Swim ON What???

This weekend is the 2015 SC Ontario Age Group Championships hosted by the Brantford Aquatic Club at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Center. This competition features the provinces best 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 year old swimmers.

Before I go on I want to make something VERY CLEAR!! I'm not writing this blog post because the host club happens to be the former club I swam for. I'm simply stating I don't agree with Swim Ontario and some of the procedures and structures they use for competitions including SC OAGC.  

Lets flashback to before 2012 when things were a lot simpler in Ontario swimming, but even then there were still problems which prompted Swim ON to change the format of Provincial level competitions. Back in the day when Festivals wasn't on the radar for swimmers. Festivals has taken away a full team Provincial level meet, making for more overall team separation at the Provincial level. Speaking of Festivals for a moment the meet is becoming over subscribed with nearly 800 athletes competing at the 2015 Winter Festivals in Etobcioke. Will leave this for another day.

Back to the over 13 year old's. SC and LC are a different layout now which to makes no sense at all. I questioned on Twitter Sunday night decision to not combined the 16&17 year old's for SC OAGC. I questioned this because at LC Provincials the 16&17 year old's happened to be combined which in a way makes sense because the time standards are the same for both ages. It is frustrating as a coach and swimmer to see the age groups not being consistent. I understand the meets are different but a simple change would to rename the meet.

The thing that pushes my buttons the most is how SC OAGC CURRENTLY doesn't allow athletes over 17 to participate in the meet. They are allowed to swim in the open category at LC Provincial Champs, which is great but it's LC.

Currently over 17 year old athletes are being robbed of a SC Provincial championship meet. I'm happy to see finally Swim ON will be adding in the open category starting in Dec 2015 for Provincials. Back in the day it was nice when the open category had it's own Provincial level meet.

   I think Swim ON needs to take a full look at ALL competitions and get feedback from coaches, swimmers, parents, and officials and take the recommendations to heart and make some serious changes. I hope moving forward Swim ON can provide equal opportunities for ALL it's members and allow the athletes over 17 to compete at meets because not all athletes over 17 are in post secondary swimming for Universities. Hopefully a fare playing 'pool' will be given to all athletes moving forward!