USA Swimming has released an updated version of its “motivational times” for the upcoming 2017-2020 quad.
The time standards set varying marks for swimmers of every age group, ranging from B to AAAA based on relative speed within the age group. Each age group has B standards, BB standards, A standards, AA standards, AAA standards and AAAA standards to give swimmers benchmarks for goal-setting and to track improvement. Per USA Swimming’s website: “Here you will find age group time standards designed to encourage age group swimmers to step their swimming up to the next level. These time standards guide you from just starting out in your age group to reaching your highest potential. Start at Level B and work your way up to Level AAAA times.”
You can see how the motivational times are determined here. Though this document is still from the 2012 quad, it lays out the mathematical process for determining the motivational standards for each age group.
There are time standards for both each traditional age group (10&unders, 11-12s, 13-14s, etc) and for each specific age from 10 to 18. USA Swimming has also released a document showing how much each time standard has changed from the previous quad. You can see all of these documents below:
Age Group Motivational Times By Specific Age
Age Group Motivational Times By Age Group
Time Standard Change Analysis
You can find previous years’ standards and further links on the USA Swimming website here.
AB
When you think your doing good until you see that its long course meters.
eztimes
What age can you swim the 50 free in a competitive meet?
Uhhh…any age?
Does anyone know…
The “2018 Central Zone 14 & Under Zone Cuts” doesn’t list by individual age but by age group, 11-12. The “2017-2020 NAG Motivational Times Single Age” has separate AAA times for 11 and 12 year olds, the 11 year olds have a slower standard for AAA. Are those slower AAA times still qualifying times for Zones? Or, do both 11 and 12 year olds have to have the 12 year old AAA time to make the Zone cut.
Hello,
I am curious to what the asterisks signify on the Motivational Times? Can anyone answer this question for me?
IIRC, it’s that you could go to Jr Nationals or Sr Nationals?
I got a champ time at state… my last meet for the age group I was in.
Is a 29-for 50 metre free a fast time for a 13 year old?
Not fast enough to go to age group state champs. I would say 24 would be a fast time
A 29.00 50m is AA for a 13 year old Boy and AAA for a 13 year old Girl. So yes, that’s a fast time regardless of gender.
If your 0.1 off a time would you be considered in the percentage range of the time you missed
No.