Digital timing in summer leagues

[Anonymous]

Do NVSL and MCSL allow for summer league teams to use digital timing (like plungers)? Do you have any links to rules about this? A team in the CSL purchased plungers for their meets. What is your input? Are plunger time slightly slower than watch times (0.20 or 0.30?)? If so, do you think that is a significant disadvantage to the swimmers? Do you think different timing systems amongst different teams in the same league is a problem? Do you think this is unfair for swimmers trying to break records or get qualifying times for divisional and all-star meets?

[Anonymous]

They have touchpads at the Rockville pool in MCSL, but they don't use them for A meets so far as I know. They do use them for the Coach's Long Course and the All Stars.

[Anonymous]

NVSL uses plungers for All Star Relays and Individual All Stars (league-wide championship meets).

[Anonymous]

Our pool doesn’t use them neither do other pools in our division. ( MCSL)
As long as they’re being used in all lanes I don’t see an issue as far as fairness.
Summer is not supposed to be that serious.
In fact, even club swim isn’t supposed to be that serious.

[Anonymous]

Current NVSL rules require timers and
"All watches shall be hand-held, battery powered, digital watches, "

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Current NVSL rules require timers and
"All watches shall be hand-held, battery powered, digital watches, "

Interesting because they were definitely using plungers at ASR last night.

There are also the Dolphin watches where the watch automatically starts with the starter and only the finish is manual. DR has this and am sure other wealthy D1 pools do as well.

[Anonymous]

I don't care what is used at All-Stars, but for Divisionals and dual meets for summer, I believe strongly that all pools should be using the same or strongly similar tools. Dolphin watches that sync with the starter are very different from touchpads or plungers, and many younger swimmers are bad at hitting those. My DC is a swimmer in a competitive club and still ends up with manual times once in a while - and that is with roughly a meet every month. Many summer swimmers, especially the younger ones, are _only_ summer swimmers, and are going to need manual times anyway. The digital equipment - and the wear and tear on it - makes no sense for summer swim, and doubly so when the times are not official USA Swimming times anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't care what is used at All-Stars, but for Divisionals and dual meets for summer, I believe strongly that all pools should be using the same or strongly similar tools. Dolphin watches that sync with the starter are very different from touchpads or plungers, and many younger swimmers are bad at hitting those. My DC is a swimmer in a competitive club and still ends up with manual times once in a while - and that is with roughly a meet every month. Many summer swimmers, especially the younger ones, are _only_ summer swimmers, and are going to need manual times anyway. The digital equipment - and the wear and tear on it - makes no sense for summer swim, and doubly so when the times are not official USA Swimming times anyway.

- I agree

[Anonymous]

MCSL does not allow this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current NVSL rules require timers and
"All watches shall be hand-held, battery powered, digital watches, "

Interesting because they were definitely using plungers at ASR last night.

There are also the Dolphin watches where the watch automatically starts with the starter and only the finish is manual. DR has this and am sure other wealthy D1 pools do as well.

Overlee doesn't use these.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They have touchpads at the Rockville pool in MCSL, but they don't use them for A meets so far as I know. They do use them for the Coach's Long Course and the All Stars.

Touchpads are not used at Rockville pool for A meets (SCM)

Yes used for Coaches LC at Rockville pool (LCM)

All Stars at Rockville pool, I doubt it but not sure (SCM)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have touchpads at the Rockville pool in MCSL, but they don't use them for A meets so far as I know. They do use them for the Coach's Long Course and the All Stars.

Touchpads are not used at Rockville pool for A meets (SCM)

Yes used for Coaches LC at Rockville pool (LCM)

All Stars at Rockville pool, I doubt it but not sure (SCM)

I timed at last years all stars and used a plunger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have touchpads at the Rockville pool in MCSL, but they don't use them for A meets so far as I know. They do use them for the Coach's Long Course and the All Stars.

Touchpads are not used at Rockville pool for A meets (SCM)

Yes used for Coaches LC at Rockville pool (LCM)

All Stars at Rockville pool, I doubt it but not sure (SCM)

I timed at last years all stars and used a plunger.

Yes I think it’s fair for all stars abd relay carnival (league championships). It’s not fair for other meets since the plungers are slower than watches. It should be comparable timing systems across the league.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have touchpads at the Rockville pool in MCSL, but they don't use them for A meets so far as I know. They do use them for the Coach's Long Course and the All Stars.

Touchpads are not used at Rockville pool for A meets (SCM)

Yes used for Coaches LC at Rockville pool (LCM)

All Stars at Rockville pool, I doubt it but not sure (SCM)

I timed at last years all stars and used a plunger.

Yes I think it’s fair for all stars abd relay carnival (league championships). It’s not fair for other meets since the plungers are slower than watches. It should be comparable timing systems across the league.

I have heard that plungers are slower, but haven't really found that to be true in my experience with timing winter meets where I have both a plunger and a stopwatch. Is there any hard evidence of this?

[Anonymous]

Plungers start exactly with the flash timers start after they react to the flash.
Both end when the timer reacts to the finish.
Plungers in theory should be slower.