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Updated 6/18/24  

Metro Swim League 

Established 1993 

League By-Laws 

  • Purpose

Founded in 1993, the Metro Winter Swim League (MWSL) was organized to give the youth of area member teams an outlet for fun swim competition during the Winter season while learning about the sport of Competitive Swimming.  These swimming competitions are intended to be a source of enjoyment wherein the participants can improve their swimming skills as well as learn good sportsmanship. 

As a recreational league, in nature, the teams in our league are committed to teaching high-level swimming in a team atmosphere.  We endeavor to develop a healthy attitude towards competition and sportsmanship through fun practices and hard work.  We believe that every swimmer can improve their skills and develop a positive self-esteem that will benefit them both in and out of the pool setting. 

The coaches, parents, and swimmers of our league teams adhere to the following tenants:

  1. To develop and expand the fundamental skills of competitive swimming to all youth.
  2. To teach good physical fitness in the process of teaching swimming skills.
  3. To help swimmers set and evaluate individual goals.
  4. To encourage a lifetime involvement in sports and physical activity.
  5. To promote the elements of fair play including taking responsibility for one’s own behavior, learning and contributing to the good of the whole team, supporting and respecting the other team, all officials and parent volunteers.
  6. To keep “winning” in perspective; to applaud the successes of individual swimmers as well as the team.
  7. To be inclusive of all team swimmers.

1.2 League Membership 

The Metro Swim League is composed of the following Member Clubs: 

  1. Concord Recreation Otters 
  2. Flaherty Dolphins 
  3. Hayden Dolphins 
  4. Longfellow Stingrays 
  5. Mystic Swimming Killer Whales 
  6. SwymFit Swordfish  
  7. Thoreau Sharks 
  8. Wayland Junior Warriors 
  9. Wayside Waves 
  10. Westford Dolphins 

 

There will be a cap of 12 teams allowed to participate in the Metro Winter Swim League.  There will be a waiting list of new teams seeking acceptance to the League kept with the League President in the order that they are received.  Additional teams may be admitted by an 80% consent of the member teams by secret ballot.  Teams desiring to join the Metro Winter Swim League must submit a written proposal.  They will then be invited to make a presentation to the League, after which there will be a question-and-answer session.  The team must then leave and a discussion will take place among the member teams followed by a vote.  If accepted, the first year is a probationary year to be reviewed at the end of the season by the official League Membership. 

1.3 Eligibility 

  1. Age group categories for the season are determined by the swimmer’s age as of November 1st of that season.
  2. To swim in the Metro Winter Swim League (MWSL) a swimmer must be a bona fide member of one MWSL team. A bona fide team member actively swims and participates in all that MWSL team practices, meets and team activities.
  3. High School Swimmer Exception: The MWSL strongly supports swimmers and their desire to compete for their high school teams and understands that in order to do so they must be bona fide members of that team and abide by all MIAA rules. Swimmers may miss MWSL team practices and meets when a conflict exists with their high school team schedule.  High School swimmers are still required to participate in a minimum of four MWSL meets to be eligible for the League Championship Meet.
  4. USA Swimming
    1. Swimmers may not register with a USA Swimming licensed team.
    2. A swimmer may return to a MWSL team from USA Swimming as long as they do not register with USA Swimming for the coming swim year (starting September 1st). A swimmer will only be allowed this exception once in any three-year period (to prevent boomeranging).
    3. New swimmers to the league coming from USA Swimming are eligible as long as they do not register with USA Swimming on or after September 1st.
    4. A swimmer may participate in one USA Swimming meet per year as an unattached swimmer as long as it does not conflict with the participation requirements of their MWSL team. Any questions should be directed to the League Board ahead of participation in the meet. 
    5. Questions of eligibility must be presented to the MWSL Board for approval before the swimmer can participate in any MWSL activity. Violation of this policy will result in the swimmer being declared ineligible for participation in any further meets recognized by the League and/or the team forfeiting any points and standing earned in league competition.

