sheets

Two heat sheets will be provided to each institution for each session.  These will be available for pick-up prior to each session.  Heat sheets will also be posted on the pool deck level.

Time Trials

Time-permitting, time trials will be offered after the preliminaries session each morning.  Only swimmers participating in the Championship may swim time trials.

Locker Rooms

Harvard University is not responsible for lost or stolen articles.  Valuables should not be kept in the locker rooms.  Locks and towels are not available, and personal locks cannot be left on lockers overnight.  Glass bottles are not permitted anywhere within Blodgett Pool.

Team Seating

Team seating on the pool deck will be determined at the coaches meeting.  Seating will be determined at the General Coach’s Meeting, based on the 2008 ECAC Open Championship women’s order of finish.  The host institution will select first.
 

Hospitality

Bagels, snacks, coffee and juice will be available for coaches, meet personnel and officials in the morning in the Hall of History, adjacent to the Blodgett Pool front entrance lobby.  Assorted snacks and juices will be provided in the afternoon.  Accessing the hospitality area will require the appropriate credentials.

Facility Availability

Blodgett Pool will be open to meet participants on Thursday from 9:00am until 9:00pm, and Friday-Sunday from 6:30am until the end of championship finals.

Warm-up Schedule

Parking

Team buses and vans should enter the Soldier’s Field Athletic Complex via North Harvard Street through Gate 6, which is located at the closed end of the football stadium.  Team vans must display meet parking permits at all times while parked.  Please send your parking pass requests in along with the completed entry forms.  Spectator parking is available in the Soldier’s Field Athletic Complex for $10 (space-permitting), or in the Harvard Business School lot for $5.

Diving Information

Preliminaries (Women and Men, 1-Meter and 3-Meter)
Each diver will do six (6) optional dives, including one from each of five groups in any order with at least the minimum qualifying degree of difficulty.  Scores on all dives performed by each diver in the preliminaries shall be used to determine placing at the conclusion of the preliminaries.  The top eight (8) divers will continue into the finals.  Divers in ninth (9th) through sixteenth (16th) place shall be determined at the end of the preliminaries, and shall have no opportunity to advance in place.

Finals (Women and Men, 1-Meter and 3-Meter)
The eight finalists will start with a score of zero.  The finalists will dive in reverse order of their placing from the preliminaries.  The finals shall consist of six optional dives, including one from each of five groups, in any order with at least the minimum qualifying degree of difficulty.  Scores on all dives performed by each of the divers in the finals shall be used to determine first (1st) through eighth (8th) place.

Thursday Schedule (February 26, 2009 – Warmups)
Boards will be open from 9:00am to 9:00pm.

Friday Schedule (February 27, 2009 – Women 3-Meter, Men 1-Meter)
Boards will be open from 6:30am – 9:00am. Boards will be closed from 9:00am until the 15-minute break before the 400 medley relay in preliminaries.  Women’s 3-meter and men’s 1-meter preliminaries will run concurrently, starting no earlier than 1:00pm, and no earlier than one hour after the boards are opened for warmup. Boards will remain open after diving preliminaries until the beginning of diving finals.  Women’s 3-meter finals will start after the 200 freestyle relay, and run concurrently with swimming. Men’s 1-meter finals will start after the men’s 50 freestyle, and run exclusively, before the beginning of the 400 medley relay.

Saturday Schedule (February 28, 2009 – Men 3-Meter)
Boards will be open from 6:30am – 9:00am.  Boards will be closed from 9:00am until the conclusion of the 100 backstroke preliminaries.  Men’s 3-meter preliminaries will start no earlier than 1:00pm, and no earlier than one hour after the boards are opened for warmup.  Boards will remain open after diving preliminaries until the beginning of diving finals. Men’s 3-meter finals will start after the 200 medley relay, and run concurrently with swimming.  Boards will remain open after the conclusion of diving finals.

