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Southern
Masters Swimming
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions
What is Southern Masters Swimming? How do I Join SMS? What are Team Attachments? Why should I participate in Competitions? How can I participate in an SMS event? How can I change my team attachment? How can I Start (or develop) a team or club in SMS? How do I become a SMS Volunteer? You may also want to view Welcome to US Masters Swimming and Your First Swim Meet More Introductory information is available at the USMS FAQ Page USMS Membership Rules Complete details regarding individual and team membership in USMS can be found in: Part 2 - Administrative Regulations of Competition of the USMS Rule Book |
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What
is Southern Masters Swimming?
Southern Masters Swimming (SMS) represents the Southern
Local Masters Swimming Committee (SoLMSC), which is located in the
Dixie Zone of United States Masters Swimming (USMS).Our regional boundaries include the States of Louisiana and Mississippi. United States Masters Swimming is our primary parent organization and provides us with support in terms of administrative documentation and guidelines. USMS also sets the standards by which events, particularly swim meets, are ruled and managed. All leadership positions in SMS are volunteer jobs. Volunteer leadership is prevalent throughout all of the USMS structure, including Zone and National levels of organization. As a Local Masters Swimming Committee (LMSC) we process member applications and fees (a portion of which goes to USMS for support). Maintain information regarding Records and Top Ten times. We issue Event Sanctions and Recognition's for meets and open water swims. Most of this information is shared at Zone and National levels. Administrative tasks performed by the all volunteer staff for our region include: membership registration, treasury management, secretarial duties, and web site management. There are also positions regarding tasks such as Event Sanctioning, Records and Top Ten, Coaching, Officials, and Editor. The SoLMSC Chairperson oversees all operations of Southern Masters Swimming. Fill out the SMS Membership Application and send it in with the appropriate annual fee (typically $30). Your SMS membership makes you a registered swimmer with USMS, which will be identified on your membership card. All USMS registrations are typically processed at the LMSC level, so you will be addressing the payment to Southern Masters Swimming. Also: USMS is developing an on-line registration process that is to be in place for 2008 registrations. See the News Release, or visit the USMS web for more information. Anyone 18 or older is eligible for a USMS membership. Benefits of a USMS membership include items such as insurance coverage at sanctioned events and workouts, and a subscription to USMS Swimmer Magazine. Participation in USMS events will provide a great opportunity to meet other folks interested in the sport of swimming. It is recommended that you join (attach to) a team even if you are an independent swimmer. The SMS Teams List will help you locate SMS team or club information (including the proper abbreviations) for the membership application. Benefits of team membership include the ability to participate in relays and having your points count toward a possible team award. When you fill out your membership application you will be asked if you wish to take advantage of the option to attach to a team or club. If you already have a team or club where you practice, then this is your best choice. There is typically no additional fee to simply attach to any club or team, but to be on the safe side you should check with them first to be sure they accept independent swimmers to their roster. If you participate in a team or club workout schedule there may be a monthly or quarterly fee for this activity. Check with the administrators of that team or facility for more information. If there is no team or club where you practice then it is suggested that you attach to the most active club that is nearest to you geographically, this way you will have the best chance of participating in the most relays. Most USMS swimmers will probably agree that swimming relays is the most fun part of a meet. You could also choose to join one of the "underdog" teams if that is your preference. If you are an independent swimmer, another great way to choose a team is to visit a meet and talk to team members there. If you participate in the meet, it is very likely that you will be approached for "recruitment" to some teams. Teams looking to boost their roster will frequently approach "unattached" swimmers and invite them to join their team. The SMS Teams List will help you locate a team or club near you. This list includes the correct team abbreviation so you can properly fill out your membership application. (If the team abbreviation is not listed, then please contact the SMS Registrar for that information.) You may register as "Unattached", but you will be unable to participate in relays. This issue, as well as other details regarding membership transfers, residence status, etc., are covered in Part 2 of the USMS Rule Book. You can change your attachment status at any time, but you will need a new USMS membership card. This process carries a change form and processing fee if you do not make your attachment change on your annual USMS membership renewal form. Why should I participate in Competitions? On the surface SMS and USMS appear
to be all about competition. While there is a significant amount
of energy directed towards this activity, there is no expectation of
any kind that members are to participate in competitions.
For those that do participate in competition, only a small number of these swimmers are solely focused on breaking records or getting a Top Ten or Nationals Competition qualifying time. Most meet participants, especially in SMS, are interested in meet participation for one or more of the following reasons:
The SMS Events List on this web will give you an idea of when these events are typically held, and what they entail. Entry forms will typically include all the details you will need to prepare for and enjoy the meet. These details usually include:
How can I participate in an SMS event? You may register with USMS through
SMS, or you may register for one event or meet. Registering with
USMS on an annual basis includes benefits that are described in How Do I Join SMS?
A one-event (or single meet) registration carries with it certain restrictions regarding the distribution of points, eligibility for relays, etc. It is necessary to be familiar with the USMS Rules (Part 2) in order to be clear on these points. One-Event registration forms for events are available through the SMS Registrar, or on deck at the meet. Not all meets provide on-deck registrations, so be sure to contact meet officials regarding this issue. It is always better to plan ahead and get the correct form from the LMSC Registrar. Please view our page here regarding Your First Meet if you have never been to a USMS pool event. How can I change my team attachment? Team attachments can be changed by
filling out the appropriate form and paying the applicable
fees.... Or by changing your team attachment at the time you
renew your USMS membership.
Contact the SMS Registrar for the appropriate registration information regarding your team. The SMS Teams List will help you locate some SMS team or club information, including the proper abbreviation (if your team's abbreviation is not available, then the Registrar will have this information). After your registration change form has been processed (along with the appropriate fee), you will be mailed a new USMS membership card indicating your new team attachment status. It is typically permissible to reside outside the LMSC where you are registered. The Administrative Regulations of Competition section (Part 2) of the USMS Rule Book has details on this matter. How do I become a SMS Volunteer? All staff positions at SMS are
volunteer efforts. Elections are held each year to confirm some
positions, others are by appointment. If you wish to become a SMS
volunteer then please contact us using the
information here on this
web. You will find a list of current SMS
Officer Positions with duties, along with an Officer Position
History, in our business section.
Volunteer work in SMS can be a very rewarding process. We urge you to give it a try. |