MICSA By-Laws
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MICHIGAN INTER-CLUB SWIMMING ASSOCIATION
BY LAWS
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of the Michigan Inter-Club Swimming Association is to promote friendly swimming competition, good sportsmanship and sociability among the girls and boys of member clubs.
II. MEMBER CLUBS
Birmingham Athletic Club Grosse Pointe Hunt Club
Country Club of Detroit Grosse Pointe Yacht Club
Dearborn Country Club Lochmoor Club
Detroit Golf Club Oakland Hills Country Club
Detroit Yacht Club Plum Hollow Country Club
Great Oaks Country Club Red Run Country Club
Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club Western Golf and Country Club
III. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
Any member club may sponsor a similar organization for membership in this Association by presenting its name at the Annual Meeting. Election for membership shall by 75% (11 member majority vote) consent of the member clubs. Membership of the Association shall be limited to a current maximum of fourteen members, subject to expansion as provided herein. Non-member clubs in the metro Detroit area with swimming facilities (see IV CRITERIA) may, upon application and upon 75% consent of member clubs, become Associate Members. Associate Members shall have no voting privileges, but may enter properly qualified swimmers in the Championships.
IV. CRITERIA
At minimum, all clubs must have a clubhouse with dining facilities, a 25 meter, six lane pool, the willingness to host Finals and pay its dues. If said criteria is not met, or if a club engages in conduct detrimental to the League, it is incumbent on the Board to bring the issue(s) to the membership for a resolution including expulsion, if necessary.
V. EXPENSES
Expenses of the Association consist of an annual Finals Stipend of $44,000 given to the club hosting the Championship Meet, and general administrative costs including secretarial, printing & postage, ribbons, medals & trophies, officials and other miscellaneous items. The cost of the Finals Stipend shall be borne equally by each member club and shall be known as the “Finals Fee”. Following the Annual Meeting, the Finals Fee shall be fixed for the following season in the amount of $3,150.00, payable by the following June 15th . Changes to the amount of the Finals Stipend must be approved by the membership at the Annual Meeting.
The Annual Membership Fee is calculated individually for each club, and is based on the number of swimmers who competed for the club during the previous swim season, as calculated from dual meet results. The Annual Membership Fee are intended to fund all association operating expenses beyond the Finals Stipend and are billed at the rate of $8.00 per swimmer and is payable by April 1st . The Executive Committee shall have the authority to reduce the Membership Fee as the budget and financial conditions of the Association permit. Increases in the Annual Membership Fee beyond $8.00 per swimmer must be approved by the membership at the Annual Meeting.
Any year-end Association account surplus shall be carried over to the following year, and any account deficit shall be made-up by equal assessment of the member clubs.
VI. ANNUAL MEETING
A meeting to be known as the ANNUAL MEETING shall be held in the month of October at the club of the current President, or at some other location determined by the Executive Committee. The purpose of the ANNUAL MEETING is to review the swim season just completed, plan for the following swim year, and to conduct such other business as shall come before the meeting. Expenses of the ANNUAL MEETING shall be borne by the individual clubs in proportion to the number of delegates and visitors they have attending.
The agenda for the ANNUAL MEETING will typically include, but is not limited to:
- overview of any issues and lessons-learned from the most recent season & Finals
- review of the Championship Meet by the hosting club
- report on the Coaches’ meeting held in August
- discussion of important subjects that may call for a vote of the membership
The agenda shall automatically include consideration of the By-Laws and rules and regulations of the Michigan Inter-Club Swimming Association, all of which may be reviewed, reconsidered and changed without previous notice to the member clubs attending the ANNUAL MEETING. All actions will require the approval of two-thirds (2/3) of all voting members in good standing present at the meeting. Each regular member club shall have one vote, which shall be cast by the current Swim Chairperson or his/her designated representative.
VII. TRANSITIONAL MEETING
A meeting, to be known as the TRANSITIONAL MEETING, shall be held each year in the months of April or May at the club which will host the Championship Meet that year, or at some other club determined by the Executive Committee. The attendees at this meeting shall be the members of the Executive Committee, the Swim Chairpersons for the season just completed and the Swim Chairpersons for the ensuing season. The Swim Chairpersons may invite their coach to the meeting, if they so desire. The purpose of the
TRANSITIONAL MEETING is to provide for the orderly transition of the policy making, planning and business affairs of the Association from the current group of Chairpersons to the Chairpersons for the ensuing year and to conduct any business as shall be necessary to come before the meeting. All actions will require the approval of two-thirds (2/3) of all voting members in good standing present at the meeting. Each regular member club shall have one vote, which shall be cast by the current Swim Chairperson or his/her designated representative.
