The 2009 Pennsylvania YMCA East-West Championship will be held at the McCoy Natatorium on the Penn State campus.  The sessions will be by individual age groups; girls and boys within the same age group will be swimming during the same sessions.  The schedule of sessions and events can be found on our web site.

Please note that the meet registration on Friday evening (March 20th) will be held at the Central Pennsylvania Convention & Visitors Bureau.  Directions and a map can be accessed from their website homepage http://www.centralpacvb.org/.  Registration Saturday and Sunday will be at the Natatorium.

Advance T-shirt orders must be completed and received by the T-shirt coordinator as indicated on the order form on the website.  T-shirt orders will be sorted by team for pick-up at the Central Pennsylvania Convention & Visitors Bureau on Friday evening after 7:00pm, or in the lobby of the natatorium during the meet.   Note that a “pick-up” person must be identified on the order form.  To avoid confusion, T-shirts for your team will only be released to the person designated on the order form.  Also, one check for the entire order should be made payable to “SCAY Aqualions.”   

Penn State University will charge for parking on both Saturday and Sunday.  Parking will be in the East parking deck on Bigler Road approximately one block from to the Natatorium.  Signs will direct traffic to the parking area.  University parking attendants will be stationed at all lots to collect the fee.

For those parents and friends attending the meet, we ask that you join with us in observing the values “honesty * caring * respect * responsibility” of the YMCA.  Here are some important things to know:

1. Swimmers will be issued session specific wristbands at the time of check-in.   Anyone without the correct wristband will not be permitted on deck.  Any swimmer caught removing a wristband, or passing a wristband to another individual will be disqualified from the meet and will not be permitted on deck. This rule will be strictly enforced.

2. For security and space – parents are not permitted to go onto deck or locker room area to see children.  Messengers will be available – see someone at the swimmer registration area to send a message to your swimmer.

3. To avoid transmission of blood borne pathogens, shaving is strictly prohibited anywhere on site.  Please impress this upon your swimmers.  Anyone found in violation will be disqualified from the meet.  Please encourage your child to shave at home or in your hotel room.

4. Glass containers are strictly forbidden in the natatorium.  Anyone found in possession of a glass container will be disqualified and denied deck access for the duration of the meet.

5. Food and beverages are not permitted on deck.  There are vending machines on the lower level near the locker rooms and concessions will be available in the front lobby.

6. Saving seats in the stands is strictly prohibited. This ultimately denies good seats for others arriving on time.  University security services have been made aware that this has been a problem in past years; they have been directed to strictly enforce the “no saving” policy.  

7. The spectator area will be cleared at the end of each session to allow for janitorial services to maintain the area. All spectators will be asked to remove personal items during this time.  All personal items left behind will be discarded.  Spectators will be allowed back into the stands when the doors open to the public.  See the meet schedule for details.

8. Wheelchair access to the pool is via ground level south entrance, located on the side of the building next to the outdoor pool. Please see a representative at the admissions area to obtain entry. One attendant may join spectators requiring handicapped seating.  

9. We are always in need of timers and officials to participate in the meet.  Timers must be certified as Level 1 officials.  All other officials must be Level 2 certified.  Please encourage your qualified parents to volunteer by contacting Cory Miller @ 814-861-4304 or by email @ kingofthesewers@msn.com.

As always, we anticipate a wonderful meet and thank you in advance for your support in helping us to continue the YMCA tradition of good, safe, and wholesome events.  Should you have any questions concerning any aspect of the meet, please feel free to e-mail me at imo1@psu.edu. 

Thank you,

Ida O'Donald
Meet Director