ASA Championship Meet: Team Selection Process

The Atlanta Swim Association (ASA) concludes each season with the Championship Meet at Georgia Tech. Please check SwimTopia for the meet dates.

With more than 168 swimmers on our team and a limited number of spots available, selecting our Barracuda Championship Team is a challenging process. Each swimmer may compete in a maximum of two individual events and two relay events. We understand how important this opportunity is to our swimmers and families, and we are committed to making the selection process as fair, consistent, and objective as possible.

Throughout the season, we will carefully evaluate results from each meet to identify the swimmers and event combinations that give both individual athletes and our team the best opportunity to succeed.

When Will the Team Be Announced?

The Barracuda Championship Team will be announced on the Tuesday before our final meet.

The team will include swimmers selected to compete in specific events, as well as alternates who may be called upon to compete if a selected swimmer becomes ill or injured before the meet.

Alternates are an equally important part of the Championship Team and will be treated as such. We ask that all alternates attend Championship Team practices and events and remain prepared to compete if needed. While alternates may not ultimately swim in the meet, their readiness and commitment are essential to the team's success.

How Are Swimmers Selected?

To help families understand our process, the following examples explain how we evaluate swimmers for individual events and relays.

Imagine that Joe, Jack, and Jimmy are three 8-year-old boys on our team.

1. Evaluate results from this season's dual meets.

We begin by identifying the two fastest ASA swimmers in a particular event based on their results from this season's dual meets, including the Mock Meet. For example, if Joe and Jack have the fastest times, they become the initial candidates for those event spots.

2. Review consistency across all meets.

We review each swimmer's times from every meet to evaluate consistency and ensure that a single performance does not disproportionately influence the decision.

For example, if Jimmy beats Joe or Jack's best time at one meet but Joe and Jack consistently outperform Jimmy at other meets, we will consider the full body of results rather than relying on one swim. A swimmer may have had an off night, or an individual time may need to be verified.

If Joe, Jack, and Jimmy have consistently close times—within half a second of one another—we will look more closely at their head-to-head performances and compare their times from the same meets.

3. Consider the best events for each swimmer and the team.

If Joe and Jack are among the fastest swimmers in several events, we will evaluate the times of swimmers across the league to determine which events offer the strongest opportunities for success.

Our goal is to place swimmers in the events where they have the greatest potential to earn a high finish and score valuable points for the team, while also considering each swimmer's individual strengths.

4. Evaluate stroke legality.

Stroke legality is an especially important consideration for younger swimmers in breaststroke and butterfly. A fast time is only helpful if the swimmer can perform the stroke legally and avoid disqualification.

For example, if Joe is the fastest breaststroker but does not consistently demonstrate a legal kick, while Jimmy is the second-fastest swimmer and consistently swims the stroke legally, Jimmy may be selected instead.

The same consideration applies when selecting medley relay swimmers. Families should be aware that stroke-and-turn officials at the Championship Meet will enforce the rules more strictly than officials typically do at our dual meets. Consistent, legal technique is essential.

5. Select alternates and relay teams.

We use the same evaluation process when selecting alternates and relay swimmers, considering performance, consistency, stroke legality, and the team's overall scoring potential.

For relays, we plan to select eight swimmers to fill two complete relay teams, along with two alternates.

Our Commitment to Fairness

We recognize that Championship Team selections can be exciting and, at times, disappointing. With so many talented swimmers and limited opportunities, difficult decisions are inevitable.

We are committed to following the process outlined above consistently and thoughtfully. Every decision is made with the goal of giving our swimmers and the Barracudas the best possible opportunity to succeed.

Declare Your Swimmer's Availability

If your athlete would like to be considered for the Championship Team, please let us know as soon as possible by completing the declaration below.

Declare Attendance Here!!

Please note that declaring your swimmer's availability does not guarantee selection. All swimmers will still be evaluated using the selection process outlined above. This declaration simply lets us know whether your athlete will be available to participate if selected.

Thank you for your support, your understanding, and for helping make this an exciting and rewarding season for our Barracudas!