1.4 Championship Eligibility 

To participate in the Metro Swim League Championship the following conditions must be met: 

  1. Swimmer must swim in at least 4 dual meets.  (For a swimmer to get credit for swimming a meet they must be registered with the league in advance of a meet.) 
  2. Swimmer must swim a minimum of one individual event at each meet. 
  3. Swimmer must swim in a minimum of 6 races in the 4 meets needed for championships.  (If a swimmer swims in one individual event at all 8 meets they must swim an additional individual or relay event in at least two meets.) 
  4. A swimmer must swim in meets occurring on at least three different dates (two tri meets is not enough to participate in championships).
  5. A swimmer must swim in a minimum of two meets or 50% of the remaining meets, whichever is greater, if he/she joins a team after January 1st of the current season. 

1.5 League Organization 

  1. A Board of Representatives shall govern the league. 
  2. Each member club shall designate one or more representatives to attend Metro League Meetings. 
  3. Each club shall have a single vote when balloting upon league matters.  Attendance at league meetings is mandatory. 

1.6 Officers 

  1. The league officers shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. 
  2. These officials shall be elected by the Board of Representatives at the Wrap-up meeting each year and shall serve through the wrap-up meeting of the subsequent year. 
  3. Elected officers are limited to two consecutive years in office. 
  4. The board may choose to deviate from this procedure to accept volunteers for positions. 
  5. If any officer is unable to fulfill their position, the position will be re-voted at the next Metro League Meeting. 
  6. If the President cannot fulfill his/her position, then the Vice President will call an emergency meeting. 

1.7 Duties of the President 

  1. The President shall act as chairperson of all Metro League Meetings and shall serve as central coordinator to interpret league policy and assure smooth operation of the competitive program. 
  2. The President shall also act for the Board in any matter arising between seasons when meetings are not normally scheduled. 
  3. In case of a tie vote the President will cast the deciding vote on League matters. 
  4. The President shall be from a team of record in the Metro League of at least two years. 
  5. The President must have at least five years of experience in organized youth swimming. 

1.8 Duties of the Vice President 

  1. The Vice President shall act as and represent the President whenever the President cannot attend. 
  2. If the President must step down for any reason the Vice President shall take over the position as President for the remainder of the season (to complete the current term) until the wrap-up meeting. 
  3. The Vice President shall be from a team in the Metro League of at least two years. 
  4. The Vice President must have at least five years’ experience in organized youth swimming. 

1.9 Duties of the Secretary 

  1. The Secretary shall record and publish the minutes of each meeting, as well as league schedules, list of representatives and similar pertinent information. 
  2. The Secretary shall maintain the League Records and publish all new records. 
  3. A separate League Record Recorder may be established at the discretion of the President to maintain League Records.

1.10 Duties of the Treasurer 

  1. The Treasure shall collect dues from the member clubs and make disbursements as approved by the Board of Representatives. 

1.11 League Meetings 

  1. There shall be two league meetings held for the league.  The first meeting will be held in September or October to set up the meet schedule and go over Championship information.  The second meeting will be held at the end of the season for a wrap-up to go over any concerns that occurred during the season.  There will be a possibility of a third meeting to let the teams know what they are responsible for during the championships. 
  1. A majority vote by team representatives will be considered a rule change. 
  2. At each regularly scheduled meeting, the league will announce the next meeting date. 
  3. Additional meetings may be schedule on an as needs basis. 

1.12 League By-Laws 

  1. The Metro Swim League By-laws are the rules, which govern the operation of the League. 
  2. The maintenance and updating of these By-laws is the responsibility of the Metro Swim League Board of Representatives. 
  3. By-law changes should be presented, discussed and included in the minutes of the applicable Metro Swim League meeting. 
  4. All changes to the by-laws will be listed under amendments to the rules for one year. 
  5. At the end of that year those amendments will be moved to the body of the by-laws. 
  6. No voting or adopting of By-law changes should occur until the following league meeting in order to allow club representative sufficient time to consider and discuss the proposed change(s) before casting their votes. 

