The WIAA recently took down the 2009 boys D1 and D2 qualifying standards from their website.
In an effort to be your full-service swim blog, here they are (we'll be doing a bit more analysis on recent qualifying standards and this year's times as sectionals approach):
BoysQualifyingStandards 2009
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Do you see any of these times getting slower(because of the lack of high tech suits)?
I do, not really sure why, but I believe the top level swimmers will still push the envelope, but on the lower end of the qualifying spectrum I believe it will drive the times up just a bit. The mental edge with these suits was equally important and this year everyone won't feel that added hype the suit offered. I hate to drag up the dreaded suit discussion again, but I attended this years golf state championship at University Ridge in Madison and I began to total up the dollar amount of equipment as well as the cutting edge of technology strapped to the backs of 16 and 17 year olds and I wondered why we don't limit our other sports the way we did swimming? For example, if a soccer player chooses to purchase the finest of Italian, high tech soccer shoes available, would he or she be asked wear the same ones everyone else was? Do not certain bb shoes offer greater support and lift compared to others? Just a few thoughts.....
That will be part (hopefully!) of the analysis to come, but the short answer is yes. My (totally anecdotal) sense from last year is that lots of guys saw what the suits did for the girls in 2008, and went out and got them last year, particularly those close to the edge of qualifying at sectionals. There were some notably faster qualifying times last year compared to previous years, particularly in the relays, where you may have had four swimmers suited up.
One other factor: both D1 and D2 lost a good share of state champs to graduation (five in each division), but with only a few exceptions -- DeLakis at Eau Claire, Nenning at Grafton -- I haven't seen the emergence of many truly outstanding freshmen this year on the boys side (contrasted to the girls side). I always try to compare the outflow of talent via graduation vs. the inflow of freshmen, and this year the balance seems tipped toward those who have departed. In the aggregate, that can have an impact on qualifying times.
"I attended this years golf state championship at University Ridge in Madison and I began to total up the dollar amount of equipment as well as the cutting edge of technology strapped to the backs of 16 and 17 year olds and I wondered why we don't limit our other sports the way we did swimming?"
A very good point, one I've made myself. I always sort of wondered about the intense criticism that came swimming's way, when golfers (and I regularly attend the state golf tourney) are carrying equipment (and golf balls, and shoes, and bags...) many times over the cost of single blue70.
Having said that, there's a side of me that likes the new restrictions on suits, as I do think it puts everyone financially on a pretty even plane.
I don't understand why WIAA even publishes these...they are so irrelevant given how swimmers qualify for the state meet. What a joke.
I think they are worth noting, and knowing, because they can provide some indications of the time needed to qualify for a given event. Not as specific, of course, as a set qualifying time standard, but given that swimmers can only enter two individual events, they strike me as providing some helpful information to coaches and swimmers.
The swim suits weren't limited or banned because of there price in dollars. The suits are now illegal because they changed how the body moved through the water. The suits aided buoyancy and reduced drag allowing the athlete to fatigue at slower rate.
True, but there was certainly an undercurrent -- particularly at the high school level -- about the cost of "equipment" (high-tech suits running close to $400) and whether that provided an unfair advantage to swimmers (or even booster clubs) who could afford such suits. Not all swimmers and/or their families can afford a blue70, a fact plainly evident (to pick just one meet) at the 2008 girls state meet.
The WIAA posts the state qualifying standards so athletes, coaches, parents and fans know qualifies to the WIAA state meet in Madison. This service has proven to be the quickest way to get the information out. Often times the heat sheet isn't produced until Sunday morning. Also the WISCA organization tries to get the information out but typically aren't as quick as the WIAA. This is because the WIAA doesn't release the results of the D2 Stevens Point Sectional because they basically run meet. Plus the WISCA group has made errors in the past by forgetting to include an automatic qualifier.
So not a joke but pertinent information.
I have comments on both threads...
As far as the WIAA posting the qualifying times for the previous season, as long as you are aware of how the process works and that the QT's are just a guideline, the list is valuable for swimmers as a motivational tool.
On the swimsuit issue...as a USA Swimming "Outreach" member, our family can barely afford the meet entries for our kids much less the high tech suits. One of my kids was thrilled to received a very nice Speedo FSII a couple years ago through the Outreach program and still wears it to every high quality meet. Not to all the meets like some kids are able to do.
It is disheartening as a parent to watch your swimmer step up in finals as the only swimmer without a blue70 or LZR, and worse yet just miss making finals at big meets and wonder if it is because you did not have the right suit. Or to consistently beat swimmers at regular meets and then get beat at high quality meets when kids put on the technical suits. I'm aware there are other factors here and I understand why people buy the suits (they have to because everyone else has them), but I have seen many times the difference these suits make. So, yes, I was relieved when the suits were banned. And I do think at the high school level especially, for all sports there should be an even playing field. There are a handful of swimmers on our high school team who actually wear hand-me-down swim suits from other swimmers and can not afford to swim year-round because they can not afford this sport.
High school season is very refreshing for us as teams where "team suits" for the meets up until sectionals. And if you miss out on making high school state this year you will not have to wonder if it was because of your suit.
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