Attendees -- Don Riedlinger, Chair; Jim Garner, PVS; John Hirschmann, PVS; Ward Foley, AAC; Evan Stiles, AAC; Mark Faherty, CUBU; Mike Kraeuter, FISH; Kerstin Severin, HACC; Paris Jacobs, MACH; Noah Rucker, MAKO; Cy Cyganicewicz, OCCS, Ginger Cyganicewicz, OCCS, Bill Marlin, PM; Peter Karl, SDS, Breanne Smith, SDS; Mark Lewis. SDS.

Call to Order -- The meeting was called to order by Competition Committee Chairman, Don Riedlinger at 5:12 pm at Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia

Agenda -- Don Riedlinger had provided an agenda for use at the meeting.

Approval of Minutes -- The minutes of the special November 8, 2004 Competition Committee meeting were unanimously approved as submitted. They had been posted on the pvswim.org website and copies were available at the meeting for review.

Board Action on Prior Competition Committee Recommendations -- Riedlinger reviewed with the Committee actions the PVS Board had taken on previous Competition Committee recommendations. He noted that the chief motion from the Special Competition Committee meeting had been to propose moving the PVS Senior Championship meet from the late February/March timeframe to December. The motive for the motion was primarily to move the meet from the crowded competition schedule the late February/March timeframe. Competition had also endorsed keeping the three open meets and the two distant meets on the same weekends as they had been in 2004-05 SC season.

Don reported that the Board had rejected the motion to move Senior Champs to December. He indicated that factors impacting the Board's vote probably included that only 8 clubs participated in the special Competition Committee meeting, several of the largest clubs were not involved, and the vote was close 4-3-1

Since the Board did not approve December for the time of the PVS Senior Championship meet, it then proceeded to set the date for this meet as March 9-12, 2006. This selection of this date took into account that Metros would end on February 25, South Sectionals would be March 16-19, 2006 and Nationals would be March 28-April 1. The Board then proceeded to set the PVS 14/U JO Age Group Championships on March 16-19, 2006 - one week following PVS Senior Champs [The Age Group Championships are set for March 30-April 1, 2006.]

Questions were raised as to whether the PVS Age Group Championships usually preceded or followed PVS Senior Championships. It was noted in 2004, PVS Senior Championships were later since the Sectional meet was made later - taking into account USA Swimming Nationals were in February rather than later March/early April due to the Olympic Trials. Thus, PVS Age Group Champs were before PVS Senior Champs, but normally (since the arrival of Sectionals in 2001) - this has not been the case.

Don also went through the Board actions pertaining to the recommendations arising from the September Competition Committee meeting. He reported the Board approved recommendations pertaining to the selection of the PVS EZ 2005 Head and Assistant Head Zone Coach and the selection process for assistant coaches to this meet. Greg York will be in charge of those elections, including publicizing the process pertaining to how they will occur. The selection period for the zone team was approved, travel reimbursement for Spring 2005 World Championship Selection Meet, the Summer 2005 USA Swimming Nationals and the new USA Swimming Junior Championships to occur August 2005. In addition, the revised list of events eligible for a PVS record was approved as was adding an 18/U category to the Distance Award recognition category.

He also reported the Board deferred taking action on the proposal regarding determining how athletes for the PVS EZ LC team would be chosen until Competition could discuss the proposal further at its January meeting..

Club Sponsored Meets - Long Course 2005 Season -- Hirschmann then presented the bids that had been submitted to hold club sponsored meets during the 2005 LC season. A calendar showing how these meets fit into the already scheduled PVS, Zone and National meets was provided. The club meets bid were:

In addition, he noted that CUBU/RMSC have advised that they wish to run the Bunkey Lewis meet in May, but have not yet determined on what weekend to do so.

The Competition Committee APPROVED a motion to endorse these 4 meets to receive a sanction from the PVS Board.

Club Sponsored Meets - Short Course 2005/06 Season -- Hirschmann then presented the bids that had been submitted to hold club sponsored meets during the 2005-06 SC season. . A calendar showing how these meets fit into the already scheduled PVS, Zone and National meets was provided. The club meets bid were:

Hirschmann also advised that CUBU was requesting sanctioning of the Pilgrim Pentathlon in November and Winter Splash Mini Meet in January, but has yet to determine the exact date on which AU will be available to hold this meet.

