Information regarding the
2005 PVS Long Course Zone All-Star Team
Buffalo, New York
August 10-13, 2005





IMPORTANT NOTICE: The PVS Board last evening (July 26) voted to reduce the amount to be paid to participate on the PVS Eastern Zone LC Team from $590 to $500. As a result it agreed to extend until 5PM Thursday July 28 the deadline for applying to be on the team. This is an absolute deadline -- no extensions are possible. Both the application and form pertaining to team outfitting must be submitted by this time. Meet entry fee deposit of $250 must be mailed (postmarked) by this date and recevied no later than Saturday, July 30. The remaing $250 is due by Thursday, August 4.

The number additional entries that can be accepted is limited to the space on the buses now rented and hotel accomodations now reserved. In the event of oversubscription -- entries will be taken on a first come/first served basis.

Please also see below the need to receive all team outfitting information by Thursday July 28 at 5PM. Also, the roster of swimmers participating on the PVS team as of Tuesday July 26 has been posted.

People who have already registered should now make a second payment of $250 rather than $340. If you have already paid the full amount, arrangements will be made to get you a refund.




Potomac Valley Swimming will be represented with an ALL-STAR TEAM at the 2005 Eastern Zone Long Course Championship Meet. This year the meet will be held in Buffalo, NY. The venues for this meet will be the same as in 2004 -- the Erie Community College Flickinger Aquatic Center and University at Buffalo Alumni Arena Pool (for 12&U sessions only). The date for this meet is August 10 - 13, 2005.

This is a great chance for PVS swimmers to compete against the best in the East, and to get to know and develop friendships with swimmers from other Potomac Valley Clubs.

The PVS Long Course Zone Team is now being managed in the same manner as short course zones team has been managed. This means all athletes must travel to the meet in Buffalo with the team -- leaving early Tuesday mornng August 9 and returning Sunday afternoon -- August 14. The athletes will also be required to stay at the team hotel, have their meals with the team and participate in other team activities unless officially excused by the Head Coach or Team Manager

This change is a result of a recommendation from the PVS Competition Committee (at which all PVS teams are eligible to vote) that was subsequenetly approved by the PVS Board of Directors.

However, in contrast to the short course team, all athletes who have achieved at least one individual qualifying time are eligible to be on the team. Therefore, all PVS swimmers who have achieved at least one individual qualfiying time are encouraged to apply for the team. All qualified swimmers in each event will be selected for the team. Each swimmer may enter a total of six events and three/day. Swimmer's age for this meet is their age as of August 10, 2005. Entry times must be in Long Course Meters, must have been achieved after August 4, 2004 and must have been achieved in a USA Swimming sanctioned, observed or approved meet. DO NOT SUBMIT CONVERTED TIMES. Indicate the date and meet for verification of entry time. Swimmers are responsible for providing official results for entry times achieved in non PVS competition that are not already in the PVS TM4.0 database. Any Athlete falsifying an entry time will be fined $100.

In contrast to prior years, entries are to submitted directly for each swimmer wishing to enter the meet. While information about who your coach is has been reqested, entries are not to be submitted through the teams.

The charge for participating in this meet will be $590 $500 per athlete. This will include 5 nights lodging, meals, team suit, 3 t-shirts and a swim cap and all meet entry fees, A deposit of $250 per swimmer must be submitted with the application for it to be considered official. The balance of $340 $250 will be due by Thursday, August 4 No exceptions. All checks should be payable to Potomac Valley Swimming. This amount reflects an $11,500 subsidy to the team which the House of Delegates voted to provide in May, 2005.

Zone rules require that all entries must be submitted through PVS. The Meet Director will NOT accept entries submitted by individual swimmers or PVS teams.

All applications are due by 4PM Tuesday July 19th. Applications and meet entry fees should be sent to Mark Faherty,   9730 Blake Lane,   Fairfax, VA 22031    They may be FAXed to 703-924-5414
The application form must be accompanied by a deposit of $250. If the application form is sumitted by fax, the deposit must be received by Friday July 22nd. Clearly indicate on the check the athlete for whom the deposit is being submitted. IMPORTANT:

There are separate application forms for 15-18 year old swimmers and 14/under swimmers this year. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO USE THE CORRECT FORM.

A final list of applications received has now been posted. Therefore, please wait until this list has been posted before inquiring about the status of any application submitted.