1.13 League Season 

  1. The Metro League Season shall run from November 1 until the Championship Meet. 
  2. Every effort should be made to hold championships the first or second weekend of March. 

1.14 Financial 

  1. The Metro League fiscal year will run from November 1 to October 31. Dues are payable January 1st of the current season.
  2. Dues for the following year will be set at the wrap-up meeting.  Dues are $350 per team or $15.00 per swimmer.  Teams must pay the higher rate. 
  3. Team dues will be based on the number of swimmers who swim in one or more meets during the course of the season.  If a team overpays their team dues, they will get a credit toward the next seasons dues based on the overpayment. 
  4. Dues are used to pay for all league expenses (championships pool rental, officials, ribbons, etc.). 
  5. If a team has a swimmer join after the dues are submitted to the league, that team is responsible for paying dues for that swimmer. 

1.15 Team Roster 

  1. A team roster must be sent to the League by November 1stof the current season. The initial roster must be an exported team roster zip file from Team Manager. 
  2. After the initial roster is sent any additional swimmers must be submitted as a list.  This list must include the team’s name, the athletes first and last name, the age as of November 1stof the current season, the date of birth and the gender of each swimmer submitted.  This list should be sent whenever a new swimmer is added to your roster.  Failure to submit a name may result in that swimmer not receiving credit for a meet swum. 

New swimmers to add to your official roster

Team Name

Athlete First Name

Athlete Last Name

Age as of 11/1

Date of Birth

Gender

      
      
      

1.16 Expulsion 

Clubs may be asked to leave the Metro Swim League.  Some reasons for expulsion: 

  1. Canceling three meets 
  2. Failure to follow Metro Swim League Rules 
  3. Three major infractions of League policy within one year 
  4. Un-sportsmanship like conduct 
  5. Not Attending League Meetings 

Procedure for Expulsion: 

  1. There will be a written warning, suspension and then an expulsion vote by 50% of league members, excluding the team that is under consideration for expulsion. 
  2. Complaints must be filed within 10 days of the incident to League President. 
  3. A major infraction is determined by a majority vote of the league. 
  • Meet Arrangements 
  1. The host team is to communicate with the visiting team the Tuesday before a meet to confirm the meet location, date, warm up and start time as well as any issues with submitting the line up.  The host coach should also: 
  2. Determine the lane assignments. (This must be done at least 3 days prior to the start of the meet.) 
  3. Decide if any events are to be added. 
  4. Confirm meet warm-up and start time. Teams must show up within 20 minutes of the start time or forfeit the meet, unless there are extenuating circumstances (i.e., weather). 
  5. Notify the visiting team of any rules particular to your facility. 
  6. The away team must send a copy of their Team Manager line up and team roster to the home team by 6:00am the day of the meet.

1.18 Dual Meets and Multi team Meets 

  1. All meets will be run in accordance with USS Rules as of November 1 of the current season except:
    1. Metro Swim League will abide by two false start rule. 
    2. No false starts for 6&Unders events, except in the case of a flagrant rule violation. 
    3. Backstroke
  1. During the turn the shoulders may be turned past the vertical toward the breast after which a single arm pull or simultaneous double arm pull may be used to initiate the turn. The turn does not need to be initiated at the completion of the pull(s).
  1. Teams shall alternate lanes, with the visiting team choosing even or odd numbered lanes.
  2. Teams are expected to use flyover starts for all individual strokes on the front unless it is unsafe to do so. 
  3. Diving will not be allowed from the shallow end in any Metro Swim League meets or events. The second and fourth swimmer of the 100-yard relays must start in the water.  Relay swimmers who must start at the shallow end will start in the water with at least one part of their body touching the side of the pool. 
  4. Each team shall swim a minimum of 8 dual meets per season.  (A tri meet will count as two meets.)  
  5. Preliminary results must be sent to the visiting team by midnight of the meet date unless other arrangements have been made. 
  6. If electronic timing is used, the home team must review the results within 48 hours and send an updated MM file to visiting team(s). 
  7. Teams are required to run all meets using Meet Manager from Hytek.
  8. Whistle starts are required to be fully implemented by January 1st of each season.

