Summer Swim Team FAQ's and Information
Click here to download your own copy
Table of contents .
Swimming Age Groups: (back to top)
- 8 and Under: Swimmers 8 years of age and younger
- 10 and Under: 9 years and 10 years of age
- 12 and Under: 11 years and 12 years of age
- 14 and Under: 13 years and 14 years of age
- Open: 15 years through summer after graduation
Diving Age Groups: (back to top)
- Junior: Divers 12 years of age and younger
- Senior: 13 years and older
- Age Cut-Off: age as of June 15th each year
What are the swimming events? (back to top)
Freestyle (free):
Front crawl swam on the stomach with arms making a windmill
motion
Backstroke (back):
The front crawl stroke swam on the back, cannot turn over
on to stomach
Butterfly * (fly):
Both arm and leg movements occur at the same time, swam on
stomach
Breaststroke * (breast):
“frog stroke” where arms and legs move like a frog on top
of the water
* Require 2-hand touches at the finish, no freestyle kicking or scissor kicking
allowed
Lap: The point from one side of the pool to another (25 yards or 25 meters)
- 25 = 1 length of the pool (yards or meters)
- 50 = 2 lengths of the pool (yards or meters)
- 100 = 4 lengths of the pool (yards or meters)
Relay:
4 person event where each swimmer swims one leg of the race
Medley Relay:
4 swimmers compete with the 1st swimming backstroke, 2nd
swimming breaststroke, 3rd swimming butterfly and 4th swimming freestyle
Free Relay:
Each of the 4 swimmers swims freestyle
Event:
Part of the competition meets specified by age, gender, and stroke. Each age
group swims the four strokes as well as one relay at one meet. 8 and under swimmers
compete in the free relay. All other swimmers compete in the medley relay.
Heat:
A portion of the event
Official Heat:
The first heat of an event where points are used towards the final score
Exhibition Heat:
Any additional heat completed after the official heat. These
heats do not earn points, however, they give the swimmers an opportunity to decrease
their times and participate with the team. These times can be used to qualify for
championships.
False Start:
Leaving the blocks before the heat is started by an official (2 false starts
results in disqualification)
Disqualification (DQ):
Time and place of finish does not count due to incorrect
swimming technique
Warm-up:
An opportunity for swimmers to get their muscles loose and ready
Cool Down/Warm-down:
Slow swimming needed to recover from race or practice
What are Time Trials? (back to top)
It’s like a swim meet for just our swimmers. Time Trials are usually held on a Saturday in the morning before the first swim meet of the season. Time Trials are held to record a time for your child in each of the 4 strokes. These times enable the coaches to do their line-ups for the 1st meet. This is also an opportunity for new swimmers to experience a meet and parents to shadow new positions that they
have an interest in learning.
What are Time Improvements? (back to top)
Hatfield Sharks Swim Team gives members small certificates after a meet when they improve their time in a specific event. When a swimmer gets 3 certificates in the same event, they are awarded a “stroke pin”. Look for these certificates and/or pins in your
family folder a couple of days following a meet.
