Long Course meets - A few items to keep in mind for parents

Leslie Mayo

Parents ~

The first long course meet of the season is this week!  Here are a few things to keep in mind.

For younger swimmers, the task of swimming a full 50 meters without stopping can be daunting.  That is one long lap of wondering if they’ll ever make it to the wall!  This is one reason why it’s so very mportant to not compare or convert times. This is a different kind of race.  They need to learn how to swim differently for long course vs. short course and that is ok! That is why coming to practice on a regular basis is so very important.

Many swimmers come to love long course, and if they have any aspirations of swimming in regional, national and international competitions, it’s something they must eventually embrace.

So, swim parents, what do you need to know about long-course swimming?

  • If it is your swimmer’s first long-course season, just enjoy the ride. They will need the season to become accustomed to the longer pool. Don’t push them; give them space to learn it on their own. And if they are 11 years old or younger, always emphasize having fun.
  • Don’t even attempt to compare your child’s short-course times to long course. Yes, you can find a time converter online that’ll give you an idea of where a child might be. This is not an exact science, this converter. Use it carefully.
  • If it’s your swimmer’s second long-course season, congratulations! You are a pro by now, right? You may see big time drops to start the season, since your child probably hasn’t swum a long course meet since July of last year. After that, remember your swimmer is still learning to swim in a different pool. Encourage them to try new races. 
  • A parent recently asked me what happens to all the short-course times. They still exist and will be used as your child’s entry times in the fall. If your child obtained her first “B” time in short course, then it’s likely she’ll achieve a “B” in that same event in long course. But it may take a few tries.
  • Our ACE swimmers will still have the opportunity to compete in a few short course 25 yd pool meets this summer since there are few long course 50 meter pools in the Lincoln - Omaha area.

 

For swimmers who are qualifying for higher level meets such as Zones or Sectionals, it is important to understand that most of those meets define qualifying times for short course (yards & meters) and long course.

For example, if your swimmer achieves a “AAA” time in short course in an event, then they are likely qualified for the summer zones meet, regardless of whether they get their “AAA” in long course (so long as they have not aged up).  Check the meet information for qualifying standards. 

 

Key take away....

Remember to encourage your swimmer to embrace this longer pool and enjoy the summer long-course season.