FCST Newsletter - Jan 29, 2018

FCST Team Newsletter:

 

  • February 3rd - Long-term Progression Planning with Head Coach Pete at the Aquatic Center. Mark you calenders for this up opportunity to interact and gain valuable information for our very own Head Coach. This information pertains to all Pre-Senior, Age-Group, and Developmental parents.  CLICK HERE for the event page. NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.
  • Social Media: Make sure to follow all of our social media platforms. Creating a profile in order to follow the team is easy; ask your swimmer for help! #FCSTFamily
  • College Swimmers Current and Past! Make sure to check out our list of FCST alumni that currently or did swim collegiately. FCST has a proud history of preparing swimmers for their next chapter of their swimming career. CLICK HERE to view the list. GO FCST!
  • Website information - Did you know that you can find an easy link to the "Volunteers" page on the home page in the right icon area, look for the star!
  • Developmental Team Takes January Meet, Heads Towards Champs Season! CLICK HERE for a summary of the meet! GO FCST!
  • National Diversity Camp - Each spring, USA Swimming invites 48 athletes from underrepresented populations to participate in a three-day camp program which includes pool training, motivational and education sessions and team-building activities. Selection is based on times swum at USA Swimming sanctioned events. Application due Feb. 9th. CLICK HERE for more info!
  • Fitter Faster Tour -  High Performance Clinic: Butterfly and Breaststroke - FBISD Training Pool. March 24th. This is a great opportunity to learn from Paralympic swimmer Tukcer Dupree. CLICK HERE for more info on Tucker. CLICK HERE for more info and to register for the clinic. 

Important Dates:

Feb 3:

Long-term progression planning w/ Coach Pete

Feb 16 - 18:

SC Champs II

Feb 23 - 25:

SC Champs III

Mar 1 - 4:

TAGS

Mar 3:

SC Champs I

Mar 20 - 24:

American Junior Classic

Main

League/Lessons/Tri

Masters

Social Media

Time Standards

Parent Education

Parking at FCST Pools

Contact Enrollment

Why do swim Officials disqualify (dq) kids? Why don't they just let them swim?

 This is a frequent question by parents when their swimmers experience disqualifications at meets.  The role of an official is two-fold.  First, officials are tasked with providing a safe and fair competitive environment.  The second role is in educating swimmers – both those learning the strokes and those who may have become complacent in practice.  For both of these reasons, consistent enforcement of the rules is important.

However, what happens if your swimmer has been incorrectly disqualified?  What if there are extenuating circumstances – like crowd noise during a start?  Officials are trained to give the swimmer the benefit of the doubt – and if they aren’t sure, a good official won’t make the call.  However they are also human and can make mistakes.  For that reason, there is always the right of a respectful request to review disqualifications by asking the meet referee to  interview the officials involved in making and accepting the call.  As a parent, if you have a question about the legitimacy of or reason for a dq, instruct your swimmer to ask their coach.  Often the coach also saw the infraction and can clarify the call for the swimmer.  But in the case of an error, this is the role of the coach as an advocate for their swimmer.  A parent or swimmer should never approach an official to request review of a call.  A coach will know the protocol required to give the swimmer the best opportunity for a fair review.  Encourage communication between your swimmer and your coach and foster trust in that relationship.  The coaches are invested in your swimmer – trust them to act in your swimmer’s best interests and to grow your swimmer through all of their experiences.  

- USA Swimming Official Bonnie Finnigan 

Meet Entry Timelines and Information*:

Meet Webpage, Dates, & Location:

Athletes eligible:

Prelim and Final entry deadline:

Volunteer opportunities:

SC Champs II, Feb 16 - 18th. Katy, TX 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 Qualified swimmers Jan. 18 and Jan 24 Coming soon!
SC Champs III, Feb 23 - 25. TBA 13-14 Qualified swimmers and 15 - 18 swimmers Jan. 25 and Jan 30 Coming soon!
TAGS, Mar 1 - 4. Woodlands 14 and under qualified swimmers Feb 8 and Feb 18 Coming soon!
SC Champs I, Mar 3, TBA 8 and under swimmers Feb 1 and Feb 7 Coming soon!

*Families are responsible for communicating meet entry issues with their athletes respective coach, as their primary coach is most responsible for their athletes training and competitive plan.

**Once the final entry deadline has passed, no changes may be made on FCSTs' end. Athletes can deck-enter at the meet (if allowed by meet management) at their own expense and with coachs permission. This is not the most ideal way to enter a meet having schedules planned ahead of time is very beneficial to the athlete.

FCST Contacts^:

^If you are no longer affiliated with the team and would like to be removed from the distribution list, please email fcstadmin@swimfcst.com