1.19 Age Group 

  1. A swimmer’s age group is determined by the age of the swimmer on November 1st of the current season. 
  2. Age group breakdown: 6 and under, 7&8, 9 & 10, 11 & 12, 13 & 14, 15-18 (Swimmers in the 15-18 age group must be in high school,) 
  3. For individual events, swimmers may move up a maximum of 2 age categories during the regular season, but they may not move up an age category at championships. (6+Unders who wish to swim Breaststroke or Butterfly must swim up to the 7+8 age group for those events and may do so at championships.) 
  4. For relays, swimmers may move up a maximum of 2 age categories during the season and at championships. 

1.20 Meet Events 

  1. The list of events to be swum in all dual meets shall be represented at the start up meeting of the upcoming season. 
  2. Events may be added but not subtracted.

1.21 Events Policies and Rules 

  1. A swimmer is permitted to enter a maximum of three events, no more than two of which may be individual events. 
  2. Swimmers will compete one gender, throughout the season in the gender they identify in at the start of the season.
  3. Transgender: Whatever gender they start the season in they must complete the season in that gender.
  4. Girls can only swim girl events; boys can only swim boy events. 
  5. Events may be added but not subtracted from the order of events. 
  6. Extra heats are allowed at the discretion of the host team. 
  7. Late swimmers can only be added to open spots and will be an exhibition swimmer only. (A late swimmer is a swimmer who gets added to the meet after the meet program has been printed.) 
  8. As many relays may be entered with the possibility of only one scoring per team. 
  9. There will be no sweeps. 
  10. The Graduated Medley will consist of a 10 and under girls’ team, a 10 and under boys’ team, an 11 and older girls’ team, and an 11 and older boys’ team. 
    1. The 10 and under Graduated Medley relay will consist of two swimmers from the 8&under age group and two swimmers from the 10&under age group. (Note you can have four 5-year-olds in this relay) 
    2. The 11 and older Graduated Medley relay will consist of one 12&under swimmer, one 14&under swimmer and two 18&under swimmers. 
  1. Dual meets and multi team meets are seeded fastest to slowest with all teams agreeing to lane set up. 
  2. Championship meets are seeded slowest to fastest. 
  3. Teams will do their best to minimize or eliminate the need for a second heat for any relay event. 
  4. Stroke and Turn Judges need to complete and turn in a DQ slip for each infraction seen.  The following information must be included on any DQ slip (if meet program is used, this information must be included) – Team, Swimmer first and last name, event, heat, lane, reason for the DQ and the Official’s initials. 
  5. Any body art must promote good sportsmanship. 
  6. The official time is determined as follows: 
    1. Touch pad time 
    2. If touch pad time unavailable, the middle time of three watches 
    3. If both touch pad time and three watches unavailable, the average of two watch times 

1.22 Metro League Records 

To submit times for consideration of new league record: 

  1. The coaches from both teams must notify the league of the record via phone, email or mail.  
  2. Records must have at least two timers, or be from a touch pads if they are available.  The official time is determined as follows:
    1. Touch pad time 
    2. The middle time of three watches 
    3. The average of two watch times 
  3. All watch times and touch pad times must be included. 
  4. The host team must submit the backup copy of the meet file. 

