7. General – Eligibility of a Swimmer to Participate on a Team

1. Purpose. To maintain a stable environment for team competition, it is generally expected that swimmers and their families will not seek to, nor be encouraged to, change MCSL teams unless the family moves residences. The MCSL’s eligibility rules are established with this expectation in mind, recognizing that an individual’s opportunity to participate with a particular team must be appropriately  balanced against MCSL’s legitimate interest in maintaining stability and competitive fairness within the MCSL.
2. Membership in pool. Each swim team member must be a member of the pool for which he or she competes.
3. Type of membership. Each swim team member’s pool membership must be of the same type and on the same terms as a pool membership available to a non-swim team member.
4. USA Swimming Registered Swimmers. MCSL teams shall not provide USA Swimming registered swimmers, either direct or indirect, financial inducements that are not provided to any other non-USA Swimming registered swimmers. Direct financial inducements include, but may not be limited to, reductions of MCSL pool or swim team membership/program fees. Indirect financial inducements include, but may not be limited to, reductions of any pool or swim team membership/program fees associated with the USA Swimming team (or affiliated organization) for which the swimmer participates that are contingent upon the swimmer’s participation on an affiliated MCSL Swim team.
5. Swim Team Members Employed at a Pool - A swim team member may not compete for a pool at which the member is employed unless the member is also a member of the pool. If the member competed in “A” meets, including Dual meets, Divisional Relay Carnival or Divisional Championships, for a different MCSL pool in the previous season, the member’s parent or guardian must apply to change teams (Section 7(h) of the MSCL rules) and must also be a member of the new pool.
6. Montgomery Village - Eligibility of swimmers competing for pools in Montgomery Village shall be determined by geographic boundaries set and Go to Page 1 Page 47 of 103 amended from time to time by the MCSL Rules Committee in conjunction with the team representatives of the Montgomery Village pools.
7. Team Transfers – No Prior Board Approval Required.
   1. Change of Family Residence - A swimmer may change pool membership and MCSL team when the swimmer’s family moves residences. The swimmer has up to two years from the time of the move to make this change. A swimmer may not change teams during the swim season without the permission of the Rules Committee.
   2. Waiting List – A new swimmer who applies for membership in an MCSL pool and is put on a waiting list may join and swim for another MCSL pool until membership in the waiting list pool is  obtained. Once the membership in the waiting list pool is obtained, the swimmer may join and swim for that pool’s team with no loss of eligibility. However, the swimmer may not change teams during the swim season without permission of the Rules Committee.
   3. Swimmer Did Not Swim “A” Meets the Prior Season - If a swimmer did not participate in any MCSL “A” meets in the season immediately prior to the season for which the swimmer desires to make a change in team, the swimmer may transfer to another MCSL team without applying for approval from the Rules Committee.
   4. Withdrawal of Team from MCSL – If a swimmer’s team chooses to withdraw from the MCSL, the swimmer may transfer to another MCSL team without applying to the Rules Committee or sitting out a season. The swimmer must become a member of the new pool before the swimmer can compete for that pool.
8. Team Transfers – Board Approval Required.
   1. Application Process - If a swimmer’s parent or guardian believes it is necessary for the swimmer to change MCSL teams and the family has not made a change of residence or met the other conditions of Section 7(g), the parent or guardian must submit an application, to the Rules Committee chairman, requesting to change MCSL teams.
      1. The application must identify the circumstances requiring the change and must be signed by the parent or guardian.
      2. Applications will not be accepted earlier than February 1st or later than June 1st of the year for which the change is sought.
      3. Issues to be Considered by the Rules Committee in Rendering its Decisions - The Rules Committee, in its sole discretion, may deny the application for change in team if it has evidence of recruitment or if it deems the transfer to negatively affect the MCSL’s legitimate interest in maintaining stability and competitive fairness within the league.
         1. In order that families and teams have an understanding of the various issues that will be considered by the Rules Committee in granting or denying a request to change teams, the Rules Committee will post a document on the MCSL website that will identify issues the committee will consider during its deliberation.
         2. Final Ruling Date - The Rules Committee will approve or disapprove all applications on a rolling basis. If the transfer is approved, the swimmer must become a member of the new pool before the swimmer can compete for that pool. The Rules Committee chairman will notify both team representatives of the decision for their awareness.
         3. Denial of Transfer Request - If a transfer is denied or if a swimmer fails to apply, the swimmer may either continue to compete for their current MCSL team or may transfer to the team to  which the transfer was denied but, in the case of a transfer, the swimmer will not be eligible to participate in “A” meets, including Dual meets, Divisional Relay Carnival
            or Divisional Championships, for their new team during the first season after the transfer occurs.
         4. Rules Committee Transfer Decisions are Final – Any transfer decision by the Rules Committee under this section of the MCSL rules is deemed to be final and not subject to protest.
9. Recruitment – Consistent with Sections 1(a) and 7(a) of the MCSL rules, MCSL teams, including team representatives and coaches, shall not encourage swimmers and their families to change MCSL teams. Notwithstanding the above, recruitment shall not be deemed to have occurred if a swimmer transfers teams under conditions set forth in Section 7(g) of the MCSL Rules