Village Otters

• Registration Fee - (Over 6yrs and Under 15yrs) Fees are $130 for the first child in the family, $120 for the second child, $110 for the third child and fourth child. All fees must accompany the registration form. The Fee for Swimmers 6 and under is $75.00. The fee for swimmers 15 and over is $30.00. A late fee of $20.00 per swimmer will be charged after May1st.

• NO REFUNDS. No refunds will be given unless a child does not qualify for the team or gives written notice prior to April 30, of the current season. Written notice must be submitted via email to teamvgo@gmail.com. A medical refund may be requested but NO medical refunds will be issued after May 15th. A medical refund requires a Physician's note and refund will be subject to a 50% reduction in registration fee.

• Volunteer Fee - Each family is also responsible for a $300 deposit that will be held until the family completes 6 volunteer shifts during the season. This check is considered part of the registration and no child will be allowed in the water until we receive it. Upon completion of the volunteer requirement, the deposit will be voided and destroyed, or you may elect to donate it to the team. If the volunteer requirement is not fulfilled during the season, the check will be deposited after the divisional meet.

NSF Check Policy: If a check presented to the team is returned, the payer will be charged $30.00 and be required to submit the funds in cash within 14 days of NSF notification. Following this 14 day grace period, their swimmer(s) will not be allowed to swim until the account is settled. This charge is subject to changes in bank charges. Any person/family with a history of returned checks to the Village Otters will be required to pay all transactions in cash.

TimeTrials

Each summer season, swimmers must establish new seed times for use in dual and invitational meets. Time Trials is intended for this purpose. Swimmers may NOT use times from previous seasons or from other swim organizations. Swimmers lacking properly obtained seed times in a particular stroke event can be eliminated from swimming said event throughout the season. It is against NWAL rules for swimmers to be entered into events with “No Times”. During the Time Trials Meet swimmers will swim every stroke they are capable of doing, so that they will have times on file should the coaching staff need to enter them in any stroke for the good of the team. Older swimmers should swim every stroke even if they don’t expect to swim it during the season. Every effort should be made to participate in the Time Trials Meet. If circumstances prevent participation, the Head Coach must be notified as soon as possible!

Dual Meets

The Village Otters swim against other Division I teams in the Northwest Aquatic League (NWAL). Home and away meets are determined by a draw at an NWAL meeting. Swimmers receive “official” times by swimming at a dual meet. Official times are needed for invitational meets.

Summer ChampsMeet

Summer Champs is a fund raising meet sponsored by the Kingwood/Humble U. S. A.Swimming organization, Blue Tide Aquatics. This meet gives swimmers the opportunity to swim with swimmers from other teams in the Kingwood/Humble area. Swimmers must meet certain qualifying times in the individual events to enter this meet. (Qualifying times will be posted later). Swimmers choose the individual events in which they will swim. Parents pay a nominal entry fee for each event. The team pays the fee for the relay teams.

Divisional Meet

Our Divisional Meet will be a little different this year. We will go against one team only.  Details will be determined throughout the season.  Swimmers must participate in at least two NWAL-sanctioned meets during the regular dual-meet season to qualify for Divisionals. In addition, swimmers must achieve an official swim time for a particular stroke at one of those meets in order to swim in that event at Divisionals. Swim times from time trials will not be accepted. Each team is usually allowed a limited number of entries. The coaches will select swimmers from each age group to represent the Village Otters in individual events and relays.

All Star Invitational Meet

During this two-day meet, swimmers from the 90+ NWAL teams gather in one location to swim against each other. Swimmers must meet certain qualifying times in their individual events to enter this meet. Relay teams do not require qualifying times. Qualifying times will be posted when they become available. Parents pay a nominal fee for each event. The team pays the entry fee for the relay teams.

Ponderosa Invitational Meet

During this two-day meet, the fastest swimmers from the 90+ NWAL teams gather in one location to swim against each other. Swimmers must meet qualifying times in their individual events to enter this meet. Parents pay a nominal entry fee for each event. Relay teams do not require qualifying times. Therefore, it is possible for a swimmer without a Ponderosa qualifying time to be selected to swim on a relay team. The Ponderosa relay teams are normally posted on the Sunday prior to the Ponderosa Invitational Meet. The team pays the entry fee for the relay teams.

Parent Volunteers are essential to our team!

To encourage participation each family is required to leave a deposit of $300.00 at registration. This check will be destroyed or returned upon request when the family has completed their six shifts over the course of the season. Just as in past years, every volunteer job a family member (not a swimmer) performs during the meets will be recorded.

