Invite to Regionals?

[Anonymous]

We are VHSL class 6. My son didn't qualify for Regionals but was just informed he was 'invited to swim the 500 free'. What does this mean? How did he get an invite when his time is much slower than needed? He didn't place top 5 at Districts. He is very excited but I want to make sure I understand what is happening before he gets too excited. Is this a real thing? His coach has not explained - just sent a brief text late last night.

[Anonymous]

He scratched into the meet. Congratulations.

They have to fill all the lanes and today is the scratch meeting.

[Anonymous]

Also, some of the scratch ins will be faster than some of the original qualifiers depending on district.

[Anonymous]

Interesting! That’s great for him. Last weekend’s class 6 regionals had an empty lane is almost every heat. I wonder if they didn’t do this. Good luck to your son!

[Anonymous]

Our coach told us that there are t ton do kids who already have or state cuts for the Occoquan region so there are quite a few kids entering different events this weekend than they swam at districts.

[Anonymous]

Sorry that should be - "a ton of kids"

Anonymous wrote:Our coach told us that there are t ton do kids who already have or state cuts for the Occoquan region so there are quite a few kids entering different events this weekend than they swam at districts.

[Anonymous]

Yes, if you have a state qualifying time you generally will swim other events at Regionals. Although looking at the no scratch sheet quite a few swimmers chose to swim events that they have state times in. So either they do not have any other regional qualifying time event (usually unlikely) OR they are going for a record or possibly a Sectional/NCSA/Futures cut because they are close.

[Anonymous]

Interesting - our coach is putting all kids in their absolute best events even though the team has no shot at winning regionals. they kids are all complaining because they are swimming their best events two weeks in a row which is usually not a good thing

[Anonymous]

Where would one find the no scratch sheet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where would one find the no scratch sheet.

Coaches were given it. A number of coaches share it with their team. Some coaches do not for some reason. They would rather wait for the final psych sheet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting - our coach is putting all kids in their absolute best events even though the team has no shot at winning regionals. they kids are all complaining because they are swimming their best events two weeks in a row which is usually not a good thing

Yea. You will see that with teams. You will see kids from the same team wanting to swim the same event (i.e. 100 free) and the coach trying to convince them to spread out amongst other events to capture more points. Coaches generally are trying to capture as many points as possible to influence the overall standing of the team.

The not as good teams might have goals of trying to get the most kids into Regionals or States. While others do not really care and let the kids just choose whatever they want (this actually makes me mad when coaches do that since most swimmers will not choose the best event if left to their own devices).

But, agree, swimming your best events twice in a row is not ideal for times. Taking a break is usually better. Some kids do not have a choice, they need to make it into states. So they are trying with their best events to either make the cuts or place high enough.

[Anonymous]

Genuine question, I’m a swimming novice parent, why is this? “…swimming your best events twice in a row is not ideal for times. Taking a break is usually better.”

I am assuming twice in a row means two weekends in a row but let me know if that assumption is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Genuine question, I’m a swimming novice parent, why is this? “…swimming your best events twice in a row is not ideal for times. Taking a break is usually better.”

I am assuming twice in a row means two weekends in a row but let me know if that assumption is wrong.

Yes, twice in a row referring to two weekends in a row. I am not sure what the science is - if it is a physical thing or a mental thing. I will talk about swimming the same events in meets back to back vs. swimming prelims/finals for an event.

Swimming events over and over in meets or close together in time (say meets one week apart or a couple of weeks apart) generally is not a good idea. Coaches like you to have a four weeks. Generally swimmers do not see time improvements if meets are closer together than four weeks and then that can add a mental rut component. It is also very common swimming events a week apart to actually add time because you are not racing, your body is acting like its practice and autopilot. So switching events is how most coaches solve this problem and keep the swimmer in race mode. If a swimmer plateaus in an event and every month keeps swimming that event, they are likely making it worse on themselves and just hardwiring the same results into their brain and body over and over. So coaches will tell a swimmer take a break for a few months from that event and then come back to it. So when they come back to it they are supercharged.

Now as for prelims/finals format. Generally that happens the same day or in the case of VHSL the next day. You will find swimmers fall into two camps on prelims/finals. You have some swimmers that swim their perfect swim at prelims, getting into finals is their mental goal and they hit is out of the park. At finals, they generally match their time or add a little. Some swimmers will add alot if mentally exhausted from a long meet. The second group make it into finals and drop massive amounts of time. Having that second race so close on the heals of the first allows them to course correct on the event and perform better. Swimmers after a while, kind of know what camp they fall into. A lot of the top swimmers hit it out of the park at prelims and hold their time at finals. They are just that good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, if you have a state qualifying time you generally will swim other events at Regionals. Although looking at the no scratch sheet quite a few swimmers chose to swim events that they have state times in. So either they do not have any other regional qualifying time event (usually unlikely) OR they are going for a record or possibly a Sectional/NCSA/Futures cut because they are close.

Or they want to win at Regionals?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Genuine question, I’m a swimming novice parent, why is this? “…swimming your best events twice in a row is not ideal for times. Taking a break is usually better.”

I am assuming twice in a row means two weekends in a row but let me know if that assumption is wrong.

Yes, twice in a row referring to two weekends in a row. I am not sure what the science is - if it is a physical thing or a mental thing. I will talk about swimming the same events in meets back to back vs. swimming prelims/finals for an event.

Swimming events over and over in meets or close together in time (say meets one week apart or a couple of weeks apart) generally is not a good idea. Coaches like you to have a four weeks. Generally swimmers do not see time improvements if meets are closer together than four weeks and then that can add a mental rut component. It is also very common swimming events a week apart to actually add time because you are not racing, your body is acting like its practice and autopilot. So switching events is how most coaches solve this problem and keep the swimmer in race mode. If a swimmer plateaus in an event and every month keeps swimming that event, they are likely making it worse on themselves and just hardwiring the same results into their brain and body over and over. So coaches will tell a swimmer take a break for a few months from that event and then come back to it. So when they come back to it they are supercharged.

Now as for prelims/finals format. Generally that happens the same day or in the case of VHSL the next day. You will find swimmers fall into two camps on prelims/finals. You have some swimmers that swim their perfect swim at prelims, getting into finals is their mental goal and they hit is out of the park. At finals, they generally match their time or add a little. Some swimmers will add alot if mentally exhausted from a long meet. The second group make it into finals and drop massive amounts of time. Having that second race so close on the heals of the first allows them to course correct on the event and perform better. Swimmers after a while, kind of know what camp they fall into. A lot of the top swimmers hit it out of the park at prelims and hold their time at finals. They are just that good.

Thank you, really helpful!