How does your club decide who swims what relays for local or championship meets? What criteria are used, and who organizes relays at meets? How are decisions made on what swimmers get to swim and what ones don't?
How does your club decide who swims what relays for local or championship meets? What criteria are used, and who organizes relays at meets? How are decisions made on what swimmers get to swim and what ones don't?
The "A" relay is the fastest swimmers who are on our team at the meet who want to do relays (for each age group) are on the relay.
Others who want to swim relays put them together on the spot.
Usually a member of each relay organizes their relay and pays.
:afraid:
Glad we don't charge for relays...
Don't you? We do. :blush: ...well club members pay annual membership fees and relays are paid from these money so in a sense we are charged for relays :)
There are a lot of different methods, and am wondering if clubs vary the criteria for assembling relays depending on the goals of each particular meet. If different criteria are used, or even if they are not, are the swimmers told ahead of time what the goals are or what criteria will be used to assemble relays? That would probably be a good idea. If swimmers complain, are they dropped out?
Assemble relays for fastest competition regardless of age. For example, line everyone up, fastest ot slowest. The top 4 on the list are relay A, the next 4 are relay B, etc. If the number of swimmers doesn't divide by 4, the slowest swimmers get to sit and watch.
Assemble them for maximum points in a meet. For example, you might mix up speeds and end up with a fast or younger swimmer with a bunch of slower or older swimmers to give that relay an edge and can score a bit higher than normal because of the faster swimmer. With meters this is more of a possibility by adding ages.
Assemble them with similar ages. For example, a relay of swimmers in their 30s, one of swimmers in their 50s etc. If there are not enough swimmers from one age group, then they sit down.
Assemble them so that everyone swims. For example if relays are not counting for scoring, make sure everyone swims that wants to, and recruit swimmers to fill relays to ensure that everyone wanting to swim relays has the opportunity.
Let swimmers assemble relays themselves. Friends swim with friends and lane mates. Those that don't work out with the team get to sit down. How does it feel if no one gets picked to be on a relay - like the last person left after picking for dodgeball.
Are mostly coaches involved with putting together relays, or are swimmers? or both together? From answers, it seems that coaches are less involved that I thought.