The meeting agenda will typically include, but not limited to:
- overview of any issues and lessons-learned from the season just completed,
- briefing on important subjects for the upcoming season
- review information on proposals anticipated to be presented for approval at the ANNUAL MEETING.
The actions that can be taken at the TRANSITIONAL MEETING shall be the same and have the same standing as those that can be taken at the ANNUAL MEETING. The expenses of the TRANSITIONAL MEETING shall be borne by the individual clubs in proportion to the number of representatives and visitors they have attending.
VIII. LONG RANGE PLANNING MEETING
A meeting to be known as the LONG RANGE PLANNING MEETING may be held in the month of February or March at a site chosen by the Past President. The purpose of the LONG RANGE PLANNING MEETING is to make recommendations and propose By-Law changes that participants feel should be brought before the Executive Committee for consideration at the Transitional Meeting that spring. The expense of the LONG RANGE PLANNING MEETING shall be borne by each individual in attendance.
The LONG RANGE PLANNING MEETING shall be chaired by the Past President and may be attended by the Executive Committee, the Executive Secretary(s), at least one swim coach and any volunteer chairperson or their representatives. Anyone wishing to attend this meeting must inform the Executive Secretary(s) at the Fall Annual Meeting.
IX. OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Officers of the Association shall consist of the President, Vice-President/Treasurer and Secretary. These three, along with the Immediate Past President and Director-at-Large shall constitute the Executive Committee. Not more than one Executive Committee member from any club shall serve on said Committee in the same year. The Immediate Past President shall chair the Long range Planning Meeting prior to the spring Board Meeting and Transitional Meeting.
The term-of-office for the Director-at-Large and each Officer shall be one-year, beginning at THE TRANSITIONAL MEETING. The full term-of-office of each Association Director shall be five years, with Directors rotating through each office in the following order: Director-at-Large, Secretary, Vice President/Treasurer, President, Past-President. It is intended that each Director shall hold each position for not more than one-year. The Association’s Executive Secretary(s) shall maintain a rotation list by club to fill the next available Director position. If a Director or Officer is unable or becomes ineligible to complete his/her term, the Director’s member club shall be asked to appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of the ineligible Director’s term.
It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to handle administrative matters of the Association in conformance with the By-Laws, to establish the schedule of dual meets and to formulate plans for the Championship Meet. One of the coaches of the league may be invited to attend the Executive Committee meetings
The Association’s Fiscal Year shall begin November 1 and end the following October 31.
X. RULES AND REGULATIONS CONCERNING COMPETITION
A. The M.I.C.S.A. is a closed league, permitting competition among member clubs only.
B. PARTICIPANTS - A contestant must be a son or daughter or legally appointed ward of a duly qualified member of the club he or she is representing. This rule shall apply to Associate(s) as well as member clubs. Any variations from the letter of this rule must be approved in advance by the Executive Committee and its action shall be final. A contestant may compete for only one club during a season within the Association.
C. AGE CLASSIFICATION - The age of a contestant as of May 30th shall be his/her age for the entire season. Competition shall be provided in freestyle, breast stroke, back stroke and butterfly in the following age groups: 8 & under, 9-10. 11-12, 13-14 and 15-17 years.
