Meet Information: The Ninth Annual Maryland Public High School Invitational Swimming Championships ("STATES") is for any Public High School Swim Team (male and/or female) in the State of Maryland. Each team entering must have practiced as a high school team in accordance with MPSSAA rules and timeframes and competed in at least three high school meets during the 2005-2006 high school swim season to be eligible to enter this meet. This meet is intended as a "Team Meet". Individual Entries will not be accepted and will be returned.

Meet Goal: The goal of this meet is to stimulate Maryland Public High School Swimming and the formation of Public High School Teams as well as Team Competition. (Note: In order to gain the greatest possible participation for the Ninth Annual Maryland Public High School Invitational, there will be no qualifying times...All team members are invited). This is a Team Meet for teams actively involved in Public High School competition and is intended to stimulate a Maryland Public High School Championship Meet. Participation in the Maryland Public High School Invitational Swimming Championships is encouraged by the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA), sponsor of the Top Sixteen Award Certificates, and is Sanctioned by the MPSSAA.

MEET FORMAT

This year’s meet format will include preliminaries for the 500 yd Freestyle held on Friday evening Feb 24^th and preliminaries for all other events held during the morning session on Feb 25^th. The 16 fastest swimmers will be invited to the championship finals on Saturday evening Feb 25^th (The eight fastest swimmers from the preliminaries of each championship event shall qualify for the finals and the next eight fastest swimmers shall qualify for consolation finals). Each Team will be permitted to enter three swimmers per individual event and three relays per relay event. (Only the highest placing relay from each team will score team points. All relays will earn awards based on order of finish.) Each swimmer may enter a maximum of two individual events and two relays or one individual and three relay events. Note: A swimmer may not compete in more than four events during the preliminary and Championship Finals; i.e., a swimmer cannot swim in an additional relay during the Championship Finals, even if the name is included on the card, if the swimmer competed in two individual events and the other two relay events during the preliminaries (NFHS Swimming and Diving Rule Book, p. 20, Rule 3, section 2 - Playing Rules, Situations B and D). In order to gain the greatest possible participation for the Ninth Annual Maryland Public High School Invitational Swim Meet, there will be no qualifying times...All team members are invited!

RULES

Rules: Rules for competition for this meet will be those set forth in the current National Federation High School Swimming and Diving Rule Book (NFHS). This is a Team Meet...Individual Entries will NOT be accepted. The Head Swimming Coach for the school he/she represents must be present for the entire meet. Any problems will be referred to and resolved by the Meet Director.

Uniform Rule:

All swimmers must compete in the designated team uniform of their high school. The wearing of suits, caps, and uniforms from club teams (both USA Swimming or Summer Teams) in this meet is NOT appropriate and will NOT be permitted (Note: Any suit, cap, or uniform with a Team Logo that is not their High School Log is considered illegal attire). The National Federation Swimming rule about jewelry will also be enforced (Pg 22 & 23 of the NFHS Rule Book). Jewelry or objectionable attire shall NOT be worn. When it is discovered during his/her race that the competitor is wearing illegal attire or jewelry, he/she will not be permitted to participate in an event until the illegal attire/jewelry is replaced or removed. If the violation is discovered after the start of the event the swimmer shall be disqualified from that event.

Scratch Rules:

Preliminaries Scratch Rule: There will be no scratch meeting before the preliminaries meet. The following rules will be applied to swimmers who fail to compete: A swimmer who fails to compete in any event he or she is entered in may scratch without penalty. This constitutes a legal scratch from an event. It does not affect any previous or subsequent performances.

Championship Finals Scratch Rule: Coaches need to notify the head judge of the names and events of swimmers who will NOT be returning for the Championship Finals. A coaches’ meeting will be held ½ hour after the conclusion of the preliminary meet to verify scratches and notify coaches of additional swimmers invited to return for the Championship Finals. For failing to compete in all individual races and heats in the Championship Finals for which he/she has qualified, (exception can be found in Rule 3, Section 2, Art 2 and Art 3, Page 18 of the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rule Book), the competitor shall be disqualified from further competition. If there is a no-show for an event during the Championship Finals, the first alternate will be invited to swim. In this case, the alternate will move to the consolation heat.

EVENTS

SCORING

Team Scoring: Boys and girls events will be run and scored separately. Points are given thru 16 places as follows:

Note: A competitor from the consolation heat cannot place ahead of a competitor in the finals heat, except in the case of a disqualification or a no show in the finals heat.

AWARDS

Team Awards: Team Trophies for 1^st through 5^th high point boys teams and 1^st through 5^th high point girls teams. Trophies will be presented at the conclusion of the meet.

Individual Awards: Plaques will be awarded for 1^st through 9^th place finishes (including relays). Ribbons will be awarded for 10^th-16^th places. Individuals finishing 1^st - 16^th place will also receive a National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA) Top 16 Certificate. Relays finishing 1^st - 16^th will also receive the NISCA Top 16 Certificate. Plaques for the top three individuals and relays will be presented at the conclusion of the meet.

