How does a coach selects who swims for events in A meets?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our coaches don’t ask us. It’s all about times, and what combination of best times among which swimmers will yield the best results. Our coaches do look at swimmers at the upcoming A meet competition, and will adjust accordingly.

OP here. This is what I thought… thanks! I asked because my swimmer was number 2 in butterfly, and that’s his least favorite stroke and the others in the heat are significantly slower. Just wondering if they will ask him to swim that since there aren’t a lot of butterfly swimmers in 8 and under.

Another question I have is, does that mean he would need to swim in the other 1 stroke in a B meet to qualify for the next A meet? Sorry, this is our first true season in summer swim. He just swam all B meets last summer and wasn’t paying attention to how selections are made for A meets.

Should have mentioned earlier that we are in MCSL.

PP you’re quoting - you’re welcome! We’re in MCSL, too. We just mark our swimmers as “available” or “not available” for A meets and the coaches take it from there.

For our team, selection for A meets is based on times from the A meet the week prior and the B meet a few days prior. So, if it’s close, a swimmer could potentially do well enough in a B meet to knock a kid out of an A meet. There are so many specifics, though, and it also depends on your team’s policy for kids swimming both A and B meets. For example, a kid might not be eligible to swim in a B meet in a given event based on performance/attendance at the A meet - but then be knocked out of the next week’s A meet. That would then make them eligible for the next week’s B meet, chance to win back their place, etc.

Hopefully this is clearer than mud.

OP here. For our team, a swimmer cannot repeat the same events in B meet. Doesn’t matter if the swimmer is placed last.

My question is, do most swimmers swim the 4th event in B meet then? Say, if my son swim FS, backstroke, and fly. Would he need to swim breast in B meet to get a time so that he can be considered for the next A meet?

In my experience if a swimmer is only eligible to swim one event in the B meet they often don’t go unless it’s one of the early events. Your swimmer’s breaststroke time would still be good, so if no one beats that time at the B meet he is still in the same place on the ladder. The only scenario where you need to consider having him swim it at a B meet would be if someone beats his time and knocks him from 3rd to 4th on the ladder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our coaches don’t ask us. It’s all about times, and what combination of best times among which swimmers will yield the best results. Our coaches do look at swimmers at the upcoming A meet competition, and will adjust accordingly.

OP here. This is what I thought… thanks! I asked because my swimmer was number 2 in butterfly, and that’s his least favorite stroke and the others in the heat are significantly slower. Just wondering if they will ask him to swim that since there aren’t a lot of butterfly swimmers in 8 and under.

Another question I have is, does that mean he would need to swim in the other 1 stroke in a B meet to qualify for the next A meet? Sorry, this is our first true season in summer swim. He just swam all B meets last summer and wasn’t paying attention to how selections are made for A meets.

Should have mentioned earlier that we are in MCSL.

PP you’re quoting - you’re welcome! We’re in MCSL, too. We just mark our swimmers as “available” or “not available” for A meets and the coaches take it from there.

For our team, selection for A meets is based on times from the A meet the week prior and the B meet a few days prior. So, if it’s close, a swimmer could potentially do well enough in a B meet to knock a kid out of an A meet. There are so many specifics, though, and it also depends on your team’s policy for kids swimming both A and B meets. For example, a kid might not be eligible to swim in a B meet in a given event based on performance/attendance at the A meet - but then be knocked out of the next week’s A meet. That would then make them eligible for the next week’s B meet, chance to win back their place, etc.

Hopefully this is clearer than mud.

OP here. For our team, a swimmer cannot repeat the same events in B meet. Doesn’t matter if the swimmer is placed last.

My question is, do most swimmers swim the 4th event in B meet then? Say, if my son swim FS, backstroke, and fly. Would he need to swim breast in B meet to get a time so that he can be considered for the next A meet?

In my experience if a swimmer is only eligible to swim one event in the B meet they often don’t go unless it’s one of the early events. Your swimmer’s breaststroke time would still be good, so if no one beats that time at the B meet he is still in the same place on the ladder. The only scenario where you need to consider having him swim it at a B meet would be if someone beats his time and knocks him from 3rd to 4th on the ladder.

