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Age
Group Swim Meets
Southern California
Swimming meets are part of the United States Swimming classified
age group program. There are six age groups in USS: 8
& under, 10 & under, 11 & 12, 13 & 14, 15 & 16
and 17 & 18 (sometimes 15 - 18). Within each age group
there are meet "ability levels" or classifications: C, B, A,
AA and AAA.
The time standards for
each classification are established by Southern California Swimming
and are subject to change. The time standards for each age
are listed in the SCS Swim Guide and on the SCS website and are published annually. In order to swim in a
specific classification, a swimmer must have achieved the
appropriate qualifying time.
SCS meets usually combine
classifications to allow swimmers to compete in a complete event
schedule. In a B/C (Red/White) meet, for example, a swimmer
could swim the C (White) breastroke event and the B (Red) freestyle
event in the same meet. A (Blue) meets are usually open to
swimmers with A, AA, AAA and better times.
Year-round swimming is
divided into two sessions: short course and long
course. Short course season is the time period between
September and March when the swimmers train and compete in the 25
yard width of the pool. Long course season takes April
through August when the pool is set up for training and competition
lengthwise in 50 meter lanes. Each season has corresponding
time standards.
Championship meets are
held near the end of the short course and long course
seasons. A swimmer’s times determine which Championship
he/she will attend; WCS, B/C Championships or Junior Olympics. As
swimmers progress in the sport of swimming, they may qualify for
Junior Olympic Championships (generally AAA time standards for
short course season and AA time standards for Long course season)
and Western Zone Championships (All-Star
selections).
Senior-Level Swim
Meets
Swimmers, regardless of
age, who achieve SCS Senior Development, SCS Senior Q, Senior
Sectional or Senior National time standards participate in a host
of senior-level competitions including National Championship meets
with the top swimmers in the country. Senior-level time
standards are listed in the SCS Swim Guide and on the SCS website and are published annually.
High School
Swimming
Many high school aged
swimmers choose to compete on their high school swim teams.
The rules regarding high school swimming are established by
the California Interscholastic Federation, Southern
Section (CIFSS).
During the high school season (generally mid-February through
mid-May) high school swimmers must "unattach" from their club
teams. Accordingly, once a swimmer has competed in his/her
first high school meet for the season, the swimmer must enter all
USS meets (club meets) as UNAT until after the CIF Championship
Meet. If a swimmer finds that he/she has inadvertently been
entered in a meet as attached, the swimmer must locate the meet
secretary and sign the CIF-UNAT log. Exceptions exist for
high school aged swimmers competing in the Junior Olympic
Championships, the Senior Sectional Championships, the Senior
National Championships and/or the World Championship Trials.
In these cases, swimmers may compete attached to their club
teams. No paperwork is required to invoke the
exceptions.
Swim Meet
Fundamentals
Philosophy of
Competition
SET emphasizes on
individual growth and development. The swimmer’s
individual improvement is the primary focus. Sportsman-like
behavior is of equal importance. Respect for officials,
congratulate other competitors, encourage teammates, determined
effort and mature attitudes are taught and expected. Swimmers
are taught to set realistic but challenging goals for swim meets
and to relate these goals to training efforts.
General
Guidelines for Meets
A meet schedule is
established by the coaches with the expectation that swimmers will
attend every meet available at their classification level.
Team championship meets, like the OCSC Championships/Jr. Olympics,
are important to SET, and SET swimmers who qualify are expected to
attend and contribute to the total team effort. At every meet
it is important to the team effort for swimmers to check with their
coach before leaving a meet to see if they have been placed on a
relay for which they need to stay and swim.
SCS Meet Entry
Procedures
1.
Meet information sheets may be downloaded and printed directly from
the Meet Schedule on this
website by clicking on the name of the meet. Read all
information carefully.
2.
Determine the due date from the Meet
Schedule or website Calendar.
The due date on the information sheet is the SCS due date - not
the SVA due date. Some meets have an entry cap and close
out before the due date. Do not wait until the last minute.
If you have any questions about whether to enter a meet or which
events to enter, always confer with your coach.
3.
Download and print an entry form from the Meet
Schedule. (Extra forms are
available in the Swim Office.)
Enter the swimmer’s
name exactly as shown on his/her USA
Swimming registration card (no nicknames).
Enter the swimmer’s
USS number accurately on the appropriate line. The USS number
is a 14 character, alpha numeric number composed of swimmer
specific information as shown in the example
below:
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Example USS
number
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033193SUSQSWIM
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Six digit birthdate,
including zeroes
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033193
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First three letter of
first name (Susan)
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SUS
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Middle initial or * if no
middle name
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Q
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First four letter of last
name (Swimmer)
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Swim
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For each event, enter the
swimmer’s best, official time in the proper space. The
time entered should be accurate to the hundredth of a second.
Minimum is the "slowest time" permissible to enter event.
