Two Divisions Maintained; Return of BAL

The NAA is happy to welcome back Ballantyne Pool [BAL]. BAL will compete in Division B.

The NAA will maintain two divisions, as was the case in 2024. Due to the odd number of participating teams, Div. B will host one 3-pool meet per week. More information regarding the procedures of 3-pool meets will be found in this Handout.

2025 Swim Cards

The NAA is proud to announce that it has secured two sponsors for the 2025 iteration of the swim card.

For this reason, member pools are requested to only use the 2025 version of swim cards at all official NAA Competitive Swimming events.

We thank Beta Bloc and Dominos for their generous contributions and support to our Aquatic Community!

Joint Meet Organizing Committee

Per amendment of the Constitution on May 13, 2024, all member pools must contribute to Meet Organizing (Summer Swim Meet, Time Trials or Big Meet), every two seasons. A Joint Meet Organizing Committee has been established to encourage collaboration amongst pools.

We ask that member pool having not contributed to meet organizing in 2024, join the Committee, by sending an email to the Vice-President before July 1.

Updated Swimming Resources and Website

The Competitive Swimming section of the NAA website has been renewed.

You will find a member area with all documentation, as well as a calendar of all important deadlines and dates.

Live results have been integrated directly into the website. You will also find a new live meet status system. Refer to the current Handout for further information.

A new Statistics Dashboard, and Swimming Database, can be found on the website. You will find all swims and times, as of the 2024 season.

Survey Project | Phase I

The first phase of the 2025 Survey Project has been released to one representative of each member pool. We remind all member pools to please complete this anonymous and confidential survey, which will help the NAA better plan and orient its programs for the following seasons.

Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Open House

The NAA is happy to welcome back Ballantyne Pool [BAL]. BAL will compete in Division B.

The NAA will maintain two divisions, as was the case in 2024. Due to the odd number of participating teams, Div. B will host one 3-pool meet per week. More information regarding the procedures of 3-pool meets will be found in this Handout.

Pilot Team Spirit Award

The NAA will be organizing a season-long Team Spirit contest for the 2025 Season, with the award to be delivered at Big Meet.

The criteria for the award will be announced during the first week of the season. The winner shall be determined by the Meet Organizing Committee.

Prepare a psychout! We’re looking for creativity and participation!

Officiating Clinics

The NAA is holding officiating clinics in the first weeks of the summer.

YMCA

The NAA is organizing a joint partnership with the YMCA. The Vice-President will ask member pools whether are interested in hosting YMCA kiosks on Addition Prevention (Toxicomanie) during Dual Meets.

The Vice-President hopes to have the YMCA present at one Dual Meet each week.

Awareness Campaign—Million Metres

The NAA is organizing a decentralized Million Metres campaign to build awareness for Le Phare, Children’s Palliative Care Home. The goal is to collectively swim one million metres (40,000 laps) by the end of the summer.

We’re looking for each pool to find time for at least 1- or 2-hour session where everyone can swim laps which count toward the initiative.

Photo Archive / Repository

The Historical Project has evolved into a permanent archive and repository for photos and media from our events! Throughout the summer, send us photos and videos of meets and other NAA events.

We’re also on the lookout for photos and videos that we can share on our social media pages!

Spotlights

The NAA Competitive Swimming Volunteers are Asking for Your Help!

We know that every volunteer and community member brings something special to the table—and we’re incredibly grateful for the passion and effort that powers our association. This summer, we’re hoping to highlight a few individuals—former or current—whose impact, spirit, or leadership has stood out.

If someone comes to mind who you believe deserves to be recognized, we invite all members and member pools to nominate them for a feature in our Summer Spotlight Series.

If you are the head coach in charge of the swim team of an NAA member pool, congratulations! It is an incredible job that can be very rewarding and fun.

However, it is a job that holds many responsibilities: towards the participants, your member pool and towards the NAA. In order for NAA swimming activities to run smoothly, it is imperative that head coaches fulfill their responsibilities to the NAA—whether that may be submitting registrations or swimmer lists on time, properly coordinating Dual Meets with the visiting team, or encouraging members to participate in our activities.

The Primary Liaison between the NAA and the Member Pool

You are the first and most important liaison that the Vice-President has with member pools. It is important that you stay in contact with the NAA, and that you reach out when there are issues. Check your emails, and stay up to date on the most recent updates.

In many situations, the head coach is also responsible for relaying information to their respective committees, and for briefing their member on the objectives, priorities and needs of the NAA.

The First Person responsible for Resolving Conflicts

When issues that may arise at a Meet, the head coach is the first and most important person in resolving conflicts. You are essential to ensuring that minor problems do not escalate.

The Main Promoter and Ambassador of NAA Swimming Activities

Head coaches are the face of NAA Swim Team activities at their respective pools. They are first-in-line to give a positive image of swimming in their membership.

No one knows your membership as well as you. You can make a big difference in encouraging participation at our Meets!

Mobilizing and Organizing Support for Events

No event is successful without the volunteers, officials and support that each pool contributes. As the head coach, you are at the centre of this mobilization:

• Finding equipment for meets.
• Recruiting volunteers and officials;
• Recruiting swimmers;

Code of Conduct

It is essential that coaches, parents and athletes accept and respect the NAA Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct will be categorically enforced. Please consult the code of conduct, available on the website of the NAA. All persons witnessing a breach of the Code of Conduct must report the situation to the Vice-President of Competitive Swimming.

Safety Regulations and Policies

On May 13, 2024, the General Assembly unanimously adopted one regulation and two policies concerning safety during NAA-sanctioned activities. Please consult the following documents, available on the website of the Association:

• Regulation on Safety at Competitive Swimming Events
• Policy on Volunteering at Competitive Swimming Events
• Policy on Violence, Abuse, Harassment and Misconduct

All coaches, swimmers, volunteers, officials and parents must comply with these Policies and this Regulation. 

Upon observing an individual who does not comply, a member pool or coach must correct the individual. The individual is thereafter responsible for ensure future compliance. If repeated incidents, serious hazards that endanger the lives/wellbeing of volunteers, or a refusal to comply, are observed, the member pool must take appropriate actions to ensure compliance. The member pool, referee or coach retains the authority to expel an individual for serious breaches to the Policies and Regulation, or take any other appropriate action. Please study these documents thoroughly.

The NAA and the Vice-President retain exclusive rights to act in any manner and without delay, when informed of a situation in violation of these three documents, or in any other situation compromising the safety, security or integrity of a member. 

Stroke and Distance of Relay Events

Below are the determined strokes and distances for relay events.

A coin toss at the Annual Coaches’ Meeting will determine the stroke of the 11 & 12, 13 & 14 and Open categories for the NAA Time Trials and Championship Meets.

To determine the relay stroke of the 11 & 12, 13 & 14 and Open categories at dual meets, the following formula is used:

• Boys’ / Men’s events: Determined by the head coach of the Hosting Team
• Girls’ / Women’s events: Determined by the head coach of the Visiting Team

Event Numbers

Races are completed in chronological order of event number. The Summer Swim Meet does not include relay events, nor an open category. Para events are combined-gender.

		8 and Under	9 & 10	11 & 12	13 & 14	Open	Para (Big Meet)
Girls / Women	Freestyle	1	3	5	7	9	P1
	Breastroke	11	13	15	17	19	P11
	Backstroke	21	23	25	27	29	P21
	Butterfly	31	33	35	37	39	P31
	Relay	41	43	45	47	49	———
Boys / Men	Freestyle	2	4	6	8	10	P1
	Breastroke	12	14	16	18	20	P11
	Backstroke	22	24	26	28	30	P21
	Butterfly	32	34	36	38	40	P31
	Relay	42	44	46	48	50	———

Mixed-Gender Relays

The NAA will run two (2) divisions in 2025. See below.

The schedule, location and starting times of the Dual Meets, Summer Swim Meet, Time Trials and the Championship Meet are published on the NAA website. Dual Meets begin at 18:00 (warm up at 17:30).

Rescheduling the Date of a Dual Meet

The date of a dual meet can be rescheduled if the following conditions are met:

1. The host team and the visiting team agree to changing the date of the dual meet;
2. The host team and the visiting team agree to the newly planned date of the dual meet; and
3. The host club notifies the Vice-President of Competitive Swimming.

