Age Group Motivational Times

USA Swimming Age Group motivational standards are set on a four year, or quad, base. The current Age Group Standards are for 2020 and run through 2024.

USA Swimming publishes sets of time standards for various reasons. One of the reasons behind standards is their usefulness for setting goals. They are also used to control the size of swim meets, as each higher or faster level in the standards has fewer swimmers - as the standards get faster, a smaller number of swimmers achieve them.

Standards can also be used to offer swimmers a general idea how they match up with other swimmers in their age group and between age-groups, but raw times work better within age groups. In a general sense they can be used to compare swimmers in different age-groups with each other, but just because a swimmer has "AAA" times as a 9-10 year old does not mean that same swimmer will get "AAA" times as a 13-14 year old. There are several reasons for this, including differing maturation rates, changing interests, and even injuries.

It is very normal for your swimmer to have different time standards for different strokes. They may even have different standards for the same stroke but different distances.

As your swimmer matures their best stroke and distances may change.

A swimmer should not specialize until they have completed physical maturation. Swimming all the strokes and all the distances will only improve your swimmers physical and mental development throughout their career

Time standards are great for goal setting and should be used to motivate a swimmer, but while improvement is desired it should not be required. Athletes need to be patient and improve at their own pace. Never compare a swimmers success to another swimmer. All swimmers are individuals with unique abilities and each will develop at their own rate.

Time Standards by Percentile -

· “B” - This standard means a swimmer is ranked in the top 55% of a swimmers age group, their same sex, in that stroke and distance.

· “BB” - This standard means a swimmer is ranked in the top 35% of a swimmers age group, their same sex, in that stroke and distance.

· “A” - This standard means a swimmer is ranked in the top 15% of a swimmers age group, their same sex, in that stroke and distance.

· “AA” - This standard means a swimmer is ranked in the top 8% of a swimmers age group, their same sex, in that stroke and distance.

· “AAA” - This standard means a swimmer is ranked in the top 6% of a swimmers age group, their same sex, in that stroke and distance.

· “AAAA” - This standard means a swimmer is ranked in the top 2% of a swimmers age group, their same sex, in that stroke and distance.

2025 Long Course Season

Swimmers who have achieved a NEW 2024-2028 National "AAAA" Time Standard