Additionally: 

  1. A Metro League Swimmer, swimming up in his/her age group, may make a record in his/her own age group and the age group of which he/she is swimming, provided he/she is swimming the same distance.  
  2. Copies of League Records will be sent to the representatives of each club at the Start-up meeting.  
  3. All records must take place in official Metro Swim League meets.  
  4. Probationary teams are eligible to make league records. 
  5. If a record is rejected for any reason, the league representative and/or coach must be notified. 
  • Swimmers past times will be taken into consideration in granting or rejecting the new record. 

1.23 Officials 

  1. The home team shall supply:  one Starter/referee, one Stroke and Turn Judge (two if possible), one Runner, one timer for each lane plus one roving timer, one Scorekeeper. 
  2. Visiting team shall supply:  one Stroke and Turn Judge (two if possible), one timer for each lane plus one roving timer, one Scorekeeper, and any other position agreed to with the host team. 
  3. An officials meeting shall take place before each meet begins to make sure everyone is on the same page. 

1.24 Scoring 

Dual Meets 

  1. Points for dual meet individual events: 1st place = 3 points, 2nd place = 2 points, 3rd place = 1 point.  
  2. Points for dual meet relay events: 1st place = 6 points, 2nd place = 4 points. 
  3. No sweeps allowed in dual meets. 
  4. The home team must submit a back up copy of the meet manager file and a Results file for TM, to the league, by the Monday after a meet.  Failure to submit the files on time will result in the home team swimmers not receiving credit for that meet.  (NOTE:  For tri-meets, results should be submitted as three dual meets.) 
  5. Scoring is based on times. 

Championship Meet 

  1. Championship Swim Meet will score top 16 places for individual events and top 12 for relay events. 
  2. Points for championship individual events: 

Place 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

Individual 

20 

17 

16 

15 

14 

13 

12 

11 

9 

7 

6 

5 

4 

3 

 

1 

  1. Points for championship relay events: 

Place 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

Relays 

40 

34 

32 

30 

28 

26 

24 

22 

18 

14 

  
  1. Only four swimmers per team can score in the top sixteen in Championships. 
  2. Scoring is based on times. 
  3. At Championships, swimmers will receive medals or ribbons based on the place they finish not the score they receive. 
    1. Medals will be given at championships to all 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers in both individual and relay events. 
    2. Place ribbons will be given at championships to all 4th-16th place and all other places will receive Participant Ribbons. 
  1. Relays 
    1. Each team may enter up to two relays in the morning session of championships. 
    2. Each team may enter up to three relays in the afternoon session of championships. 
    3. If a team’s A relay is disqualified, the team’s B relay for that event may score. 
    4. All C relays are non-scoring. 
  2. To swim an event in championships, a swimmer must have swum that same event legally in at least one dual meet during the same season. 
  3. An over-entered swimmer in Championships will be disqualified from the entire meet. 

1.25 Other 

  1. The Metro League requires that swimmers’ names and meet videos be posted on the league website.  Teams may use an alias for swimmers whose families do not wish their swimmer’s name to be listed. 

====================================================================================   

History of Amendments 

Amendments to Metro League By-Laws (all amendments become part of the rules one year after the amendment passes – this will allow everyone to know what rule(s) have changed in the last year.) 

Updated Sections from 5/29/24 and 6/18/24 Special Meetings

Sections 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 of the bylaws were revised and approved as written.  The History of Amendments was updated accordingly.  Additionally, the format of the bylaw document was updated.

Amendments from 9/17/22 Start Up Meeting

Swimmers who qualify for New England Championships or higher standard meets may participate in those meets as a registered unattached swimmer and still participate in the Metro Winter Swim League.

