Kingston Swim Club: KSC News

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

A critical ingredient in maintaining a successful swim program is the volunteer; whether visiting a meet or hosting one, administrating the program, officiating a meet (see below), fundraising, providing a service for the program, or just plain "puttin' your back into it", volunteers provide the foundation for the participants to succeed.  When hosting meets, a variety of "jobs" must be filled in order to run the meet smoothly: computer operators, officials, timers, seaters, coaches' aides, concessions, set-up/clean-up crews, to name only a few.  When visiting a meet, responsibilities vary and can include timing, seating, and clean-up crews.  Administering the program requires multiple volunteers to take on positions which may include "board officers" such as treasurer, president, registrar, etc.; however, with the evolution into the Kingston YMCA Hurricanes Swim Club, our administration  includes participation in committees for fundraising, events (meet directors, etc.), and parent advisory.  Most of the volunteering required is a donation of time and energy - a donation that your participants readily need - and is paid for by the smiles of those participants.  And, what the heck, you are going to be there anyway!  Please consider a leadership position within our group; additionally, if you have specific talents that can be channeled into aiding the success of this swim club, meet up with any of the advisory board members or contact via email the following:

James Jolly jmsjjolly@hvc.rr.com 

Coach Lori Tocco ic88@hotmail.com

Kevin Chorzempa kevinchorzempa@aol.com

Thank you for volunteering! Which brings to our next bit of volunteer position:  OFFICIALS...

GOT OFFICIALS?  A "Call to Arms"!!

As many of you know, one of the requirements for swim meets to run is an adequate number of officials.  When hosting a meet, a minimum of two officials is required, and of those, Level 2 (Starter and Referee) certification is necessary.  This training is available through the avenues listed below, but before we get ahead of ourselves, what are the benefits to becoming an official?  The benefits to officiating are many, but among them: 

-the best “seat” in the house – on deck!

-training to expand your knowledge of the sport of swimming.

-active community involvement.

-direct participation in the sport of swimming.

To this end, both USA Swimming and YMCA Competitive Swimming put out a “call for officials” each year.  Our local affiliated USA Swimming league, the Adirondack League, will host officials' clinics on October and/or November - the specific information will be accessible once available at  http://www.adirondackswimming.org/officialsintro.htm.  The YMCA is holding officials' training and certification classes continuously in the tri-state area.  For more information, please go to the YMCA Competitive Swimming website at http://www.ymcacompetitiveswim.org. (look for the tab "Officials" and click on "Listing of Upcoming Clinics".  You will be required to register in order to email the instructor; for team name, please use YMCA of Ulster – Kingston Hurricanes.  The certification classes have a registration fee for which the club will reimburse all registered participants from our club. 

Should you have interest, questions, comments, or concerns, please drop any advisory board member an email (or you can speak to one of us at practice) and we will do our best to get the information back to you as soon as possible.  As of May 1st, 2012, no YMCA classes have been posted for NY or NJ yet and the USA classes listed are from last fall.  Keep your eyes on this website and the aforementioned sites for more information.

SPORTSMANSHIP 

One of the most important aspects of any sport is the participants’ sportsmanship (parents and swimmers).  This is especially true with a sport such as swimming since this particular sport involves competition between teams, between swimmers on the same team, and a personal competition within each swimmer.  Whether wishing your opponents good luck prior to your race, congratulating those adjacent to your lanes on a good swim, or consoling a teammate after a swim they thought was less than par, each athlete should focus on being a good sport.  The Hurricane way has no place for taunting, gloating, or meanness.  Remember to extend your best sporting attitude when in or around the water.  A sport such as swimming builds each athlete psychologically as well as physically and good sportsmanship is extremely helpful in the development of the former.  The Kingston Swim Club expects our athletes be good sports to themselves as well as to others; not only is it the right thing, but it is in our Code Of Conduct.  So be a good sport, and help others to do so as well!

THE BASICS: HYDRATION AND NUTRITION BASICS (from USA SWIMMING) 

The largest swimming organization in the United States, USA Swimming, maintains a website as well as a monthly magazine which includes important items relating to the physical and mental well being of swimmers.  Since Nutrition and Hydration are two of the most important items for everyone, not just swimmers, the section below has been borrowed from the USA Swimming website for you:

Swimmer Hydration  

One of the most common misconceptions is that you cannot become dehydrated when spending all their time in the water.  Quite the opposite is true.  In an effort to combat dehydration in your young swimmer, it is imperative that they keep a bottle of water with them at all times.  That bottle should never be glass and should be unbreakable.  All swimmers should consume at least 16 ounces of fluids prior to swimming and at least 4 to 8 ounces of fluids every 15 – 20 minutes during their exercise period.  Following their swim, 24 ounces of fluid intake is recommended to maintain a healthy hydration.

Drinking on a schedule, not just when thirsty is also vital in proper hydration.  If you drink only when thirsty, you have already lost vital electrolytes and fluids.  Skip carbonated fluids and those containing caffeine.  Not to be gross, but if you have a clear to light colored urine when you go to the bathroom, then you are properly hydrated.

The danger of inadequate hydration is not only performance driven.  Your swimming and other activities do suffer when dehydration sets in, but the most important facet is that serious heat illnesses can occur.