Postponing In-Progress or Delayed Dual Meets

Meets having already commenced may only be postponed if the following conditions are met: 

1. One hour has elapsed since the scheduled start of the meet;
2. The pool manager/head coach of the host team and the visiting team both agree to changing the date of the dual meet; and
3. The pool manager/head coach of the host team and the visiting team agree to the newly planned date of the dual meet.

Rescheduled in-progress dual meets will resume races at the event after the last event has been swum. It is not suggested to proceed with a dual meet when environmental circumstances might lead to significant delays. Should no agreement be achieved, the Vice-President of Competitive Swimming shall determine the new date of the dual meet.

The Vice-President is authorized to postpone or cancel events when it is a matter of safety.

Assigned Lanes

At Dual Meets, the head coach of the host pool and the visiting pool should agree in advance to the assigned lanes at a dual meet, so to promote efficiency. It is customary to assign one team odd lane numbers, and the other, even lane numbers. 

In the case of three-pool meets, it is best to assign two lanes per pool (in the case of a six-lane pool).

The head coaches of both teams should communicate with each other on the Monday before the Dual Meet in order to coordinate volunteers for the meets. 

Both teams should provide officials according to the scheme below. 

Nonetheless, it is the responsibility of both teams to act in good faith, in order to provide the necessary officials, regardless of this table.

Home Team	Visiting Team
1 Referee	1 Chief timer
1 Starter	1 Stroke and turn judge
1 Timer, with watch, per lane	1 Timer with watch per lane
1 Stroke and turn judge	3 Ribbon judges
1 Chief finish judge	1 Chief finish judge
1 Recorder	1 Recorder
False start rope operators
Runners

All swimmers must be included in the submitted list, in order to participate in swim meets (see note above). To compete in NAA events, members must have paid for a membership specific to the summer season—that is, the membership does not include a winter membership or a specialized sport membership. Athletes may not compete, regardless of discipline, for more than one NAA pool per season.

In order to promote a positive spirit and sportsmanship, staff members must compete for the pool at which they are employed.

List of Swimmers

NAA-affiliated pools must complete the swimmer lists provided by the Vice-President. This Google Sheets formatted list will be sent to head coach, and will be the centralized list used for result sheet entries. Additional swimmers thereafter must be registered through the form on the NAA website. The following information will be requested:

1. Pool Code (e.g., WAL)
2. Last name of the swimmer;
3. First name of the swimmer;
4. Gender (M/F);
5. Date of birth of the swimmer;
6. Staff participant; and
7. Eligibility to the Summer Swim Meet (section 2.8.2.2 of the Constitution)

Age Group

The age of a swimmer is determined on June 30th of the applicable year.

• A swimmer can participate in their respective age category, or that of any older age group.
• Any swimmer can participate in the ‘Open’ category.

Number of Authorized Events per Swimmer

• Swimmers competing in any category except the ‘Open’ category can participate as follows:

• Regardless of age, swimmers only competing in the ‘Open’ category can participate as follows: 

• Swimmers participating in another category, in addition to the ‘Open’ category, are limited to:

Number of Authorized Entries

Teams are permitted to enter at least 3 athletes into each individual event, and at least 3 relay groups into each relay event.

Meet Preparation Procedure

1. Contact the head coach of the opposing team on the Monday preceding the event.
2. Determine the assigned lanes of each team.
3. Determine the volunteers that each team will provide. Write the names of the volunteers into the “Setup and Instructions” page of the Results Sheet.
4. The Head Coach of the Hosting Pool completes the remaining information on the “Setup and Instructions” page of the Results Sheet.
5. Determine whether each pool must provide stopwatches for their timers.
6. Determine with whom the Results Sheet must be shared (if recorders use their own accounts).
7. The hosting pool prepares the equipment to host the meet:
   • Flags
   • Lane ropes
   • False Start Rope
   • Starting Gun
   • DQ Infraction Reports

Swimmer Registration Procedure

1. The NAA shares a result sheet with both teams, to the email indicated on the contact list. Sheets will be shared on the Monday preceding the meet.
2. Coaches copy the entire swimmer list, columns H to L, into the a page called “Entries”. All swimmers should be copied, whether they swim or not.
3. Coaches check the boxes of the races they will complete.
4. Before the meet starts, the recorder locks the “Entries” page, by right-clicking on the bottom tab and selecting “Protect Sheet”. No more modifications shall be made to this page.

