Tips For New High School Swimmers

High school swimming is unique and varies from state to state.  It is also completed in a different format than USA Swimming or YMCA club swim meets. 

Competition is held in either a 25 yard or 25 meter short course pool with 11 events in each meet as follows:

 

200 Medley Relay
200 Freestyle
200 Individual Medley
50 Freestyle
100 Butterfly
100 Freestyle
500 Freestyle
200 Free Relay
100 Backstroke
100 Breaststroke
400 Free Relay

 

Note that only one heat is swum per event for each boys and girls for dual meets; championship meets will have multiple heats. 

The same format is used for each meet with the girls always swimming first.  The number of swimmers in each heat depends on the number of lanes in the pool.

 

Our swim team will participate in meets both within our conference and also outside of our conference. 

Only the conference meets count towards the end of season conference championships.  Last year, the top eight teams in the conference used a

dual meet format to determine a division champion that then competed for the state title.

 

Our team will also compete in the Morristown “A” and “B” Invitational in January and the Morris County Championships in February.  

The “A” and “B” meet designation refers to qualifying time that allows for more swimmers to participate in the larger meets.

 

Swimmers that meet the NJSIAA State Championship qualifying standard either in a high school or club meet compete in the Meet of Champions (MOC) in early March.

 

Each swim meet is run by certified officials who follow strict guidelines to ensure fairness and that all swim start at the same time and follow NJSIAA swimming rules.

Swimmers may participate in no more than four events including individual events and relays at both dual and championship meets.

 

   The total number of points in a meet is 170 and the team with the most points wins.  Technically, the first team to score 85 points wins

but most teams swim a full meet as electronic scoreboards are not usually available.  There is a tie breaker system if needed.

Championship meets award points for first through twelfth place for both individual and relay events.  Sample Meet Result Sheet here. 

 

PLACE          PTS/IND          PTS/REL

                                                                                                                                                                              1                        6                          8

                                                                                                                                                                              2                        4                         4

                                                                                                                                                                              3                        3                          2

                                                                                                                                                                              4                       2                        N/A             

                                                                                                                                                                              5                        1                        N/A