There seems to be a lot of confusion about "qualifying" for Nationals. I think the process would make more sense if swimmers understood the background behind the process.
I don't remember every last detail, but I think I can provide some history that help explain why we have qualifying times and how they work. (Disclaimer: This is all based on my recollection and understanding. I'm not speaking in any official capacity here. I've just been to a lot of USMS conventions.)
History
USMS has always been an organization focused on inclusion. Swimmers of all abilities, from beginners to Olympians, are welcome to join and participate in meets. Back in the early days of Masters Nationals, there were no qualifying times. Anyone could enter and swim at Nationals.
As USMS grew, so did the two annual national championship meets. 1987 saw the largest SCY Nationals ever, with 2328 swimmers attending. At this point, there were still no qualifying times.
The next few years saw good attendance at Nationals. But allowing anyone to enter meant that the meet days dragged on into the evening. There were stories about events going on until 10:00 or 11:00pm at night.
I remember a lot of debate at the USMS annual convention about how to control the length of Nationals while still remaining as inclusive as possible. There was a strong feeling that we still wanted to include anyone who wanted to swim at Nationals, but we wanted to do something to keep the meet at a controllable size.
The current system of qualifying times was the compromise. The system works as follows:
ANYONE can enter Nationals, and enter up to three individual events, without meeting any qualifying times.
Swimmers who want to enter more than three individual events must meet qualifying times for those additional events.
The rationale behind these two rules is that we can still allow anyone to enter the meet, but by limiting the number of events swum by the slower swimmers, we can control the length of the meet days.
This system only works as long as everyone is honest. Beyond the first three events, swimmers are on the honor system when they enter the meet. USMS is relying on swimmers to be confident that they can actually achieve the qualifying times.
So there's the history and the rationale. Now I'm going to attempt to answer some common questions about the entry process.
Q: I can't make any of the qualifying times. Does this mean I can't go to Nationals?
A: No. Remember, anyone can enter THREE individual events without having to meet the qualifying times.
Q: When I enter Nationals, do I have to provide proof that I achieved a qualifying time?
A: No. Your entry times for Nationals are submitted on the honor system.
Q: Do I have to achieve my qualifying time in a swim meet?
A: No. You could use a time that you swam in a workout or time trial. Again, remember that this is all on the honor system.
Q: Can I submit the time that I swam 10 years ago as my qualifying time?
A: Only if you think you can still achieve that time! :)
Q: What happens to me if I don't achieve the qualifying time at Nationals?
A: There are no penalties if you swim slower than the qualifying standard for one of your additional events. But keep the rationale in mind. If a lot of swimmers lie about their abilities just so they can enter more events, we'll be right back to 14-hour meet days.
Q: Can I submit an entry time converted from a different course?
A: Yes. You have to do the conversion yourself.
Jayhawk,
Thanks for making very clear the qualifying situation. Your post will help a lot of swimmers, I'm sure.
However, your advice about workout times, converting from another course, etc., will not be of much use if one wishes to enter online.
Last night I finally tried to enter the Nationals electronically, as I had just competed in a meet on Saturday to get the last few seed times I needed. However, as a USMS member, when I attempted to enter events, the program tried to find times in the database. The problem is that one of the times I swam last summer in a LCM meet, and the other five from two meets I was using from this year. Neither had been entered into the database, including, of course, the one from this past Saturday.
So I have done a paper entry, which for me is more trouble than online. Can someone suggest a way to help the integrity of the online entries, without chasing many folks to paper?
Having swum in the pool this past weekend, I'm really looking forward to my first nationals in 21 years! See you all there.
Jayhawk,
Thanks for making very clear the qualifying situation. Your post will help a lot of swimmers, I'm sure.
However, your advice about workout times, converting from another course, etc., will not be of much use if one wishes to enter online.