OP here. Thank you!! This is what I’m looking for. That the time from time trial still stands unless someone beats it.

[Anonymous]

OP, how many other kids in your child’s age group are legal in breast and fly? If your kid is one of the only three (or fewer) that have a legal time, they will almost certainly swim those two events at the first A meet regardless of whether those are their best or favorite strokes. Coaches want to maximize points not only by putting the fastest three swimmers in each event, but also by putting in the kids who are least likely to DQ. If another kid swims a legal race in breast or fly at an upcoming B meet and ends up fourth on the ladder, that kid may get to swim fly or breast at the following A meet while yours swims free/back/fly or free/back/breast.

8 and unders is funny because often there are a few kids legal (and top 3) all four strokes and then a bunch of kids legal in only two or three. It’s like a puzzle to figure out where to put the kids who are top 3 in all strokes but can’t all swim every event. Coaches will work hard to get other kids legal so they can fill in the lineup. This tends to sort itself out in 9-10 when most kids are legal in all four strokes and they all start having a best stroke or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our coaches don’t ask us. It’s all about times, and what combination of best times among which swimmers will yield the best results. Our coaches do look at swimmers at the upcoming A meet competition, and will adjust accordingly.

OP here. This is what I thought… thanks! I asked because my swimmer was number 2 in butterfly, and that’s his least favorite stroke and the others in the heat are significantly slower. Just wondering if they will ask him to swim that since there aren’t a lot of butterfly swimmers in 8 and under.

Another question I have is, does that mean he would need to swim in the other 1 stroke in a B meet to qualify for the next A meet? Sorry, this is our first true season in summer swim. He just swam all B meets last summer and wasn’t paying attention to how selections are made for A meets.

Should have mentioned earlier that we are in MCSL.

PP you’re quoting - you’re welcome! We’re in MCSL, too. We just mark our swimmers as “available” or “not available” for A meets and the coaches take it from there.

For our team, selection for A meets is based on times from the A meet the week prior and the B meet a few days prior. So, if it’s close, a swimmer could potentially do well enough in a B meet to knock a kid out of an A meet. There are so many specifics, though, and it also depends on your team’s policy for kids swimming both A and B meets. For example, a kid might not be eligible to swim in a B meet in a given event based on performance/attendance at the A meet - but then be knocked out of the next week’s A meet. That would then make them eligible for the next week’s B meet, chance to win back their place, etc.

Hopefully this is clearer than mud.

OP here. For our team, a swimmer cannot repeat the same events in B meet. Doesn’t matter if the swimmer is placed last.

My question is, do most swimmers swim the 4th event in B meet then? Say, if my son swim FS, backstroke, and fly. Would he need to swim breast in B meet to get a time so that he can be considered for the next A meet?

In my experience if a swimmer is only eligible to swim one event in the B meet they often don’t go unless it’s one of the early events. Your swimmer’s breaststroke time would still be good, so if no one beats that time at the B meet he is still in the same place on the ladder. The only scenario where you need to consider having him swim it at a B meet would be if someone beats his time and knocks him from 3rd to 4th on the ladder.

OP here. Thank you!! This is what I’m looking for. That the time from time trial still stands unless someone beats it.

Earlier PP - our coaches go by a given swimmer’s fastest time, whether that was from time trials, an A meet, or a B meet. So, the fastest time stands until someone else beats it.

But we do sometimes have swimmers on the cusp would would stay late or swim one event in a B meet, hoping to get into the A meet. Not super common, but it happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, how many other kids in your child’s age group are legal in breast and fly? If your kid is one of the only three (or fewer) that have a legal time, they will almost certainly swim those two events at the first A meet regardless of whether those are their best or favorite strokes. Coaches want to maximize points not only by putting the fastest three swimmers in each event, but also by putting in the kids who are least likely to DQ. If another kid swims a legal race in breast or fly at an upcoming B meet and ends up fourth on the ladder, that kid may get to swim fly or breast at the following A meet while yours swims free/back/fly or free/back/breast.

