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HYCAT Handbook: Communications
The HYCAT Swimming Program has many "lines-of-communication" that are available
to the membership. Some of these forms of communication are briefly outlined/
described below for your information/convenience:
[ 1] "SPLASH"
** the club's newsletter and it is usually available for distribution/pick-
up twice during each season; the newsletter may be picked-up from the
top right section of the plastic file folders located on the wall next
to the HYCAT Swimming Office.
** this newsletter serves as a REMINDER for the swimmer's monthly Swimming
Fees which are due on or before the 1st of each month; a "President's
Corner" column; a "Director/Head Coach's Corner" column; a "Head Age
Group Coach's Corner" column; "Developmental Age Group Coach's Corner"
column; up-dated "Swim Meet Information" column; an "Announcements"
column; a "HYCAT Board" column; a "HYCAT Swim Team News" column; a HYCAT
"Swimmer's Rep" column; a "College Corner" column; and other important
items regarding the HYCAT Swimming Program.
[ 2] "HANDOUTS"
** the swimmers AND/OR parents will have many, many handouts {especially at
the beginning of the each season [Fall Program in September; Winter Pro-
gram in January AND Summer Program in mid-April] AND when a family
initially joins the HYCAT Swimming Program during the season}.
** these handouts will be available at the Annual Parent Orientation Meet-
ings held in late August/early September prior to the start of the Fall
Program OR from the plastic file folders located on the wall next to the
HYCAT Swimming Office {NOTE: if any of the handouts ARE NOT available,
please let Greg Olson, Greg Lake or Cindy know and additional handouts
will be obtained}.
[ 3] "MESSAGE BOARD"
** there is a "Message Board" located above the door to the HYCAT Swimming
Office and it displays a series of messages that the HYCAT Coaching Staff
consider to be the MOST IMPORTANT for that day/week.
** PLEASE make the effort to look at/read these messages = THANK YOU!
[ 4] "BULLETIN BOARD(S)"
** the HYCAT Swimming Program utilizes two (2) bulletin boards, one board
located on the wall along the hallway going towards the HYCAT Swimming
Office/pool entrance {near the front entrance to the Gorman PE Build-
ing}; and the second board located inside the pool area & behind the
weight equipment.
** information that is posted on the board located in the hallway can be
divided into two (2) sections as follows: (1) the top row contains
information regarding the HYCAT Swimming Program in general, including a
list of swim meets; swimwear/equipment information; USA Registration
numbers/USA Insurance information; club financial information; club
"Advancement/Promotion" policies/regulations; HYCAT Swimming Program
outline; etc; etc; AND (2) on the left side of the bottom section of the
board contains various club announcements and/or notices; and to the
right side are posted various swim meets information packets that are
arranged according to the month that the meet will be held.
** information that is posted on the board located inside the pool area is
primarily Time Standards for Phillips 66 Nationals; Speedo Junior
Championships; Y Nationals; Top 16 Age Group Rankings; and the 2000-2001
USA NAG B/BB/A/AA/AAA/AAAA Time Standards; 2000-2001 USA Age Group Time
Standards {Championship based}; 200-2001 USA Age Group Time Standards
{Quadrennium 2000 based}; also, from time-to-time, various newspapers
articles about important swim meets are posted and/or swimming related
topics.
** PLEASE take a few minutes, at least once-a-week, to look at & read these
different swim meet information packets so you can decide what Meets to
"register/enter" your children. Again, if you need assistance, PLEASE
SEE A MEMBER OF THE HYCAT COACHING STAFF.
[ 5] "PRACTICE SCHEDULES"
** up-dated swim practice schedules are regularly posted on the entrance
doors to the Gorman PE Building {outside doors} AND the entrance doors
to the swimming pool located near the HYCAT Swimming Office every week.
** PLEASE take a few minutes each week to look at/read these schedules to
see if any "changes" have been made in the practice schedules; the HYCAT
Coaching Staff will also make several announcements during the week to
REMIND the swimmers of the up-coming "changes."
** vacation practice schedules are also listed/printed in the monthly news-
letter.
[ 6] "HYCAT PARENTS ANNOUNCEMENT BOARD"
** a weekly, up-dated "Announcement" sheet is posted on the windows that
face the swimming pool.
** this sheet is divided into three (3) sections: 1ST SECTION is general
club information/announcements; 2ND SECTION is for the "Developmental/
Instructional Programs" {Bronze/Silver/Gold/High School/Masters/High
School/Summer League Teams}; and the 3RD SECTION is for the "Competitive
Programs" {Comp 1-3 Teams}.
** HYCAT Coaching Staff posts the various Team Announcements on the window
located next to the HYCAT Swimming Office entitled "HYCAT ANNOUNCEMENT
WINDOW."
