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Welcome to New Swim Team Families Administrative Information
Important Events
General Information |
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| Welcome to the GM Swim Team (GMST). What does GM stand for, you may ask - General Motors? General Mills? Nope, the GM is for Greenbelt Municipal. The Greenbelt Municipal Swim Team has been in existence since 1957 and is a charter member of the Prince-Mont Swim League (PMSL). Our mission: Our Mascot: Our motto: The GMST is a Division B team in the Prince-Mont Swim League. GMST swims competitively in the summer season, mid June through the first week of August, at both home and away weekly meets with other Division B teams. The City of Greenbelt funds the summer season, but it’s the swim team parents, who comprise the Aquatic Booster Club, that run the entire program. Every parent of a swimmer is a member of the Aquatic Booster Club. Administrative activities for the Booster Club and GMST are coordinated by the Club’s Executive Committee, which is elected by the members. GMST also offers Fall-Winter/Spring Swim Programs for their swimmers. These programs are funded entirely by revenues generated by registration fees and proceeds from various fundraisers held during the summer season.
PMSL rules stipulate that "Each competitor shall be a bona-fide member of the Pool Club he/she represents during the current season." Since the Greenbelt Aquatic Center is a municipal pool and the City of Greenbelt sponsors the GM Swim Team during the summer, swimmers who are Greenbelt residents are exempt from the pool membership requirement. Swimmers who are non-Greenbelt residents, however, must be summer members of the Greenbelt Aquatic Fitness Center. Membership can be purchased for swimmers at the fron desk of the Aquatic Center. (See membership fees) Proof of the swimmer’s membership or residency will be required at registration. The Developmental Program is a "feeder program" for GMST's Jr. Team. Participants must be between the ages of 5 and 7 as of May 31st of this current year and have taken and passed a beginners swim program at the pool. Space in this program is very limited. Registrations will be accepted on a "first come, first served" basis. Registrations received after the class has been filled will be put on a waiting list for slot availability. Children registering for the swim team must have had previous swim lessons or swimming experience and be comfortable swimming at least one length of the pool.
Along with the registration form for each swimmer, each family will be provided, a family Volunteer Form and the "List of Volunteer Positions". (See the section "Volunteer Points and Fee" for more information.) Along with the registration form for each swimmer, each family will be provided, a family Volunteer Form and the ‘List of Volunteer Positions’. (See the section "Volunteer Points and Fee" for more information.) Registration Forms: Summer Registration (73K PDF), Volunteer Form (58K PDF) The summer registration fees for both the Developmental Program and Jr/Sr Team are as follows:
Non-Greenbelt residents, please put your Aquatic Center membership number on the registration form. You may subsitute your receipt number, if you have purchased a membership but have not yet received your membership card. Add the registration fees for each swimmer and the folunteer fee. Make all checks payable to the Greenbelt Swim Team. Registration for Returning Swimmers. Returning GMST swimmers who have received their Registration and Volunteer Forms by mail or Email may submit the completed forms and payment at walk-in registration or by mail to: Registrar, Greenbelt Municipal
Swim Team
Registration questions? Contact Joan Dunham, 301-474-4722
Did you know it takes approximately 53 people to run a swim meet? Not counting coaches and swimmers? So who are these people? Parents. Swimming is a family participation sport. As an incentive to fill our many available volunteer positions a "‘returned if earned" Volunteer Point Fee of $50 will be assessed each swim team family. The number of volunteer points that must be worked for a full refund is a minimum of 6 points. The "List of Volunteer Positions"details the available volunteer positions, a brief position description, previous volunteers who will be glad to share information, and the points credited for each position. For the ‘Events Coordinators’, in addition to the contact person as an information resource, "How To…"sheets have been developed for most of the events. Aside from home meets, volunteer points may be earned at any away meet, this includes Mini-meets, B Meets, Invitationals etc. On the Volunteer Form specify your first, second and third preference for three volunteer positions along with the name of the parent/s for each position that you would like to work this swim season. Position preferences will be honored as registrations are received. The Volunteer Coordinator will contact you to verify your volunteer position and will record your points worked. To receive credit when working your position, please check in with them at the meets, especially the away meets. Get involved – volunteer. Your kids will appreciate your effort. What? Hosting the home meet concession stand is a major fundraising event for the team. While the Head Concessionaire purchases some of these items, the majority of goods are donations from swim team families. We ask that every family support the concession stand by donating the same item at every home meet. Things that are needed are:
Please indicate on the Volunteer Form the item that you would like to donate. The donated items must be brought to the concession stand before the start of the meet. Swim Suits:
Parent's Meeting
The summer season practice begins May 27st in the indoor pool. Bring your bathing suit every day to practice. Morning practices in the outdoor pool begin after the end of the school year, June 12th. The practice schedule is as follows: May 27 - June 6 Swim practice at this time period occurs during normal public pool hours. Please use the main entrance at the Aquatic Center to enter the outdoor pool. Swimmers must sign in at the main desk.