He noted that there had been no requests to add any meets that had not been on the 2004-05 calendar and that a few meets had moved their date by a weekend. Two meets historically on the calendar have not yet been formally bid. They are

Hirschmann noted that VSC had resigned the sanction for the March Madness Meet and the sanction for that meet in 2005 is in the process of being awarded to YORK or AST.

A question was asked as to when is the last date for which a club sponsored meet can be bid. The answer given was that it is the Spring Competition meeting for meets falling between September 1 and December 31 and the Fall Competition meeting for meets falling between January 1 and April 30.

A motion was made to endorse those meets for which a sanction request had been submitted. The motion was APPROVED with no dissent. It was agreed that Competition could defer until May acting on the two meets for which a request to receive a sanction had not been submitted.

Need for 14/Under Meet in February Timeframe -- Riedlinger brought to Competition's attention a letter that had been received by the General Chairman regarding whether PVS provides sufficient competitive opportunities for athletes who are not close to having QT's for the PVS 14/U JO Age Group Championship Meet.

There was discussion of the meets currently being provided by clubs during the timeframe between the PVS January Open and the PVS 14/U JO Championship Meet. It was observed that several had a NFT that excluded swimmers who already had the QT and some also had a NST (or similar provisions) designed to assure those who are close to achieving a QT have a chance to attempt to do so. It was also noted that one club who held such a qualifying meet in the past -- is not doing so this year nor has it bid to do so in 2006.

There was consensus that there was lack of swimming opportunities for non-high school swimmers who already have the QT or who are not yet close to the QT's, to compete at a PVS meet for in some cases two months and that this was too long. As a result, some clubs are traveling out of town to satisfy the need to provide for competition.

It was noted that it is difficult to schedule meets in this timeframe both due to the large demands being placed on officials (HS and collegiate championships) and difficult renting pools in this timeframe - also caused by all these meets being on the calendar. This would be true whether PVS or a club were to sponsor the meet.

There was also discussion whether it was PVS's or its member clubs responsibility to satisfy this need. Some felt if clubs feel a need to have a meet in that timeframe, they should step forward and host one. Others noted that PVS had stated that an opportunity should be provided each month for all its athletes (regardless of age or ability) to compete and if the clubs were not doing, perhaps PVS needed to address whether it should do so.

A question was asked whether if a club were to bid to host a meet on two successive Sunday mornings, whether there would be interest. Several clubs expressed interest.

It was agreed that this matter was just on the table for discussion at this time - no action was being proposed.

Zone Team Eligibility -- Riedlinger provided a reminder to Competition regarding changes in the rules as to who is eligible to compete in the Eastern Zone (Short Course only) Age Group Championship Meet. Swimmers who have been to a Speedo Championship Series meet at anytime since the meets inception in 2001 may no longer be entered into this meet. Similarly, any swimmer age 13 and Over who has an "Official Time" that equals or betters the QT for the 2005 Eastern Zone Sectional meets may not be entered into that event at Zones - nor may they participate in that leg or a relay or use their time to establish a seed time.

Election of 2005 LC Zone Coaches -- Don Riedlinger advised that he had been informed that Mark Faherty name had been nominated to be Head Zone Coach and Breanne Smith to be Assistant Head Zone Coach. The body was advised that Jeffrey Haynie had also been submitted to be an Assistant Head Zone Coach. His nomination was accepted. Accordingly, Mark Faherty was declared the winner as Head Zone Coach and a ballot election was held for Assistant Head Zone Coach. The body was informed later that Breanne Smith won the election. A motion to destroy the ballots was then made, seconded and passed.

Election of Assistant 2005 SC Zone Coaches -- As noted earlier, Greg York will be in charge of conducting the elections and making sure it is appropriately publicized.

LC Zone Team Proposal -- Don read the proposal, which had been formulated in September and previewed informally at the conclusion of the November Special Competition Committee meeting. A motion was made and seconded so that the matter could be discussed. The motion is as follows:

It was reported that the matter has been widely discussed amongst the coaches and appears to have wide support, therefore it was recommended that Competition formally adopt it as its recommendation. In response to questions about how it would work, it was indicated that the phrase "and managed the same as Short Course Zone teams" was meant to include the concept that athletes on the team would travel with the team, stay in team hotel, be there for the duration of the meet, and be available for all relays throughout the meet. It was also confirmed that this phrase would allow us to accept disabled swimmers onto the team on the same basis as we now do for SC Zones.

