What are the must go to higher level meets?

[Anonymous]

I am having a hard time knowing what are the important meets. My swimmer currently would like to swim in College. Has D3 times and is interested in D1. They have made Sectionals cuts and very close to NCSA cuts as a freshman. They are not at the highest level training group in their club, but probably will move into it next year. Looks like Futures is a possibility next year if they do not plateau.

How important is it to attend these meets and which would be the priority? I have also heard of ICSA Senior but do not see it in the pyramid of meets, so is it just a fancy invitational?

From the been there parents, what are the benefits of these meets? Why are they important, besides just dropping time?

[Anonymous]

At your child's level, it is mostly about getting times, not the specific meets. Getting an NCSA cut is nice but the dirty secret is Spring NCSA's is a terrible meet for kids who only swim prelims. The meet venue is cold, wet and crowded. Most kids add time unless they are making finals.

Try to get to LSC champs meets where your child can make finals and is pushed by other swimmers. Does not really matter what meets. Could also be high school States, Sectionals or Futures.

OTH, for elite swimmers, it matters that they go to Winter/Summer Jrs. type meets because the big-time college coaches are there. But that type of meet is for truly elite swimmers.

- Signed, swim parent with two kids swimming in college (D1 Mid Major and high-academic DIII).

[Anonymous]

It doesn’t matter what meet if they have the times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t matter what meet if they have the times.

This. Recruiting is based on times not meets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t matter what meet if they have the times.

This. Recruiting is based on times not meets.

Except IMX.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At your child's level, it is mostly about getting times, not the specific meets. Getting an NCSA cut is nice but the dirty secret is Spring NCSA's is a terrible meet for kids who only swim prelims. The meet venue is cold, wet and crowded. Most kids add time unless they are making finals.

Try to get to LSC champs meets where your child can make finals and is pushed by other swimmers. Does not really matter what meets. Could also be high school States, Sectionals or Futures.

OTH, for elite swimmers, it matters that they go to Winter/Summer Jrs. type meets because the big-time college coaches are there. But that type of meet is for truly elite swimmers.

- Signed, swim parent with two kids swimming in college (D1 Mid Major and high-academic DIII).

Thank you for this and the perspective. This is useful.

Why do clubs want their swimmers in these meets? Bragging rights, help with rankings?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At your child's level, it is mostly about getting times, not the specific meets. Getting an NCSA cut is nice but the dirty secret is Spring NCSA's is a terrible meet for kids who only swim prelims. The meet venue is cold, wet and crowded. Most kids add time unless they are making finals.

Try to get to LSC champs meets where your child can make finals and is pushed by other swimmers. Does not really matter what meets. Could also be high school States, Sectionals or Futures.

OTH, for elite swimmers, it matters that they go to Winter/Summer Jrs. type meets because the big-time college coaches are there. But that type of meet is for truly elite swimmers.

- Signed, swim parent with two kids swimming in college (D1 Mid Major and high-academic DIII).

Thank you for this and the perspective. This is useful.

Why do clubs want their swimmers in these meets? Bragging rights, help with rankings?

Certain clubs/practice groups within clubs prioritize making cuts for those meets. That said, NCSA has a finite number of clubs it invites so just because your club isn't attending doesn't really mean a much in the big scheme of things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I am having a hard time knowing what are the important meets. My swimmer currently would like to swim in College. Has D3 times and is interested in D1. They have made Sectionals cuts and very close to NCSA cuts as a freshman. They are not at the highest level training group in their club, but probably will move into it next year. Looks like Futures is a possibility next year if they do not plateau.

How important is it to attend these meets and which would be the priority? I have also heard of ICSA Senior but do not see it in the pyramid of meets, so is it just a fancy invitational?

From the been there parents, what are the benefits of these meets? Why are they important, besides just dropping time?

Times matter, meets not so much. That being said, my 2 cents is that they should focus on attending LSC Open Champs, High School State Champs, Sectionals, Futures, Juniors; probably in that order of preference.

ICSA is just another fancy LSC invitational meet like NCSA.

Going to the bigger meets is important because they get to swim against LOTS of other fast swimmers and it usually helps them get motivated to drop time. It's all about the times.... ie your swimmer may not swim as hard at the LSC meets where they are already winning by multiple seconds.