Time Trials– What are they?

Basically, a time trial is a mini-meet that is sanctioned by Illinois Swimming. It can be a part of a bigger meet, or be run by a team to allow a chance for swimmers to “get a time”. Swim clubs run their own time trials, and they often at championship meets. Swimmers sign up for events that they think they can achieve qualifying times or “cuts”. Championship meets such as Regional Champs, Age Group Champs, Senior State Champs, USA Sectionals, and YMCA Nationals, have qualifying times. To enter these meets, a swimmer must swim faster than or equal to this qualifying time. Of course, these times can be quite demanding and require great effort to achieve. Generally, the swimmer does not want to swim a lot of events as the trials usually go very quickly, with little rest between events. Some trials may even run all of the same distance together such as all 100s, all 200s, and so forth regardless of stroke. Then the meet team separates out the swims by stroke to submit to Illinois Swimming.

Should a swimmer compete in a time trial? Really, it is up to you, the parent, and the swimmer themselves. A coach will often encourage it if a swimmer is close to a particular cut. Time trials at this time of year (February & March) are a good idea because after all the hard training, swimmers are in good shape and swimming fast. Time trials done at championship meets usually mean a good tapered swim and can get qualifying times for the following year. If the swimmer feels like one more swim will get them the time they have been striving for all year, then it is a good idea to try.

Aquachiefs have some opportunities coming up to participate in time trials. The first time trial is Sunday February 19, run by Storm Aquatics at Centennial High School. This is open to any swimmers who want to swim it. Sign up is attached to this email and is due back in the Aquachief office by February 12. Billing will be done through the YMCA. Also attached is the information sheet I received from the Storm staff.

Even though the information sheet takes walk-ins, it is much easier for Coach Will at Storm to have the entries prior to the trials so do the sign-up through Aquachiefs.

Aquachiefs will be running their own time trial on Tuesday February 28th. This time trial is for swimmers trying to get Y-National cuts, and with approval from the coach, younger swimmers close to Age Group Champ cuts. It will be only our team, and run during our practice time at Urbana, and therefore we are limited on time. Watch for a sign up sheet on the web, and e-mailed from me.

This week a sign up was posted on the web for the YMCA Distance meet held the Friday evening prior to YMCA State. This meet is a time trial of sorts, but it has cut times that you must have if you are to enter this meet. This is offered to allow swimmers a chance to achieve Y-National cuts in events that are not offered at YMCA State, such as the 200 breast, 200 back, 200 fly, and 400 IM. Distance freestyles are offered, and 50’s of each stroke. The 50’s are valuable for coaches to be able to put together 200 relays for YMCA Nationals. Since Senior swimmers do not get to swim the 50’s, this allows them to get times. Even though this is a YMCA meet, it is also sanctioned by Illinois swimming.

Time trials will also be offered each day at YMCA State after finals. Announcements will be made at the meet about signing up for time trials. When the swimmer signs up, they must pay the fee for the trial. They can sign up for any distance and any stroke they wish. Relays can also swim at these trials.

Y-Nationals also runs time trials each day between prelims and finals. Again, the swimmer must sign up in the morning during prelims and pay at the time of signing up. The swimmer must be on the YMCA National roster.

Any questions, please feel free to ask me, any coach, or any steering committee member.

While many younger and newer swimmers may feel this information does not pertain to them right now, as a swimmer grows in our program, this may be something to keep in mind for the future.

As always, ask, ask, ask to find out information.

Education Chair

Dorothy Debolt           February 2006