2013 OHSAA Swimming and Diving State Championships Media Information

The following information has been prepared to assist you with your coverage of the upcoming OHSAA state swimming and diving tournament. Please contact Tim Stried (tstried@ohsaa.org or 614-267-2502, ext. 124) at the OHSAA office should you have additional questions. Previews and additional information will be posted on the OHSAA web site the week of each state tournament.

DATE: Wednesday, February 20 - Saturday, February 23

LOCATION: C.T. Branin Natatorium (2,400 capacity), Canton McKinley High School

YOUR HOSTS: The state tournament manager is Sam Seiple. The media coordinator is Lisa Buckley (bucklel@nationwide.com). The OHSAA administrator for swimming and diving is Associate Commissioner Dr. Debbie Moore. The OHSAA media liaison on site for most of the state tournament is Kristin Daugherty (kdaugherty@ohsaa.org).

TIME & FORMAT:
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
9:00 a.m. - Girls Div. II Diving Prelims, Semifinals & Finals
2:00 p.m. - Boys Div. II Diving Prelims, Semifinals & Finals
Thursday, February 21, 2013
9:00 a.m. - Girls Div. I Diving Prelims, Semifinals, Finals
5:00 p.m. - Girls & Boys Div. II Preliminaries (All events), 15 minute break after 100 fly
Friday, February 22, 2013
9:00 - Girls & Boys Div. I Preliminaries (All events), 15 minute break after 100 fly
5:00 - Girls & Boys Div. II Finals (All events), 15 minute break after 100 fly
Saturday, February 23, 2013
9:00 - Boys Div. I Diving Prelims, Semifinals & Finals
4:00 - Girls & Boys Div. I Finals (All events), 15 minute break after 100 fly, awards following each event

CREDENTIALS: Fax (or scan and email) your application form to Tim Stried at the OHSAA office (fax 614-267-1677, tstried@ohsaa.org) as soon as you know that you will be covering the state tournament. The deadline to request credentials is 12:00 noon on Tuesday, February 19. Credentials will be held at the media pass gate at the north entrance to Branin Natatorium. No credentials will be issued to school, student or parent photographers (see photography notes below).

CREDENTIAL CONFIRMATION: The OHSAA will send a confirmation email to approved media requests and post a list on the state tournament credential page at OHSAA.org of those media members who have been approved for credentials. The list will be posted by noon on Tuesday, Feb. 19. Denied requests will be notified by email.

PARKING: There are no media parking passes. Media parking is on a first-come, first-served basis and is available adjacent to the high school and natatorium.

MEDIA WORKSPACES: A media work room is available on deck level of the pool just past the diving boards. There is wireless access available. Media needing a telephone line should speak with media coordinator Lisa Buckley. There is also a larger partitioned area in the adjacent auxiliary gymnasium where media can work.

RESULTS: Results will be placed in marked folders in the media work room. Results will also be posted on the OHSAA web site as soon as possible after each session.

PHOTOGRAPHY REGULATIONS: Flash photography is not permitted at any time during the diving portion of the tournament, nor immediately before and after the start of each swimming event (so as to not interfere with the starter’s signal). Once swimmers are in the water, flash photography is permitted. Due to the congestion on the pool deck, photos from behind the starting blocks may not be taken during relay events. Photos may only be taken during a return lap in which the swimmer(s) is between the far turn and the half way point of the near side. After taking those photos, photographers must step straight back and away from the pool’s edge to allow the land official and timers access to the touch/finish, unless the lane official instructs otherwise. Photographers may not interfere with the participants, tournament officials, staff or timers. Those who do will be moved to the normal photo shooting positions along the pool’s side deck or asked to leave. Photographers are to remain in the diving well area when they are not shooting an event. Please be sensitive to participants who have been disqualified. As a reminder, only bona fide newspaper offices or official newspaper websites may sell photographs from OHSAA tournament contests.
 

PHOTOGRAPHS AVAILABLE: Rather than sending a stringer, media outlets needing photographs from a state tournament are encouraged to contact the OHSAA’s official photographer, Impact Action Sports Photography. Their website is www.impactactionphotos.com (click on the media request form). The contacts are Joe Maiorana (photojoe2707@yahoo.com) and Ben Barnes (barnziben@gmail.com). Coaches, school staff and parents of competitors are not permitted to receive media credentials. Media outlets found to be in violation are subject to reduced access at future OHSAA state tournaments.

 

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