Result Recording Procedure

1. Recorders receive the cards and search through the “PRE-REGISTERED RESULTS” page.
2. Recorders find the corresponding swimmer and event, and they enter the swimmer’s lane, heat and time.
3. Should a swimmer not be found on the “PRE-REGISTERED RESULTS” page, the recorder adds the missing swimmer to the “MANUAL RESULTS” page. Do not touch the “Entries” page. Ever!

• DQ: Override the E/DQ column, and write “DQ”. Add the DQ slip information to the column at the right of the page.
• Exhibition Swimmer: Override the E/DQ column, and write “DQ”.

Result Submission Procedure

1. Both head coaches verify the “Result Validation” page.
2. Once both head coaches are satisfied with the results, both head coaches check the box beside their name, in the “Result Approval” section. Scores will not be released until both boxes have been checked.
3. Both head coaches complete the Dual Meet Point Form, in the Member Area of the website, and scannable on the sheet.

Result sheets are automatically submitted to the NAA through the sheet. Head coaches will not be required to print and sign a paper copy of the scoresheet. Results not having used the standard Results sheet will be rejected.

Meet Status

Should a meet be delayed, postponed or cancelled, hosting pools shall update the meet status using the Meet Status Form available in the Member Area. The meet status will automatically update on the website of the NAA.

The password for this form shall be sent to head coaches in an email.

Hosting pools may add public comments, and may update the status as many times as they wish. The status will automatically update on the website.

Additional Heats

Each team at the dual meet have the right choose a minimum of three events for an additional scoring heat. Head coaches must be notified of such heats 24 hours before the dual meet. More heats can be added upon agreement of both head coaches. Additional heats must be automatically accepted until the Dual Meet is expected to last past 20h30, whereby it shall be at the discretion of Meet Management.

The 8 & Under and 9 & 10 categories are automatically given a second heat. This does not count against the three selected events mentioned above.

Exhibition

Individuals swimming exhibition in a certain event, do not count towards points in that event. Individuals competing as an exhibition swimmer must explicitly mark their card with an ‘E’, to the left of the event number. Otherwise, the swimmer will become eligible to score points, according to their rank in the event.

A participant may only swim more events than permitted by the Constitution, if they are marked as exhibition in the additional events. 

An individual swimming exhibition must always be included on the submitted swimmer list. 

Points System

Only the first two finishing swimmers from each team will score points, regardless of the heat in which they swim, according to the table below:

Place	Points
1	8
2	6
3	5
4	4

The first finishing relay from each team will score points, according to the table below:

Place	Points
1	8
2	4

Tie in a Race

In the event two (2) swimmers tie for a race during any meet, they shall both receive the points corresponding to the highest position. The next place will receive the score corresponding to the points after the tie.

Registration Procedures

Summer Swim Meet

To be eligible for the Summer Swim Meet, a swimmer must meet the following conditions:

The number of entries and authorized events per swimmer is as follows:

The Vice-President of Competitive Swimming can accept or refuse substitutes or deck entries.

• Substituting entries may be accepted on the day of the meet. Such requests must be made with the Clerk of the Course, at the latest, 30 minutes before the start of the meet.
• Deck entries may be accepted on the day of the meet. Such requests must be made, at the latest, 30 minutes before the start of the meet. The conditions above must be met.

Time Trials

To be eligible for Time Trials, swimmers must meet the following conditions:

Any swimmer in violation of this rule will be disqualified; the totality of the points they had amassed for their team will be revoked.

The number of entries follows the rules below:

The Championship Meet

The top 12 swimmers from each event will be admitted to the NAA Championship Meet. However, in a single event, a maximum of 2 swimmers from each pool is accepted.

