A Finals
A-Finals Championship Meet
SURF can enter only two swimmers in each event at A finals. Based on best times for the preceding dual meet season, our best swimmers in each event are asked to compete at A Finals. Since each swimmer is limited to two individual events, it takes at least five and sometimes more swimmers in each age/sex group to complete our lineup (four or more for 8u & 9/10 boys/girls).
The lineup for this meet is carefully crafted by the coaches based on finding a winning strategy. The coaches are privy to a "top 16" list of best times league-wide in every event. They place our swimmers who have the best shot at scoring points and finishing in the top 12 scoring places on Sunday in their potentially best events.
Each swimmer can also swim one relay (two if they only swim one individual event). Each team can only enter one relay per event (no B relay teams). The events and order of events at A finals is the same as at dual meets for Sunday finals. However, for Saturday qualifications, the 13-14 and 15-18 age groups swim in the morning, then the relays are swam late morning after a short break, then 8u, 9-10 and 11-12 age groups swim in the afternoon. On Sunday, the entire meet occurs in dual meet event order with relays at the end as always.
This is a two day event and is a prelim-final format. Up to 24 swimmers from the 12 clubs swim each in event to qualify on Saturday where NO POINTS ARE SCORED. The top six qualifiers swim for medals Sunday and the next six swim Sunday for ribbons where the POINTS ARE SCORED. Swimmers who do not make the top 12 on Saturday do not swim their events again on Sunday. However, 13th & 14th place are considered alternates and should ask the coaches whether to be at the meet on Sunday to step in if a top 12 swimmer declines to return and swim. There are award breaks during the meet Sunday where the medal winners are recognized in each event by standing on the blocks to receive their medal.
The relay events are also swam on both days with the top six from Saturday going for medals on Sunday and next six for ribbons. Relay lineups can also be changed up to the morning of the each day based on A final meet performance in individual events and coaching acumen regarding 'clutch' swimmers.
Scoring for individual events by place is 16-13-12-11-10-9-7-5-4-3-2-1 and for relays is 32-26-24-22-20-18-14-10-8-6-4-2. This creates more strategies for the coaches as the jumps from 8th to 7th, 8th/7th to 6th and 2nd to 1st are especially valuable, and double so in relays.
Volunteer jobs at A finals are the most important of the year for SURF as we are fined if we do not fulfill our quota which totals close to 40 jobs. Each family (even if you opted-out) is required to work one shift at A or B finals. Volunteer shifts are available for sign up on TeamUnify.
The Programs are the same for A and B finals; thus, any ads placed (Lane Sponsor, business ads, 'thank you' or 'good luck' 1/4 or 1/2 page ads) and motivational Happy Ads for swimmers will all be in the single finals program sold at both meets.
Admission is $10 for spectators 12 and over for the two days.
Our standing at this meet determines the majority of the clubs we swim against the following season. Whether we are in the upper or lower division of the league as the top six and bottom six mostly swim against each other in dual meets. There is a 'parade of clubs' prior to the start on Sunday with a costume theme and song, to which all SURF swimmers to are invited.
2025 A Finals Information Packet
2025 Happy Ad Link for A and B Finals
Deadline: Thursday, July 10, 2025. All ads that are submitted and paid for by the deadline will be included in programs for both A and B Finals.
Payment: Ads are $5 each. Pay the NSSL via Zelle (Northwest Suburban Swim League - it's listed as a business), contact email is [email protected]
Deadline: Sunday, July 13, 2025, @ 11:59 PM
All pre-orders will be available for pick up at B finals or later at our club.
