SAL Meet Information and Procedures
| RAC Families,
2023-2024 marks the return of a normal SAL season, including swimming against the 5 teams in the Southwest Division and hosting meets for the first time since 2020! This season will include 5 dual meets, 1 playoff meet, and Divisional/League Champs. As a team I think we are in a great position to win our division and potentially have an undefeated season, which is only possible with the participation of our full team throughout the SAL season. Please see below for an overview of SAL procedures and expectations.
SAL Overview RAC is a member of the Suburban Aquatic League ( SAL ). We compete against other local aquatic clubs in a dual meet format, and the season concludes with divisional and league champs. This follows a similar model to summer swim leagues. SAL meets are team competitions, and the success of our team is dependent on full participation from our membership.
Dual Meet Dates:
To view times, locations, etc, for each meet click on the event name on our eventspage. Please note: In order to be eligible for the Playoff and Championship meets listed below, swimmers must participate in a minimum of 2 of the above dual meets.
Championship Meet Dates:
Meet Commitment Expectations As a member of RAC, it is our expectation that all swimmers participate in our SAL meets. Dual meets provide the opportunity for swimmers to compete in relays, individual events, and with swimmers in different varsity groups. It also provides the unique experience of competitive swimming where we have swimmers of all ages on deck together.
This year we are asking all swimmers to sign up for SAL meets on our event page here . You can do this by clicking attend/decline next to the meet name, then committing your swimmer. It is expected all swimmers compete in SAL meets unless they have a specific conflict with USA swimming. That said, we will not assume your swimmer is attending unless they are committed to the meet. We ask that you please sign up for meets by the Monday prior to each weekend dual meet.
Eligible Swimmers SAL meets are for swimmers in our Varsity groups. The only exception to this policy is if you have a swimmer(s) in a varsity group, and they have a sibling in one of our Development Groups, the swimmer(s) in the DEV groups can participate in SAL meets. You will still need to declare them for the meet on our website as directed above.
SAL Meet Events The coaching staff will create the lineup for SAL meets. SAL meets are TEAM events, and swimmers are placed in individual events and relays that will best support the team. Event selection for SAL meets are at the discretion of the coaches; we will not respond to event change requests. Events vary depending on the age, but generally consist of medley relays, 25s/50s/100s of all 4 strokes, IM, and freestyle relays. Like summer swimming, swimmers compete in age groups. Their age on10/31/23 determines their age group for the season. Your swimmer will find out which events they will be swimming when they arrive at the meet!
SAL & USA Meet Conflicts We occasionally will have SAL and USA meets on the same day. This is not ideal, but in some cases it is unavoidable. In this situation, we ask families to make the decision that best aligns with your swimmer’s goals for the season. For some swimmers, that means competing in dual meets with the team, and for others it may mean competing at a USA meet to get experience in different/longer events. At RAC we will support your swimmer in both scenarios. Depending on the timing and location of the meets, it is also possible to swim in both meets on the same day! Please reach out to your swimmer’s respective group coach to determine which meets best support their goals.
Types of SAL Meets To learn more about the types of SAL meets, and the differences between SAL and USA meets, please click here . Volunteering We are not able to run a successful SAL meet without your help! Each week, you will be hearing from our SAL Reps, Brooke McDermott and Tatiana Garcia-Bates, about how to sign up for volunteer positions. Volunteering is a great way to get involved, meet your swimmer’s teammates, and meet new RAC families! Volunteering at SAL meets fulfills RAC’s volunteer requirement . If you have questions about volunteering or general SAL questions, please reach out to your swimmer’s group coach or our parent board of directors. You can find their contact information on our website here .
-Katie |
