USA Swimming uses a specific scoring system for swim meets, which varies depending on the type of meet and pool size. Here's a breakdown of how scoring works:

Dual Meets

• Individual events: 5-3-1-0
• Relays: 7-0

This means

• For individual events, the point values are 5 for first place, 3 for second place, 1 for third place, and 0 for fourth place.
• For relays, the point values are 7 for first place and 0 for second place.

Triangular Meets

• Individual events: 6-4-3-2-1-0
• Relays: 8-4-0

All Other Meets

• Individual events (Individual point values shall be doubled for relays):
  • 4-lane pools: 5-3-2-1
  • 5-lane pools: 6-4-3-2-1
  • 6-lane pools: 7-5-4-3-2-1
  • 7-lane pools: 8-6-5-4-3-2-1
  • 8-lane pools: 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
  • 9-lane pools: 10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
  • 10-lane pools: 11-9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

When consolation and championship finals swim, scoring shall be as follows for individual events (Individual point values shall be doubled for relays, even when relays swim as timed finals):

• 6-lane pools (12 places):
  • A (final): 16-13-12-11-10-9
  • B (consolation): 7-5-4-3-2-1
• 7-lane pools (14 places):
  • A (final): 18-15-14-13-12-11-10
  • B (consolation): 8-6-5-4-3-2-1
• 8-lane pools (16 places):
  • A (final): 20-17-16-15-14-13-12-11
  • B (consolation): 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
• 9-lane pools (18 places):
  • A (final): 22-19-18-17-16-15-14-13-12
  • B (consolation): 10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
• 10-lane pools (20 places):
  • A (final): 24-21-20-19-18-17-16-15-14-13
  • B (consolation): 11-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

In swimming, consolation refers to a secondary or consolation final in a multi-round event where swimmers who did not qualify for the main or championship final compete for a lower placement or ranking. The consolation final usually swarms immediately before the championship final and may be called the "B final".

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Age group motivational time standards are established on a four-year basis. For instance, as of now, the latest standards cover the period from September 1, 2020, to August 31, 2024. These standards play a crucial role in swimming and serve multiple purposes. They are used to set goals, control the size of swim meets, and provide a means of comparison among swimmers. USA Swimming publishes a set of time standards known as the Top-16 Based Time Standards, categorized as B, BB, A, AA, AAA, and AAAA (refer to the second page for short course yards).

One of the key reasons behind these standards is their utility in setting goals for swimmers. Additionally, they help regulate the size of swim meets by having fewer swimmers at higher/faster levels of the standards. This means that as the standards become faster, fewer swimmers can achieve them. It's worth noting that nearly all swimming federations worldwide employ some form of stepped standards within their systems.

These standards also offer swimmers a general idea of how they compare to others in their age group and even between different age groups. However, when comparing swimmers, raw times work better within age groups. It's important to understand that just because a swimmer achieves "AAA" times as a 10 & Under, it doesn't guarantee the same performance as a 13-14. Several factors contribute to this variation, such as different maturation rates, changing interests, and even injuries.

So, how are age group motivational standards determined? They are established based on percentiles. Here are the percentiles associated with each standard:

AAAA: 98% - This standard means your swimmer is ranked in the top 2% of swimmers in their age group, of the same sex, in that specific stroke and distance.
AAA: 94% - This standard means your swimmer is ranked in the top 6% of swimmers in their age group, of the same sex, in that stroke and distance.
AA: 92% - This standard means your swimmer is ranked in the top 8% of swimmers in their age group, of the same sex, in that stroke and distance.
A: 85% - This standard means your swimmer is ranked in the top 15% of swimmers in their age group, of the same sex, in that stroke and distance.
BB: 65% - This standard means your swimmer is ranked in the top 35% of swimmers in their age group, of the same sex, in that stroke and distance.
B: 45% - This standard means your swimmer is ranked in the top 55% of swimmers in their age group, of the same sex, in that stroke and distance.
C: This standard is for all swimmers with times below the "B" standard. Any time from 0.00 up to the "B" standard is considered a "C" time.

It is noteworthy that:

1. USA Swimming age group start at 10&U, so all 10&U use the same time standards
2. Only Recommend Events have time standards, for example, 13-14 age group don't have time standard for 50Fly, because it's not a recommended event for age 13&above.
3. At SwimStandards.com, if the time standard is less than B, or not available, we use N/A for simplification purposes.
4. Normally we use age group motivational time, but here is the one available for single age.

It is common for swimmers to have different time standards for different strokes. They may even have different standards for the same stroke but different distances. As swimmers mature, their best stroke and preferred distances may change. It is recommended that swimmers avoid specializing until they have completed physical maturation. Swimming all the strokes and distances can improve both their physical and mental development throughout their career.

To sum it up, time standards are valuable for setting goals and motivating swimmers. However, improvement should not be solely focused on meeting these standards. It is important to be patient and let swimmers progress at their own pace. Remember, each swimmer is an individual with unique abilities, and their development will occur at their own rate. Comparing their success to that of others is not productive or fair. Time standards should be used as a tool for personal growth and self-motivation. Let your swimmers enjoy the journey, and as they continue to swim all strokes and distances, they will enhance their physical and mental development throughout their swimming career.

As the high school and college swim season progresses, many swimmers and coaches wonder whether their times can be entered into the USA Swimming SWIMS database. The classification of a meet determines whether times are officially recognized.

Below is a breakdown of the three types of meets and what qualifies for official USA Swimming times.

