Weather Related Cancellations
Please call the Katonah pool at directly at 232-9349

COACHES

The coaches are available to answer any questions you may have. Call the pool (232-9349) and ask for a swim and /or dive team coach or make an appointment with them before or after practice. Please, for the safety of our children, do not ask to speak or meet with the coaches during practice.

Swim Team Coach: Katie LeWinter

Katie has swum for the Saw Mill Ace Aquatics, BGNW Marlins and Katonah Swim and Dive Team. After three years as Assistant Swim Coach, she is looking forward to another great season as Head Coach. Katie just graduated from the University of Southern California with degrees in Biology and Film Production. She specializes in teaching stroke technique to younger members of the team and plans on pursuing her MD in Pediatrics.

Assistant Swim Coach: Erin Knapp
Erin has swum for the Katonah Swim and Dive Team since the age of six. She also swam for both the Saw Mill Ace Aquatics and Pace Setters throughout middle and high school. She swam on the John Jay High School team all four year of high school and became one of the co-captains as a senior. She has been an assistant coach of KSDT for the past two summers and this will be her third year! She attends The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester Massachusetts and will be double majoring in Political Science and Environmental Studies. She is excited to be back for another summer, working with the swimmers in practice and individually.

Assistant Swim Coach: Rebecca Rosenthal

This is Rebecca’s second year as an assistant coach for KSDT. Before becoming a coach, she had swum for the team since the age of seven, and was named Most Valuable Swimmer twice. During high school, Rebecca was on the Women’s Varsity team at John Jay, as well as participated in spring training at various pools, including Pace University. She now attends McGill University where she is a Floor Fellow (the Canadian version of an R.A.) and a volunteer instructor with Montreal Making Waves, an organization that provides swim lessons to children with autism. She is looking forward to another great season!.

Assistant Swim Coach: Jessica Frank

Jessica will be a senior Accounting major at SUNY Geneseo, where she has been a member of the varsity swim team for all 4 years. She has been a member of the Katonah Swim and Dive Team for 12 years, the Marlin Swim Team for 9 years and the JJHS Swim and Dive Team for 4 years. She has previously coached for the Marlins for 2 1⁄2 years and worked for the Town of Bedford as a lifeguard, instructor guard and private lessons instructor for the past 7 years. She looks forward to coaching and working individually with the swimmers this summer.

Dive Team Coach: Amanda DiMarco
My name is Amanda DiMarco. I just finished my second year at Villanova University where I am also on the dive team. I also dove in the Northern Westchester Swim Conference (just as this one) for 4 years and currently hold the record for 18 & under.
It is my goal to help build a foundation and passion for diving in all of you. For those more advanced I hope to aid in learning new dives as well as perfect the ones you already have. And for those just starting out or giving it a try, I hope I can help you want to continue in learning. However, my main goal is to have fun and enjoy the season.
The dive season is approximately six weeks long from start to finish. The first week is mainly for building and working on basics and for me to personally get to know each diver.

PARENT COMMITTEE

The Parent committee is a group of volunteers who help coordinate administrative details for the Swim & Dive Team, including fund-raisers, meet schedules, the Awards Dinner, scheduling jobs at the meets (lane timers, scorers, etc.), ordering supplies, ribbons, medals, trophies and other team-related functions. The Parent Committee members can often answer your questions.

2009 Parent Committee Members:
Lauren Smith, Treasurer Ribbons, Medals, Trophies: 232-0865
Ellen Baudinet, Job Coordinator: 232-6890
Lisa Kramer
Sue Hassett
Lynn Seigel

PARENT VOLUNTEER JOBS

The team is supported by both the Town of Bedford and volunteer efforts of the parents. The Town Does Not Run the swim Meets – the Parents Do! The family of each team member is encouraged to help with parent volunteer jobs during the season. Jobs are assigned for both home and away meets. Please make sure you complete the “ parent/guardian volunteer form” as soon as possible. If for any reason a conflict arises and you cannot fulfill your commitment, please make every effort to find a replacement and notify volunteer in charge of organizing the jobs. All questions regarding parent volunteer jobs should be directed to Ellen Baudinet.

TEAM PHOTOS

Team photos will be taken on Friday July 10, 2009 , at 7:45AM sharp. All team members should be present in their team suits. The cost of the photo is $15.00; please make checks payable to “Sports Pix”. Photos must be ordered and paid for prior to the photo shoot. Even if you are not ordering a photo, we would like to have the full team in the picture, which will be displayed in the trophy Case. Please note that this is not a fundraiser.

