PART II

SIERRA NEVADA SWIMMING RULES AND REGULATIONS

SECTION 4

AGE GROUP COMPETITION

A. QUALIFYING FOR AGE GROUP CLASSES

  1. A swimmer will qualify for a specific class meet in a given stroke and distance when he has equaled or bettered the time standard for that event.
  2. A swimmer may qualify in any sanctioned meet or unsanctioned meet such as school competition, time trial or by coach verification. or championship level competition, times from sanctioned meets or approved unsanctioned meets such as C.I.F. Section Championships or approved college meets only will be acceptable.
  3. A swimmer who competes in a classified meet event at or better than the minimum standard shall thereafter be considered to be in that particular class in all courses and may not again compete in the same event in a lower class meet, even if he has not actually performed at or better than the time standard.
  4. Qualifying By Stroke and Distance

    a. Any swimmer who qualities A or AA for a specific stroke in a specific distance will be considered A or AA in the same distance in all courses. A swimmer who qualifies A or AA in 500 yd. Freestyle will be considered qualified in 400 meter Freestyle and vice-versa.

    b. A swimmer maintains his classification for the duration of the meet even if he qualifies for the next class during the meet. This rule applies to relay events also.

    c. Any swimmer, upon changing age groups, who has previously met the A or AA standard in certain events in the new age group will be considered qualified for those events in his new age group.

    d. A swimmer who enters an event for which he is not qualified, or who has met the next higher time standard, shall scratch the event. Refusal to do this may make the swimmer and his/her coach subject to discipline by the Review Committee. Entry fee is not refundable.

    e. When classified age group meets offer 15-18 age group events or 13-18 age group events, swimmers must qualify at their own age group time standard.

B. ELIGIBILITY

  1. 1. Individual Eligibility

    a. Registered swimmers up to and including age 18 are eligible to compete in the Age-Group program in those events scheduled for the particular age group. They must swim in one age group for an entire meet; also see A.4.a. above. Age on the first day of the meet governs for the entire meet.

    b. Swimmers are eligible to compete only in the individual events or which they qualify in any classified meet. (AA, A, B)

    c. In multi-class meets, i.e., B-A, B-A-AA, etc', swimmers shall compete only in the division(s) for which they qualify and shall not compete in divisions of lower classification in any event for which they have achieved the time standard for the higher division.

    d. In meets with only minimum standards, i.e., A+, B-A+, etc., swimmers will compete in events for which they have achieved the minimum standard, subject to limitations specified in 3; below.

    e. Age Group Open Meets are open to all registered swimmers up to and including age 18, and swimmers shall not be classified by time standards. Also, see h. below.

    f. Invitational meets are open only to swimmers from invited clubs.

    g. Swimmers registered in other LSC's may swim in SNS B meets for which they qualify.

    h. In meets which provide for 8/under and 1 0/under events, the meet sheet shall state whether or not the 8/under is limited to 8/under events or may also swim 10/under events.

    i. USA-S registered swimmers over the age of 18 may compete in 13-18 or 15-18 events, but will not be scored or awarded.

  2. Relay Eligibility
    a. Swimmers may compete in relays in meets of higher classification than that for which they qualify in individual events; e.g., a swimmer A in 50 Free may swim on a relay in AA meets, etc.
    b. Swimmers may not compete in relays in meets of lower classification than that for Which they qualify in the like individual event; e.g., a swimmer AA in 50 Breast shall not be eligible for Breaststroke leg on a 200 Medley Relay team in an A meet.
    c. swimmers must compete within their own age group.

  3. Event, Limitations
    a In trials and finals meets, qualified swimmers may compete in three 3) events per day, plus relays, for which they are eligible.
    b. In timed finals meets, qualified swimmers may compete in five events per day, plus relays, for which they are eligible.
    c. A swimmer who enters too many events shall scratch events to conform to the above limitations. There is no guarantee of refund of entry fee.

C. CONDUCT OF MEETS

  1. The trials and finals system shall be used in all SNS Age Group Championship level meets and in AA meets. A meets, B meets, multi-class, and Age Group Open meets shall operate on the timed finals system. Invitational Meets may use either system.
  2. Proof of time for championship meets.
    a. Swimmers may be required to submit date and meet in which entry time was achieved on reverse side of the Consolidated Entry Card.
    b. Any swimmer failing to perform at the standard or better may be required to furnish proof of having previously achieved his or her submitted time. Only official meet results, published results (newspapers or magazines), high school Sectional Championship results, or college meet results will be accepted as proof.
    c. If the swimmer cannot show such proof of time, he/she shall be barred from his next individual event that meet day or the next day, whichever is first.

D. AWARDS

  1. Championship Meets, AA, A - Awards for all finalists. The minimum is three medals or other distinctive awards, something other than a single ribbon, with ribbons for the balance of the finalists.
  2. B Meets - Standard "A" medals only shall be awarded swimmers attaining A time in each event, regardless of place achieved in the event. No other medals shall be awarded. Ribbons only shall be awarded place winners.
  3. Age Group Open Meets - Appropriate awards at the discretion of the host club. No awards by time standard (A, B, etc.). "A" medals are optional for swimmers attaining A time for the first time.
  4. Multiclass meets - Awards for each listed class.

    For example: B-A-AA, 3 sets of awards;

    B-A+, 2 sets of awards.

  5. In meets where combined 15-18 age group events or combined 13-18 age group events are offered, awards may be given either to the combined age group or to the separate age groups at the option of the host club.

  6. High point and team awards are optional in Championship meets, AA A+, A and Age Group Open meets. No perpetual trophies may be established or awarded in A meets.

  7. SNS Class A Swimmer patches may be purchased by the swimmer or his/her club. (Not awarded by host of meet.) For each of the five events qualifying, the swimmer may add one star-silver for A, gold for AA. He/she may continue to wear the patch even though in a subsequent year the time standard is changed.

 

 

 

 

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