Maximum is the "fastest time" allowable to enter the event.
If an event has not been swum in competition, ’NT’ (No
Time) may be entered only for ABC or BC meets. For AB meets,
a swimmer must have achieved a B minimum time standard in an event
to enter. An 8 and under swimmer with B times in 3 or more
events may enter any 8 and under event at an AB meet. A
9 and older swimmer with B times in 3 different stokes may enter
any 9 and older event offered in his/her age class. Similar
rules apply for A meets. (Refer to SCS guide or ask your
coach for exceptions.)
For a sample completed SCS
"white card" click here.
(No longer used after Sept. 2006)
4.
Check that the maximum number of swims allowable per day or per
meet is not exceeded.
5.
The completed entry form and a check or money order for the entry
fees payable to SCS should be placed in
an envelope with the name of the meet on the outside and turned in
to the swim office before the meet entry deadline.
Cash will not be accepted. Write
the swimmer’s name and SCS number on the check.
Note: As of Nov. 2005, entries must be submitted
with a separate check for each
child.
6.
A listing of all entries received by the SVA office will be
posted near the swim office. To ensure your entry was
received, check the listing two days after submitting your
entry.
About one month before a
meet is to take place, entry forms will be available in the office
and on the Meet Schedule.
Fill out the entry form and turn it into the office. Entry
forms must be completed turned in to the office by the due
date. Late entries and phone/fax entries will not be accepted
and the swimmer will be unable to participate in the meet.
When signing up for a meet, you may choose up to three individual
events to swim plus have the option of swimming in a
relay. It is highly
recommended that you consult your coach as to what events you
should swim.
Swim
Meet Procedures
1. Check in
and write your event numbers on your hand. (Note - swimmers
must be present to check in. Parents may not check in a
swimmer.)
2.
Report to coach for stretching and warm
up.
3. Check the posted
line-up for your heat and lane.
4.
Report to your lane at least 3 events
prior to your race. For 25 yard events, report to
the staging area.
5.
Ask for your time immediately after your
race. Keep a record of your times from each
meet.
6.
See your coach after each race. The
coach will evaluate your race and offer suggestions.
What to Bring to a
Meet
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Team swim
suit
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Water
bottle
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Team caps
(2)
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Waterproof sunscreen,
sunglasses
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Goggles (and a spare
pair)
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Log book for recording
times
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Towels (one per event
)
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Ice chest with nutritious
snacks
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Team t-shirt, sweats or
parka
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Beach
chair
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Boots or
shoes
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Games or
books
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Old blanket or sleeping
bag
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Swim Meet Do’s and
Don’ts
Do conserve your energy. Stay off your legs
(save them for the pool); wear shoes for warmth and protection;
wear shirt and hat to reduce exposure; stay out of the
sun.
Do be on time (or early) for everything including:
stretching, meet warm-up, and team meetings.
Don’t become dehydrated. Drink plenty of water
or other liquids (but not soda).
Don’t get sunburned. Apply waterproof sun block
repeatedly throughout the day.
Do eat healthy food and snacks. Fruit,
bagels and sports drinks make good between-race snacks. In
general, avoid items with a lot of fat, fiber and refined
sugar.
Do bring activities like games and puzzles.
The meet may last several hours.
Don’t leave swimmers unattended at swim meets.
Parents are responsible for their children at all
times.
Dohave fun!!
Keeping
Time Records
Every SETswimmer should
maintain a log (manual or electronic) of his/her times for every
event. Such a log allows a swimmer to set personal goals and
monitor his/her progress. Official meet times are obtained
from meet ribbons (WCS meets) or the posted official meet results
(USA Swimming sanctioned meets). Generally, the results from
sanctioned meets in which SVA participates are linked to the
meet
schedule on this website.
An accurate record of times is necessary for signing up for
meets. Please note that, other than the times achieved at
the OCSC championship meet, OCSC times may not be used to
enter USA Swimming sanctioned meets. Swimmers can purchase
log books at most swim meets or from Swim Depot or they may use an
electronic spreadsheet to track their times.
The USA swimming website
provides a Times Database that may be used to update your
log. A link to the database, called My Swim Times, may be found in "Lane Lines" box on the MVN home
page. For each USA registered swimmer, the database provides
a complete list of swim times achieved at USA Swimming sanctioned
meets since July 1, 2003. (The database does not include
OCSC, high school and other non-sanctioned meets nor does it
include 25 yard events or splits.) Please be aware that the
time standards listed in the database are National time standards -
not SCS time standards.
Timing
at Swim Meets
SET athletes are required
to supply timers at every swim meet they attend. Parents
should be prepared to work at least one 2 hour timing shift at
2-day meets and two shifts at 3-day meets at which your swimmer is
competing all days. Please, do not enter your child in a meet if
you are unable to time and cannot arrange for a
replacement.
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