D. EVENTS AND ORDER
1. 8 & Under 100 Free Relay 43A. Mixed 100 Free
2. Girls 200 Free Relay 44. Girls 8 & Under 25 Fly
(one from each age group) 45. Boys 8 & Under 25 Fly
3. Boys 200 Free Relay 46. Girls 9-10 50 Fly
(one from each age group) 47. Boys 9-10 25 Fly
4. Girls 8 & Under 25 Breast 48. Girls 11-12 50 Fly
5. Boys 8 & Under 25 Breast 49. Boys 11-12 50 Fly
6. Girls 9-10 50 Breast 50. Girls 13-14 50 Fly
7. Boys 9-10 50 Breast 51. Boys 13-14 50 Fly
8. Girls 11-12 50 Breast 52. Girls 15-17 50 Fly
9. Boys 11-12 50 Breast 53. Boys 15-17 50 Fly
10. Girls 13-14 50 Breast 54. Girls 8 & Under 50 Free
11. Boys 13-14 50 Breast 55. Boys 8 & Under 50 Free
12. Girls 15-17 50 Breast 56H. Mixed 10 & U 25 Fly
13. Boys 15-17 50 Breast 57H. Mixed 8 & Under 25 Free
14. Girls 8 & Under 50 Free 58A. Mixed 10 & U 25 Fly
15. Boys 8 & Under 50 Free 59A. Mixed 8 & U 25 Free
16. Girls 9-10 100 Free 60. Girls 9-10 50 Free
17. Boys 9-10 100 Free 61. Boys 9-10 50 Free
18. Girls 11-12 100 Free 62. Girls 11-12 50 Free
19. Boys 11-12 100 Free 63. Boys 11-12 50 Free
20. Girls 13-14 100 Free
21. Boys 13-14 100 Free 64. Girls 13-14 50 Free
22. Girls 15-17 100 Free 65. Boys 13-14 50 Free
23. Boys 15-17 100 Free 66. Girls 15-17 50 Free
24. Girls 8 & Under 25 Back 67. Boys 15-17 50 Free
25. Boys 8 & Under 25 Back 68H. Mixed 50 Fly
26H. Mixed 8 & U 25 Back 69H. Mixed 50 Free
27H. Mixed 8 & U 25 Breast 70H. Mixed 100 IM
28A. Mixed 8 & U 25 Back 71A. Mixed 50 Fly
29A. Mixed 8 & U 25 Breast 72A. Mixed 50 Free
30. Girls 9-10 50 Back 73A. Mixed 100 IM
31. Boys 9-10 50 Back 74. Girls 9-10 100 IM
32. Girls 11-12 50 Back 75. Boys 9-10 100 IM
33. Boys 11-12 50 Back 76. Girls 11-12 100 IM
34. Girls 13-14 50 Back 77. Boys 11-12 100 IM
35. Boys 13-14 50 Back 78. Girls 13-14 100 IM
36. Girls 15-17 50 Back 79. Boys 13-14 100 IM
37. Boys 15-17 50 Back 80. Girls 15-17 100 IM
38H. Mixed 50 Back 81. Boys 15-17 100 IM
39H. Mixed 50 Breast 82. Mixed 8 & U 100 Medley Relay
40H. Mixed 100 Free 83. Girls 200 Medley Relay
41A. Mixed 50 Back 84. Boys 200 Medley Relay
42A. Mixed 50 Breast
Note: “one from each age group” means one 9-10, one 11-12, one 13-14 and one 15-17.
E. Current National Federation of State High School Association (NFSHS) Rules shall
govern the competition in League and Championship events except where specifically stated otherwise.
EXCEPTIONS
a. FOR STROKES, TURNS AND FINISHES, a swimmer who complies with either U.S.S. Swim Rules or M.H.S.A.A. rules shall not be disqualified.
b. Records on 100 (8 & U) relays – At the Championship Meet, 8 and under swimmers will not be eligible to set official Association records for any stroke that they may swim on the lead leg of any 100 relay event. Official Association records will be recognized for a given stroke and distance only if it is set in the designated event for that stroke and distance.
c. False Start Rule - One False start is allowed before an individual swimmer or relay team is disqualified.
XI. DUAL MEETS
A. Schedule
The Dual Meet Schedule shall be established by the Executive Committee and shall be presented at the Transitional Meeting.
B. Entries
In Dual Meets, each Club may have THREE official entries in each individual event and ONE official relay in each relay event. A competitor may be entered in a maximum of FOUR events, including relay events.
C. Awards
1. A rotating trophy is kept annually by the club winning the Dual Meet Championship in its division.
2. Ribbons will be given for all places in all events, first through sixth in individual events and first and second only in relay events. In case of ties, duplicate awards shall be given.
D. MEALS
Host Club shall pay for and provide meals for the following:
1. Both swimming squads.
2. Officials and their spouse or guest.
E. OFFICIALS
It is mandatory that TWO officials, competent and familiar with MICSA rules, be hired for dual meets, to be referee, judge and starter. Each official shall have the power to disqualify for illegal strokes, jumping on relays and enforcing the rules in general. Only ONE card is to be turned in to the scoring table. The order of the finish as determined by the judge(s) will be final. The time cards will not change the judge’s order of finish, even if the times on the card disagree. NO USS swimmer or any club member shall be referee, starter or judge.
F. RESULTS
For all dual meets, the host coach shall prepare a summary of all dual meet results and transmit them to the other team. The summary of dual meet results shall contain the times and ages of all swimmers and shall be forwarded to the league Executive Secretary(s) the day after the meet.
