Staffs League 2019 - ​General Information

Staffs League Management Committee

Chairman - Ms. Lucy Turner
Secretary - Mrs Rosie Powell
Treasurer - Mrs. Sarah Fereday
Mr. Dave Fereday
Mr. Tony Ward
Mrs. Heather Summerill
Mr. Bob Powell
Mr. Robert Haynes (Burntwood)
Ms Kay Lake (Wolverhampton)
Mr. John Randolph (Tamworth)
Mr. Ron Marrow (Dove Valley)

Rules and conditions governing the County Swimming League

1. The League shall be called The Staffordshire Swimming League
   
   
2. Staffordshire A.S.A. shall be the promoting body for the competition
   
   
3. A Club wishing to participate in the League competition shall be affiliated to Staffordshire A.S.A
   
   
4. The League Management Committee shall consist of a Chairman, Secretary/Treasurer, four members appointed by the County Executive and four members of participating Clubs.  A quorum for a meeting shall be four including one Officer
   
   
5. The Annual General Meeting of the Staffordshire Swimming League shall be held on a date agreed at the previous Annual General Meeting.  The financial year will run from 1st January to 31st December
   
   
6. The League shall be limited to such numbers as decided at the Annual General Meeting
   
   
7. Any further applications will be placed on a waiting list until arrangements can be made to accommodate them.  In the event of a team dropping out of the League, the first team on the waiting list will be given preference
   
   
8. Clubs may submit more than one team for entry to the League and each team to be designated as an “A”, “B”, or “C”  team
   
   
9. A Team participating in the Staffordshire County Swimming League, wishing to resign or withdraw, shall do so, in writing, to the League Secretary prior to the Annual General Meeting.  Otherwise, the fees for the forthcoming year's competition will be payable
   
   
10. The Fee per Team shall be decided annually at the Annual General Meeting prior to the commencement of the competition for the year.  Fees to be paid to the League Secretary within 28 days of the Annual General Meeting taking place
    
    
11. A Team failing to compete in a round may be suspended by the League Management Committee.  The reasons shall be included in the Secretary's report for discussion at the Annual General Meeting
    
    
12. Rules of competition
    
    (a) All competitions will be conducted in accordance with A.S.A. Laws and A.S.A. Technical Rules
    
    (b) Age groups shall be: 9 years, 11 years and under, 13 years and under, 15 years and under and Open.  Age qualification date to be decided in accordance with A.S.A. guidelines
    
    (c) There will be three preliminary rounds to the competition to determine the Finalists
    
    (d) The preliminary rounds will be traditional galas scored dependant on the number of teams in the gala. 6 teams 1st = 6 points down to 1point, 5 teams 1st = 5 points down to 1 etc
    
    (e) The League will be viewed as one League
    
    (f) For round one the teams will be listed in league order from the points scored in the finals from the previous year, with the highest points at the top and the lowest at the bottom. The teams will be selected from the top to the bottom in accordance with the number of teams in the league and the swimming pools available. This will be agreed by the Management Committee
    
    (g) For the second and third rounds the bottom 2 teams in each gala will go down and the top 2 will go up with the exception of the Top and Bottom galas. In the top gala 2 will go down and in the bottom gala 2 will go up
    
    (h) In the final round the teams in each gala will be selected from the rankings of the consolidated results with the top teams competing against each other and so on to the lesser ability teams
    
    (i) The Management Committee will agree the number of teams in each gala, prior to the commencement of the first round, and publicise this on the website
    
    ​(j) Consolidated Points
    The swimmers’ times from all teams in each round will be consolidated and awarded points with first place equal to the number of teams competing in the League dropping down to last place 1. Subject only to disqualifications and no swimmer, which will be zero
    If a dead heat occurs the place points shall be added together and divided by the number of competitors involved in the dead heat
    
    ​(k) Each team shall supply a full team list to the Recorders prior to the start of each gala
    
    ​(l) A swimmer may only represent one Club in the year of competition and must be a bonafide member of that Club
    
    (m) A swimmer may compete in two individual events, two relays and a cannon
    
    (n) At each preliminary Gala, prior to the commencement of the event, lanes will be drawn.  Lane selection for the Finals will be spearheaded from the consolidated points from the previous round
    
    (o) Dates for Galas for preliminary rounds and Finals will be fixed by the League Management Committee and Clubs will be notified at the earliest opportunity. If there should be a clash of dates the League Management Committee will decide if an alternative date is necessary
    
    (p) Every endeavour must be made by Teams to arrive at their venues by the advertised time.  The latest time for the commencement of a Gala, due to late arrival or non-arrival of a Team, shall be 15 minutes after the advertised time, subject only to sufficient Officials being available
    
    (q) Should any Club with two or more teams competing in the League find itself unable to fulfil a fixture, then the designated “A” team fixture will take priority and the “B” fixture is forfeited
    
    (r) Any Club failing to fulfil a fixture must give notice to the Hon. League Secretary at least 48 hours before the day of the gala.  A fine of up to £100 will be imposed on that Club subject to confirmation by the League Committee
    
    (s) Should a team fail to compete in at least two of the three preliminary rounds of the competition that team will be excluded from the Finals
    
    
13. Awards
    
    The winning Team in the Premier Final shall receive the trophy donated to the League by Tamworth A.S.C. The winning Team in each of the Consolation Finals shall receive a trophy
    
    
14. Programme
    
    (a) Five age groups as set out in Rule 12b
    
    (b) Individual events shall be 2 lengths races in Freestyle, Breaststroke, Backstroke and Butterfly for each age group except  for 9 years and for Boys and Girls separately
    
    (c) 4 x 2 lengths Mixed Stroke team race (Back, Breast, Frontcrawl, Frontcrawl) and 4 x 2 lengths Freestyle team race for 9 years. 4 x 2 lengths Mixed Medley and 4 x 2 lengths Mixed Freestyle team races for all other age groups.  Each Team shall comprise two boys and two girls swimming in any order
    
    (d) 10 x 2 lengths Freestyle Cannon for both Boys and Girls separately. (Two from each age group, swimming in ascending order.)
    
    (e) All starts shall be at the deep end of the pool
    
    (f) In the Finals, no more than two Boys and two Girls who have not competed in previous Rounds for that team will be allowed to swim
    
    (g) Outside footwear, including trainers, etc., is not to be worn on the poolside
    
    (h) Children who are not competing are not allowed on the poolside
    
    (i) Only three Coaches or Team Managers for each Team are allowed on the poolside
    
    (j) Swimmers are not allowed in the Spectator areas unless properly dressed
    
    (k) Swimmers and Coaches must keep one metre from the edge of the pool unless competing in the particular event
    
    
15. Officials
    
    (a) The REFEREES and STARTER for each of the Rounds and the Finals will be appointed by the Staffordshire A.S.A. Honorary Officials' Secretary
    
    (b) All competing Teams at each Gala will appoint Two JUDGES and at least one TIMEKEEPER per Team.  Any Club which is unable to fulfil a fixture is still responsible for the provision of a Judge.  Any Club not supplying a Judge will be fined £25.00
    
    (c) The organising Club at each Gala shall also appoint:-
    
    ANNOUNCER
    RECORDERS
    DOOR STEWARDS
    
    Where the Gala has only five Teams competing, the League shall appoint extra JUDGES
    
    (d) A League Representative will be present at each of the Galas
    
    
16. Anything not covered by the above Rules and Conditions shall be dealt with by the League Management Committee
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17. Any amendments to these Rules and Conditions shall be notified to the League Secretary not later than 28 days before the League Annual General Meeting.