Frequently asked questions

USA Swimming publishes motivational time standards to help swimmers, families, and coaches understand a swimmer’s progression over time. These standards are not meant to label a swimmer as “good” or “not good.” They are simply benchmarks that help organize competition levels and give swimmers goals to work toward.

The standards commonly include B, BB, A, AA, AAA, and AAAA. A swimmer’s classification can change when they age up into a new age group because the time standards become more challenging. It is very normal for a swimmer to move from one standard to another as they grow, age up, change events, or move between short course and long course seasons.

At HPAC, we use these standards as a guide, not as a judgment. The goal is steady progress, better racing skills, stronger training habits, and helping each swimmer find the right competitive opportunities.

General South Texas Progression

**B Champs**

B Championship meets are usually the first championship-level opportunity many swimmers work toward. These meets are based on the published B Championship eligibility rules for that season.

**STX / BB Cuts**

STX is the South Texas championship level associated with BB qualifying standards. Families may hear this referred to as “STX,” “BB cuts,” or “BB Champs,” depending on the meet and the conversation. This is the next major step after B Champs.

**STAGS / A Cuts**

STAGS stands for South Texas Age Group Swimming Championships. This is the South Texas championship meet associated with A-level qualifying standards. Families may hear this referred to as “STAGS,” “A cuts,” or “making an A cut.”

**TAGS**

TAGS stands for Texas Age Group Swimming Championships. This is a very competitive state-level age group championship meet and usually requires very fast qualifying times.

**Zones**

Zones is a higher-level championship opportunity where swimmers may be selected to represent South Texas or their zone area. Selection procedures can vary by season, so families should always review the current information when it is released.

**Sectionals, Futures, Junior Nationals, Nationals, and Olympic Trials**

These are advanced and elite-level meets with increasingly faster qualifying standards. These meets are long-term goals for swimmers as they continue developing through the sport.

The most important thing to remember is that time standards are part of the swimmer’s journey. Swimmers progress at different rates, and aging up can temporarily change where a swimmer falls within the standards. Coaches will help guide swimmers and families toward the meets that are appropriate for their current level, goals, and development.

View the current USA Swimming Motivational Time Standards

Swim meets have 2 main formats

1) Timed Finals: This means swimmers will swim their events only once and will result in final placing.

2) Prelims/Finals: This format requires swimmers to swim their events once in a morning session and the if they swim fast enough to qualify for finals will swim again in the evening.  This is standard with most championship meets. 

It is very important to read the meet information, so you know if there will be finals.  Missing finals often results in fines and penalties if the swimmer has not scratched 30 minutes after the prelim swim

Typically, championship season is in February and July.

Breakdown:

B champs: swimmers with any B time or slower can attend. You just have to have swum the meet at a sanctioned meet. Applies to 18 and under

STX meet: Swimmers with BB times. Applies to 18 and under

STAGS: Swimmers with A times or faster. Applies to 18 and under

TAGS: extremely fast cuts. Usually AAA times or faster. Applies to 14 and under only

Sectionals: This is a national level meet and require extremely fast standards (all ages)

Futures: Very similar to sectionals quality (all ages)

Junior nationals: Very fast national standards. 18 and under

Nationals: USA swimming national standards. All ages

Olympic Trials: Specific Olympic trial cuts set by usa swimming. All ages

Swim meets fall into the following categories:

1) Unsanctioned meets: these are meets we often run to use as a practice for new and inexperienced swimmers to learn how to prepare for larger meets.  They are also used for experienced swimmers to use as an evaluative purpose to see where they are in training. These meet results do not count towards the USA swims database and CANNOT be used for qualifying standards. In other words, if you make an 'A' standard at one of these meets, it will not be recognized

2)Sanctioned invitationals: these meets are open meets to anyone registered with USA swimming. Rarely are there any time standards. Occasionally some meets will put a time standard on the longer races to help with time timeline.

3) Championship Meets: These meets require swimmers to make certain time standards to attend.  The time standards have to be done at a sanctioned meet and be in the USA swims database. These meets are typically run as prelim/finals. See championship meet breakdown for more details in the time standard qualifications in the FAQ section

SCY (short course yards). this is the format we typically train in and most short course meets we race in. 1 length is 25 yards long. Short course season runs September-March)

LCM (long course meters). this is the standard for the Olympics and standard for the long course swim season (April-August). 1 length is 50 meters long.

SCM (short course meters): this format is rarely raced in, in the United States but standard around the world. Many outdoor pools in corpus are SCM. 1 length is 25 meters.

Any usa swimming registered swimmer may attend any meet that the team chooses to attend. Locally or out of town.

Restrictions are based on qualifying times (if applicable), or the type of USA membership they have chosen (see USA swimming membership differences in FAQ section)

There is no mandate on the number of meets a swimmer attends. Between sanctioned and unsanctioned meets, HPAC tries to offer a meet per month.  Sometimes it is more, sometimes less depending on if we get into a meet. There is often 2-3 sanctioned meets offered locally per year.  I also try to add in unsanctioned meets to add more options for the swimmers.

Swim meet costs vary by the host team. Some meets will have a flat rate for all you can swim. Usually the unsanctioned meets.

Others usually charge per event as well as an additional swimmer surcharge.

The limit is listed in the meet information. Unsanctioned meets usually have no limit.  Sanctioned timed finals meets usually have a daily limit of 5-6 events per day. Prelim/finals meets usually limit 3 events per day.

Due to the size of the club, it is preferred that the parents and swimmer pick their events. It is extremely time consuming for the coach to do that, especially when the head coach may not know what races swimmers that do not swim in his group can or want to swim.

When selecting events, I suggest avoiding back-to-back events.  When that happens the swimmer often has very little time to recover from the previous swim and can quickly lead to a disappointing times due to fatigue.

Absolutely. As long as they are registered with the club/USA swimming. 

1) Healthy snacks. Avoid sugary or greasy foods that can mess with your stomach or performance.  Handling nerves and often a nervous tummy can be challenging enough, do not complicate it with sketchy food.

2) Water. hydration is key to performance.  Avoid sugary drinks (sports drinks are the same thing). Just like you wouldn't  put sugar in a high performance engine, you don't want to do that to your own personal engine (your body)

3) Dress appropriately and be prepared. Pools are all so different in South Texas.  Even ones that are typically climate controlled could end up being too cold or often broken and super hot.

4) Extra suit, goggles and cap.  Always be prepared for the worst.  Goggles break. Suits rip and caps break too.  

5) TEAM GEAR: at a meet you are representing the High Performance Aquatic Club.  Not Nike, adidas, or any other brand name company.  If you want to make the ultra rich richer, do it on your own time.  None of those companies are doing anything for your team, nor do they coach you.

1) Meet fees

2) travel, including commute, hotel and food (for out of town meets)

No. Due to individual tastes and budgets, families may choose to stay wherever they prefer to accommodate their budget and preferences.

Swim meets can often be long and exhausting.  Some finals may end as late as 830 or later at night with an early start the next day.  Finding a location on a weekend evening for a large group can make for a long night.  Organizing a team function is not out of the question, just don't expect the coach to plan it.

Most USA meets are seeded and run by time.  Swimmer are often mixed by age and gender and race based on their times. Some meets will seed by time and gender but mix ages but race based on time.  Very few meets seed and race by age, gender and time.  Results are reported by age, and gender.

In championship meets, finals are seeded by age and gender.

Team gear is required at swim meets. When swimmers attend a meet, they are representing High Performance Aquatic Club, and we expect our athletes to look and act like one unified team.

Swimmers should wear HPAC team gear at meets whenever possible, including team shirts, hoodies, hats, swim caps, and other approved team apparel.

Unbranded items or non-HPAC branded items should not be worn on deck during meets. This includes apparel or gear promoting other brands, schools, colleges, professional teams, or outside organizations. While swimmers may have favorite teams, schools, or brands, swim meets are HPAC team events, and our athletes are expected to represent HPAC.

Organizations such as Nike, Under Armour, college teams, professional teams, and other outside brands do not represent High Performance Aquatic Club at meets. Our swimmers, families, and coaches do. Wearing team gear helps build team pride, creates a professional appearance, and shows support for the teammates standing beside you.

This includes, but is not limited to:

* HPAC team T-shirts

* HPAC hoodies or jackets

* HPAC hats

* HPAC swim caps

* Approved HPAC meet apparel

Swimmers should arrive prepared with appropriate team gear for each meet session.

We try and utilize all various aids available. Gear should include:

1) Goggles

2) Suit (dont laugh its often forgotten)

3) cap if the swimmer wants to wear one, and if so it must be a team cap

4) Kick board (team kickboards are available)

5)Pull Buoys

6) Snorkels

7)Paddles

8)Parachutes

Be sure to confirm with your individual group coach.  Some items may not be required at certain levels.

Locally swim'n'stuff on saratoga has a good variety of gear and gthe lady is wonderful to dela with.

Otherwise, amazon is probably a safe bet. Also swimoutlet.com is a good source

Yes, private lessons are possible.  The big issue facing training in Corpus is time availability. If you want to talk to a coach about private work, talk to that coach and see what is available.  Since we have training at every time the pool is open, finding available time is often very difficult.

One of our favorite activities to help build a team atmosphere and strengthen relationships include:

1) Big Slug/Little Slugs: this is a great opportunity for the older experienced swimmers to work in small groups with the younger, less experienced swimmers.  

2) Team relays: another fun mix at some practices or unsanctioned meets where the team roster can mix up and get to know each ither and have some competitive laughs

3) Swim meets: by incorporating the various team activities above, meets become more fun and personal when you know and have a relationship with all the various swimmers on the team

we do try and run various clinics on various drills and skills as they come up as part of practice.

USA swimming offers 3 types of memberships

1)  This is the preferred membership that allows any swimmer to compete in any meet. No restrictions.

2)Flex Membership ($30/year and only available for 12 and under): this is designed for new/young swimmers. The big difference is that it is only offered to swimmer 12 and under and most importantly have the following restrictions a) the swimmer may only swim in 2  sanctioned meets per year and b) is not allowed to compete in a championship meet. If they wish to, the membership can and must be upgraded.

3) Outreach membership: this offsets the cost of the year round membership to $7 year and if for those that qualify for financial assistance