USAS has established a system of time standards
for each event that classify a swimmer as an A, B, or C level swimmer.
The A level is further divided. The
higher level A times are need to qualify for meets like zones and sectional.
Beyond the AAAA level are Senior National and Olympic Trial qualifying
times.
The system of time standards can help with
setting goals as a swimmer can work toward getting the times needed in each
event to move to the next level throughout a season or while they are in a
particular age group.
Some meets require time standards in order to
compete. These time standards are
defined in the meet information that host teams provide.
It is important to read the specific requirements for each meet.
New USA swimmers, in particular, need to look for A/B/C meets.
First-time entrants into USA Swimming events are entered with no time
(NT). Some meets require specific
qualifying times. Only USA times
may be used to enter meets (league or high school times may not be used).
HAC maintains a computer database form meet results of each swimmer’s
best USA times. This is used for
all subsequent meet entries. Our organization will not falsify times in order to enter a meet.