(removed 6/18/24)

Amendments from 3/12/19 Wrap Up Meeting 

  • If a swimmer swam for a USA team in the previous season but left that team and chose to join a Metro League team, they are eligible to swim, score and set records in the league under the following circumstances: 
    • They are no longer affiliated with their former club 
    • They do not renew their USA swimming membership in January 
    • They are completely new to the Metro League 
  • A swimmer may try out USA Swimming for one spring/summer season and still be eligible to swim, score, and set records the following Metro League season.  If that same swimmer swims a second spring/summer season with a USA team, that swimmer will not be eligible to score or set records the next Metro League season.  The spirit of this rule is that swimmers should not be going back and forth between USA teams and the Metro League every season. 
  • If a swimmer tries a USA swim meet as an unattached swimmer, per league rules this swimmer is eligible to swim, score and set records as long as the following conditions are met: 
    • The swimmer only swims in one USA meet per year 
    • The swimmer is unattached and not affiliated with a USA club 
  • Any swimmer in violation of these rules will be disqualified from scoring or setting records in the Metro League for the current season.  

 (removed 6/18/24)

 

Amendments from 9/20/18 Start Up Meeting 

  • At Championships
    • Non-scoring C relays can be entered in 11& over session of Championships. 
    • If a team’s A relay is disqualified at championships, their B relay for that event may score. 

Amendments from 3/6/18 Wrap Up Meeting 

  • To swim an event in championships, a swimmer must swim the event legally in at least one dual meet during that same season. 
  • In the AM session only of Championships, the final time for each swimmer will be determined by averaging 3 of the 4 times (3 watches and 1 plunger) dropping the biggest outlier.  (It was decided at the 3/12/19 Wrap Up Meeting to not incorporate this amendment into the bylaws.)
  • An over-entered swimmer in Championships will be disqualified from the entire meet. 

Amendments/Changes from March 2016 

  • A swimmer must swim in meets on at least three different dates. 
  • Line-ups are due by 6:00am the day of the meet. 
  • Dues will be $15 per swimmer 
  • Home team must supply one runner.  (Visiting team does not need to supply a runner) 

Amendments from Meeting on 9/16/15 

  • Any body art must promote good sportsmanship. 

Notes from wrap up meeting March 2014 

  1. If electronic timing, home team must review all results within 48 hours and send updated MM file to visiting teams. 
  2. A swimmer may try one US meet and still maintain their standing as a swimmer in our league – they must not be practicing with a US team. 

(removed 6/18/24)

  1. The Metro League requires that swimmers names and meet videos be posted on the league website.  Teams may use an alias for swimmers whose families do not wish their swimmer’s name to be listed. 

Notes added on 9/30/2014 

  • The following information must be included on any DQ slip (if meet program is used, this information must be included) – Team, Swimmer first and last name, event, heat, lane, reason for the DQ and the Official’s initials.  We want coaches to know why there was a DQ so we can work with the swimmer on correcting this. 
  • 6&Unders may swim up at dual meets and championships to the 7+8 age group.  The Meet Manager file should list events for 7+8 year olds as 7+8, not 8+Under. 

Amendments/Changes from March 2013 

  • Team dues will increase from $8 per swimmer to $10 per swimmer. 
  • Teams can add events to meets as long as the all the original events are offered as well. 
  • Flyover starts are to be done in every meet. 
  • Teams need to send roster to both Carol and Arnie. 

Amendments/Changes from March of 2012 

  1. Send all tri meets to league as three dual meets. 
  2. Preliminary results must be sent to the visiting team by midnight the day of the meet unless other arrangements are agreed upon. 
  3. Official results must be to the league by the Monday after a meet. 
  4. Confirm meet no later than the Tuesday before the meet. 
  5. Home team should send details of meet logistics, etc. to visiting team. 
  6. If there are any special issues regarding a meet, parents should be emailed in advance. 
  7. Visiting team should send roster along with meet entries. 
  8. Respond to meet related emails in a timely manner. 
  9. Official’s briefing before meet so everyone is on the same page. 
  10. Late swimmers can only be added to open spots and will be an exhibition swimmer only. (A late swimmers is a swimmer who gets added to the meet after the meet program has been printed) 

Amendments/Changes from March of 2011 

  • Take out the line – Times submitted for Championships must be times a swimmer has swum at a Metro Swim League meet. 

Posted 6/19/2024