Meets

CLASSICS and INVITATIONALS

There are opportunities available for your swimmer to attend additional competitive events. These events are not mandatory but are highly encouraged. The swimmer gets to pick his/her own events and may pick from four to six events. There is a charge for each event, generally from $3.00 - $4.00 per event. These are good opportunities for your swimmer to try a new stroke and to assess his/her own goals. You must pre-register for these events. Sign up sheets will be available from the coaches. PLEASE RETURN ENTRIES TO YOUR COACH BY THE DUE DATES POSTED ON THE SIGN UP SHEETS. The three invitational meets for the 08-09 season are at Wyoming/Godwin, Grandville, and Zeeland. We will notify you of additional invitational meets and opportunities.

DUAL MEETS

Dual meets are competitions between two teams of about the same size. Swimmers can enter a maximum of two relays and two individual events. Each team is allowed only three scoring swimmers per event. The team is allowed to enter additional swimmers in an event but they must swim "exhibition" and are not scored. Even though they are not scored, the times achieved for exhibition swims are recorded and will count toward seeding during the championship meet.

While it is nice to finish a meet with more points than the other team, this is secondary to each swimmer's progress and achieving our goal of having every swimmer get a time recorded in every event. We encourage parents and swimmers to join the coaches in evaluating the time that was swum and the improvements that were made rather than the place taken in a race. There are no additional fees for these events.

The coaching staff will place your child in his/her events. Please understand that while your child's wishes are considered, we cannot always honor special requests for events by parents. Your child is part of a team and will be placed according to need and ability. Each swimmer may compete in a total of four events, no more than two of which can be individual events. The coaches will place swimmers in events according to their previous times and where they feel the swimmer will make the greatest contribution. If there is an event you would like your child to swim, let your coach know in advance and we will do our best. Please understand that if a member of your child's relay does not attend the meet, we may have to scratch that relay. We will try to replace the swimmer, but numbers do not always allow for this. That is why it is very important to alert the coaches if your swimmer is unable to attend a meet.

CHAMPIONSHIP MEETS

Conference meets are separate from dual meets but do not require an additional fee. Our practice routine and training schedule is designed so that swimmers will attain all of the skills they need to perform at their peak at the championship "A" meet and "B/C" meet. Placements at these meets are based on individual times. Swimmers will attend the A meet if they can swim faster than a pre-determined cut off time.

Your swimmer need only qualify in one stroke to attend the "A" meet. Those who do not attain the cut off time will attend the B/C meet. Therefore, please understand that if a swimmer swims at the "A" meet they will not swim at the "B" meet. The purpose of this is to give all swimmers the opportunity to swim competitively against other swimmers of equal ability in a conference meet.

There are many ribbons and medals swimmers have a chance to win at each meet. Team scores are kept at the A meet. No team scores are kept at the B/C meet. The KAC coaches strongly encourage those who don't make the A meet cut off times to make sure they attend the B/C meet. This meet is perfect for developing swimmers and is great fun. Both the A meet and the B/C meet will award best time ribbons and heat winner ribbons when swimmers leave the pool. Swimmers may only compete in three events and only two may be individual.

The qualifying time standards are for the A, B, and C championship meets. These meets are the culmination and final events of our season.

To qualify for the A meet, a swimmer must swim faster than the A qualifying time in any one event. If the swimmer meets or exceeds the A time in any one individual event, then the swimmer shall swim at the A meet championship. If the swimmer qualifies in multiple events, please consult with the swimmers coach to determine which events to enter. Each swimmer may swim only two individual events, and one relay (max). If a swimmer only qualifies in one event, the swimmer will be allowed to swim a second individual event even if that swimmer has not met the time standard.

The B/C meet is for swimmers who have not met any A time standard. The meet is run with separate B and C heats. Swimmers not meeting the B standard will swim in C heats. Swimmers will be allowed to swim only two individual events and one relay. There is only 1 free relay at the B/C meet so relay swims are limited. Swimmers are assured two individual events at the B/C meet.

A Meet Awards

• Relays: Medals 1st-3rd, Ribbons 4th -6th
• Individual: Medals 1st-6th, Ribbons 7th -12th

B Meet Awards

• Relays: Ribbons 1st-3rd
• Individual: Medals 1st-6th, Ribbons 7th -12th

C Meet Awards

• Relay: None
• Individual: Ribbons 1st-12th