Athlete Representatives

CONGRATULATTIONS to Brian LaForest-FVYT. She was voted the next Jr Athlete Representative to the CT Swim Board of Directors. Her term will begin the day after the Spring HOD meeting.

Current Athlete Representatives and Athlete-At-Large Board of Directors Members

Caroline Ward, CPAC, Senior Athlete Representative, 2024-2026
Caroline Gies, ZEUS, Junior Athlete Representative, 2025-2027
Ava Ward, RAC, Athlete-At-Large, 2024-2026
Niall Easton, GLAS, Athlete-At-Large, 2024-2026

Thank you Sam, Lily, Erik, Penny, and Sara or your years of service to the CSI Board and the Swimmers of CSI.

Athlete Representative Election Process:
Every January-March the Athlete Committee is seeking nominations for the position of Junior Athlete Representative. Athletes interested in running for Junior Athlete Representative should read the Athlete Representative Responsibilities and Requirements below and submit the Athlete Representative Nomination form. The deadline to submit a nomination is March 20th at 11:59p.

Requirements for becoming an Athlete Representative:

You must be a high school sophomore (rising Junior) to apply
All applications must be submitted online
Please make your coach aware of your nomination
A short video (no more than three minutes) addressing the following is
required:
- Name, grade, high school, club team, volunteer/work experience
- Why do you want to be the Jr Athlete Rep?
- What are your ideas for the Athlete Committee? What changes do you want to make?
- The committee will select no more than 5 candidates for the election ballot
- A variety of candidate selection criteria will be considered including but not limited to: strength of application, coach endorsement, experience, LSC or team involvement, Swimposium or camp attendance, skill set, diversity (ie: gender, team size, geographic location)
All candidates must attend the Athlete Rep Open House
See election procedures further down.

Jr Nomination Ballot

You will need to create a login in CT Swim in order to access this form, (Instructions)

Athlete Representative Responsibilities
Responsibilities (Approved at CSI Board of Directors Meeting 01/21/97)

The Athlete Representative shall serve a two-year term on the Connecticut Swimming Inc. Board of Directors as a liaison between the athletes who are members of CSI and the Board of Directors and House of Delegates. First year representatives serve as Junior Representative; second year as Senior Representative.
The Senior Athlete Representative shall chair the Athletes Committee.
The Senior Athlete Representative shall have general charge of the business, affairs and property of the Athletes' Committee which shall be responsible for and undertake activities (a) delegated to it by the Board of Directors or the General Chairman or (b) undertaken by the committee as being in the best interests of the Athlete Members, CSI, USA Swimming and the sport of swimming.
The Athlete Representative must attend House of Delegates, Board of Directors, Program Development, and Budget meetings. The Athlete Representative should make herself/himself available for any CSI-sponsored camps/workshops.
The Athlete Representative may be eligible to attend the USA Swimming Annual Convention held each fall provided he/she meets the following requirements: 75% attendance of CSI Board of Directors meetings, or a combination of Board meetings and CSI-sponsored camps/workshops equivalent to the minimum attendance requirement of CSI delegates/representatives to the USA Swimming National Convention.

Athlete Representative Eligibility (CSI Bylaws 6.2.1)

Two (2) Athlete Representatives shall be elected, one each year for a two-year term, or until their respective successors are elected. At the time of election, the Athlete Representative must

at the time of election, be an athlete member in good standing;
be at least a sophomore in high school or at least 16 years of age,
be currently competing, or have competed within the three (3) immediately preceding years, in the program of swimming conducted by CSI or another LSC; and
have his or her place of permanent residence in the Territory or in the contiguous territory of another LSC and expect to reside therein throughout at least the first half of the term (other than periods of enrollment in an institution of higher education).
No more than one (1) athlete member of any Club Member shall serve as an Athlete Representative at any time.

Athlete Election Procedures (Approved at CSI Board of Directors Meeting February 17, 2011.)

Pursuant to Article 6.2.1 of the Bylaws of Connecticut Swimming, Inc. (CSI), the Board of Directors hereby approves the following Athlete Election Procedures to elect the Athlete Representatives:

Balloting shall take place via electronic vote and/or at a meeting called for that purpose by the Senior Athlete Representative or the Athletes Committee, or failing that, at a time and in a manner designated by the Board of Directors. At least twenty (20) days’ written notice of the election shall be given to all clubs.
All Athlete Members, in good standing with CSI, who have attained the age of thirteen years (13) may vote one (1) time.
ONLY athletes may cast a ballot; a parent/guardian CANNOT vote on behalf of their child.
Elections may be held at the Short Course CSI Senior Championships (Seniors) and the Short Course CSI Age Group Championships (Age Groups).
- A parent volunteer assigned by the applicable meet director or his/her designee (not affiliated with the club of any of the nominees) will monitor the election box until it is closed on the final day the later of Seniors or Age Groups.
- It shall be the responsibility of the Senior Athlete Representative to ensure adequate announcement of the election and election process before and during the election process.
- The Senior Athlete Representative shall be responsible for counting the votes in conjunction with the Senior Coaches Representatives following the final session of Seniors or Age Groups.
Results of the Athlete Election shall be posted on the CSI website after notification to the individuals elected.
In the event the Senior Athlete Representative is a nominee for election, an independent person selected by the General Chair shall serve in the role of Senior Athlete Representative hereunder.

Ballots will be posted to the FAST Swimmer My Account dashboard. (Instructions)

Jr Athlete Rep. Election Ballot

Slate

*Note regarding Athlete Representatives and Athlete At-Large Board members: Effective with the January 1, 2020 Bylaws, USA Swimming limits the number of Athlete Representatives serving on the CSI Board of Directors to two (2) athletes. Additionally, a sufficient number of athlete members shall be appointed by the General Chair as At-Large Board Members such that athletes constitute at least twenty percent (20%) of the voting membership of the Board of Directors at any given time (taking into account the Athlete Representatives). The Athlete At-Large Board Members shall meet the same requirements as the Athlete Representatives set forth in Section 6.2.1. All At-Large Board Members shall hold office from the date of their appointment through the conclusion of the second annual meeting of the House of Delegates following such appointment, or until their successors are appointed.