What is the difference in the lengths of the pools? (back to top)
Time Conversion – The swimming pools throughout the league are different lengths with some being 25 yards and some 25 meters:
- Fanny Chapman…..25 yards
- Souderton….. 25 yards
- Nor-Gwyn….. 25 meters
- Pennridge….. 25 yards
- Hatfield….. 25 meters
- Harleysville….. 25 meters
- Towamencin….. 25 yards
- Lansdale….. 25 meters
To change a yard time to a meters time: Multiply 1.11 x the yard time
To change a meter time to a yards time: Multiply .901 x the meter time
| Event Girls | Event Name | Event Boys |
|
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
25
27
29
31
33
35
37
39
41
43
45
47
49
51
53
|
8 & Under 100 y/m Freestyle Relay
10 & Under 25 y/m Butterfly
8 & Under 25 y/m Butterfly
12 & Under 50 y/m Butterfly
14 & Under 50 y/m Butterfly
Senior 50 y/m Butterfly
Senior 100 y/m Butterfly
8 & Under 25 y/m Breaststroke
10 & Under 25 y/m Breaststroke
12 & Under 50 y/m Breaststroke
14 & Under 50 y/m Breaststroke
Senior 50 y/m Breaststroke
Senior 100 y/m Breaststroke
8 & Under 25 y/m Backstroke
10 & Under 25 y/m Backstroke
12 & Under 50 y/m Backstroke
14 & Under 50 y/m Backstroke
Senior 50 y/m Backstroke
Senior 100 y/m Backstroke
8 & Under 25 y/m Freestyle
10 & Under 25 y/m Freestyle
12 & Under 50 y/m Freestyle
14 & Under 50 y/m Freestyle
Senior 50 y/m Freestyle
Senior 100 y/m Freestyle
10 & Under 100 y/m medley relay
12 & Under 200 y/m medley relay
14 & Under 200 y/m medley relay
Senior 200 y/m medley relay
Junior Diving – 1 meter
Senior Diving – 1 meter
|
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
36
38
40
42
44
46
48
50
52
54
|
How does each team get points? (back to top)
How a Meet is Scored: There is a total of 466 points to be won in a swim meet.
They are broken down as follows:
Diving
(36 points - 9 points for a total each Jr. Girls, Jr. Boys, Sr. Girls, Sr. Boys):
- 5 points for 1st
- 3 points for 2nd
- 1 point for 3rd
Swimming
Relays
(40 points): Winning relay gets 7 points. No other points are awarded
Individual Races (360 points):
- 5 points for 1st
- 3 points for 2nd
- 1 point for 3rd
A team cannot sweep an event as long as there is a swimmer from the opposite team competing. In such a case, the fourth-place swimmer from the opposing team earns 1 point leaving the first and second-place finishers earning 5 and 3 points respectively.
What are Invitationals? (back to top)
Each season swimmers can choose to participate in invitational meets. These are optional meets, usually on a Saturday or Sunday. Swimmers select the events in which they would like to compete. Information about these meets will be published on the Sharks website under the “invitationals”. Someone from the coaching staff attends each of the meets.
What are Champs? (back to top)
Because swimming is not only a team sport but also an individual sport, based on swimmers’ times, the League runs three championship meets at the end of the season. These meets give swimmers the opportunity to compete against other swimmers in the league with similar times. A list of qualifying times can be found in the information center. A book with all swimmers’ times for each meet can be found in the folder stand.
The coaches will work with the swimmers in selecting events and championships. Championship Meet Qualifying Times: The championship meets are divided into three categories according to ability (A, B and C) qualifying times may be found on the Bux-Mont swim league website (www.northpennswimming.com/BuxMont). Viewing a swimmer’s time at the end of the season will determine which championships they will attend. It is possible to attend all three championships but a maximum of four events total may be swum.
What should a swimmer bring to a meet? (back to top)
Team suit, Swim cap, 2 pairs of goggles (in case one pair breaks), 2-3 towels, Warm clothing including sweatshirts and sweatpants- it gets chilly in the grass some nights!
Healthy snacks (pretzels, vegetables, crackers, cheese sticks, grapes…) and water or Gatorade
Enthusiasm, sportsmanship, spirit, and excitement!
What do parents need to bring to a meet? (back to top)
Chair, bug spray, sweatshirt (it gets chilly some nights), snacks, $$ for snacks, $$ for 50/50, enthusiasm and sportsmanship!
How long does a Swim meet last? (back to top)
Usually meets are finished between 9 and 10 PM. It depends on the size of the 2 competing teams. Also, if we are asked to clear the pool because of lightning in the area, that will delay the meet.
Ask the coaches! Ask the board members! Ask another parent! If you have a question, just ask!
Sponsors & Partners
Sponsors & Partners
