MCSL rule changes for summer 2026

[Anonymous]

They should add distance events. I would like to see the 8&U 1500m free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You want 10% of the kids to have to swim completely different lengths of races over the course of a recreational 6-week season? What an idea. Astonish us with more of your brilliance.

Np here. What if they swim the age that they are by divisionals of that season. For example, if they turn 9 on july 15th, they swim as a 9 year old the whole season, 50 free from time trials on.

Once you are 9 it’s because you have completed 9 years of life ( in Spanish your birthday is your cumpleaños—complete year) so you’re more 9 than 8.

Prior to the turn of the century the date was in July (don't remember if it was the first or a date that followed the completion of the season). Not sure why they changed it.

Is that true? I didn’t realize it had been changed. Moving up on your birthday is obviously a dumb rule for summer swim given the team aspects, but June 1 doesn’t make a ton of sense. One argument in favor of it is that’s how it’s been done for 50+ years so all the records and whatnot are based on that. But if that’s not true, then a later date would make more sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this thread just about age up dates?

I'd like to see MCSL adopt NVSL rules on maximum number of events to be more inclusive in A meets. A 2 event max seems preferable to the MCSL rule which allows 3 individual events, plus IM plus a relay - so a swimmer can swim in 5 events each A meet.

I like this rule, but would it help or hurt smaller teams that can’t fill lanes? Would an empty lane be more or less of a penalty?

They could modify the rule similar to how they do age ups when they can't fill lanes (if there aren't enough 13-14yo boys, for example, they can age up an 11-12yo) - so if they really don't have enough swimmers to fill the lanes, a swimmer could swim a 3rd event.

NP - I think two events for an A meet is more stringent than necessary, maybe we could split the difference and do three events per kid, including relays?

A meets aside, I really would like a change applied to this rule for Divisionals. It's not a team event the way MCSL has it set up, it's for the fastest kids only. That should change, IMO (said as a parent whose kids swim at Divisionals).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this thread just about age up dates?

I'd like to see MCSL adopt NVSL rules on maximum number of events to be more inclusive in A meets. A 2 event max seems preferable to the MCSL rule which allows 3 individual events, plus IM plus a relay - so a swimmer can swim in 5 events each A meet.

I like this rule, but would it help or hurt smaller teams that can’t fill lanes? Would an empty lane be more or less of a penalty?

They could modify the rule similar to how they do age ups when they can't fill lanes (if there aren't enough 13-14yo boys, for example, they can age up an 11-12yo) - so if they really don't have enough swimmers to fill the lanes, a swimmer could swim a 3rd event.

NP - I think two events for an A meet is more stringent than necessary, maybe we could split the difference and do three events per kid, including relays?

A meets aside, I really would like a change applied to this rule for Divisionals. It's not a team event the way MCSL has it set up, it's for the fastest kids only. That should change, IMO (said as a parent whose kids swim at Divisionals).

I like that - 2 individual events max plus relays, so a swimmer could swim 3 events.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You want 10% of the kids to have to swim completely different lengths of races over the course of a recreational 6-week season? What an idea. Astonish us with more of your brilliance.

Np here. What if they swim the age that they are by divisionals of that season. For example, if they turn 9 on july 15th, they swim as a 9 year old the whole season, 50 free from time trials on.

Once you are 9 it’s because you have completed 9 years of life ( in Spanish your birthday is your cumpleaños—complete year) so you’re more 9 than 8.

So just change which group you advantage? How is that more fair?

One of my kids would get 3 years in some divisions and one in others by that method.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They should add distance events. I would like to see the 8&U 1500m free.

LOL, the timers could bring books so they don’t get bored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about changing June 1 to August 1? That will cover divisionals and all-stars?

Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll go first.....

Change the age group determination rule. Kids should age up on the day of their birthday just like they do in year-round swim. They shouldn't swim based on what their age is on June 1st.

What other rule changes would you like to see in MCSL?

so one week you will be swimming on age group and the next go to different one? what a mess. what about all star individual or relay. Different people swimming?

[Anonymous]

all age group should swim 25 meters, easier to track progress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You want 10% of the kids to have to swim completely different lengths of races over the course of a recreational 6-week season? What an idea. Astonish us with more of your brilliance.

Np here. What if they swim the age that they are by divisionals of that season. For example, if they turn 9 on july 15th, they swim as a 9 year old the whole season, 50 free from time trials on.

Once you are 9 it’s because you have completed 9 years of life ( in Spanish your birthday is your cumpleaños—complete year) so you’re more 9 than 8.

Prior to the turn of the century the date was in July (don't remember if it was the first or a date that followed the completion of the season). Not sure why they changed it.

Is that true? I didn’t realize it had been changed. Moving up on your birthday is obviously a dumb rule for summer swim given the team aspects, but June 1 doesn’t make a ton of sense. One argument in favor of it is that’s how it’s been done for 50+ years so all the records and whatnot are based on that. But if that’s not true, then a later date would make more sense.

Yes. I have a June birthday. My whole mcsl swimming career from 7-17 I swam in the age group I turned that summer. However, the year I turned 18 (2000) they moved the date from July to June 1, which means instead of graduating from MCSL that summer as I had anticipated, I would have had to do one more year before officially 'graduating'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They should add distance events. I would like to see the 8&U 1500m free.

+1

[Anonymous]

Change age-up birthday to after season ends.

Limit A meet swimmers to 2 individual events plus IM plus 1 relay max.

[Anonymous]

I'd like tech suits only allowed at Relay Carnival, Divisionals, and All Star meets.

[Anonymous]

+Long Course meet

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd like tech suits only allowed at Relay Carnival, Divisionals, and All Star meets.

This makes sense