Why don't I see a Motivational Standard for this swim?
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Motivational Standards aren't available for every swim. Here's why:
- Age range: Motivational Standards are published for the 10 & Under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, and 17-18 age groups (and by single age, 10 through 18). Swims by swimmers over age 18 fall outside these published groups, so no standard applies.
- Event recognition: Motivational Standards are only calculated for USA Swimming–recognized events. Swims from unrecognized event types don't have a standard.
- 13&Over 50s: Starting with the 2025–2026 season, 13&Over 50-yard/meter events became recognized by USA Swimming. Swims from before that season in these events won't have a Motivational Standard, since they weren't a recognized event at the time.
- Standards cycle (QUAD): USA Swimming publishes new Age Group Motivational Time Standards every four years (a "quad"), each with B, BB, A, AA, AAA, and AAAA levels for SCY, SCM, and LCM. The current quad covers 2024–2028, effective September 1, 2024. We always compare a swim against the standards that were in effect on the date it was actually swum — not today's standards — so older swims are judged fairly against the criteria of their own era.
You can view the full current standards here: Age Group Motivational Times