There are many jobs to choose from and we encourage you to sign up for shifts as soon as they open. A Volunteer Reminder email will be sent out each week. Parent Volunteers will need to check-in with the Volunteer Coordinator prior to each meet so we can make sure every job is covered and you get recognized for completing your shift.

Please note: Parents of 6 & Under’s should sign-up for Shift 1 positions as the children finish swimming early.

The different volunteer positions are described at the “?” beside each job sign up online at the back of this handbook.

The Village Otter Swim Team feels that swimmers should be encouraged to work hard and to improve as well as to win. This is done through positive reinforcement by coaches at practices, meets and through awards.

Heat Ribbons - our division gives Heat Ribbons in each heat for those children 10 and under. These ribbons are given out at the end of each heat as the swimmers exit the water. Swimmers may also request their time after each heat.

Meet Ribbons - the six fastest swimmers in each event are awarded a Meet Ribbon. Swimmers on the winning relay teams also receive a first-place ribbon. Meet Ribbons are usually handed out at the first regular practice session after the meet.

OTTER Improvement Ribbons - Swimmers receive improvement ribbons for any 1 second improvement over his or her previous best official time. These are distributed along with the Meet Ribbons at the first practice after a meet.

Trinity Invitational Meet Qualifier–Swimmers who attain a Trinity qualifying time will receive recognition which is limited to one per stroke per season.

Ponderosa Invitational Meet Qualifier–All swimmers who attain a Ponderosa qualifying time will receive recognition which is limited to one per stroke per season.

Team and VGO Pool Record Breakers – Every swimmer who sets a new team or pool record will receive a special ribbon at the Awards Ceremony.

Every Otter who swims in at least two dual meets will be eligible to receive a trophy at the end-of-season ceremony. Special recognition will be given in each age group to the girl and boy High Point Scorer and Most Improved. We will also award 10 year towels as long as they have met the 2 meet requirement.

Children’s sports are supposed to be fun-for the children. Unfortunately, many parent, fans and coaches don’t realize that their actions, whether verbal or nonverbal, can have a lasting emotional effect on children. Too many children are leaving sports activities because the fun is unfairly taken away by adults. The following Code of Conduct is for parents and spectators to abide by at every practice and meet.

Preamble

The essential elements of character building and ethics in sports are embodied in the concept of sportsmanship and six core principles: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, and caring and good citizenship. The highest potential of sports is achieved when competition reflects these “six pillars of character.”

I therefore agree:

• 1.I will remember that children participate to have fun and that the sport is for youth, not adults.

• 2.I will inform the coach of any physical disability or ailment that may affect the safety of my child or the safety of others.

• 3.I will learn the rules of the sport and the policies of the league.

• 4.I (and my guests) will be a positive role model for my child and encourage sportsmanship by showing respect and courtesy, and by demonstrating positive support for all swimmers, coaches, officials and spectators at every meet, practice, or other sporting event.

• 5.I (and my guests) will not engage in any kind of unsportsmanlike conduct with any official, coach, player, or parent such as booing and taunting; refusing to shake hands; or using profane language or gestures.

• 6.I will not encourage any behaviors or practices that would endanger the health and well being of the athletes.

• 7.I will teach my child to play by the rules and to resolve conflicts without resorting to hostility or violence.

• 8.I will demand that my child treat other players, coaches, officials and spectators with respect regardless of race, creed, color, sex or ability.

• 9.I will teach my child that doing one’s best is more important than winning, so that my child will never feel defeated by the outcome of a race or his/her performance.

• 10.I will praise my child for competing fairly and trying hard, and make my child feel like a winner every time.

• 11.I will never ridicule or yell at my child or other participants for making a mistake or losing a competition.

• 12.I will emphasize skill development and practices and how they benefit my child over winning. I will also de-emphasize meets and competition in the lower age groups.

• 13.I will promote the emotional and physical well being of the athletes ahead of any personal desire I may have for my child to win.

• 14.I will respect the officials and their authority during meets and will never question, discuss, or confront coaches or officials at the meets, and will take time to speak with them at an agreed upon time and place.

• 15.I will demand a sports environment for my child that is free from drugs, tobacco, and alcohol and I will refrain from their use at all sports events.

• 16.I will refrain from coaching my child or other players during meets and practices, unless I am one of the official coaches of the team.

I also agree that if I fail to abide by the aforementioned rules and guidelines, I will be subject to disciplinary action that could include, but is not limited to the following:

• Verbal warning by official, head coach and/or head of league organization
• Written warning
• Parental meet suspension with written documentation of incident kept on file by organizations involved.
• Meet forfeit through the official or coach
• Parental season suspension.