For each meet on our schedule, we will post a detailed flyer that will define the qualifying time standard level (if any) and recommended participants for each meet.
Some meets require time standard achievement to qualify (or impose an ability limit). Meets in Minnesota will typically use the Minnesota Swimming standards to define qualification. Meets out-of-state, travel meets and national events are subject to different standards, which will be described in the meet flyer.
2023-2024 Minnesota Short Course Yards (25Y) Time Standards
2023-2024 Minnesota Long Course Meters (50M) Time Standards
2021-2024 USA Swimming National Age Group Motivational Time Standards
National Meets:
2023 USA Swimming Winter Nationals (US Open) - Greensboro, NC, Nov 29 - Dec 2, 2023
2023 USA Swimming Winter Junior Nationals - Westmont, IL, Dec 6-9, 2023
2024 NCSA Spring Junior Nationals - Orlando, FL, Mar 19-23, 2024
2024 TYR Pro Series - Westmont, IL Mar 6-9 || San Antonio, TX April 10-13, 2024
2024 USA Swimming Speedo Summer Championship - Irvine, CA, July 23-27, 2024
2024 USA Swimming Futures - U of MN, July 24-27, 2024
2024 USA Olympic Trials - Indianapolis, IN, June, 2024
Classification And Types Of Meets
(Using Minnesota Swimming Time Standards)
Bronze Meets are for swimmers who have previously not swum an event (“No Time”) or have a “Bronze” qualifying time or slower. These meets are great for newer swimmers and first meet experiences. Bronze Meets are also a good opportunity for more experienced athletes to attempt longer events for the first time, such as the 200 Free, 200 IM, 200 Back, 200 Breast, 200 Fly or 400 IM. 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.Gold, A+, or Other Qualified Meets are for experienced swimmers who have attained Minnesota “Gold” times or USA Swimming "A" times and faster. Team scores are typically kept and team awards are given. These meets are most often held at large venues and may involve travel to a different city.
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, for summer long course season in late July or early August. State Meets are typically divided into Age Group (14/Under) and Senior (15/Older).
Zone Meets are annual regional championships, held each August by the Central Zone of USA Swimming for 14/Unders. 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 Foxjet 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. Foxjets have hosted the Zone meet on several occasions at the University of Minnesota.
Speedo Sectional Meets are faster than Zones, involving 15/Older swimmers, 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.
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, typically December and August, is the top annual championship meet in America. Qualification times for this elite senior meet represent less than 1% of all swimmers. America’s fastest swimmers, including world-class athletes such as Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, and Simone Manuel, 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 Foxjets Swim Team members have participated in this meet since 1980, including one (Nancy Swanum) who made the Olympic Team.
International Meets, such as the Olympic Games, World Championships, 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.
The Foxjet Swim Team Code of Conduct applies to all team activities.
Meet information is posted on the team website. An emailed announcement/reminder will be sent seven days before the entry deadline.
Meet Apparel
The only required meet apparel is a Team Foxjet swim cap. National Team, Top 10/16 ranked and/or State Team swimmers may wear their award caps. All other apparel (suit, bag, jacket, etc.) are at the choice of the swimmer/family. Other team-related apparel will be available. Wearing the team gear promotes unity and pride and greatly aids in spectator recognition.
Preparation
What to bring to a swim meet:
- two Foxjet swim caps (required)
- two pair of goggles (highly recommended)
- two towels (highly recommended)
- water bottle and healthy snack (highly recommended)
- quiet games or books (recommended)
- old blanket or sleeping bag (recommended)
- Foxjet team suit, bag, or other apparel (optional)
Warm-Up
Arrive at the pool 10 minutes before the scheduled warm-up time. Report to your coach with your suit, cap, and goggles, ready to go. A member of the Foxjet coaching staff always conducts warm-ups. This is both an athletic need and a safety requirement. Each group has a specific warm-up designed by the group coach. Be familiar with this warm-up before you begin.