Alternates for relays are accepted and are not required to have swum at Time Trials. The names of alternates must be written on the back of the NAA swim card used for Time Trials—a maximum of 2 names can be written. The order of swimmers may not be changed; the alternate takes the position in the relay of the absent swimmer.

• Formal scratches for individual events must be completed with the Clerk of the Course, at the latest, 30 minutes before the scheduled start of the competition. 
• Formal scratches for swimmers in relays must be completed, at the latest, by the time the individual events of the Championship Meet end.

Disqualification

The regulations of the Swimming Canada (SNC) are in force at NAA meets, with the exception of rules that do not confer a competitive advantage on a participant, as determined by the standard NAA infraction report. Infractions not covered by the standard report must be assessed by the meet referee.

Disqualified swimmers must receive no time (9:99.99) and shall not contribute to the points of their team.

Individuals competing in the ‘8 & Under’ category may only be disqualified for swimming the wrong stroke. At Summer Swim Meet, this rule will also apply to the ‘9-10’ category.

Combination of Heats and Events

Heats and events must be combined regardless of gender or age category to avoid participants swimming alone, provided such decision combines swimmers of similar calibre and swimming the same stroke. Combined races are still scored according to the event numbers indicated on the swim cards. 

A coach may request before the referee that a swimmer competing alone in a heat be re-assigned to a race amongst which competitors of the swimmer’s calibre are observed. The request must be accepted if logistically possible.

False Starts

Only one false start is permitted. The announcement “The false start rule is now in effect” in either English or French must be made before a second start. Should a swimmer false-start thereafter, the race will not be stopped. A swimmer who false starts will be disqualified at the end of the race.

Assistance during Races

Individuals competing in the 8 & Under category may complete their race with a flotation device and/or with an assisting lifeguard.

Assisting lifeguards must start In the water. Swimmers may start from the block, from the side of the pool, or in the water with one hand on the wall. Any swimmer completing a race with assistance, whether a flotation device or an assisting lifeguard, will be considered an exhibition swimmer.

The NAA provides standard swim cards at the Annual Coaches’ Meeting. The standard swim card must be used for every entry into an event, individual or relay. For each individual race in which a swimmer will compete, a new card must be completed. The details, in red, on the sample card must be filled out before the race. In certain cases, the organizing pool may request that the heat and lane number be left blank.

Cards must be returned after the end of the meet. Pools must retain completed cards for the entire season. The NAA reserves the right to audit the cards.

Sample Swim Card — Individual Event

Sample Swim Card — Relay Event 

Take note of “E” in top-left corner, for Exhibition Swimmers.

Volunteers are essential to upholding the mission of the NAA and to sustaining its operations. Affiliated pools shall take all efforts to promote engagement amongst their members and to secure volunteers for NAA events.

The NAA will maintain a list of volunteers in order to help with the organization of key-NAA competitions. Meet organizers may reach out to the Vice-President of Competitive Swimming should they not be able to find volunteers. The NAA will make the best efforts to fill missing volunteer roles.

A signup form will be available on the NAA website for individuals wishing to volunteer at NAA meets. Individuals seeking to remove themselves from the list may contact the Vice-President of Competitive Swimming.

Volunteer Sign-In Sheet

Sign-in sheets must be retained with utmost confidentiality, by the member pool, for two (2) years and may not be used by the member pool for any purpose. The NAA reserves the right to request the records at any time within two (2) years. 

The member pool must never make a copy of these records and must destroy them after two years. An electronic copy of these records cannot be maintained.

 2025 Volunteer Programme

The Northshore Aquatic Association is seeking students interested in completing volunteer work this summer.

Volunteers may be presented with the opportunity to acquire recognized certifications in swim officiating, and to learn about community work and how our activities are organized. Students may complete various tasks, some of which take place at the pools, whereas others can be completed online (e.g., document translation, basic work with Google Sheets, writing documents, etc.). 

Students contribute according their own availabilities, and any volunteer work performed by a student will be signed/attested to for academic purposes. 

For more information and to sign up, reach out to the Vice-President of Competitive Swimming or visit the following page: 

https://naaswim.com/volunteers

Protests must be submitted to the Vice-President of Competitive Swimming in writing. The submission must be accompanied by $50.00, delivered by cheque or e-transfer.

