Potomac Valley Swimming will be represented with an ALL-STAR TEAM at the 2006 Eastern Zone Long Course Championship Meet. This year the meet will be held in Buffalo, NY. The venues for this meet will be the same as in 2005 -- the Erie Community College Flickinger Aquatic Center and University at Buffalo Alumni Arena Pool (for 12&U sessions only). The date for this meet is August 9-12, 2006.

This is a great chance for PVS swimmers to compete against the best in the East, and to get to know and develop friendships with swimmers from other Potomac Valley Clubs.

The PVS Long Course Zone Team is now being managed in the same manner as long course zone team was managed in 2005.  it is also in the same manner as short course zone teams have been managed for many years.  This means that all athletes must travel to the meet in Buffalo with the team -- leaving early Tuesday morning August 8 and returning Sunday afternoon -- August 13. The athletes will also be required to stay at the team hotel, have their meals with the team and participate in other team activities unless officially excused by the Head Coach or Team Manager.  Permission for dismissal from traveling with the team will be granted on Saturday night AFTER the finals session ONLY.  The team concept is a result of a recommendation from the PVS Competition Committee (at which all PVS teams are eligible to vote) that was subsequently approved by the PVS Board of Directors.

Athletes who wish to participate on the team are requested to review both the 2006 Eastern Zone Maximum Qualifying Times and the 2006 Eastern Zone Minimum Qualifying Times to verify their eligibility.  All athletes who have achieved at least one individual qualifying time (and are not excluded from participation by virtue of the Maximum Qualifying Times/Meet Participation Restrictions) are eligible to register for the team.  Swimmers who register for the team will be entered into all eligible events.  Each swimmer may enter a total of six individual events, not to exceed three individual events per day. Swimmers' age for this meet is their age as of August 9, 2006. Entry qualifying times are Long Course Meters Only, must have been achieved after August 3, 2005 and must have been achieved in a USA Swimming sanctioned, observed or approved meet. CONVERTED TIMES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

For any times not already in the PVS Team Manager Online data base, athletes must provide the times and source of the electronic file (if possible) to the PVS EZ Head Coach and to the PVS Webmaster. Make sure you provide EVENT, TIME, NAME OF MEET, AND MEET LOCATION. Times will only be accepted from Sanctioned meets, Approved meets, or Observed meets.

Updating Event Entry Information: PVS will review all registrations received to determine if additional events and/or improved seed times are achieved at the PVS Senior, Junior or 14/U Age Group Championships and the 2006 Eastern Zone Speedo Super Sectional Meet. Any athlete who qualifies for events in excess of what is permitted will be contacted by the Zone Team Manager to determine from what event he/she wishes to withdraw.  If additional events and/or improved seed times are achieved at a meet not listed above, the swimmer must submit this information to the PVS Eastern Team Manager, Paris Jacobs, no later than 12 Noon on Monday July 31st.   You must have already submitted a registration in a timely manner in order to do so.

Registrations to participate on the Team are to be submitted directly for each swimmer wishing to enter the meet.  While information about your coach is requested on the form, entries are NOT to be submitted through the teams.  Zone rules require that all entries must be submitted through PVS.  The Zone Meet Director will NOT accept entries submitted by individual swimmers or by PVS teams.

The charge for participating in this meet will be $500 per athlete.  Payment is due with the registration form.  This will include 5 nights lodging, meals, meet entry fees, team suit, 2 t-shirts, 2 swim caps, and, for those who did not participate on the 2006 SC Zone Team, warm-ups. All checks should be payable to Potomac Valley Swimming. This amount reflects an expected subsidy from PVS to the team of between $30,000 to $40,000 (depending on team size).  The Board of Directors voted to provide this level of support on February 8, 2006.

Hotel Accommodations: The Team will be staying at the Holiday Inn Buffalo Airport.  Additional recommended accommodations for spectators are available at:  http://starswimming.org/information/Zones/Hotels.htm.  Parents must make their own travel and hotel arrangements.  Please make reservations early.

Additional Information: You may direct your inquiries regarding team participation to Mark Faherty, Head Coach at fahertyswim@yahoo.com; Mike Kraeuter, Assistant Head Coach at h2o-life@att.net; or Paris Jacobs, Team Manager at pvszone@pvswim2.org.

Eastern Zone Open Water Championships will be Sunday August 13th, 2006 at Town of Hamburg Lakefront Town Park, Hamburg NY. Potomac Valley will not have coaches available for this event. All teams and swimmers may enter this event on their own. Swimmers wishing to participate in this meet will be released to their parent or guardian following the end of finals on Saturday evening. They will then be responsible for their own transportation back to Washington. The meet announcement and application form for this event is posted on the PVS web page.