WARREN HARDING AQUATICS TEAM
Steve Lukco – Head Coach, Carrie Rowland – Asst. Coach, Tricia Mark – Asst. Coach
Quinn Hernon – Asst. Coach Jim Kopp – Asst. Coach.
· What is WHAT?
The Warren Harding Aquatics Team is an organization of swimmers and parents of swimmers, chartered by the Lake Erie association of USA Swimming. The purpose is to promote swimming in and around Warren, Ohio.
· What is USA Swimming?
USA Swimming is a national organization dedicated to the advancement of amateur swimming through age-group competition. Participation in the WHAT USA program is the first “stepping stone” leading to representation of our country at the Olympic Games.
· Must my swimmer join USA Swimming?
Every swimmer must be a registered member of USA Swimming before he/she may participate in any WHAT training sessions or any swim meets sanctioned by USA.
· How do I become a USA Swimming member?
The USA registration fee is $61.00 PER CALENDAR YEAR. USA Swimming registration forms will be available from the Head Coach and on the web site. Registration forms should be filled out completely and returned to the coach with your payment.
· How do I become a WHAT member?
The winter short course season runs from mid-September to March. Fees for the winter season are $300.00/$400.00 + $61.00 USA fee. There is a 10% discount on the fees, not USA fee, for families with more than one swimmer. Please refer to chart.
· Does my swimmer have to live in Warren to swim for WHAT?
No. Any swimmer from any community or school system may swim for the WHAT program.
· My swimmer is registered and has joined the WHAT Club-Can he/she swim in USA meets?
USA swim meets are classified based on qualification times and ability level. The class in which your swimmer must compete is governed by the fastest time he/she has achieved in USA competition in each stroke and distance. Cut-off times dividing the winter swim meets are published annually by USA and no swimmer may compete in a classification lower than the one he/she has achieved. Each meet will list whether it is a “slower than” or “faster than” meet.
· Do I have to pay anything for my swimmer to enter a meet?
USA Meets-Swim Meets sponsored by clubs charge a fee for each event entered. This fee is usually $3.00-$5.00 per event. Most swimmers will enter from two to four events per day, with most meets held on Saturday and Sunday. Your swimmer is not required to attend the meets during the winter
season. If you chose to attend a meet, you may decide to swim one day only. You are not required to attend both days.
· When and how do I sign up and pay for the meets?
Meet entries with the due date are in the pool and in your informational packet. They are also located on the warrenswimming.org web site as well as lakeerieswimming.com web site. There is an entry form on the warrenswimming.org web site. Find the meet info, events, event numbers and entry fee for the meet you want to swim in. Then fill out the online entry form and submit it. This sends all your information to Lori Leecue for entry to the requested meet. Once you do this, please bring in your payment to the pool office. Meet entry fees should be paid at the time that the entry form is submitted to the coaches or entry chairperson. All checks for entry fees are to be made out to Lori Leecue. There are no refunds given to a swimmer that does not attend the meet. If a swimmer participates in a relay, WHAT will pay for the relays. If a swimmer is scheduled for a Relay and does not attend the meet and a substitute cannot be found, the swimmer will pay the full amount of the relay.
· Will I, as a parent, be involved in any swim club activities?
Transportation of your swimmer to and from swim practices is the responsibility of each parent. Sometimes it may be possible to make arrangements with other parents to share responsibilities. Coaches will not transport swimmers in any manner. Parents are encouraged to attend meets for support.
· Team suits-team caps etc.?
You will have the opportunity to order a team suit on Wednesday, September 28th. Aquatic Outfitters of Ohio will be here from 5:00-6:30 pm to sell bags, suits, goggles and other swimming related items your swimmer may need. The team suit is black and gold. If however, you choose not to purchase a team suit a solid black suit from local sporting goods stores is fine. Swim caps are provided free of charge. Team clothing apparel will be on display. An order form will be available prior to the order deadline.
· No money-No splashes
Swimmer’s fees are to be paid in full. These fees are used to pay the coaching staff as well as pay for the pool rental. Please be prompt in paying fees so that the coaches can be paid. Make all checks payable to WHAT.
· Practice times
NEVER drop your swimmer and leave-always make sure the coaches are in the pool. Practice for the Swim Team begins at 6:30… Beginners from 6:30 – 7:30; Intermediate 6:30 – 7:45; Advanced 6:30 –
8:00. There will be Dryland conditioning for those swim team members that are 13 years of age or older. We ask that parents and swimmers understand that practice time is in the water time… Please have swimmers at the pool 10 minutes prior to in the water time. For the late swimming group we ask parents to be at pool no later than 8:00 pm for pick-up. Parents are permitted to stay on the pool deck at practice. Parents have the pool and coaches cell phone numbers. We ask that swimmers practice the entire period allotted and frown on getting out early. We believe that family commitments, schoolwork, exams, term papers and projects come first and therefore a swimmer should not attend practice until their assigned work is finished.
· Cell phones are not necessary at practice and run the risk of becoming lost or stolen. The Warren Harding Aquatic Team is NOT responsible for lost or stolen items. Due to the fact that most cell phones have cameras on them and locker rooms are “NO CAMERA ZONES,” we will be asking all swimmers to keep phones in their bag, keep them locked in a locker, leave them in the coach’s office or don’t bring them at all. THERE SHOULD BE NO CELL PHONES OUT AND IN USE IN THE LOCKER ROOMS!!!
Contact Coach Lukco – , (330) 501-3241, (330) 369-4868