New Parents
Congratulations you are a SWIM PARENT!
As a parent you play an important role for your child. It is important for you as parents to show good sportsmanship at all times to coaches, officials, opponents and team mates. While winning is nice and setting a record or attaining a time standard feels great, it is important for you as a parent to not only focus on those things. Each time a swimmers swim they gain new experience which will help them improve over time. But this improvement does not always happen quickly especially as they get older.
A way to support you swimmer is by getting involved in both the Legends as well as the greater swimming community. Swimming is only successful because of the large amount of volunteers that help make everything run smoothly.
Swim Meets
The Legends attend at least 8 provincial swim meets (on island), one regional meet (East Coast) and numerous national meets (Easterns) per year. See below for what your swimmer will be attending.
Prior to each meet coaches and athletes pick events based on what the coaches feel is best for the athletes long term development. All swimmers are expected to participate in the relays and should plan to stay until the end of each session.
AT THE MEET
- Team up with other parents, they can be invaluable to help you understand how things are working
- Dress comfortably, it is a long, warm day
- Purchase a program - it will help you keep track of when your swimmer is swimming
- bringing a highlighter &/or pen can help keeping track easier
READING THE PROGRAM
- The meet is divided into sessions - EXAMPLE: Friday eveneing, Saturday morning, Saturday evening, Sunday morning
- Events (50 Free) are assigned to certain sessions, all who are swimming that event will swim it in assigned session
- All swims (50 Free) are divided into two events - girls and boys
- Each event is subdivided into heats, consisting of 4-8 swimmers depending on the number of lanes in the pool
- Swimmers who have not previously swum an event will be listed as Not Time (NT)
- Lanes are assigned based on seed times, the centre lane contains the fastest times
- Final relays are not posted until warm ups of that session, swimmers should always consult their coach to see if they are on a relay
RESULTS
- Results are scored according to age groups and sex; male and female of the following age groups, 10 & under, 11 &12, 13 & 14, 15 & over
- Disqualification (DQ) posted in the results indicates that the swimmer made an error during their swim
- Points are awarded to the top 3 - 8 (depending on type of meet) swimmers in a category for individual and team scoring
- At the conclusion of the meet there is usually a ceremony where the "Top Achievers" and "Top Team" are announced
Swim Meet Progression
Competitive swimmers are always encouraged to participate in as many swim meets as possible. However we understand that sometimes swimmers must choose which works best with other family obligations and monetary constraints. Therefore it is important that at the beginning of each season parents sit down with their coach and discuss which swim meets would be the best for your swimmer.
| Level |
Who Participates |
Details |
| Time Trials |
All Competitive Swimmers |
- Usually take place during Saturday morning practice. Details are distributed in weekly emails.
- Fee is $30.00 for all - paid at beginning of year or $10.00 each |
| Provincial Invitationals |
All Competitive Swimmers |
- Offered every 4-8 weeks
- The Legends host two (Fall Classic, Spring Splash)
-Details distributed in weekly emails
-There is a meet fee and coaching fee applicable |
| NL Championships |
Qualified Swimmers
Time Standards |
- Happens twice each year, short course(March) and long course (May)
- Swimmers must qualify for this meet
- Swimmers can qualify in either long course or short course, times will last until swimmers change age groups |
| East Coast Championships |
Qualified Swimemrs
Time Standards |
- Short course location rotates between St. John and Charlottetown (February/March)
- Long course rotates location between St. John's and Halifax (July) |
| Age Group Nationals |
Qualified Swimmers
Time Standards |
- Is the most important meet for qualified swimmers
- Is a long course meet taking place in late July
- Top swimmers of each age starting at 12 & under for girls and 13 & under for boys including all swimmers to the age of 18 compete from across the country |
| Eastern Nationals |
Qualified Swimmers
Time Standards |
- Is an open swim meet (no age groups) that is a small step down from Senior Nationals
- Takes place in February and coincides with Western Nationals
-Meet location rotates through the largest pools in Eastern Canada |
| Senior Nationals |
Qualified Swimmers
Time Standards |
- Is the top level of swimming for swimmers in Canada
- Swimmers race to be the best in the Country (no age groups)
- Many times the meet is used as a qualifier to make Canadian National Teams
-Takes place in March and late July |
| Other Off Island Meets |
Qualified Swimemrs |
- Each year the Legends will travel off island for other meets, in the past this has included the Pointe-Claire Provincial Invitational and Ft. Lauderdale International Swim Meet
-These meets provide our swimmers with the opportunity to race new opponent that can help push our swimmers to perform at higher levels |
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