As we approach the end of the 2009-2010 winter swim season it is time to begin planning for the championship meet season.  This article will provide you with some general information regarding all of the championship meets that the Maverick Swim Club will attend.  Meet packets for most of the championship meets are posted on the “Meet Schedule” page of our website. 

It is likely that we will have to provide timers for some of the championship meet sessions.  If you have a swimmer competing, you should expect to work a session of the meet as a timer.

Saturday and Sunday, February 20-21 - Feed the Fire Meet

Maverick Swim Club will be co-hosting this meet with Delta Aquatics at Oswego East High School.  If your swimmer is entered in this meet, you will be expected to work one or more meet sessions.  More details will follow as this meet approaches on the parent worker requirements for the Feed the Fire Meet. 

This meet is open to all swimmers 14 years of age or younger who have not yet achieved a Regional “A” time standard in a particular event.  The Feed the Fire Meet is a prelim-final meet for 10 & under, 11-12 and 13-14 swimmers.  8 and under events will be timed final, meaning that they will swim each entered event only once.  Preliminary heats for swimmers aged 11-14 will be held in the morning sessions, and 10 and under swimmers will swim in the afternoon sessions.  The top 8 swimmers in the 9-10 events and the top 16 swimmers in 11-12 and 13-14 events will return and swim in the finals sessions both evenings.  All eligible swimmers will be entered in this meet, unless they will be swimming in the A Conference meet described below.  Mighty Mavs are eligible to be entered in the 8 and under events if they wish to participate.  This meet is the last opportunity to qualify for the Illinois Regional Championship Meet. 

For those swimmers who have not achieved the qualifying times required to compete in the remaining championship meets described below, the Feed the Fire Meet will be the end of their season. 

Sunday, February 21st – Chicagoland Swim Conference Gold Meet

The gold conference meet will be hosted by the West Chicago Sharks at West Chicago High School.  Doors will open at 7:30 a.m.  Warm-ups will begin at 7:45 a.m. with the meet starting at 9:00 a.m.  There are no qualifying times for this meet.  Each club is allowed to enter three individuals per event, as well as a Medley Relay and a Free Relay for each age group.  Each swimmer is allowed to swim a maximum of three individual events and two relays.  The lineup for each age group will be based on the season’s best times.  Meet entries are due on Tuesday, February 16th, so meet entries will be posted on the website shortly thereafter.  We estimate that approximately 6 – 9 swimmers, per sex, per age group will attend this meet.  Senior Boys’ events will be swum as exhibition.  If your child is unable to attend this meet, please notify your practice group coach as soon as possible.

Friday-Sunday, February 26-28 - Illinois Swimming Regional Championship Meet

This year, we have been assigned to the Regional Meet being hosted by Fox Valley Swim Team at Neuqua Valley High School.  This meet is the last opportunity to qualify for Senior State and Age Group Championships.  If your child has acheived the regional time standards for one or more events and has not yet reached the Senior or Age Group time standards, they will be entered into this meet.  If your child has qualified, but is unable to attend this meet, please notify your practice group coach as soon as possible.  The regional time standards are set by Illinois Swimming and can be found on the time standards page of our website.  Any regional times achieved at the Gold Conference Meet or the Feed the Fire Meet will qualify for this meet.

For those swimmers who have not achieved the qualifying times required to compete in the remaining championship meets described below, the Regional Meet will be the end of their season.

Thursday-Sunday, March 4-7 - Senior State Championship Meet

The Senior State meet will be hosted by SCST at the UIC Natatorium in Chicago.  Coach Mark will be talking to qualified individuals.  This meet is for any swimmer who has achieved a Senior Champs qualifying time, including any age group swimmer that has met the qualifying time.  The Senior Champs time standards are set by Illinois Swimming and can be found on the time standards page of our website.

Thursday-Sunday, March 11-14 - Speedo Sectional Meet

The Speedo Sectionals meet will be competed at The University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.  Coach Mark will be talking to qualified individuals.  This meet is for any swimmer who has achieved a Sectionals qualifying time. Age group swimmers that have met the qualifying time standard will not be entered this year as this meet is the same weekend as the Age Group championships.  This will be a team travel meet that will require air travel.  You can locate the qualifying times for the Speedo Sectional meet on the time standards page of our website.

Friday-Sunday, March 13-15 - Age Group Championship Meet

The Age Group Championship meet (J.O.’s) will be held this year at UIC Natatorium in Chicago.  Coach Missy, Mike H., Mike A., or Doug will be talking to qualified individuals.  The coaches may also utilize some swimmers who have not achieved qualifying times to swim on relays. You can locate the qualifying times for the Age Group Championship meet on the time standards page of our website.

Tuesday-Saturday, March 16-20 – NSCA Junior Nationals

The Junior National meet will be held in Orlando, Florida.  Coach Mark will be talking with qualified individuals.  Each swimmer will be required to travel with one (or both) of their parents.  Tentative meet information can be found at ncsassociation.homestead.com/juniornationalsmain.html

This is an exciting time of the season!  Good luck to everyone as you make your final push at the end of the season to qualify and swim in these championship meets.  Remember to practice with purpose every day and keep your goals fresh in your mind.

Coach Mark