G. SCORING
Individual events: Relays:
Place: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Place: 1 2
Points: 7 5 4 3 2 1 Points: 16 6
In Dual Meets the visiting team shall provide the host team with a copy of their line-up thirty (30) minutes prior to the starting time for the recorder and announcer. A coach may change his line-up any time during the meet, providing the change is made prior to the call for the event affected.
H. UP-AGING
Up-aging may be used in dual meets pursuant to the following rules:
1. It is not allowed to displace a correctly aged swimmer for any event.
2. It is allowed when a club has fewer than four (4) swimmers in an age group, unless 100s are being added for points, in which case up-aging is permitted when a club has fewer than five (5) swimmers in an age group.
XII. CHAMPIONSHIP MEET
A. LEAGUE MEET
1. The Championship Meet shall be held each year to determine the Association Champion. The meet shall begin during the last week of July, if possible. A rotating schedule of host clubs shall be maintained by the Association Secretary(s) as many years in advance as possible.
2. The Championship Meet shall normally take place on three successive days. The first day shall consist of sufficient preliminary heats in each event to accommodate all qualified entries, ages 10 and under. The second day shall consist of sufficient preliminary heats in each event to accommodate all qualified entries, ages 11 and over. The third day shall consist of the Finals; the top six qualifiers from the preliminaries shall compete in the appropriate championship heat and receive medals for the first six places. Qualifiers for places 7 through 12, inclusive, from the preliminaries, shall compete in the appropriate consolation heat and receive medals for places 7-12.
3. An admission fee of $5.00 shall be charged to spectators over the age of 17 and $3.00 shall be charged to spectators, ages 12-17. All revenue from spectator admission fees shall accrue to the host club.
4. A charge of $5.00 shall be paid by each club for each individual entry it submits for the Finals. Relay entries shall be charged $20.00. All revenue from individual and relay entry fees shall accrue to the Association.
B. ELIGIBILTY
Only contestants who have participated in at least one dual meet are eligible to represent a club at the Championship Meet. A Member Club holding a dual meet with an Associate Member Club or a qualified time trial event can, by reporting the results to the Executive Secretary(s) in the usual manner, register such meet or time trial as part of the eligibility requirements for the Championships.
Any regular member team may hold a dual meet with another member club to qualify a swimmer for the Finals as long as the meet is held prior to the established cut-off date and the results are submitted to the Executive Secretary(s) in the usual manner.
C. ENTRIES
1. All entries are to be submitted to the Executive Secretary(s) by a designated time on Sunday prior to the Championships. Exceptions to this timing require Board action.
2. Entries are to be submitted via e-mail which will be entered into Team Manager and returned to each club. Clubs have until Sunday evening to correct any entries deemed in error.
3. Each club is allowed a total of 84 entries into the scheduled individual events. No restriction is placed on the number of entries in an individual event.
4. Each club is allowed one relay entry in each relay event. Names are to be entered on the time card at the time of marshaling at the preliminaries. Any eligible swimmer may be used as an alternate for the Finals.
5. Each swimmer may be entered in a maximum of three events, one of which must be a relay if the swimmer enters the maximum of three events. Each entry for an individual event must be accompanied by a qualified time associated with a swim in a dual meet or a qualified time trial, which time must be submitted to the league’s Executive Secretary(s) prior to the established cut-off date.
6. A swimmer may scratch from any event prior to the qualifications of said event. The meet manager should be informed of scratches as soon as possible. A competitor who qualifies for the Finals may scratch from said event within thirty (30) minutes after qualifying without penalty. If he/she does not scratch within the thirty (30) minute time limit, he/she must swim the event or be barred from all further competition in the Finals.
7. If a club has a void age group, the coach may up-age a swimmer to complete his/her relay in the finals. A club cannot have a void age group in the Finals if said club entered a swimmer (not including up-aged swimmers) in that age group in any of their dual meets or any time trials during the season.
