Essex Mini-League Rules 2019.

(As amended at the November 2018AGM)

Rule 1a             The League shall be called The Essex Mini-League and its object shall be to provide competition only for swimmers who cannot achieve the standard time.

1b                    A standard time will be agreed and set for each event.  Any swimmers achieving their standard time will not be placed and therefore forfeit gala points.  (This includes ineligible swimmers) They will be time faulted but still retain the time.  Any team who is unable to provide an eligible swimmer for any event can swim – upon declaration of ineligibility – a swimmer who will swim for time only.

1c                    The competitions shall normally take place on the second Saturdays in February, March, April, May, June, July, September and October.  (Avoiding if possible Bank Holiday weekends).

1d                    Clubs already participating in the competition will automatically be entered by the following years competition provided that their subscription is paid to the Hon. Sec. No later than the end of November in that year of competition.

1e                    Clubs wishing to apply for admission to the competition in the following year must lodge their written application, together with their subscription fee to the Hon. Sec. No later than 1^st October.  The application for admission will be considered at the A.G.M.

1f                     Any team who does not turn up for a Gala shall be fined the sum of £50.00, which shall be sent direct to the home team to help with their expenses. Teams withdrawing from the league during the season remain liable for missed fixtures through to the end of the season. However, where the reason for not swimming is caused by a change of date (due to the host team having issues), this fine is not payable and they will be awarded points equal to their average scored in other swum galas.

1g                    If any official sees any team slowing swimmers down to achieve the standard time, at the discretion of the referee, the swimmer will be disqualified for the event.  Any further infringement and the whole team will be disqualified from the gala.

Rule 2              The League shall be controlled by the Management Committee comprising the Hon. Sec. and one representative from each competing club.  The Chairman shall be elected from those attending the meetings.  The quorum for a meeting of the committee shall be five and for a general meeting shall be seven. 

Rule 3              The A.G.M shall take place by the end of November and the Hon. Sec. shall give two weeks notice of the time and venue of the meeting together with any business to be discussed to the Hon. Sec. or nominated contact of each of the member clubs in the League.  A special general meeting can be called at any time at the request of the chairman and Hon sec or at the request of five or more member clubs.  Conditions for any SGM shall be the same as those for an AGM.

Rule 4              The subscription fee for the following year of competition shall be £5.00 per club, payable in advance no later than 1^st December.

4a                    By 1^st September in any one year member clubs of the League shall have advised the Hon. Sec. of three preferred Home Gala dates in order of preference for the following year’s competition. Also any dates preferred not to swim

Rule 5              Swimmers participating must be registered members of the club they represent.  No swimmers can swim for more than one Club in the year of competition.

Rule 6              Swimmers may compete in only two individual events and in any number of relays.

Rule 7              Regardless of how many teams are present the points are 5 for a win 4 for a second etc.

7a                    In the case of a Gala that has been started but cannot be completed the following procedure shall be adopted with respect of the allocation of points. The team concerned will add together the swimming points scored in all their completed galas as at the end of the year’s Mini-League competition. This total will then be divided by the number of completed fixtures, with the result rounded up to the whole number.  The number obtained will be deemed to be the points scored in the abandoned galas.

7b                    Not less than three weeks before the gala, the organising club shall remind the Hon. Sec. Of the other clubs taking part of the date, time and venue of the Gala and shall send a copy of the order of events.  It is the responsibility of visiting clubs to confirm such details prior to the date of the gala if they do not receive any such reminder.

7c                    The home club (host) will be responsible for appointing the Referee(s), the Starter, Chief Timekeeper(s), one Judge and a Timekeeper.  Visiting clubs are to provide one Judge and one Timekeeper who will be allocated to a lane other than his own Club.  The referee shall be an A S A registered official on the County list of equivalent to Judge (level 2) or higher.  .

7d                    The home team should have a copy of the Essex Mini-League Rules available for reference.

Rule 8              Age Groups shall be 9yrs, 10&Under, 11&Under, 13&Under and Open.

                       Ages as on day of gala. 

                        Swimmers must be 9 years of age by the date of the last gala in the years competition.

Rule 9              The programme of events shall be as Rule 9a with a girls event followed by a boys event.

                        All relays to remain the same number of lengths in both sizes of pool.

                        Squad 6 x 1 relays shall be swam in order 9yrs.10&U.11&U.13&U.2xOpen.

 9a