THE REGISTRATION FEE

The registration fee includes the cost of ribbons, medals, trophies, Invitational expenses, team gifts, donut mornings, administrative expenses, etc.

TEAM PRACTICE

Each team member is expected to be in the pool (or at the diving board) when practice begins . If you are not sure if the pool is open due to poor weather, please call the pool.. Following registration, attendance will be taken every day at practice. No one is permitted into practice unless registered on the team. Registration forms are available at the Town of Bedford Recreation department offices. Please contact the Town of Bedford to complete the registration process.

Unless specifically changed by the coach, practice is every Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8:45AM beginning Monday June 29th. Swimmers should arrive by 7:20 for warm up so that practice can actually start at 7:30 . It is important that swimmers receive the proper warm-up prior to the workout. At 8:45 practice will end and parents can plan to pick up their children at that time. If children go to camp and need to leave early from practice, please inform the coaches (in a written note) of the dates and times that the child needs to leave.

Parents will be called and asked to pick up any child who refuses to participate or is disruptive during practice. Non-participants are not allowed in the pool area. No parents are allowed on deck during practice. The swimmers need the coaches’ full attention. If you need to talk to the coaches, they are available to parents and swimmers immediately after practice.

BLUEBIRDS

Bluebirds are younger team members getting exposure to competition. The primary emphasis is on learning, teaching team ethics, and having fun. However, the team reserves the right to limit Bluebird participation to only those who demonstrate certain abilities and comfort in the water. Because of the age of these children, the Town of Bedford required Bluebird parents (or responsible adult) to remain at the pool during practice. Parents may wait anywhere except “on deck.”

Bluebird practice is scheduled from 8:00 to 8:45 am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Children will be out of the pool by 8:45 to get ready for pick-up or town camp at 9:00 am . Any child who needs to leave before 8:45 must send a note.

DIVE TEAM (practice schedule is posted at the pool)

▪ Depending on enrollment, the dive team may be split into two groups with separate practices.

▪ When attending practice, a diver must participate or leave.

▪ To qualify for a “B” meet competition, a diver must be able to perform two dives from two different categories. No moving up in age category.

▪ To qualify for an “A” meet competition, a diver must be able to perform four dives from three of the five categories.

MEET SCHEDULE

Please remember that meet dates, times and locations can change. Every team member is responsible for checking the Team Information Board at the pool, for updates and revisions to the schedule as well as special events.

MEET EXPECTATIONS

The Katonah Swim and Dive Team banner marks the area where the whole team gathers during a swim meet, both at home and away. Everyone is expected to stay with the team during the entire meet. No one should leave the area without the coach's permission. The coaches cannot spend time during a meet “hunting” for team members.

At all meets swimmers should arrive 15 minutes prior to the posted warm-up time.

Warm-up sessions tend to be short and hectic. It is important that children arrive with plenty of time to warm up. All swimmers and divers are strongly encouraged to wear their team suit. The officials will disqualify participants wearing suits and/or caps with logos from “winter swim team programs, special events, etc.

We also ask that the parents set a good example of sportsmanship for our children. Cheer for kids in the pool even if they are not your own children. Please discourage your children from leaving the designated team area. Please help with clean-up after the meets. If a parent has a problem or a question during a meet, please approach a member of the parent committee. Please do not speak directly to the coaches during meets. The coaches are busy assuring the safety of your children at that time and should not be distracted.

Please note that Town of Bedford policy prohibits the coaches from providing transportation to team members.

ATTENDANCE AT MEETS

The coaches try their best to give all kids fair opportunities to swim and dive with the overall goal of maximizing the team’s ability to compete and win. The coaches will make every effort to enter as many children as possible into every meet. Please be sure to check the team board for each meet to see what events your child is swimming/diving. The coaches typically post the meet line-ups two days prior to the meet.

If the line-up has already been posted for an “ A” meet, and something comes up suddenly which causes your child to miss the meet, please let the coaches know ASAP. It is difficult to make last minute changes to the line-up, but the coaches will try to fill the open spots.

If your child is entered into an “A” meet, does not attend that meet, and the coach is not informed about the reason for the absence, the consequences are at the coaches’ discretion.

