Meet Classifications

Classification And Types Of Meets
(Using Minnesota Swimming Time Standards)

BRONZE Meets are for swimmers who have previously not swum an event (“No Time - NT”) or have a "BRONZE” qualifying time or slower “Pre-BRONZE” time. These meets are great for novice swimmers and first meet experiences. Bronze/Pre-Bronze Meets are also a good opportunity for more experienced athletes to attempt longer events for the first time, such as the 200 Fly, 500 Free, or 400 IM. Pre-Bronze meets are held usually monthly.

OPEN Meets are for all swimmers, and all members are encouraged to participate. Because these meets involve multiple ability levels, awards categories individual events are divided into three levels: “Bronze” and slower, “Silver” and “Gold” and faster.

Silver/Bronze Meets provide an intermediate level of competition for swimmers with “Silver” times, “Bronze” times and “No Times.” These meets are most often held in the metro area.

GOLD Meets are for experienced swimmers who have attained Minnesota “GOLD” times and faster. Team scores are kept and team awards are given. These meets are most often held in the metro area but may involve travel to a different city.

The swimmer is allowed to swim in the events he or she has GOLD or better times in and may also deck enter into events that he or she is close to an GOLD time in, if there is room available.  The coach is responsible for deck entering the swimmer before the meet starts and it will cost approximately $10.00 for each event and that will need to be paid at the time the coach deck enters the swimmer.

State Meets are open to qualifiers with a “CH” (CHAMP) time or faster. The team state champion is determined at these meets. The Minnesota Swimming Championship for winter short course season is held each March. The State Championship for summer long course season is held each August.  A qualifying time can be obtained at any USA sanctioned meet.

Zone Meets are annual regional championships, held each August by USA Swimming, which is divided into four zones. Athletes qualify by achieving a “Zone” time, which is the National Age Group “AAA” standard. This is an all-star type of competition in which swimmers represent a conglomerate Team Minnesota. It is sometimes held in Minnesota but often is hosted elsewhere. Other teams in our zone include Wisconsin, Iowa, Midwestern, Missouri Valley, Ohio, Michigan, Lake Erie, Illinois, and Indiana.

Speedo Sectional Meets are faster than Zones but not quite as fast as Junior Nationals. There are no age groups and time standards are difficult to achieve. This meet is held in a Midwestern location, and depending on the month/location, it may or may not be included in our team schedule. The coaching staff will determine if the Speedo Sectional Meet in a given season fits team objectives.

The best swimmers from the United States (and the entire world) compete at Junior Nationals and Nationals.

Junior Nationals, held every March and August after State, is the national championship meet for USA Swimming athletes ages 18 and under. This elite meet with very fast qualification times brings the fastest young swimmers throughout America together to compete.

US Nationals, held twice a year, is the top annual championship meet in America. Qualification times for this elite senior meet are faster than for the US Open. America’s fastest swimmers, including world-class athletes such as Michael Phelps, Ian Crocker, and Natalie Coughlin, participate.

Olympic Trials are held every four years to select swimmers for the Olympic Games. This elite senior selection meet has qualification times faster than US Nationals. The top two swimmers in each individual event, plus a few additional freestylers, are selected for the US Olympic Team. Several Team WEST swimmers qualified to compete in the 2008 Trials.

International Meets, such as the Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, Pan Pacific Games, etc., require selection by USA Swimming to represent the United States on a national team comprised of top American swimmers. Typically, the Olympic Games and World Championships have their own selection meets (“Trials”) to directly select such teams. For other international competitions, USA Swimming may use the national championship as its selection venue.