D. EVENTS AND ORDER
1. 8 & Under 100 Free Relay 33. Boys 15-17 Back
2. Girls 200 Free Relay 34. Girls 8 & Under 25 Fly
3. Boys 200 Free Relay 35. Boys 8 & Under 25 Fly
4. Girls 8 & Under Breast 36. Girls 9-10 25 Fly
5. Boys 8 & Under 25 Breast 37. Boys 9-10 25 Fly
6. Girls 9-10 50 Breast 38. Girls 11-12 50 Fly
7. Boys 9-10 50 Breast 39. Boys 11-12 50 Fly
8. Girls 11-12 50 Breast 40. Girls 13-14 50 Fly
9. Boys 11-12 50 Breast 41. Boys 13-14 50 Fly
10.Girls 13-14 50 Breast 42. Girls 15-17 50 Fly
11.Boys 13-14 50 Breast 43. Boys 15-17 50 Fly
12.Girls 15-17 50 Breast 44. Girls 8 & Under 25 Free
13.Boys 15-17 50 Breast 45. Boys 8 & Under 25 Free
14.Girls 8 & Under 50 Free 46. Girls 9-10 50 Free
15.Boys 8 & Under 50 Free 47. Boys 9-10 50 Free
16.Girls 9-10 100 Free 48. Girls 11-12 50 Free
17.Boys 9-10 100 Free 49. Boys 11-12 50 Free
18.Girls 11-12 100 Free 50. Girls 13-14 50 Free
19.Boys 11-12 100 Free 51. Boys 13-14 50 Free
20.Girls 13-14 100 Free 52. Girls 15-17 50 Free
21.Boys 13-14 100 Free 53. Boys 15-17 50 Free
22.Girls 15-17 100 Free 54. Girls 9-10 100 IM
23.Boys 15-17 100 Free 55. Boys 9-10 100 IM
24.Girls 8 & Under 25 Back 56. Girls11-12 100 IM
25.Boys 8 & Under 25 Back 57. Boys 11-12 100 IM
26.Girls 9-10 50 Back 58. Girls 13-14 100 IM
27.Boys 9-10 50 Back 59. Boys 13-14 100 IM
28 Girls 11-12 50 Back 60. Girls 15-17 100 IM
29.Boys 11-12 50 Back 61. Boys 15-17 100 IM
30.Girls 13-14 50 Back 62. Mixed 8 & Under Medley
31.Boys 13-14 50 Back 63. Girls 200 Medley Relay
32.Girls 15-17 50 Back 64. Boys 200 Medley Relay
E. DISQUALIFICATION
Disqualification of a finalist in the Championship shall constitute loss of points, but they
shall receive the award for the lowest position in the consolation or final. In the 12 place scoring system, no contestant or team can move up any place except those who swim in the Finals.
F. AWARDS
1. A permanent trophy (the PINKSTON TROPHY) shall be awarded to the team winning the Championships.
2. A permanent trophy shall be given to the team who scores the highest number of points in (a) girls competition and (b) boys competition.
3. A rotating trophy awarded to the same club for the third time shall become the permanent possession of that club and a replacement shall be provided.
G. MEALS
On the day of the Finals at the Championships, meals for the visiting swimmers shall be paid for by the individual or their own club. The Association shall pay for the luncheon of the paid officials and two coaches from each team during the preliminaries. The host club shall have the option of serving dinner for the officials following preliminary competition.
H. OFFICIALS
The minimum of four officials is required at the Championship Meet. Two (2) referees/starters, one (1) alternate referee/starter and a chief timer, in charge of all watches, lane assignments of timers and automatic timers, if used.
The host club shall select officials for the Championship Meet and submit their selections to the Executive Committee for approval not later than thirty days prior to the Championship Meet.
I. SCORING
Individual Events
Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Points 16 13 12 11 10 9 7 5 4 3 2 1
Relays
Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Points 32 26 24 22 20 18 14 10 8 6 4 2
J. TIMING
Automatic timers shall be used for the Championship Meet. Individual timers in the form of club members from each club shall be assigned as back-up timers in the event of a failure of the automatic equipment. NFSHS rules shall apply when timers are used, and all contestants must touch the plate on the finish of a race.
When there is an obvious discrepancy, the Officials may alter the results of the automatic timing by using the back-up time. An obvious discrepancy will be deemed to exist when the officials notice the discrepancy and/or the back-up time is over one second different than the automatic time.
An official must observe or be notified of the obvious discrepancy and agree that it exists within five (5) minutes of the conclusion of the race for the results of the automatic timing to be altered by the backup time.
XIII. COACHES’ MEETING
The coach or the swim chairperson of the club hosting the Championship Meet for the current season shall chair all coaches meeting.
1. A meeting (known as the Coaches Meeting) shall be held within one month following the championship Meet with the coach of the host club serving as chairman. Coaches’ recommendations derived from this meeting shall be submitted to the Executive Committee for possible placement on the agenda at the Annual Meeting.
2. The following meetings may be scheduled as required:
A. A meeting, approximately thirty (30) days prior to the date of the Championship Meet, to confirm the officials for said meet, to turn in team membership lists for the program and to be informed of any special problems the host club may have concerning the Championship Meet.
B. A meeting for entry deadline and seeding of heats to be held at a designated
time on the Monday prior to the Championship Meet.
As approved April, 2011