There was also discussion on the "top 3 swimmers" provision. This included that the 3rd fastest could go only if fast enough to make the zone QT -since the Zone only promises 2 slots/event regardless of QT. It was also estimated that based on 80-90 swimmers going to SC, that 110-120 swimmers would make the LC team. Also, once you made the team, you may enter as many events as you qualify for under the Zone meet QT's. It was also clarified that you must qualify for the team in this manner in order to participate - you can't travel to meet independently and compete - even if you have the QT.

Concern was raised that limiting the team in this manner would hurt PVS in terms of winning or doing well in the meet since we not take swimmers who would have earned points. Others noted it was not very likely that our 4th fastest swimmer would be fast enough to finish 8th or better at the meet.

A vote was taken on the motion as submitted -- it PASSED unanimously.

Old Business -- Several items of old business were raised.

Dual Senior Meet with VSI -- Don Riedlinger advised Competition that until earlier today, he had not heard anything from VSI on this topic since mid-November. There was apparently already a dual meet between the VA and NC LSC's that could be used as a model for how this meet could be conducted. The format of the PSDN LC meet was raised as another possibility. The possibility of PV having a dual meet with either MD or NC was also raised. PV would be most interested in having this meet sometime after May.

14/U Age Group Coach of Year - Bill Marlin circulated again the proposed selection criteria for determining this individual. The plan is to have a PVS coach recognized at the annual ASCA meeting -- this recognition program had been endorsed at the May 2004 House of Delegates meeting. It could not be implemented in time for somebody to be recognized at the 2004 ASCA meeting. A question was raised whether the dates in the proposal were practical given the ASCA meeting would be returning to its normal practice of meeting the week of Labor Day. An alternative was proposed to have the consideration period run from the beginning of the prior Long Course season thru the end of the current Short Course season - approximately mid-April to the following mid-April. The committee agreed to this modification in the proposal.

Swimposium - Paris Jacobs and Bill Marlin briefed Competition on the status of their planning for holding a Swimposium in September or early October within PVS. Paris noted her options are constrained by difficulties in getting the hotel space we need (including a facility with a pool) in the timeframe desired and at a location that would be convenient to most of PVS. Some suggestions regarding alternative meeting locations to pursue were made and there was also discussion of what would be good dates, given the meets now on PVS's calendar

Many agreed that the tracks to be offered should include one for Officials. The possibility of having another track for parents to expose them to other volunteer opportunities was proposed. It was also generally felt that a track for Senior coaches is not needed and that we should have a track for Age Group coaches who have had less opportunity to get this type of training. It was suggested there be a separate track for 8/U Mini coaches. A track for athletes was also considered likely - which requires access to a pool at or near the Swimposium site.

Paris gave an overview of the basic facility needs - a central meeting room for all participants and 4 break out rooms. Vendors would need a display area. Paris advised she was considering a facility that could handle up to 700 participants. She also explained the finances, likely cost to participants and that USA Swimming and PVS Financial support was anticipated.

Officials Recruitment -- Don Riedlinger asked the coaches on behalf of Boots Hall, PVS Officials Chairman to encourage their parents to come out and train to be officials. It was recognized by the coaches present that our ability to hold as many meets as desired is frequently constrained by the ability of officials. In response to a question, Don indicted that there was the possibility of doing the training in connection with a team training time. However, clubs were asked to assure a respectable turnout since the instructors are also volunteers and we want to make effective use of their volunteer time.

ASCA Level I Clinic -- Bill Marlin announced he has had requests to conduct an ASCA Level 1 clinic and asked others in they are interested for an expression of interest. It would most likely be conducted at GMU-Fairfax. Several coaches present indicated they had coaches on their team who needed the training.

Next Meeting Date -- There was discussion of the date to have the next meeting. The advantages (preferences) of a weekday evening versus Sunday evening meeting were discussed. Potential conflicts with out of town meets and its impact on attendance was also raised. It was agreed to have the next meeting Sunday, May 15 at 5pm. Peter Karl will advise shortly if ANCC-Arlington would be available. [This time and location was subsequently confirmed.]

Adjournment -- The meeting adjourned at 6:27pm