SWIM MEETS 101

 

Description of different types of swim meets, time standards needed to compete in certain meets, and how to enter into meets!

 

TYPES OF MEETS and TERMS

 

Qualifiers or Invitationals:  A regular meet.  The majority of our meets are qualifiers and are usually timed finals.

Timed Finals Meets:  Most of our meets are timed finals, meaning swimmers only swim an event once.

Trials & Finals Meets:  Swimmers compete usually in the morning to make finals in the evening of these meets.  Swimmers entering trials and finals meets are expected to swim at finals if they qualify.

CT Regional Championships:  The first level of Connecticut Swimming Championships.  This is a timed finals meet, usually held toward the middle of July.  The past few years the Rapids have been lucky enough to be awarded as a host for these championships.

CT Age Group Championships:   This is a qualifying swim meet for swimmers top 14 & under swimmers . You must meet qualifying times to participate in this meet. This is a trials and finals meet, meaning the top swimmers from the morning will come back and compete again in the evening. We sometimes swim relays at these meets if there are enough swimmers and/or may add relay only swimmers.

CT Senior Invite:  Senior level trials and finals meet with time standards.

CT Senior Championships:  The highest level of competition in Connecticut, this is a high level trials and finals meet with time standards.

Sectionals, Futures, Junior Nationals, US Open, Olympic Trials:   Our team typically travels a few times a year to attend senior trials and finals meets. These have time standards of various difficulties. Look for updates on these meets from your coach via email.

Long Course:  A 50 meter pool, this is the Olympic distance.  We usually only swim long course during the spring and summer.

Short Course: A 25 yard pool, this is the distance of our practice pools.  We typically swim short course all fall and winter and occasionally in the spring/summer.


 

HOW TO SIGN UP

 

The list of all posted swim meets can be found on our homepage under “current events” and “Team Events”

 


 

Click the name of a meet to find out all the information regarding that specific meet.

  • Groups - which groups the meet is intended for.  Please take note of this or you may be charged to swim in a meet you will not be able to compete at.  .

  • Splash fees - what each event costs, these are billed to your CC each month.

  • Warm Ups - When your swimmer will be swimming/competing.  This is always subject to change and frequently does, but not usually too drastically.

 

At the bottom of the meet page you can find the meet announcement that will have all the information regarding the meet.  The events for each day/session will be listed at the end of the meet announcement.



 

By clicking “edit commitment” at the top you can declare or decline for that particular meet.   

 

 

By clicking “edit commitment” you will be able to decline a meet or declare for a meet.  Depending on whether a meet is one day or multiple days your declaration could be yes I am attending the meet or you could be asked to declare which session(s) you want to swim at.

 

 

Example of signing up by session:




 

Once you commit a member of your family for a meet it will look like this:

You can also check this page to see what events your swimmer is entered in.


 

NOTES ON SWIM MEETS:

  1. Pay attention to the sign up deadline.

  2. Coaches pick all events for the swimmers.  Coaches have plans for meets and swimmers

  3. Friday night sessions of 3 day meets are typically distance sessions.

  4. About 2-3 weeks before a meet the entry becomes official and you will be responsible for your swimmer’s splash fees.

  5. Usually about the Wednesday or Thursday before a meet, a meet information email will be sent out with any and all information and reminders for the meet.

  6. Also on Wednesday or Thursday before the meet timing assignments will be sent out.  Every team at a meet is usually assigned timing assignments for the meet based on the size of the team.  Parents will be assigned to time at meets.  Coach Kyle sends these out.

 

More information regarding swim meets, splash fees and timing assignments will be gone over in depth during the parent meeting.