Sunday Schedule (March 1, 2009 – Women 1-Meter)
Boards will be open from 6:30am – 8:00am.  Boards will be closed from 8:00am until the 15-minute break before the 400 freestyle relay in preliminaries.  Women’s 1-meter preliminaries will start no earlier than 12:00pm, and no earlier than one hour after the boards are opened for warmup. Boards will remain open after diving preliminaries until the beginning of diving finals. Women’s 1-meter finals will start after the men’s 200 butterfly, and run exclusively, before the beginning of the 400 freestyle relay.

Sports Information and Media Relations

The official web site for this meet is: http://www.meetresults.com/ecac/
The web site will feature a real-time pool scoreboard feed, real-time webcam, as well as psych sheets, heat sheets, instant results, splits and scores as soon as they are available after each event.

Questions regarding sports information should be directed to the ECAC (508-771-5060, championships@ecac.org) or the Harvard Sports Information Office (Casey Hart, 617-495-2206, chart@fas.harvard.edu or Tim Williamson, 617-495-2206, twilliam@fas.harvard.edu).

Medical Treatment

Harvard medical staff will be available to treat all injuries that occur during the event.  Any school traveling without a certified athletic trainer or team physician must provide the appropriate documentation from their team physician or certified athletic trainer prior to receiving any treatments (i.e., ultrasounds, electrical stimulation, hot packs, whirlpools).  All documentation can be faxed to the Harvard University Athletic Training Room at 617-495-8591.  An ice machine will be available on the pool deck throughout the competition.  If you have any questions about medical treatment at Harvard, please contact Brant Berkstresser, Head Athletic Trainer (617-496-9557, bberkstr@fas.harvard.edu).

Championship T-Shirts

Championship t-shirts will be provided by the ECAC and will be available for purchase at the meet.

Admission

Coaches, participants, managers, trainers, sports information staff, administrative staff, officials and meet personnel will be admitted through the Blodgett Pool lobby main entrance on the ground level.  Proper credentials, which will be distributed upon arrival, must be displayed in order to gain access.  Spectators and all others must enter Blodgett Pool through the second floor mezzanine level.  Groups should contact the Harvard Athletics Ticket Office (617-495-2211, harvtix@fas.harvard.edu) for discounted group admission information.

Spectator Admission Prices:

Banners

The hanging of banners and signs will be allowed in the pool area under the following restrictions:

• Teams may hang signs and banners on the wall immediately behind their seating area.
• Official team banners should be given to the meet staff on Thursday.  Meet staff will hang official team banners from the metal railings at the bottom of the spectator area.  Meet staff reserves discretion in the placement of banners based on size so as not to interfere with deck activities.
• Any other team posters or signs in the pool area will be removed.
• Helium balloons are prohibited from the pool area.

Ethical Behavior by Coaches

The ECAC encourages and promotes good sportsmanship by student-athletes, coaches and spectators.  We request your cooperation by supporting the participants and officials in a positive manner.  Profanity, racial or ethnic comments or other intimidating actions directed at officials, student-athletes, coaches or team representatives will not be tolerated and are grounds for removal from the site of competition. 

As a member of the coaching profession, coaches have an obligation and a responsibility to the sport, to the student-athletes, and to all those with whom they come into contact with.  The ECAC expects coaches to be role models and to conduct themselves with integrity and high ethical standards at all ECAC events.  In order to fulfill these responsibilities, a coach should follow the guidelines listed below. 

• Swimming and diving competition will be conducted according to the rules and procedures of both the NCAA and ECAC.  Violations of ethical conduct are subject to immediate action, including NCAA Bylaws 11.1.1 and 11.1.2 for coaches; Bylaw 14.01.3.3 for student athletes; and Bylaw 10.1 for institutions. 
• Place the safety and welfare of others ahead of winning and prestige.
• Treat all coaches, student athletes, and meet personnel, with honesty, fairness, and respect.