Time Trials 101
About Time Trials
Time trials is our first meet-style event that we run. It simulates what happens at a meet. It allows our new swimmers & parents to familiarize themselves with what a meet is like. It also allows the team to record times for all the swimmers so that they are properly placed during real meets against swimmers at their ability level.
List of Events
Here is a list of events required for each age group to swim at Time Trials. These events will be swum throughout the season, but only two individual events will be swum at any given dual meet:
** A “25” is one lap across the pool**
| 8 & U | 9/10 | 11/12 | 13/14 | 15-18 |
| 25 Freestyle | 50 Freestyle | 50 Freestyle | 100 Freestyle | 100 Freestyle |
| 25 Backstroke | 50 Backstroke | 50 Backstroke | 50 Backstroke | 100 Backstroke |
| 25 Breaststroke | 50 Breaststroke | 50 Breaststroke | 50 Breaststroke | |
| 25 Butterfly | 50 Butterfly | 50 Butterfly | 50 Butterfly | |
| 100 IM optional | 100 IM optional | 100 IM optional | 100 IM optional | 100 IM optional |
**The 100 IM (Individual Medley-- 25 Butterfly, 25 Backstroke, 25 Breaststroke, 25 Freestyle) is completely optional at Time Trials. However, swimmers who are competent in all four strokes are highly encouraged to swim for a time because the coaches have to enter about 3 swimmers in 12&U IM and 3 swimmers in the 13&O IM at every dual meet.
Order of Events:
10 & Under Time Trials
| 8 & U 25 Freestyle |
| 9/10 50 Freestyle |
| 11/12 50 Freestyle |
| 8 & U 25 Backstroke |
| 9/10 50 Backstroke |
| 11/12 50 Backstroke |
| 9/10 25 Breaststroke |
| 11/12 50 Breaststroke |
| 9/10 25 Butterfly |
| 11/12 50 Butterfly |
| Mixed 100 IM-- Optional for all age groups |
**For each age group, girls will swim first, then boys will swim
Order of Events
11 & Over Time Trials
| 11/12 50 Freestyle |
| 13/14 100 Freestyle |
| 15-18 100 Freestyle |
| 11/12 50 Backstroke |
| 13/14 50 Backstroke |
| 15-18 100 Backstroke |
| 11/12 50 Breaststroke |
| 13/14 50 Breaststroke |
| 15-18 50 Breaststroke |
| 11/12 50 Butterfly |
| 13/14 50 Butterfly |
| 15-18 50 Butterfly |
| Mixed 100 IM-- Optional for all age groups |
**For each age group, girls will swim first, then boys will swim
Important To Note
- We will begin with stretching, warm-up in the pool, new swimmer lap test, then we will begin time trials. I wanted to create this sheet to explain the events your child/children will be swimming, and to give a layout of how things will be run to answer questions, prevent confusion and so things will run (even a little) more smoothly.
- We will need TIMERS for each lane, so be prepared to help out if you can. We will also have a brief session so new parents understand how to time before the meets start. Parents will record times on timing sheets (swimmer’s names are laid out on paper alphabetically by age group and each event is listed). These times should be recorded to the HUNDREDTHS place. The sheets at time trials will be set up a little differently than how they will be for meets, but learning to time at Time Trials is a great starting point for new parents, especially.
- There will be swim officials at Time Trials to “start” the meet. (They are the ones who blow the whistles, say “Take your mark,” sound the buzzer/strobe light, and disqualify swimmers for improper technique.) HOWEVER, there will be NO DQ’s at tomorrow’s trials. This is because Time Trials is primarily used for having a baseline time for each event for each swimmer. These times are used to create the meet sheet at our first few meets, so it is important to swim fast!!!
- We understand that swimmers might not have proper technique for all of the four strokes, especially this early in the season, and that is okay. If your child makes the team, this is something that we will continue to work on throughout the season. So, not every swimmer at Time Trials will do all of the events (if they truly cannot do one of the strokes), but it is important to give every event a try.
- Time Trials is also a great opportunity for us, as coaches, to see the room for improvement moving forward, and also as something to look back on at the end of the season to see how far everyone has come!!
