The Stars and Stripes Invitational is an exhibition All-Star style meet. The sole purpose of Stars and Stripes is to be a FUN event for all teams involved. It is held annually on July 4th and is designed to be exciting, quick, and FUN.

THE EVENTS

This is an exhibition meet that features all four swimming disciplines, medley relays, and a crescendo freestyle relay. Each team is allowed to bring one medley team for each age group and gender to swim in the relay and individual events. Swimmers will participate in their assigned discipline for both the relay and the individual event. For example, a swimmer competing in the backstroke event will also swim the backstroke leg of the medley relay. The crescendo relay will include one swimmer from each age group to swim freestyle regardless of their specified discipline.

The Stars and Stripes meet will adhere to PWSL rules and regulations and the events will be standard PWSL meet events with the following exceptions:

  • The Crescendo Relay will be swam in lieu of age group freestyle relays. 8&U and 9-10 swimmers will swim a distance of 25m, while 11-12, 13-14, and 15&O swimmers will swim a distance of 50m, for a total of 200m. There will be a boys and a girls crescendo relay event.
  • 8&U medley relays will not be a mixed event. There will be a boys event and a girls medley relay event for all age groups.
  • Medley relays will be swam after the individual events.
  • Event numbering and scoring will not follow PWSL standard formatting.

THE AWARDS

All participating swimmers receive a commemorative Stars and Stripes tee shirt. Medals will be awarded for 1st through 3rd place in each event and given to the swimmers on the podium during designated awards breaks. A trophy will also be awarded to the team that accumulates the most points.

THE BEST PART

There is no fee required to enter this meet, however, the Bridlewaves request that everyone bring some canned or dried goods items that can be donated to the Food Bank at SERVE in Manassas. Here are the current items on their want list:

Canned vegetables, pasta and spaghetti, pasta sauce, canned meats, canned tomatoes and tomato sauce, cereal, canned fruit, cleaning supplies, toilet paper and paper towels.

THE FULL DETAILS (for 2023)

The following documents probably answer any remaining questions you may have: