Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 21:57     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:um, we just had a coach call a parent on our team and ask their kid to step down so another, older, kid could swim an event. No joke.

This same kid was also told he couldn't swim his top preference because the coaches wanted to give the slot to a team rep's kid whose only faster time in the event had resulted in a DQ.....


I'll take things that didn't happen for $200, Alex.


It absolutely happened .... thank God the parent had a backbone, told the coach they need to follow the ladder for this individual event and their child wasn't going to sacrifice their earned slot to make another kid feel better, and then called the other team rep (not the parent of one who would have benefitted) and complained.

All of us are now wondering: is there an official NVSL policy about decisions on divisionals? Could a coach put a slower kid into divisionals in the name of boosting opportunities for all on the team or showing team rep kid they believe in him despite dq?


On our team the coach calls the swimmers over in groups to work down the ladder (example: 9-10 girls, 8u boys, etc).

I heard one of the other girls guilt her friend not to pick an event so that she could swim it. The girl being guilted could have chosen any event for the most part except for one and this 10 year old stood there telling her not to pick her favorite stroke because then she would be sad and couldn’t swim.

I know there’s no perfect system here, but it’s sad to see swimmers get so emotionally invested in something like this that they put themselves over their friends. If there were cut times everyone who qualified could go but yes, then the meet would run way longer!


On the flip side of that coin we have a swimmer who is all star in almost all strokes but picked events to knock out the kids that were closest in her times and most likely to break her records.


It doesn't make any sense. This must be in NVSL (swimmers pick strokes). In NVSL, swimmers are only allowed 2 strokes, and there are at least two swimmers per stroke per pool. After the all-star swimmer picks her strokes, the second fastest (the one closest to the all-star's time) gets to pick hers, and both (top 2) swimmers compete in the same event.

Are you whining because your kid (#3 or #4 on the ladder) doesn't get to go to divisionals?


Top team. The top 2-4 all have all star times. They will all go.


Is it the reason there were 15 entries (instead of regular 12) in 2024 Division 1 Girls 15-18 IM, with 4 from OKM and 4 from Tuckahoe?
The extra slots due to their all-star times?

???


No. Each Division gets 12 swimmers (2 from each of the 6 teams). If a team cannot fill one of the spots then there is a bid in process with the other teams in the division and whoever has the fastest time from the other team gets the slot.

For example based on what you asked in Div 1. If Overlee could not fill one of the two 15-18 year old girl slots they would tell the Div Coordinator. Then he/she would let the other teams know and the next fastest swimmer (let’s say it’s Tuckahoe) would raise their hand and then their swimmer would get to swim.

This happens across the NVSL and a lot in the older categories because many teams have holes in those areas of the line up (ex 15-18 girls) or the girls may be at another scheduled meet for the weekend.

It has nothing to do with the All Star Times. There is also an alternate or two, I can’t remember the exact number.


There were 15 instead of 12 swimmers total in division 1 15-18 girls IM in 2024. I’m not actually sure why that would be, usually that would only happen to have more than 12 if there was a tie in the seeding times. But the idea that there was an exact time tie between the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th seeded swimmers in that event seems like a stretch. But perhaps that is what happened.


The reason we had 15 versus 12 is because teams could not fill their slots and the remaining available girls who COULD swim did not have times, so we had to let all four swim.


well. one girl with nt was put in. And then some of the other teams were like, OH, if she is NT then our NT will swim too. That is how it got over 12. and one of the NT won the event. :/


Yes, I was working the meet and recall. I have no trouble with the way the division handled it. But it is comical that 15-18 girls don’t have an IM time simply because there isn’t one from that specific season. All of those girls swim or have swum club; it wasn’t like any of them was swimming IM for the first time.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 21:56     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:um, we just had a coach call a parent on our team and ask their kid to step down so another, older, kid could swim an event. No joke.

This same kid was also told he couldn't swim his top preference because the coaches wanted to give the slot to a team rep's kid whose only faster time in the event had resulted in a DQ.....


I'll take things that didn't happen for $200, Alex.


It absolutely happened .... thank God the parent had a backbone, told the coach they need to follow the ladder for this individual event and their child wasn't going to sacrifice their earned slot to make another kid feel better, and then called the other team rep (not the parent of one who would have benefitted) and complained.

All of us are now wondering: is there an official NVSL policy about decisions on divisionals? Could a coach put a slower kid into divisionals in the name of boosting opportunities for all on the team or showing team rep kid they believe in him despite dq?


On our team the coach calls the swimmers over in groups to work down the ladder (example: 9-10 girls, 8u boys, etc).

I heard one of the other girls guilt her friend not to pick an event so that she could swim it. The girl being guilted could have chosen any event for the most part except for one and this 10 year old stood there telling her not to pick her favorite stroke because then she would be sad and couldn’t swim.

I know there’s no perfect system here, but it’s sad to see swimmers get so emotionally invested in something like this that they put themselves over their friends. If there were cut times everyone who qualified could go but yes, then the meet would run way longer!


On the flip side of that coin we have a swimmer who is all star in almost all strokes but picked events to knock out the kids that were closest in her times and most likely to break her records.


I don’t this. Your kid has the team record. She’s also picking higher so has a better time than the third place swimmer on the team this season. But she’s so concerned about the third place swimmer breaking her record that she chose an event where she’s not as competitive at all stars? Unless your team is stacked with three swimmers all basically even at the team record I don’t get it. Even if that’s the case the second place swimmer who’s still in the race is a threat to the record
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 21:54     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:um, we just had a coach call a parent on our team and ask their kid to step down so another, older, kid could swim an event. No joke.

This same kid was also told he couldn't swim his top preference because the coaches wanted to give the slot to a team rep's kid whose only faster time in the event had resulted in a DQ.....


I'll take things that didn't happen for $200, Alex.


It absolutely happened .... thank God the parent had a backbone, told the coach they need to follow the ladder for this individual event and their child wasn't going to sacrifice their earned slot to make another kid feel better, and then called the other team rep (not the parent of one who would have benefitted) and complained.

All of us are now wondering: is there an official NVSL policy about decisions on divisionals? Could a coach put a slower kid into divisionals in the name of boosting opportunities for all on the team or showing team rep kid they believe in him despite dq?


On our team the coach calls the swimmers over in groups to work down the ladder (example: 9-10 girls, 8u boys, etc).

I heard one of the other girls guilt her friend not to pick an event so that she could swim it. The girl being guilted could have chosen any event for the most part except for one and this 10 year old stood there telling her not to pick her favorite stroke because then she would be sad and couldn’t swim.

I know there’s no perfect system here, but it’s sad to see swimmers get so emotionally invested in something like this that they put themselves over their friends. If there were cut times everyone who qualified could go but yes, then the meet would run way longer!


On the flip side of that coin we have a swimmer who is all star in almost all strokes but picked events to knock out the kids that were closest in her times and most likely to break her records.


It doesn't make any sense. This must be in NVSL (swimmers pick strokes). In NVSL, swimmers are only allowed 2 strokes, and there are at least two swimmers per stroke per pool. After the all-star swimmer picks her strokes, the second fastest (the one closest to the all-star's time) gets to pick hers, and both (top 2) swimmers compete in the same event.

Are you whining because your kid (#3 or #4 on the ladder) doesn't get to go to divisionals?


Top team. The top 2-4 all have all star times. They will all go.


Is it the reason there were 15 entries (instead of regular 12) in 2024 Division 1 Girls 15-18 IM, with 4 from OKM and 4 from Tuckahoe?
The extra slots due to their all-star times?

???


No. Each Division gets 12 swimmers (2 from each of the 6 teams). If a team cannot fill one of the spots then there is a bid in process with the other teams in the division and whoever has the fastest time from the other team gets the slot.

For example based on what you asked in Div 1. If Overlee could not fill one of the two 15-18 year old girl slots they would tell the Div Coordinator. Then he/she would let the other teams know and the next fastest swimmer (let’s say it’s Tuckahoe) would raise their hand and then their swimmer would get to swim.

This happens across the NVSL and a lot in the older categories because many teams have holes in those areas of the line up (ex 15-18 girls) or the girls may be at another scheduled meet for the weekend.

It has nothing to do with the All Star Times. There is also an alternate or two, I can’t remember the exact number.


There were 15 instead of 12 swimmers total in division 1 15-18 girls IM in 2024. I’m not actually sure why that would be, usually that would only happen to have more than 12 if there was a tie in the seeding times. But the idea that there was an exact time tie between the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th seeded swimmers in that event seems like a stretch. But perhaps that is what happened.


The reason we had 15 versus 12 is because teams could not fill their slots and the remaining available girls who COULD swim did not have times, so we had to let all four swim.


well. one girl with nt was put in. And then some of the other teams were like, OH, if she is NT then our NT will swim too. That is how it got over 12. and one of the NT won the event. :/
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 21:54     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?


It does not make any sense why the coach wouldn’t pick the lineup. Put the top 2 in each stroke. If someone is top 2 in everything, the coach can pick which stroke to use a backup on.

No need for parents or swimmers to have any say in this matter.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 21:47     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:um, we just had a coach call a parent on our team and ask their kid to step down so another, older, kid could swim an event. No joke.

This same kid was also told he couldn't swim his top preference because the coaches wanted to give the slot to a team rep's kid whose only faster time in the event had resulted in a DQ.....


I'll take things that didn't happen for $200, Alex.


It absolutely happened .... thank God the parent had a backbone, told the coach they need to follow the ladder for this individual event and their child wasn't going to sacrifice their earned slot to make another kid feel better, and then called the other team rep (not the parent of one who would have benefitted) and complained.

All of us are now wondering: is there an official NVSL policy about decisions on divisionals? Could a coach put a slower kid into divisionals in the name of boosting opportunities for all on the team or showing team rep kid they believe in him despite dq?


On our team the coach calls the swimmers over in groups to work down the ladder (example: 9-10 girls, 8u boys, etc).

I heard one of the other girls guilt her friend not to pick an event so that she could swim it. The girl being guilted could have chosen any event for the most part except for one and this 10 year old stood there telling her not to pick her favorite stroke because then she would be sad and couldn’t swim.

I know there’s no perfect system here, but it’s sad to see swimmers get so emotionally invested in something like this that they put themselves over their friends. If there were cut times everyone who qualified could go but yes, then the meet would run way longer!


On the flip side of that coin we have a swimmer who is all star in almost all strokes but picked events to knock out the kids that were closest in her times and most likely to break her records.


It doesn't make any sense. This must be in NVSL (swimmers pick strokes). In NVSL, swimmers are only allowed 2 strokes, and there are at least two swimmers per stroke per pool. After the all-star swimmer picks her strokes, the second fastest (the one closest to the all-star's time) gets to pick hers, and both (top 2) swimmers compete in the same event.

Are you whining because your kid (#3 or #4 on the ladder) doesn't get to go to divisionals?


Top team. The top 2-4 all have all star times. They will all go.


Is it the reason there were 15 entries (instead of regular 12) in 2024 Division 1 Girls 15-18 IM, with 4 from OKM and 4 from Tuckahoe?
The extra slots due to their all-star times?

???


No. Each Division gets 12 swimmers (2 from each of the 6 teams). If a team cannot fill one of the spots then there is a bid in process with the other teams in the division and whoever has the fastest time from the other team gets the slot.

For example based on what you asked in Div 1. If Overlee could not fill one of the two 15-18 year old girl slots they would tell the Div Coordinator. Then he/she would let the other teams know and the next fastest swimmer (let’s say it’s Tuckahoe) would raise their hand and then their swimmer would get to swim.

This happens across the NVSL and a lot in the older categories because many teams have holes in those areas of the line up (ex 15-18 girls) or the girls may be at another scheduled meet for the weekend.

It has nothing to do with the All Star Times. There is also an alternate or two, I can’t remember the exact number.


There were 15 instead of 12 swimmers total in division 1 15-18 girls IM in 2024. I’m not actually sure why that would be, usually that would only happen to have more than 12 if there was a tie in the seeding times. But the idea that there was an exact time tie between the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th seeded swimmers in that event seems like a stretch. But perhaps that is what happened.


The reason we had 15 versus 12 is because teams could not fill their slots and the remaining available girls who COULD swim did not have times, so we had to let all four swim.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 21:44     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:um, we just had a coach call a parent on our team and ask their kid to step down so another, older, kid could swim an event. No joke.

This same kid was also told he couldn't swim his top preference because the coaches wanted to give the slot to a team rep's kid whose only faster time in the event had resulted in a DQ.....


I'll take things that didn't happen for $200, Alex.


It absolutely happened .... thank God the parent had a backbone, told the coach they need to follow the ladder for this individual event and their child wasn't going to sacrifice their earned slot to make another kid feel better, and then called the other team rep (not the parent of one who would have benefitted) and complained.

All of us are now wondering: is there an official NVSL policy about decisions on divisionals? Could a coach put a slower kid into divisionals in the name of boosting opportunities for all on the team or showing team rep kid they believe in him despite dq?


On our team the coach calls the swimmers over in groups to work down the ladder (example: 9-10 girls, 8u boys, etc).

I heard one of the other girls guilt her friend not to pick an event so that she could swim it. The girl being guilted could have chosen any event for the most part except for one and this 10 year old stood there telling her not to pick her favorite stroke because then she would be sad and couldn’t swim.

I know there’s no perfect system here, but it’s sad to see swimmers get so emotionally invested in something like this that they put themselves over their friends. If there were cut times everyone who qualified could go but yes, then the meet would run way longer!


On the flip side of that coin we have a swimmer who is all star in almost all strokes but picked events to knock out the kids that were closest in her times and most likely to break her records.


It doesn't make any sense. This must be in NVSL (swimmers pick strokes). In NVSL, swimmers are only allowed 2 strokes, and there are at least two swimmers per stroke per pool. After the all-star swimmer picks her strokes, the second fastest (the one closest to the all-star's time) gets to pick hers, and both (top 2) swimmers compete in the same event.

Are you whining because your kid (#3 or #4 on the ladder) doesn't get to go to divisionals?


Top team. The top 2-4 all have all star times. They will all go.


Is it the reason there were 15 entries (instead of regular 12) in 2024 Division 1 Girls 15-18 IM, with 4 from OKM and 4 from Tuckahoe?
The extra slots due to their all-star times?

???


No. Each Division gets 12 swimmers (2 from each of the 6 teams). If a team cannot fill one of the spots then there is a bid in process with the other teams in the division and whoever has the fastest time from the other team gets the slot.

For example based on what you asked in Div 1. If Overlee could not fill one of the two 15-18 year old girl slots they would tell the Div Coordinator. Then he/she would let the other teams know and the next fastest swimmer (let’s say it’s Tuckahoe) would raise their hand and then their swimmer would get to swim.

This happens across the NVSL and a lot in the older categories because many teams have holes in those areas of the line up (ex 15-18 girls) or the girls may be at another scheduled meet for the weekend.

It has nothing to do with the All Star Times. There is also an alternate or two, I can’t remember the exact number.


There were 15 instead of 12 swimmers total in division 1 15-18 girls IM in 2024. I’m not actually sure why that would be, usually that would only happen to have more than 12 if there was a tie in the seeding times. But the idea that there was an exact time tie between the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th seeded swimmers in that event seems like a stretch. But perhaps that is what happened.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 21:44     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

Anonymous wrote:CSL. Coach picks events. Swimmers don’t get input even those with all star times in all events.


Does CSL count divisional points as team points?
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 21:41     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why it isn’t just best times. If 2 kids have best times in 3-4 strokes, the coach should be determining which strokes those kids should swim in divisionals that give the best chance of getting the team points. The only way to keep it fair across the board is to be transparent with times and let the coaches decide. That’s the way it works at our pool.


NVSL doesn’t use divisionals for team points.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 21:40     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:um, we just had a coach call a parent on our team and ask their kid to step down so another, older, kid could swim an event. No joke.

This same kid was also told he couldn't swim his top preference because the coaches wanted to give the slot to a team rep's kid whose only faster time in the event had resulted in a DQ.....


I'll take things that didn't happen for $200, Alex.


It absolutely happened .... thank God the parent had a backbone, told the coach they need to follow the ladder for this individual event and their child wasn't going to sacrifice their earned slot to make another kid feel better, and then called the other team rep (not the parent of one who would have benefitted) and complained.

All of us are now wondering: is there an official NVSL policy about decisions on divisionals? Could a coach put a slower kid into divisionals in the name of boosting opportunities for all on the team or showing team rep kid they believe in him despite dq?


On our team the coach calls the swimmers over in groups to work down the ladder (example: 9-10 girls, 8u boys, etc).

I heard one of the other girls guilt her friend not to pick an event so that she could swim it. The girl being guilted could have chosen any event for the most part except for one and this 10 year old stood there telling her not to pick her favorite stroke because then she would be sad and couldn’t swim.

I know there’s no perfect system here, but it’s sad to see swimmers get so emotionally invested in something like this that they put themselves over their friends. If there were cut times everyone who qualified could go but yes, then the meet would run way longer!


On the flip side of that coin we have a swimmer who is all star in almost all strokes but picked events to knock out the kids that were closest in her times and most likely to break her records.


It doesn't make any sense. This must be in NVSL (swimmers pick strokes). In NVSL, swimmers are only allowed 2 strokes, and there are at least two swimmers per stroke per pool. After the all-star swimmer picks her strokes, the second fastest (the one closest to the all-star's time) gets to pick hers, and both (top 2) swimmers compete in the same event.

Are you whining because your kid (#3 or #4 on the ladder) doesn't get to go to divisionals?


Top team. The top 2-4 all have all star times. They will all go.


Is it the reason there were 15 entries (instead of regular 12) in 2024 Division 1 Girls 15-18 IM, with 4 from OKM and 4 from Tuckahoe?
The extra slots due to their all-star times?

???


No. Each Division gets 12 swimmers (2 from each of the 6 teams). If a team cannot fill one of the spots then there is a bid in process with the other teams in the division and whoever has the fastest time from the other team gets the slot.

For example based on what you asked in Div 1. If Overlee could not fill one of the two 15-18 year old girl slots they would tell the Div Coordinator. Then he/she would let the other teams know and the next fastest swimmer (let’s say it’s Tuckahoe) would raise their hand and then their swimmer would get to swim.

This happens across the NVSL and a lot in the older categories because many teams have holes in those areas of the line up (ex 15-18 girls) or the girls may be at another scheduled meet for the weekend.

It has nothing to do with the All Star Times. There is also an alternate or two, I can’t remember the exact number.


The reason we had 15 versus 12 is because teams could not fill their slots and the remaining available girls who COULD swim did not have times, so we had to let all four swim.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 21:35     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:um, we just had a coach call a parent on our team and ask their kid to step down so another, older, kid could swim an event. No joke.

This same kid was also told he couldn't swim his top preference because the coaches wanted to give the slot to a team rep's kid whose only faster time in the event had resulted in a DQ.....


I'll take things that didn't happen for $200, Alex.


It absolutely happened .... thank God the parent had a backbone, told the coach they need to follow the ladder for this individual event and their child wasn't going to sacrifice their earned slot to make another kid feel better, and then called the other team rep (not the parent of one who would have benefitted) and complained.

All of us are now wondering: is there an official NVSL policy about decisions on divisionals? Could a coach put a slower kid into divisionals in the name of boosting opportunities for all on the team or showing team rep kid they believe in him despite dq?


On our team the coach calls the swimmers over in groups to work down the ladder (example: 9-10 girls, 8u boys, etc).

I heard one of the other girls guilt her friend not to pick an event so that she could swim it. The girl being guilted could have chosen any event for the most part except for one and this 10 year old stood there telling her not to pick her favorite stroke because then she would be sad and couldn’t swim.

I know there’s no perfect system here, but it’s sad to see swimmers get so emotionally invested in something like this that they put themselves over their friends. If there were cut times everyone who qualified could go but yes, then the meet would run way longer!


On the flip side of that coin we have a swimmer who is all star in almost all strokes but picked events to knock out the kids that were closest in her times and most likely to break her records.


It doesn't make any sense. This must be in NVSL (swimmers pick strokes). In NVSL, swimmers are only allowed 2 strokes, and there are at least two swimmers per stroke per pool. After the all-star swimmer picks her strokes, the second fastest (the one closest to the all-star's time) gets to pick hers, and both (top 2) swimmers compete in the same event.

Are you whining because your kid (#3 or #4 on the ladder) doesn't get to go to divisionals?


Top team. The top 2-4 all have all star times. They will all go.


Is it the reason there were 15 entries (instead of regular 12) in 2024 Division 1 Girls 15-18 IM, with 4 from OKM and 4 from Tuckahoe?
The extra slots due to their all-star times?

???


No. Each Division gets 12 swimmers (2 from each of the 6 teams). If a team cannot fill one of the spots then there is a bid in process with the other teams in the division and whoever has the fastest time from the other team gets the slot.

For example based on what you asked in Div 1. If Overlee could not fill one of the two 15-18 year old girl slots they would tell the Div Coordinator. Then he/she would let the other teams know and the next fastest swimmer (let’s say it’s Tuckahoe) would raise their hand and then their swimmer would get to swim.

This happens across the NVSL and a lot in the older categories because many teams have holes in those areas of the line up (ex 15-18 girls) or the girls may be at another scheduled meet for the weekend.

It has nothing to do with the All Star Times. There is also an alternate or two, I can’t remember the exact number.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 21:17     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

Anonymous wrote:What league? In NVSL, it would be exceedingly rare to not solely use the ladder. Those atop the ladder in multiple strokes rank what they want to swim and get top choice.


Yup—our coaches have always used the ladder. Of course this sometimes leads to mean girls picking events to block others from competing but that’s on them.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 20:04     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why it isn’t just best times. If 2 kids have best times in 3-4 strokes, the coach should be determining which strokes those kids should swim in divisionals that give the best chance of getting the team points. The only way to keep it fair across the board is to be transparent with times and let the coaches decide. That’s the way it works at our pool.


I think for most leagues there are no team points awarded at divisionals. So it’s an entirely individual meet where the goal for most is to place as high as possible with the hope of making all stars. For most leagues only the times sw at divisionals matter for determining all stars. I agree that if points are on the line the coaches should pick the lineup. If it’s completely individual the swimmers should get to pick in ladder order. And the ladders should be available to everyone so it’s easy to see why the lineup is what it is.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 19:55     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

I don’t understand why it isn’t just best times. If 2 kids have best times in 3-4 strokes, the coach should be determining which strokes those kids should swim in divisionals that give the best chance of getting the team points. The only way to keep it fair across the board is to be transparent with times and let the coaches decide. That’s the way it works at our pool.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 19:52     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:um, we just had a coach call a parent on our team and ask their kid to step down so another, older, kid could swim an event. No joke.

This same kid was also told he couldn't swim his top preference because the coaches wanted to give the slot to a team rep's kid whose only faster time in the event had resulted in a DQ.....


I'll take things that didn't happen for $200, Alex.


It absolutely happened .... thank God the parent had a backbone, told the coach they need to follow the ladder for this individual event and their child wasn't going to sacrifice their earned slot to make another kid feel better, and then called the other team rep (not the parent of one who would have benefitted) and complained.

All of us are now wondering: is there an official NVSL policy about decisions on divisionals? Could a coach put a slower kid into divisionals in the name of boosting opportunities for all on the team or showing team rep kid they believe in him despite dq?


On our team the coach calls the swimmers over in groups to work down the ladder (example: 9-10 girls, 8u boys, etc).

I heard one of the other girls guilt her friend not to pick an event so that she could swim it. The girl being guilted could have chosen any event for the most part except for one and this 10 year old stood there telling her not to pick her favorite stroke because then she would be sad and couldn’t swim.

I know there’s no perfect system here, but it’s sad to see swimmers get so emotionally invested in something like this that they put themselves over their friends. If there were cut times everyone who qualified could go but yes, then the meet would run way longer!


On the flip side of that coin we have a swimmer who is all star in almost all strokes but picked events to knock out the kids that were closest in her times and most likely to break her records.


It doesn't make any sense. This must be in NVSL (swimmers pick strokes). In NVSL, swimmers are only allowed 2 strokes, and there are at least two swimmers per stroke per pool. After the all-star swimmer picks her strokes, the second fastest (the one closest to the all-star's time) gets to pick hers, and both (top 2) swimmers compete in the same event.

Are you whining because your kid (#3 or #4 on the ladder) doesn't get to go to divisionals?


Top team. The top 2-4 all have all star times. They will all go.


Is it the reason there were 15 entries (instead of regular 12) in 2024 Division 1 Girls 15-18 IM, with 4 from OKM and 4 from Tuckahoe?
The extra slots due to their all-star times?

???
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2025 19:04     Subject: Do your coaches select the divisional events?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Are you sure that was the intent? If this is just your perspective then fine. Kids are very mercurial - I don’t pretend to always know why my own kids do what they do much less they they people’s kids.


Pretty sure. They picked an event that would not put them on the podium at all stars (they have other events that they definitely would be) but by picking the events they did they can defend the record.


I mean, so?? If they have the top times they have the right to choose what they swim in divisionals, whether or not some random parent agrees with their choice. I can see wanting to keep your record up for a season, if that’s the true reason. But it’s their choice, and if the record was so easy to beat maybe it would have happened earlier in the season. It’s really not your place to be judging their choice (judging a child’s choice too!).