Swimmers age 15-18 should include the events they wish to swim (up to 6/meet and 3/day) and their qualifying times on the application form.

Swimmers 14/under should include the events they currently qualfiy for (up to 6/meet and 3/day) and also the additional events they are entered in at 14/U champs in which they hope to achieve a Zone QT. Athletes wll be permitted to add/substitute events based on their performance at 14/U champs by doing so at the zone table at the meet. Athletes who qualfy for less events than they anticipate may withdraw their application and receive their deposit check back so long as they do so at the zone table at the 14/U Age Group Championship Meet NLT July 25.

Click here for the Order of Events and Qualifying Times

For any times not already in the PVS TM4.0 data base, athletes must provide the times to and source of the electronic file (if possible) to the PVS EZ Head Coach and to the PVS Webmaster. Make sure you provide EVENT, TIME, NAME OF MEET, AND MEET LOCATION. The meet must be have be a sancitoned meet, the swim observed in an Observed Meet or come from a Approved Meet.

Updating Event Entry Information: PVS will review all applications received to determine if an improved seed time is acheived at the PVS Senior, Junior or 14/U Age Group Championships. However, if you qualify in additional events, you must advise the zone table at the 14/Under Champs that you wish enter more events and if necessary, from what event you wish to withdraw. If acheived in another meet, swimmers age 15-18 who achieve a better time or qualify in an addtional event after July 18th and 14/Under Swimmers who acheive a better time or qualify in an additional event after July 25th must submit this information to the PVS Eastern Zone Head Coach Mark Faherty no later than 12 Noon on Monday August 1st. You must have submitted an application in a timely manner and already be on the team in order to do so.

Optional Team Outfitting. All swimmers will receive a team suit, swim bag, 2 zone team cap and 4 t-shirts. Please complete the attached order form in order to advise us what size to order. In contrast to the past, team members will NOT be able to purchase additional optional attire due to the transition of lines at TYR. An order form on which to do is posted (now posted) THE ORDER FORM IS DUE TO AARDVARK SWIMMING by Thursday, July 28th.  

ORDER FORM

Hotel Accomodations: Recommended accommodations for spectators are listed with the meet announcement. Parents must make their own travel and hotel arrangements. Please make reservations early. PVS may have rooms available at the Holiday Inn at which the team will be housed if not needed to house the team. This determination will be made by Monday, August 1. If you are interested in these rooms, please contact Paris Jacobs. First preference will be given to parents who also volunteer to help with chaperoning..

Volunteer Officials: Potomac Valley Swimming is responsible for providing timers and officials for this meet. If you would like to volunteer as an official, an application to officiate is now available -- Please also let Paris Jacobs know you have done so at pjacobs10@comcast.net. If you would like to time, please let Paris Jacobs know at pjacobs10@comcast.net

PVS Swimmers with Disability may compete at the 2005 Eastern Zone LC All Star meet without having achieved the posted time standards for their age groups. Each LSC is permitted to select 2 swimmers with disability age 12 and Under, and 2 swimmers age 13-18 for their team. PVS uses past participation in the season's meets as our selection criteria. Each swimmer with a disability must also fill out the attached additional entry form. (now posted) This completed entry form should be forwarded to Don Riedlinger and must be received by 4 PM Tuesday, July 20 so that the selection criteria (if needed) may be applied. Entries may be forwarded electronically (preferred) to driedlin@erols.com or by postal/delivery service to:

Don Riedlinger
6906 Niles Dr
Laurel MD 20707

Team Warm-up Potomac Valley will have team warm-up on Tuesday August 9th at Erie Community College for all age groups at 5 PM. The team departure will be scheduled to assure arrival in time for this warm-up.

Eastern Zone Open Water Championships will be Sunday August 14th, 2005 at Town of Hamburg Lakefront Town Park, Hamburg NY. Potomac Valley will not have coaches available for this event. All teams and swimmers may enter this event on their own. Swimmers wishing to participate in this meet will be released to their parent or guardian following the end of finals on Saturday evening. They will then be responsible for their own transportatation back to Washington. The meet annoncement and application form for this event is posted on the PVS web page.

Addtional Information: You may direct your inquiries regarding team participation to Mark Faherty, Head Coach at fahertyswim@yahoo.com; Breanne Smith, Assistant Head Coach at brelondon@hotmail.com; or Paris Jacobs, Team Manager at pjacobs10@comcast.net