** information for ALL HYCAT Programs are posted here each week.
** in addition, IMPORTANT copies of articles are often posted for a 2-3
week period for the general information of the HYCAT community, include-
ing topics regarding dryland training; age group swimming; nutrition;
diet & sleep; etc.
[ 7] "MESSAGE SERVICE"
** the club has a 24-hour "message service" {357-4825} and the service is
"on" during the week {MON-FRI} after 3:30PM and all day on weekends.
** PLEASE get into the "habit" of calling the "message service" before you
depart for swim practice, especially during inclement weather; we rarely
"CANCEL" any practice BUT there has been a few exceptions in the last 27
years. HYCAT Snow Policy.
** the "message service" is especially helpful during swim meets and
during HYCAT vacation periods when "changes" in the practice schedules do
occur.
[ 8] "HYCAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS = COACHING STAFF"
** PLEASE utilize the HYCAT PARENTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS members and the HYCAT
COACHING STAFF as your "resource" library when it comes to the activity
of "competitive swimming." There are many knowledgeable parents on the
club BUT, between the HYCAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS and the HYCAT COACHING
STAFF, you will be able to receive an up-to-date and correct response to
your question; OR the proper/correct procedure of handling any problems/
concerns that you might have about the HYCAT Swimming Program.
[ 9] "HYCAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS"
** ALL meetings are "open" to the general membership of HYCAT Swimming
** meetings are generally held on the 3rd Monday of each month; with
"special" or "additional" meetings schedule when necessary.
** meetings are usually held in the Geary Student Union Building on the UC
campus and normally start 7:45PM during the Fall/Winter seasons and
6:45PM during the Summer season.
** the club conducts two (2) General Membership Meetings as follows: the
Fall/Winter Meeting during the club's Annual Holiday Party in late
December; and the Winter/Summer Meeting late April/early May. The late
April/early May meeting is where the Board elections for the next season
will be conducted.
[10] "TEAM ROSTERS"
** a "complete" list of HYCAT team members {listed by teams} for the Fall
Season will be available for pick-up in early October from either the
plastic file folders OR the table located outside the HYCAT Swimming
Office AND will be listed in the weekly "Announcement" sheet.
** Winter Roster in late January; Summer Roster in mid-June.
[11] "PHONE"
** PLEASE do not hesitate to call/contact any member of the HYCAT Coaching
Staff at any time to discuss your child's progress within the swimming
program; OR to just "talk" swimming.
** DO NOT hesitate to call/contact any member of the HYCAT BOARD regarding
the swimming program.
[12] "SWIM MEET INFO FORMS"
** for every swim meet that your child competes in (EXCEPT the HYCAT Novice
Meets}, a "swim meet information" handout is prepared by the HYCAT
Coaching Staff which will have 99% of the information that you will need
concerning the up-coming swim meet.
** included in this handout will be the location {and sometimes semi-good
directions}; warm-up & meet starting times; the event numbers that each
swimmer has been entered; list of events & their event numbers; a sec-
tion for additional swim meet information; motel information {the club
will make your motel reservations for you}; and other important info
** these handouts are usually available for pick-up about 3-7 days prior to
the 1st day of the meet (both "home" and "away" meets).
[13] "PUBLICATIONS"
** if you are interested in the sport of "competitive swimming," there are
various publications and books that can "broaden" your knowledge and
understanding of the sport and keep you up-to-date with the changes that
occur within the United State Swimming (USA Swimming) National organiza-
tion and with swimming in general. If interested, please see Greg Olson
for further information/details.
[14] "PARENTS/SWIMMERS HANDBOOK"
** this handbook HOPEFULLY will be up-dated/revised during the 2000-2001
Season {we are presently attempting to put the handbook on com-
puter} and the handbook should be ready {hopefully} for distribution
during the 2001 Winter Season.
** the handbook is a 50 page {or so} booklet and should be considered the
"bible" of swimming for the HYCAT Swimming Program. The handbook will
contain the club's BY-LAWS and other additional club information. For
your information, the swimming club is incorporated within WV as a "non-
profit organization" in September 1963 under the name of "GREATER
CHARLESTON SWIMMING ASSOCIATION." In 1978 we changed our name under
which we compete in swim meets to "SUN AQUATICS" and again in 1991 to
"UC AQUATIC TEAM."
[15] "HYCAT BY-LAWS"
** a copy of the club's BY-LAWS is available for pick-up from the table
located immediately outside the HYCAT Swimming Office
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http://members.citynet.net/HYCAT -- Revised: 31 December 2002
golson@uchaswv.edu
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Copyright © 2003