Racing
Each Foxjet swimmer is responsible for knowing which events he/she is swimming and for being present in the team area before each race. Before reporting to the blocks, swimmers must confer with a member of the coaching staff to review race strategy, technique, and goals. At the conclusion of each race, swimmers must report to their coaches to discuss the race. At most meets, electronic timing is used. The official time is generally the one recorded in the computer by the swimmer touching the touchpad and appearing on the scoreboard. If a swimmer misses the touchpad or there is a mechanical failure, various back-up times will be used. Between races, swimmers are asked to rest and stay warm. Energy should be conserved and used in competition, for swimming, or supporting teammates! It is very important that swimmers check-in with coaches and request permission before leaving a meet. This is a safety and event accountability policy. Some higher-level meets require checking in, deck seeding, swimming in Finals sessions, etc. These types of meets have penalties associated with failing to appear for a swim.
Nutrition
Hunger and dehydration can lead to poor performance. Drink and eat (sensibly) throughout the meet.
USA Swimming Policies and Rules
Several USA Swimming policies and rules govern most swim meets.
Check-In Events: Usually the 400 IM, 400/500 Free, 800/1000 Free, and 1500/1650 Free require swimmers to check-in. Coaches check-in (or scratch) swimmers from these events. The final decision to check-in or scratch rests with the coaches. The coaches must adhere to a deadline, typically early during warm-up or a meet session. Once checked in, if a swimmer misses the event, the meet host imposes a penalty (usually disqualifying the swimmer from his/her next event).
Relays: Relays are a team effort. Every Foxjet swimmer should expect to swim a relay. It is extremely important for swimmers to be on time to the meet, as relays are usually swum at the beginning of a meet session. As with individual events and checking in, the coaching staff has the final authority on relay team selection.
Prelim and Final Events: Before you leave the pool after prelims, double-check the results to see if you made finals. If you are an alternate, someone ahead of you may scratch. If you are swimming in finals, make sure you know when warm-up begins before you leave. Failure to show up for a final event results in an athlete being barred from a portion, or the remainder, of the meet (by USA Swimming rule).
Time Trials: Some meets offer time trials, typically at the end of a meet session. Time trials are swum for an official time only, there are no places or awards given.
Awards: Within 30 minutes following the conclusion of an event, the meet host team will have awards for distribution. Typically, a designated table/area will be set up where swimmers/families can pick up awards. Swimmers/families should pick up their awards during each session of each meet. If awards are not picked up by the swimmer/family, it is unlikely those awards will be available at a later time. The coaching staff and meet host team are not responsible for unclaimed awards.
NATIONAL / MEET TRAVEL FAQ
We are a team that aims to attract, develop, and encourage swimmers to compete at the highest level that they can achieve. We are fortunate to have a team, board and coaching staff that supports all athletes, with no limits or boundaries in competition potential. Whether brand-new to the sport, or competing on the world stage, Foxjets Swim Team is a program that will meet your needs.
Q: I see some of our National Team athletes travel to meets outside of MN. Does the team pay for that travel?
A: Foxjet athletes qualifying for higher level meets need to cover their own travel expenses including transportation, lodging and meals the same as our local and regional meets. They are also responsible for meet entry fees associated with these meets. For select meets identified as “national level”, Minnesota Swimming provides a small stipend to both the swimmers and the club to help offset travel expenses, but the team does not pay for athlete travel.
Q: Why do we send a coach to a meet with only a small number of swimmers participating? Why do we have some of our team at one meet and the rest at another?
A: We feel it is important to provide support for our swimmers at all levels of competition, from novice level meets to national level competition. Our Lead Coaches work hard every year to establish a competition schedule that includes meets aimed at the appropriate developmental level for all our groups. Sometimes that has our team split between 2 different meets but we always ensure we have the proper coaching coverage at these events.
Q: What is a “team travel” meet? How is it different to other out of town meets? Is the team paying to send certain athletes to these meets?
A: For select out-of-town meets for our older swimmers we may choose to travel as a group. Parent volunteers act as chaperones and travel arrangements (transportation and lodging) are done as a group booking. Families are still individually responsible for the costs associated with this travel. The team does not pay for athlete travel.
Q: Some of our groups go on out of town training trips. Does the team pay for that?
A: Similar to team travel for a meet, training trips involve parent volunteers acting as chaperones and families are still responsible for the costs associated with these trips. The team does not pay for athletes on training trips.
Q: Are we paying to send an athlete to Israel?
A: Our Foxjet athlete traveling to an international competition is doing it as part of Team USA. Her travel expenses are fully covered by USA Swimming.