8 and unders is funny because often there are a few kids legal (and top 3) all four strokes and then a bunch of kids legal in only two or three. It’s like a puzzle to figure out where to put the kids who are top 3 in all strokes but can’t all swim every event. Coaches will work hard to get other kids legal so they can fill in the lineup. This tends to sort itself out in 9-10 when most kids are legal in all four strokes and they all start having a best stroke or two.

OP here. There were a total of 7 kids for fly and 1 DQed. Tbh, I feel the officials were more generous at our time trial. I am worried about my DS since he DQed in fly (uneven arms) at our last club meet. He’s been working on it, but he’s not solid on this stroke. That being said, his time was quite a bit better than the others, and I’m quite positive he will do freestyle/breast/fly this upcoming meet. His preference would be freestyle/backstroke/breast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP, and just curious…do your coaches give priority to current season times, or do they consider past performance for the ladder?

For us, current season performance to date is what is considered. They use the ladder and the ladder starts new every season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP, and just curious…do your coaches give priority to current season times, or do they consider past performance for the ladder?

For us, current season performance to date is what is considered. They use the ladder and the ladder starts new every season.

Is there any team using last season time other than maybe seeding a time trials?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP, and just curious…do your coaches give priority to current season times, or do they consider past performance for the ladder?

For us, current season performance to date is what is considered. They use the ladder and the ladder starts new every season.

Is there any team using last season time other than maybe seeding a time trials?

Rockville Rays, maybe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP, and just curious…do your coaches give priority to current season times, or do they consider past performance for the ladder?

For us, current season performance to date is what is considered. They use the ladder and the ladder starts new every season.

Is there any team using last season time other than maybe seeding a time trials?

I’m the poster who originally asked the question and I have no idea. Out meet cards for time trials and todays B meet pulled seed times from past seasons, but I don’t know if the coaches will look at those when doing the A meet line up (and we have a new head coach so I’m even more unsure). Current season times and my kid may have a shot, albeit in her least favorite stroke. If old times are considered she’s probably out of luck this week.

[Anonymous]

Half our team (literally) is not available for this Saturday. If a swimmer is available they are mostly likely seeded for the A meet.

[Anonymous]

So many kids are not available for this meet. We started on seeding and so many are being considered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Half our team (literally) is not available for this Saturday. If a swimmer is available they are mostly likely seeded for the A meet.

Depends on the team and how deep the bench is

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, how many other kids in your child’s age group are legal in breast and fly? If your kid is one of the only three (or fewer) that have a legal time, they will almost certainly swim those two events at the first A meet regardless of whether those are their best or favorite strokes. Coaches want to maximize points not only by putting the fastest three swimmers in each event, but also by putting in the kids who are least likely to DQ. If another kid swims a legal race in breast or fly at an upcoming B meet and ends up fourth on the ladder, that kid may get to swim fly or breast at the following A meet while yours swims free/back/fly or free/back/breast.

8 and unders is funny because often there are a few kids legal (and top 3) all four strokes and then a bunch of kids legal in only two or three. It’s like a puzzle to figure out where to put the kids who are top 3 in all strokes but can’t all swim every event. Coaches will work hard to get other kids legal so they can fill in the lineup. This tends to sort itself out in 9-10 when most kids are legal in all four strokes and they all start having a best stroke or two.

OP here. There were a total of 7 kids for fly and 1 DQed. Tbh, I feel the officials were more generous at our time trial. I am worried about my DS since he DQed in fly (uneven arms) at our last club meet. He’s been working on it, but he’s not solid on this stroke. That being said, his time was quite a bit better than the others, and I’m quite positive he will do freestyle/breast/fly this upcoming meet. His preference would be freestyle/backstroke/breast.

When swimming for a team, both summer and high school, individual swimmer preferences are not that important. The swimmer's role is to help the team score points. That could mean an athlete is swimming their least favorite event every week. One has to let go of the selfishness of club swim and embrace the rewards of being on a team.

There are a few ways to frame this situation. The best way is being glad for an opportunity to improve in a weak area. Best and favorite swimming events can change over time. There is no advantage at a young age to specialize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
So many kids are not available for this meet. We started on seeding and so many are being considered.

Holding out hope that this works in favor of my on the cusp 10 yo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
So many kids are not available for this meet. We started on seeding and so many are being considered.

We have about 55 swimmers available. A little more than half the team.