June 10 – July 26 Swim practice during these time periods occurs before the pool is open to the public. Therefore use the side gate along the walkway to the Youth Center to enter the outdoor pool. Arrive 15 minutes early so swimmers can be in the water at the start of their designated practice time.
A calendar of events for the summer season is now available and details the various meets and other activities for the team. This calendar will change as new events such as "B" Meets, Mini Meets, Relay Meets or social activities are finalized. Coaches will inform the swimmers of additional meet opportunities. A current version of the calendar will be available on the swim team bulletin board, which is in the hallway outside the locker rooms. It will also be posted on GMST's website. Typically "B" Meets and Mini Meets are usually in the evenings during the week. The criteria for participation are different for each type of meet so your child may not be swimming in all of them. The Greenbelt Swim Team is not affiliated or "part of" the Greenbelt Aquatic Center. During the fall, winter, and spring GMST leases the swim lanes for practices. During the summer, GMST is a "City Sponsored Organization" and thus the swim team has been granted use of the Aquatic Center during designated times. In general, GMST has use of the Aquatic Center before it is open to the public. Along with all other patrons of the Aquatic Center, GMST is bound to adhere to the Center's rules and regulations. The Aquatic Center Staff would like to remind swimmers and their parents:
Please remember to follow these guidelines while at the pool. GMST is committed to maintaining our good working relationship with the Aquatic Center. All swim team parents are invited to attend the season opener Aquatic Booster Club meeting on May 28 at 5:30 p.m. at the pool in the large meeting room. The meeting will focus on GM’s swim season, fundraisers and social events. Coach Jill Lau , and others, will be on hand to answer questions. This is a good opportunity to attach names to the faces you will be seeing during the season and to have parents know you by your name rather than just "Donna’s Dad"or "Mike’s mom". Following the meeting, swim suit fitting, ordering and sales will be done. In order for a swim meet to held there are key positions for meet officials that must be filled by "qualified individuals". Sound daunting? Not so! There is training available to qualify you for positions such as Referee, starter, and Stroke and Turn Judge. A PMSL Officials Clinic will be held on Saturday, June 7th from 5 p.m. at the Armory building, off Rt. 1 on the campus of the University of Maryland. GMST desperately needs parents to become qualified to serve in the positions mentioned above. A perk for serving in these positions is that you have the best view of the competition. A GMST tradition, the Pasta Pot Luck Dinner is held the Friday evening before our first swim meet. All swimmers and their families are invited to bring a pasta dish to share. It's our first family event to welcome new swimmers and their families, see familiar faces of returning swim families, sample perhaps new and interesting dishes and to get those swimmers loaded up on carbohydrates before the meet! It's always an enjoyable evening. Reserve this date, June 20 th on your calendar. Check the calendar for location etc. Setting up the pool for first home meet will follow the dinner. Volunteers are needed. GMST's Awards Banquet will be held in the gym of the Greenbelt Community Center on Saturday, July 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. We begin our season with a Pot Luck, why not end with one? Bring a dish to share. Drinks, ice cream and cake will be provided. Following the banquet, is our annual family splash party. Bring your floaties! Preceding the Awards Banquet will be an open meeting of the Aquatic Boosters and the election of officers for the Executive Committee of the Booster Club. Have we got plans for you! So far in the planning stages are the events mentioned above, Pasta Pot Luck Dinner, Swim Team Splash Party, and Awards Banquet. We are always welcome to new ideas. Of course, we'll need help to pull all this off. Volunteer to be an Event Coordinator or volunteer to help an Event Coordinator. These questions have been compiled from the ones we hear over and over again. Hopefully they will answer some of yours. If not, ask the Coaches or Meet Manager your question. I'm sure they'll find an answer for it - somewhere. 1. Do we practice in the rain? Even in heavy rain?
2. Do we practice if the weather is chilly?
3. Who do we call to find out if a practice or a meet is cancelled?
4. What if my child cannot make a meet?
5. What should the swimmers eat before and during a meet – what should they avoid?
6. What should swimmers keep in their swim bags?
7. What is a B Meet?
8. What is a Mini-Meet?
Every parent of a swimmer is a member of the Aquatic Booster Club. It's the Aquatic Booster Club, that runs the entire swim program. Administrative activities for the Booster Club and GMST are coordinated by the Club’s Executive Committee, which is elected by the members. There are several vacancies currently on the Board and several positions that will be open by the end of the summer season. If you are interested in getting involved or not sure but would like to "test the waters" let us know. Lend a hand to leadership.
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