Meet information packages will be available from  USA Swimming in January, 2000.  Information can also be accessed at http://www.usa-swimming.org/adapted.

The Omni Severin will serve as the headquarter hotel for the deaf swimmers.  The closest hotel to the pool is the University Place Hotel, however, USAAD was not able to block rooms there.  Approximately 20 rooms have been blocked for USAAD swimmers and their families at the Omni Severin at a rate of $119/night.  To make a reservation, call 317-634-6664 and ask for an USAAD blocked room.   During the evenings after finals (Friday-Sunday nights), USAAD will host a dinner for swimmers and their families at the Omni Severin for a small fee.

The 2001 Deaf World Games Team will be announced on the morning of Monday June 26, 2000.  So please do not make any flight plans until after 2pm on Monday June 26, 2000.

Jurisdiction
Team selection for the 2001 Deaf World Games (DWG) is under
the jurisdiction of the USA Deaf Sports Federation, not USA
Swimming.  Questions about team selection and about membership
in the U.S. Aquatic Association of the Deaf (USAAD) and the
USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF) should be directed to:

Caroline Miller
6808 40th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98115
Phone: (206) 616-6143 TTY
E-mail: cmiller@ocean.washington.edu

2001 Deaf World Games
The 2001 Deaf World Games will be held in Rome, Italy, on July
21-August 4, 2001.   Swimmers will be expected to participate
in a 1-1 ½ week training camp prior to the DWG at a location
TBA. To participate in the DWG, athletes will be responsible
for raising some funds to cover training camp and DWG expenses.

Team Selection Criteria
1.      Dates and Location.  Selection for the 2001 Deaf World
Games will be based on performances in the finals of the
USA Swimming Disability Championships on June 23-25, 2000,
in Indianapolis, IN.

2.      Events.  Swimmers (men and women) will be selected from
the following events:  50m, 100m, 200m, and 400m freestyle;
100m and 200m backstroke; 100m and 200m breaststroke; 100m
and 200m butterfly; 200m and 400m IM; and the 800m freestyle
(women) and 1500m freestyle (men).

3.      Eligibility.  To be eligible for selection, a swimmer must
be a United States citizen who is eligible to represent the
USA in the 2001 DWG, and is a registered athlete member of USA
Swimming, USAAD, and USADSF in good standing. A swimmer must
also have a hearing loss of 55dB or greater in the better ear
to be eligible to participate in the DWG.  The swimmer must be
present at the USA Swimming Disability Championships to be
considered for the USA team.

Consideration will be given to swimmers who are not able to
participate at the USA Swimming Disability Championships due
to injury.  Swimmers shall inform the USAAD Swimming
Coordinator of their injury (10) days before the first day of
competition to be considered for the USA Team. Swimmers shall
include the following with their letter informing of their
inability to participate:

a.      Official verifying times (OVCs) signed by a certified
official at a USA Swimming, YMCA, or NCAA competition from
ninety (90) days prior to the USA Swimming Disability
Championships to be considered for the USA Team.

b.      A letter from a doctor explaining why the swimmer cannot
participate and whether the swimmer can recover from the
injury to compete at peak condition at the DWG.

4.      Additional Requirements for Selection.

All swimmers will be required to:
a.      Sign and abide by the USA Swimming Honor Code and
        Commitment Declaration and conform to USA Swimming protocol
        and policy regarding team preparation and competition.
b.      Sign and abide by the USADSF Code of Conduct and any
        other applicable forms.
c.      Sign and abide by the USOC Code of Conduct and General
        Release Forms.
d.      Submit her/himself without any reservation to all doping
        control policies and procedures of the USOC and FINA.
e.      Commit to train year-around from the time of selection
        until the 2001 DWG.
f.      Maintain contact with the USAAD coaches and keep them
        informed about training regimens and competition results before the DWG.
g.      Exhibit good sportsmanship and character.

5.      Performance Criteria.
The top two swimmers from each individual event shall be
automatically selected for the USA Team provided that their
times are better than 8th place at the 1997 World Games for
the Deaf in that event (results are available on the USAAD
web site at http://www.usaad.org).  Swimmers who are injured
prior to the meet and are not able to compete, provided that
they follow the procedures stated above, will be considered
for the USA Team only if their times are better than the top
two performers in the meet.

6.      Relay Nomination.
All swimmers who are named to the Deaf World Games are eligible
for the relays (400m free, 800m free, and 400m medley relays).
If the number of men or women is less than four (not enough
swimmers for a relay), the swimmer who places 3rd in the most
events will be selected for the USA Team. If the number of men
or women still does not total four swimmers, then the swimmer
who places 3rd or 4th in the most events will be considered
for the team.

7.      Addition of Swimmer(s) to the USA Team After the Trials.
A compiled list of known swimmers shall be made and signed by
the USAAD Director and Swimming Coordinator and given to a
USADSF officer present on the last day of competition. Any
swimmer not on the list who is brought to the attention of
USAAD and/or USADSF may be considered for the USA Team during
the time period between the Trials and the DWG.  The swimmer's
times (OVCs) must prove to be faster than any of the swimmers
already placed on the USA Team, then the selection committee
shall add him/her to the roster of the USA Team.

8.      Selection Committee.
The selection committee shall consist of the following
individuals:  USAAD Director, USAAD Swimming Coordinator,
USAAD National Head Coach, USAAD National Assistant Coach, and
a former DWG athlete (only if none of the above are former DWG
athletes).  Within an hour after the final of the last event
during the USA Swimming Disability Championships, the committee
shall decide the final roster based on the selection criteria.  The USA Team will be announced either during the evening of the last day of competition or the next day. The selection will be subject to approval by the USADSF Board.

9.      Replacement Procedures.
Any swimmer will be withdrawn from the team if, for any reason (including injury or illness), that he/she is unable or unwilling to maintain a training regimen that is necessary for his/her peak performance in the DWG or does not abide by selection criteria requirements.  Athletes will also be withdrawn from the team if they do not satisfactorily perform their fundraising duties required by USAAD and USADSF. If an athlete is withdrawn from the team, the next place athlete from the USA Swimming Disability Championships will be placed on the USA Team.
 

10.     Due Process.  All swimmers have a right to obtain due
process in accordance with the USAAD and USADSF by-laws if
they feel the selection criteria were not followed properly.