Protests shall only be accepted, if submitted within 24 hours of the challenged incident. In the case of Time Trials or the Championship Meet, protests shall only be accepted within 30 minutes of the challenged incident.

Submissions may be handed to the Vice-President directly, sent by email with proof of transfer of funds, or handed in-person at the address below.

Image of the NAA

All members must take reasonable steps to protect the reputation of the NAA and promote its mission, vision and values. The logo, branding and taglines of the NAA are not to be used without prior authorization. Usage must conform to the directives of the NAA.

Projects

It’s the NAA’s 60th anniversary! The NAA welcomes and encourages any initiatives seeking to improve the visibility and community reach of the organization. Please address proposals relating to community activities, media campaigns, partnerships or other swim-related activities to the Vice-President of Competitive Swimming.

Suggestions

We’re looking for suggestions to improve our program and activities! Reach out if you have any ideas you’d like us to explore!

Social Media Accounts

Follow the NAA on Facebook and Instagram! Send us photos and videos, and we’ll share it too!

Dual Meet and other swimming updates will be posted on social media.

Providing Contact Information

The following information must be provided at the Annual Coaches’ Meeting:

1. Name, email and phone number of the head coach;
2. Name, email and phone number of an alternate coach;
3. Name, email and phone number of a pool executive; and
4. Gmail account with which Results Sheets will be shared.

Failure to provide the information above may result in non-transmitted information to certain members. The Vice-President of Competitive Swimming will not contact coaches without the information above.

The contact information above will be distributed to all head coaches. Coaches must inform the Vice-President if they do not wish to share a portion of their contact. 

Pools are also requested to ensure that the information, publicly available on the NAA website, is valid. Modifications can be made by contacting the Vice-President or NAA Webmaster.

Communicating with the Vice-President and the NAA

The Vice-President of Competitive Swimming is committed as much as possible to answering inquiries within 72 hours. Coaches are encouraged to consult official NAA resources before communicating with the Vice-President of Competitive Swimming, as answers to common questions are readily available.

Should the request or inquiry be of urgent nature, the following must be added, verbatim, at the beginning of the email subject (with the brackets): 

[URGENT]

Communicating with Volunteers of the Vice-President

Additional volunteers are expected to work with the Vice-President throughout the 2024 season. They may reach out to coaches or member pools in the completion of their tasks.

Any volunteer working with the Vice-President of Competitive Swimming’s team will communicate from an email ending in “@vpswimming.leniyo.com”. The name of the volunteer will always be mentioned in the email.

Concerns or complaints regarding volunteers are to be sent directly to the Vice-President of Competitive Swimming.

Complaints

Administrative complaints are to be sent via email, directly to the Vice-President of Competitive Swimming. As stated in the Code of Conduct, parents must address concerns regarding decisions made by officials directly with coaches—that is, the head coach. 

Unless absolutely necessary, complaints should be directed to the head coach of the individual’s own member pool.

Official complaint forms will be available on the website of the Association. Complaints may also be sent directly to the Vice-President of Competitive Swimming. All complaints pertaining to Violence, Abuse, Harassment, Misconduct or other safety regulations of the Association will be received.

Anonymous complaints will be accepted; however it is strongly recommended to provide basic contact information. Individuals may also file a complaint with the Officier des plaintes de la protection de l’intégrité dans l’exercice du sport. Criminal acts shall be directly reported to competent authorities.

Updates via Email

Email communications will remain the primary means of communication between the NAA, member pools and coaches, for Swimming programs. Any official inquiry must be sent via email. 

Information regarding safety will be sent via email.

Mailing lists:

Updates on the Website

Press releases, communiqués and information intended for the general public will be posted on the website of the Association.

Limited-Access Facebook Group

A closed Facebook group, as well as a messenger group, will be maintained for all coaches and member pools. This group will be an open forum for sharing information relating to Swimming programs.

All resources and documents can be found on the website of the Association, either under the “Swimming” section, or in the “Resources” section.

NAA Swim Records

Swim records will be gradually updated on the website.