MEET ENTRY

Master Entry Form: All events entered must be listed on the Master Entry Form available here or included in the Hy-Tek Team Manager TM file available for download. The Master Entry Form or TM file must contain the names of all eligible swimmers (including relay swimmers), year in school, the events entered, seed time and date of seed time. In relay events, eight individuals may be designated, but it shall not count as an entry unless the competitor actually competes in the event. A swimmer may not compete in more than four events during the preliminary and Championship Finals; i.e., a swimmer can not swim in an additional relay during the Championship Finals, even if the name is included on the card, if the swimmer competed in two individual events and the other two relay events during the preliminaries (NFHS Swimming and Diving Rule Book, p. 20, Rule 3, section 2 - Playing Rules, Situations B and D). Legibly print or type the names of all contestants, their year in school and their entry time. "No time" entries will NOT be accepted. Designate relay teams as A, B, C for each swimmer that may be included on the relay. A swimmer can be listed for more than one relay team; i.e., can be designated as A and B. Coaches must copy the Master Entry Form for themselves. Seeding times MUST be from High School Meets from the 2005-2006 swim season. Note: Do Not Send Seeding Cards.

Team Entries: Team Entries and the Master Entry Form (with correct entry fees - Please Make Checks Payable to MISM) must be received by the Meet Organizer by February 21, 2006 at the following address:

Note: TM files may be e-mailed to mism@venitsports.com and a hardcopy of the entries and the check mailed to the above address.

Hy-Tek Meet Manager: This meet will be run on the Hy-Tek Meet Manager software...If possible please send your teams entries on Hy-Tek Team Manager via e-mail along with the Master Entry Form.

MEET FEES

Fees: The fee structure has been set up to encourage smaller teams to participate; however, there is a minimum fee per team of $75.00 (Boys and Girls Combined).

            Please Make Checks Payable to "Maryland Invitational Swim Meet"

ELIGIBILITY

Entries will only be accepted from public high school teams in the State of Maryland. Each school’s entry form must be certified by the coach that the entrants listed are students in good standing at their school; meet the school’s rules for athletic eligibility, and meet the eligibility regulations of the association of which the school is a member. Each competitor must be an amatuer. Swimmers must have participated in at least half of their team’s meets during the 2005-2006 high school swim season. All seed times must be from high school meets. If an entry is challenged, the coach may be required to provide proof of meet results.

HOTEL INFORMATION

If interested in taking advantage of the Holiday Inn Hotel (approximately 3 miles, from the pool), please have parents/coaches call 301-776-5300 (anytime) or 1-877-424-7088 (M-F 8:00 am - 6:00 pm only) to reserve rooms as soon as possible. Other local hotels include: Comfort Suites (301) 206-2600, Ramada Inn (301) 498-0900, and Fairfield Inn (301) 498-8900.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

·        No Refunds of Entry Fees.

·        Each Team shall be permitted to enter three swimmers per individual event and three relays per relay event

·        Seeding Times MUST be from High School Meets from the 2005 - 2006 Swim Season. "No Time" entries will not be accepted.

·        All Entries are final. No changes may be made after submitted.

·        There will be no scratch meeting for the Preliminary meet

·        A competitor shall be permitted to enter a maximum of 2 individual events and 2 relay events OR 1 individual event and 3 relay events.

·        Being designated as a member of a relay team counts as an event only if the competitor actually swims in the event.

·        In relay events, eight individuals may be designated, but it shall not count as an entry unless the competitor actually competes in the event.

·        Each team will be expected to provide officials and timers to help at the meet.

·        There will be lanes available for warm-up/cool down throughout the preliminary meet only. Please remind swimmers to use these lanes for warm-up/cool down only.

·        Results will be posted at mism.VenitSports.com

Meet T-Shirts: A limited number of souvenir T-Shirts will be on sale at a nominal cost on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Snack Bar: A snack bar will be available throughout the meet.

Meet Directors: John & Cherlynn Venit (301) 725-7711

Note: The 2007 Maryland Public High School Invitational Swimming Championships is Tentatively Scheduled for February 25 - 26 2007.

-----Original Message-----
From: dpws@aol.com [mailto:dpws@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 4:27 PM
To: office@mpssaa.org
Subject: Maryland Invitational Swimming Championships Sanctions


Mr Sparks --
 
I sent the MPSSAA Sanction Form for the Maryland Public High School Invitational 
Swimming Championship Swim Meet to your office on January 8th 2006.  Has it been 
received by your office?
 
Thanks.
John Venit
Meet Coordinator
301-725-7711

-----Original Message-----
From: Greg LeGrand 
To: dpws@aol.com
Sent: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 09:07:28 -0500
Subject: RE: Maryland Invitational Swimming Championships Sanctions


John - The event has been received and sanctioned. It will be on the website shortly.
Sincerely,
Greg Le Grand 
Assistant Director, MPSSAA 
410 767 0415