Last night I finally tried to enter the Nationals electronically, as I had just competed in a meet on Saturday to get the last few seed times I needed. However, as a USMS member, when I attempted to enter events, the program tried to find times in the database. The problem is that one of the times I swam last summer in a LCM meet, and the other five from two meets I was using from this year. Neither had been entered into the database, including, of course, the one from this past Saturday.
So I have done a paper entry, which for me is more trouble than online. Can someone suggest a way to help the integrity of the online entries, without chasing many folks to paper?
Having swum in the pool this past weekend, I'm really looking forward to my first nationals in 21 years! See you all there.
If you haven't already sent in your paper entry form...
In a nutshell, do the conversion calculations ahead of time and write down those calculated seed times. Then when you enter Nationals, just type in those seed times. You don't have to "pull from the database," you can just type in a time in the box.
How did the meet go in the new GAC pool?
Jeff
If you haven't already sent in your paper entry form...
In a nutshell, do the conversion calculations ahead of time and write down those calculated seed times. Then when you enter Nationals, just type in those seed times. You don't have to "pull from the database," you can just type in a time in the box.
How did the meet go in the new GAC pool?
Jeff
The meet went well. It was a bit hectic, with over 300 swimmers in a one session format. The timeline was about 30 late at one point. But it's a great facility.
The problem must have been my home computer, or was a change just made? I went to the registration again on my office computer and this time it gave me the boxes as well as the database search. There were no boxes on my home computer and both times I was using Firefox.
I mailed my entry on the way to work today. No problem.
See you next month.
For two events I used the database times from Auburn Nationals but for the 50 Back my best time was a relay split from Auburn, but not in the database (still entered it). The rules say we can use conversion times if we want and never having done 50 Free or 50 Fly long course, that's what I needed to do. And for the 100 Free I've simply never swum it in a touchpad meet in many years so I used a conversion from a 2011 low-key meet.
Hey Patrick; it's on the honor system, anyway, and you are a very honorable person! :angel: I am your witness that you qualified at Auburn, because I swam on that relay with you. If anybody has any doubts, they can watch the video on YouTube and put a stopwatch to your split. :D
For two events I used the database times from Auburn Nationals but for the 50 Back my best time was a relay split from Auburn, but not in the database (still entered it). The rules say we can use conversion times if we want and never having done 50 Free or 50 Fly long course, that's what I needed to do. And for the 100 Free I've simply never swum it in a touchpad meet in many years so I used a conversion from a 2011 low-key meet.
Hey Patrick; it's on the honor system, anyway, and you are a very honorable person! :angel: I am your witness that you qualified at Auburn, because I swam on that relay with you. If anybody has any doubts, they can watch the video on YouTube and put a stopwatch to your split. :D
Yes, the advantage of being the backstroker is your splits count for actual race times too.
Going to Nats for the very first time this year. I'm too slow, but I'm going anyway! I sure hope I don't live to regret this!!
No, Moody, you won't regret it! I went to Nationals at Georgia Tech, in 2010, just a couple of months after joining USMS. I had only raced at the St. Pat's meet prior to Nationals and felt like a deer in the headlights. Since I didn't make any NQT's, I could only swim my three breaststroke events; I didn't even make it onto a relay team. And, along with Jayhawk, we were the cellar dwellers in all three of our breaststroke races. BUT, I had a blast! The other Forumites I met up with there were very supportive and encouraging (Allen Stark, Ande, Swimshark, and Swimstud, to name a few).
Do let people you meet there know it is your first one. :agree: You will get loads of encouragement! Hey, at least you have had a lot of meet experience along the way; unlike me at the time only having one meet under my cap prior to arriving at Georgia Tech!
I won't be at Indy, however, I will be in Mission Viejo. Have a blast and good luck! :cheerleader:
Going to Nats for the very first time this year. I'm too slow, but I'm going anyway! I sure hope I don't live to regret this!! You will love it! The IUPUI pool is incredible! I just submitted my entry - CAN'T WAIT! :bliss:
