USA Swimming is consolidating its four Zone Select Camps into two this year, reducing the total number of slots for swimmers from 224 to 112 while eliminating IMX scoring as a way to qualify without warning.
Aiken-Augusta Swim League head coach Greg Gillette said he spent last summer chasing a qualifying IMX score with one of his athletes, who should have qualified for the Southern Zone Select Camp after accumulating enough power points in the LCM 400 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly, and 200 IM.
Traditionally, the top seven IMX-scoring U.S. citizens for each age and gender (12-13 girls and 13-14 boys) within each zone qualified along with the next-fastest available swimmer in each Olympic event for a total of 56 participants per zone. Junior National Teamers are ineligible for the camps, which consist of both in-water practices and classroom sessions.
But the new qualifying procedure awards spots only to the top swimmers in each of the 14 Olympic events for a total of 28 swimmers per zone — cutting the total roster size in half. Consequently, there will be less chances for 12-year-old girls and 13-year-boys without dedicated spots per age on the younger side of the spectrum.
In exchange, the fewer athletes will each bring a coach to the camp, swapping athletes for coaches.
Gillette was irked most by the fact that USA Swimming failed to communicate its change in selection criteria until months after the qualifying period ended last August. Not only was his swimmer robbed of a spot, but her event lineup at the season-ending championship meet was also impacted. Gillette reached out to Southern Zone senior advisor Terry Jones for clarification on the matter.
“The camp selection process did change, and it wasn’t communicated to clubs or coaches in a timely manner,” Jones responded in an email to Gillette. “I would like to apologize for this miscommunication and how that effected [sic] your decision making and the impact on your athlete.”
Jones cited June’s Olympic Trials as a reason for combining the camps this year. USA Swimming’s new selection criteria adds that the organization’s data team “researched athlete progression through the camp system over the last ten years to assist in decision-making,” but it did not share specific findings from that research.
The Central and Western Zone Select Camps will be held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs from May 30-June 2 while the Southern and Eastern Zone Select Camps will take place at NC State from June 6-9. Olympic Trials will run from June 15-23 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“When looking at the schedule for 2024 in an Olympic year, it was decided to streamline the Zone Select Camps down to 2 combined camps (Central / Western & Southern / Eastern),” Jones wrote. “With Trials being moved up earlier and so much that goes into preparing for trials, the Zone decision was made.”
Jones attempted to remedy the situation by offering Gillette’s would-be IMX qualifier some USA Swimming gear along with a letter of apology.
However, the issue remains that Gillette says he no longer can justify the cost of USA Swimming membership for his pre-competitive swimmers, especially with the dwindling number of sanctioned meets that make sense for his swimmers to attend. He says he’ll be switching most of his 300-plus member club to AAU next season instead, joining a group — mostly from the South — who made the change last year to save time and money. With 180 kids making the move, that adds up to more than $12,000 in losses for USA Swimming membership dues.
The criteria for 2025 has been posted (kind of). Intro paragraph and selection (same as 2024 + 2 “wildcards”?) has been updated. All the rest has stayed the same.
https://www.usaswimming.org/swimmers-parents/swimmers/swim-camps/zone-select-camps
Last year my daughter swam all events necessary for her IMX score as another chance to make the camp. Fortunately for her she ended up ranked 1st in an individual event and will attend the Eastern/Southern camp. I agree that this switch was abrupt and leaves out well rounded swimmers. