** I posted a correction to the A times on 27 May **
The 13-14 Girls IM and 13-14 Boys 50 Back were entered incorrectly.


A new method for determining the A-Meet time standards was adopted as a change to the STSL bylaws at an STSL Members Council meeting held Tuesday, February 17, 2009. See below for more info.

2009 STSL A-Meet Qualifying Times
  GIRLS

 FREE  

BACK  

BREAST  

FLY  

100 IM  

  6 & U 32.61 34.50 34.46 29.76 2:13.23
  7 24.33 30.09 34.46 29.76 2:13.23
  8 21.21 28.47 28.86 24.82 2:04.92
  9 20.17 25.71 25.87 24.18 1:54.27
  10 19.32 23.40 25.40 23.58 1:54.27
  11 38.59 51.07 49.41 50.40 1:34.07
  12 37.09 48.16 46.64 41.48 1:31.01
  13-14 33.34 43.47 45.39 40.32 1:26.16
  15-18 31.70 39.88 41.57 34.52 1:15.88

  BOYS

 FREE  

BACK  

BREAST  

FLY  

100 IM  

  6 & U 37.40 43.57 34.63 32.09 2:09.09
  7 24.86 34.20 34.63 32.09 2:09.09
  8 21.24 30.38 28.12 27.17 2:09.09
  9 20.59 25.15 23.93 25.43 1:53.47
  10 18.66 24.44 22.84 23.73 1:43.87
  11 36.16 51.05 48.14 52.37 1:32.41
  12 35.11 49.13 48.14 46.92 1:31.42
  13-14 31.31 40.55 41.89 37.54 1:26.65
  15-18 26.02 33.85 34.57 29.53 1:09.25

Notes:

  • Ages up to and including 10 years swim 25 yard individual events.
  • Ages 11 & Up swim 50 yard individual events.
  • All Individual Medleys (IM) are 100 yards.
  • 7 & Under grouped events: 25 Breast, 25 Fly, and 100 I.M.

New time standards approach:

For background on the STSL league meets, visit this page.

The previous method specified in the STSL bylaws for determining the time standards used the 12th place finishing time at the previous season League Championship meet. As the league has become smaller, we have seen the A times becoming less competitive for some events, and inconsistent with the intended spirit of the B- and A-meets.

The new method, adopted as an amendment to the STSL bylaws, uses a percentile rather than a raw finishing place. We hope that this approach will keep the times more consistent - across events and from year-to-year - in sorting the fastest swimmers in an event out to the A meet.

The cutoff times for the “B” Meet and the qualifying times for the “A” meet shall be based on the results of the prior year’s three League Meets (“A”, “B”, Championship). The cutoff/qualifying time for each stroke and distance shall be determined by using the 40th percentile of the best times obtained by each swimmer in each age group and gender for that stroke and distance. Only the best time for each swimmer legally obtained in one of the three League Meets for each stroke and distance shall be used in determining the cutoff/qualifying time; seed times and disqualifications will not be used. The times for each stroke and distance should get progressively faster within each gender for each successive age group. In the event that the time for an older age group in the same gender for a given stroke and distance is slower than that of the younger age group, the slower of the two times shall be used for each age group; ie, the cutoff/qualifying times for that stroke and distance shall be the same for both age groups. The determination and calculation of the cutoff/qualifying times shall be the responsibility of the Vice-President or his/her delegate.

The 40th percentile was proposed because it was felt that the original intent is that the A meet should be slightly smaller than the B meet, representing the fastest swimmers. Because this is the first year this method is being used, we see some significant changes from last year and from what would have been used this year based on the previous bylaws method, so we ask for your patience for the next few seasons to see if this method achieves the desired result. It will be reassessed in the future and adjustments made if necessary.