Swim Meet 101
Swimmers have an opportunity to participate in at least one meet per week.
In addition to the Monday Developmental meets and Saturday NVSL meets, there are additional events throughout the season including Time Trials, Divisional Relays, All Star Relays, Divisionals, and Individual All Stars.
Here is a brief description of each of these meets:
Time Trials (Intrasquad Meet)
The Time Trial is our first meet. Only our team participates, it is open to all swimmers on the team, and the meet is run like a "regular" meet. It allows swimmers a real meet feel, and to experience the clerk of course and beep of a starting system. First-time parents are encouraged to work as timers at the Time Trials so that they can become accustomed to meet rules and protocols.
Unlike all other meets, swimmers can compete in each of the four competitive strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly) to get an official time. This meet allows each swimmer to establish a benchmark from which to set personal goals for the summer, and establishes our initial list of times to facilitate event selections for the first Saturday NVSL meet. Parents are encouraged to sign their swimmer(s) up for any event that they think the swimmer is able to swim legally. The coaches can help answer questions as to whether a swimmer is ready to swim a particular stroke.
Monday Developmental Meet (B Meets)
Open to every swimmer on the team, held at 6:00pm on Mondays. Swimmers may select a maximum of two events. The four competitive strokes are offered, and some meets offer the Individual Medley. Coaches work with swimmers to identify strokes each swimmer is ready to swim and will help with weekly stroke selection. Parents should register swimmers for the meet and specific events by the Saturday midnight deadline.
Swimmers that placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in the preceding Saturday meet are not eligible for place ribbons at the subsequent Monday meet.
Saturday NVSL Meet (A Meets)
NVSL meets consist of 40 Individual events and 12 relays. Events are shown below.
Who Swims Saturday Meets? NVSL meets are competitive dual meets; generally the fastest swimmers get to swim. Both teams may enter three swimmers per individual event and no swimmer can swim more than two individual events. Coaches try to position swimmers to optimize points for the team.
It is important that families indicate their swimmer's availability for these meets each week with a firm commitment. No-shows are a no-no. The next person on the list would love to have the opportunity to swim.
Saturday Meet Events and Distances
8 & Under: 25M of each stroke, plus a 100M freestyle relay
9-10: 50M free, back, breast, 25M fly, plus a 100M medley relay
11-12: 50M of each stroke, plus a 100M medley relay
13-14: 50M of each stroke, plus a 100M medley relay
15-18: 50M of each stroke, plus a 200M medley relay
Mixed Age Relay: a 200M freestyle relay swum by: 11-12, 9-10, 13-14, 15-18
Meet Sheets Meet Sheets will be distributed each Friday.
Scoring Each individual event is worth 9 points. 5 for first, 3 for second, 1 for third. Relays are worth 5 points for the winner, 0 points for the loser. Ties split points. There are 420 total points in Saturday meets. With the exception of empty lates or DQs, 211 points are needed to win.
Relay Carnival (NVSL Divisional Relays)
Our lone Wednesday evening team meet. The six teams from each division compete at one pool for a relay only meet. One heat per event, one lane per team. The meet begins with mixed age relays, and follows with each age group's freestyle relay and medley relays. The meet serves two purposes: to crown a division team champion, and serve as the qualifier for NVSL All Star Relays.
All Star Relays:
The 18 fastest times from each event among the NVSL's 17 Relay Carnivals qualify for All Star Relays. The meet is held the Wednesday after the Relay Carnival, with rotating hosts.
Divisionals (NVSL Division Individual Championships)
After the final dual meet, each division has an Individual Championship meet, referred to as Divisionals, in which the four strokes and IM are competed. Teams are allowed two entrants per event. After the Blue & White meet, swimmers indicate event preference, with the fastest times receiving the right of first refusal to participate. This is an unscored individual meet with a cap of two events per swimmer. The meet serves two purposes: to crown division individual champions, and as the qualifier for NVSL Individual All Stars.
Individual All Stars:
The 18 fastest times from the NVSL's 17 Divisional meets qualify as All Stars. The meet is held the week after Divisionals, with rotating hosts, this year at Vienna Woods.
updated 5/2/2026
