Walden Glen Wahoos

TIME TRIALS

The Time Trials meet is the first meet of the season and is held at Walden Glen on the Saturday morning before the first NVSL dual meet. Time Trials establishes a swimmer's baseline times, and having accurate times on all swimmers allows the coaches to strategize against our opponents. Time Trials also offer an opportunity for meet volunteers to get valuable hands-on experience before the meet season begins. Typically, Mini Wahoos and Swim School swimmers do not participate in Time Trials. No ribbons are awarded, and no team records can be set.

SATURDAY NVSL DUAL MEETS (“A” MEETS)

The Wahoos swim in an NVSL division with five other teams, competing in five dual meets on Saturday mornings These meets are scored and determine the team's standing in the Division at the end of the season.

Saturday Meet Events and Distances

The dual meet's 52 events start with freestyle races for each age group, then backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and an age group relay. All finishers in every event earn a ribbon. The last two events of the meet are mixed-age relays swum by one 11-12, one 9-10, one 13-14, and one 15-18, in that order.

The top three finishers in each individual event score 5-3-1); relay winners score 5 points. All finishers in every event earn a ribbon.

In an NVSL dual meet, each team can enter up to three swimmers in each individual event and one team in each relay event. Swimmers may compete in no more than two individual events, one age-group relay and the mixed-age relay.

The coaches will determine the placement of swimmers in events for NVSL dual meets. The meet lineup will be read at the Friday practices and then emailed to families afterward.

Occasionally, swimmers may be asked to swim in an age group older than their own (swimming up). These decisions are made for the good of the team, and team members can help the team by supporting these decisions.

Team Records can be set at any meet in the season except Time Trials. Swimmers can only break records in their own age group.

NVSL DIVISION RELAY CARNIVAL

The six teams in each NVSL division compete in a Division Relay Carnival, which takes place on the Wednesday evening between the second and third dual meets. The Relay Carnival is a scored meet where all events are relays. At the Relay Carnival, swimmers must compete in their own age groups. Each age group competes in a freestyle relay and a medley relay and there is a mixed age relay. Relay distances mirror NVSL dual meet relays except in the 13-14 age group where the relays are 200m races. Points are scored for first through sixth place, and a trophy is given to the winning team.

NVSL ALL STAR RELAY CARNIVAL

The eighteen fastest relays in each event swum at the seventeen Division Relay Carnivals compete at the NVSL All-Star Relay Carnival. This is a scored meet swum on the Wednesday evening between the fourth and fifth dual meets. Points are scored for each place, and a trophy is given to the winning team.

DIVISION INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP MEET (DIVISIONALS)

Divisionals is held on the second-to-last Saturday of July. Two swimmers from each team in the division compete in each of the individual events. The individual medley (IM) event is included; there are no relay events. Swimmers may swim a maximum of two events at Divisionals. Medals are awarded to 1st – 6th place. Ribbons are awarded to 7th – 12th place. This meet is not scored. The order of strokes at this meet rotates each year.

ALL STAR INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP MEET

All Stars is held on the last Saturday of July. The eighteen fastest swimmers in each event swum at the 17 Divisional meets are brought together to swim at the All Stars meet. The NVSL honors the top 18 swimmers plus 2 alternates in each event as All Stars. Medals are awarded to 1st – 6th place. Ribbons are awarded to 7th-18th place. All Stars is not scored.

SPRINGFIELD-BURKE DEVELOPMENTAL LEAGUE (“B” Meets)

These Monday evening meets are not scored; however, they are conducted with the same competition rules as Saturday dual meets, and ribbons are awarded to all finishers. These meets do not have relay events but do include the individual medley (IM) events. “B” Meets afford swimmers the opportunity to select their events in accordance with the eligibility rules below and the approval of the coaching staff.

SPRINGFIELD-BURKE DEVELOPMENTAL LEAGUE MEET RULES

Reference rule 3. ELIGIBILITY

A. Swimmers shall not swim any event swum at the preceding NVSL-sanctioned dual meet (“A” meet).

B. Swimmers shall swim no more than two events.

C. Swimmers shall not be entered in events in which the swimmer has no likelihood of swimming legally.

D. Swimmers shall swim in their age groups at Developmental Meets.

The events and age groups at a Developmental Meet are as follows:

IM (Individual Medley) CARNIVAL

We host an IM Carnival on the Monday after the last Saturday dual meet. The meet brings together several teams to compete in the Individual Medley. Any swimmer with a legal time in the 100 IM event may participate.

THE LOLLIPOP MEET

The Lollipop Meet provides a safe and inviting competitive atmosphere for our youngest members. This meet is hosted at Walden Glen by the coaches, instructors, and older swimmers. We hold this meet on the Friday morning before All Stars. Swimmers are encouraged to swim a 25m race in any stroke in which they are comfortable and have not previously competed. In-water assistance is provided, as needed, to achieve swimmer comfort.

GENERAL MEET GUIDELINES

1. The NVSL competes in 25-meter pools with the exception of Kent Gardens and Holmes Run Acres, which are 25 yards.
2. Swimmers secure their own transportation to and from meets. If a ride is needed, please try to arrange it before the day of the meet. Contact the Team Rep for assistance.
3. When the team travels for Saturday meets, we meet at Walden Glen to caravan to the host pool. The address of the host pool will be emailed the week of the meet. If you plan to join the team at the host pool, please let the Head Coach and/or Team Rep know in advance. For all other meets, the team meets at the host pool at a specified time.
4. At meets, each team is assigned a designated team area. Swimmers should remain in the team area throughout the meet. This is considered best practice by the NVSL and helps prevent missed events.
5. Coaches will help swimmers report for events on time. When instructed, the swimmers will go directly to the Clerk of Course until it is time to compete.
6. Swimmers should check in with the coaches before and after each race.
7. The referee will blow a series of short chirps on a whistle indicating that the next event should be introduced by the announcer. For forward starts, the long whistle indicates quiet for the start. For backstroke starts, the first long whistle invites the swimmers to step into the pool. The second long whistle indicates quiet for the start. The quiet for the start must be observed to ensure a fair and equitable start for the event.
8. Please respect all volunteer officials. Per NVSL policy, please direct any questions and concerns to the Team Rep.
9. Unsportsmanlike behavior will not be tolerated. There will be no booing, vulgarity, or any form of poor sportsmanship.
10. The entire team is to clean up after themselves. We will leave our team area as we found it.
11. A swimmer should not leave a meet without informing the Head Coach or the Team Rep to ensure that the swimmer is not needed for a later event.
12. If something unexpected happens that will prevent a swimmer from competing, please inform the Head Coach or a Team Rep as soon as possible.

WHAT TO BRING TO A MEET

(LABEL EVERYTHING WITH YOUR LAST NAME)

1. Two swimsuits (one on your body and one in your bag
2. Two caps (if worn)
3. Two pairs of goggles
4. Chair
5. Towel
6. Sunscreen
7. Sweatshirt
8. Shoes or sandals
9. Water bottle
10. Light snack