NISCA NOTES

Another high school swimming season is rapidly approaching for most of us and, for some, it has indeed started. The goal of this particular article is to provide information regarding the various NISCA All-American programs and the procedures needed to ensure inclusion for all eligible. Attaining All-American performance standards is a special accomplishment and to not recognize such due to ignorance on the part of the coach is one of those injustices which happens far too often. There is no "automatic All- American". The proper forms must be filled out and sent.

NISCA provides All-American honors for the following categories - swimming, diving, water polo, and academic. Each of these has a specific form and particular procedures which must be followed. The forms, along with these specific procedures, can be obtained through the NISCA Journal. These forms are also mailed to each high school that has a swimming program through our fall mailer. All high school coaches should check with their athletic director for these. If the forms are still not obtained through these sources, please write -

Marney Shirley
All-America Chairperson
Jamestown High School
416 SW 4th St. (home)
Jamestown, ND 58401
(701) 252-6642 home
(701) 252-0317 work

The forms do take some time to properly complete and a form is needed for each swimmer in each event, as well as for each relay. All forms must be filled out completely, including the officials’ signature area. Simply filling in "electronic timing" or "done at state meet" does not meet the requirement. Any form not properly or totally filled out must be sent back to the coach for correction or completion. Be sure that only 1999-2000 forms are used.

NISCA does not get copies of all of the state meets and then compile the list from these. In the first place, some states do not have a "state meet." Further, some performances worthy of an All-American award are made in high school meets prior to the state championships, particularly in the case of a swimmer who might be All-American material in three or four events. Additionally NISCA can often not find the full name of an athlete or the high sclool and the name of the coach from the abbreviated state meet result sheets. Even if those items were fully spelled out, where would the certificates be mailed, how many extra certificates, patches, etc. would be required ? The coach simply must make the application.

A word of advice to swimmers and parents. If your time is in the All-American category, check with your coach - does he or she have the current forms, and have they been submitted properly and on time ? Sometimes we forget - even something as important as this - and some coaches simply do not know the correct procedure.

It should be noted that all forms submitted have a $10.00 additional fee added per entry if the coach is not a NISCA member. Joining NISCA is a distinct advantage in this regard. If you are interested in membership

Thomas Wojslawowicz
NISCA Membership
93 Kennedy Blvd.
Bayonne, N.J. 07002
(201) 436-1219 home
(201) 858-5977 work

Copyright © 1998-1999 American Swimming Coaches Association.