Sanctioned Events
Sanctioned meets follow the full USA Swimming technical and administrative rules and are fully recognized by USA Swimming.

Key Requirements & Benefits:

• The meet must follow USA Swimming rules.
• All times achieved are recognized by USA Swimming.
• All participants (swimmers, officials, coaches, meet staff) must be USA Swimming members.
• Full insurance coverage is provided for USA Swimming members and the host organization.

Approved Competitions
Approved meets follow USA Swimming technical rules but may not require all participants to be USA Swimming members (e.g., YMCA meets).

Key Points:

• The meet must follow USA Swimming technical rules (e.g., proper timing equipment).
• Times are recognized, but only for USA Swimming members.
• Non-USA Swimming members can participate.
• Insurance coverage depends on the host:
  • If hosted by a USA Swimming club, full insurance applies to USA Swimming members.
  • If hosted by a non-USA Swimming entity, insurance applies only to USA Swimming members participating under a USA Swimming club.

Observed Swims
Observed swims occur in meets run under other organizations' rules (e.g., high school, NCAA, IPC) but have USA Swimming-appointed officials observing swims to ensure compliance.

Important Notes:

• The meet does not follow full USA Swimming rules.
• Only times from observed and approved swims are recognized.
• Only USA Swimming members’ times are eligible for SWIMS.
• No requirement for participants to be USA Swimming members.
• No insurance coverage for swimmers or the host, except for designated USA Swimming Observers.

Which Times Count for SWIMS?

Type of Meet	Times Count for SWIMS?	USA Swimming Membership Required?	Full USA Swimming Rules?
Sanctioned	Yes	Yes	Yes
Approved	Yes (Only for USA Swimming members)	No	Yes (Technical rules only)
Observed	Yes (Only for observed swims & USA Swimming members)	No	No (Non-USA Swimming rules)

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️ Final Thoughts
If you're aiming for times that qualify for USA Swimming rankings, records, or national meets, make sure your meet is either sanctioned or approved. If you're competing in high school or college meets, ensure USA Swimming officials are observing if you want those times to count.

For more details, refer to 2024 of the USA Swimming Rules & Regulations.

Have questions? Drop them in the comments below! ️

With the 2025 MCSL Coaches' Long Course Invitational coming up on Tuesday, July 8, here’s a clear guide to help swimmers, parents, and coaches understand:

• How swimmers are selected
• What “scratching” means
• How to navigate strategic choices
• Two real-world examples to show how this plays out

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Who Gets Invited?

The top 8 swimmers in each individual event across MCSL are invited, based on:

• The best legal SCM times from the first three A meets
• No swim-ups are allowed — only times in your age group count
• The next two swimmers (9th and 10th) are listed as alternates

View All-Star Rankings here — these are the pre-scratch rankings used to determine selections and seeding for the Long Course Invitational.

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What If There’s a Tie for 8th?

Ties for 8th place are broken using each swimmer’s next best time from the first three meets.

Example:
Swimmer A: 30.10 and 30.30
Swimmer B: 30.10 and 30.50
Swimmer A gets the 8th spot.

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How Many Events Can a Swimmer Swim?

A swimmer can compete in up to two individual events at the Long Course Meet.

• If you qualify in 1 or 2 events, you're automatically entered.
• If you qualify in more than 2, you must be reduced to two events.

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Is Scratching Required?

No — scratching is optional (voluntary) before the deadline.

• Swimmers may voluntarily scratch events they don’t want to swim by contacting the MCSL Automation Chair by the deadline ( Monday, June 30 at 9:00 PM).
• If a swimmer qualifies in more than two events and does not scratch, MCSL will automatically scratch down to two events using the lowest time-to-record ratio.

After the deadline, swimmers can only scratch from the entire meet, not individual events.

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Can I Hold Out for an Alternate Spot?

If a swimmer is already in the top 8 in two events, they cannot “opt out” of one to become eligible for a third event where they placed 9th or 10th.

You’re only considered for an alternate spot if you were never top 8 in more than two events.

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EXAMPLE 1: Safe Strategy — Keep Control

Swimmer Jane is:

• 6th in 50 Back
• 7th in 50 Free
• 9th in 50 Fly

Jane really prefers 50 Fly. She could:

• Voluntarily scratch 50 Free or Back before the deadline to make herself eligible as an alternate in 50 Fly.

️ Pros: Full control over which event(s) she might swim
️ Cons: Risky — if no one scratches from 50 Fly, she won’t get to swim it

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EXAMPLE 2: Strategic Gamble — Let MCSL Decide

Swimmer Max is:

• 7th in 50 Breast
• 8th in 100 Free
• 9th in 50 Fly

Max prefers 50 Fly, but it’s 9th — not guaranteed. He decides not to submit scratches.

Then, after the deadline:

• Several swimmers ahead of him scratch from 50 Fly
• Max moves up to 6th place in all three events

Now qualified in three events — MCSL will automatically scratch one using the time-to-record ratio, and Max might keep 50 Fly if it ranks best against the record.

️ Pros: Keeps all options open
️ Cons: No control — MCSL chooses which event gets dropped

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Final Tips for Families

• Check Top Times after Week 3 to see where your swimmer stands
• If your swimmer is in 3+ events, talk with coaches about whether to scratch
• Submit voluntary scratches before Monday, June 30 at 9:00 PM
• Remember: MCSL will drop extra events for any swimmer entered in more than two

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Have questions? Reach out to your Team Rep or Coach. Good luck to all swimmers — we’re cheering you on at Long Course!