MEET REFERENCE GUIDE

The Katonah Swim and Dive Team is a member of the Northern Westchester Swim Conference (NWSC), and as such, we are subject to their rules and regulations. There are 27 competitive teams in the Conference, divided into 5 Divisions. The Katonah Swim and Dive Team will compete in Division I this year, the most competitive division of the five divisions.

*Attention: Northern Westchester Swim Conference Rule Change

NWSC has officially changed the cut-off birthdate for all new swimmers and
divers from June 1st to July 1st. Swimmers not previously registered in past
years with KSDT or any other swim team in the NWSC are only eligible to swim in
age groups corresponding to their age as of July 1st, 2007 and older age groups.
The cut-off date for swimmers that have previously particpated on KSDT or
another team in NWSC will remain at June 1st for the rest of their swimming
careers.

DUAL MEET

There are 6 teams in our Division and, during the season, we must compete against each of the other 5 teams. This type of meet – between two teams – is called a “dual” or “A” Meet. Our win/loss record will determine our division for the following year. For this reason, the meets are important to the team. The coach will try to use the best competitive strategy in order to maintain our Division standing. A team member may compete in three individual events (diving counts as one event) plus one relay.

SCORING AT DUAL MEETS

Teams are awarded points for 1 st through 4 th place finishers. Points are scored 5-3-2-1. If both teams have entries, no more than two places can be scored per team. No team can sweep – that is, take points for 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd – if the other team has a swimmer or diver. One problem that plagues many swim teams is the lack of older swimmers. For this reason, the coach often puts younger swimmers into events for higher age groups. As long as the swimmer does not get disqualified (DQ’ed), he or she will collect points for 3 rd place, even if the swimmer finished in 4 th. If the swimmer does get DQ’ed, he or she will not get points for 3 rd place, but neither will the other team. Meets can be won or lost by points scored this way.

DISQUALIFICATIONS

When a child is disqualified, it means that during the course of the race, part of their stroke was illegal. An official may inform the child that they were DQ’ed, and may explain why. We realize that this may be upsetting to the child, but those are the rules and must view disqualifications as learning opportunities. One common example is a one-handed touch in the butterfly. Swimmers must realize that even the very best swimmers were DQ’ed as they learned the various strokes. When your child is DQ’ed, he should inform someone on the coaching staff immediately. The coaches will later work with your child on the error so that we can try to prevent it from happening again.

“B”MEETS

We strongly encourage all eligible swimmers to compete in "B" Meets. “B” meets offer a wonderful opportunity for swimmers who are not placed in “A” meets to compete in events against other teams. Though no official score is tallied, “B” meets are still competitive, with ribbons awarded for different placements in the races. All swimmers are eligible to participate in “B” meets as long as they have not placed 1 st or 2 nd in an individual event in their age group. This rule will be enforced —”B” meets are also the coaches’ opportunity to focus exclusively on swimmers who are looking to swim hard and earn an opportunity to swim in “A” meets. Swimmers and parents should not be hesitant to participate in “B” meets, just show up at the posted time and place. “B” meet swimmers can showcase events that they want to swim in the “A” meets. Participation will certainly factor into lineups.

INVITATIONAL MEETS

These are meets that are less serious than the Dual meets. Team trophies and individual medals/ribbons are awarded at Invitational's. The host team invites other teams and decides what the events (strokes, age groups, etc.) will be. Trophies are given to 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd place teams. Usually, 1 st through 3 rd place swimmers get medals; 4 th through 6 th place finishers get ribbons.

DIVISIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Each team in the division sends their best swimmer/diver in each event to the Divisional Championships. The coaches make their choices of swimmers and divers based on times, scores, attendance, and sportsmanship. The parent committee is not involved in this decision. The outcome of the Division Championships determines the best swimmer/diver of each event (e.g., the Girls, 14 and Under Breast Stroke) in the Division. The next day, the event winners will compete in the All Starts.

ALL STAR CHAMPIONSHIPS

The first place swimmers from the Divisional Championships for each event will attend the All Star Championships from all 5 Divisions and compete for the title of the best in the Conference.

WESTCHESTER COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS

These will be held at Rye Playland (swimming) and at Sprain Ridge (diving). All teams in Westchester send their best swimmers and divers. Please consult with the coach if you are interested. There are additional fees to swim at the Westchester County Championships.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE Northern Westchester Swimming conference, PLEASE GO TO: www.nwsc.usswim.net

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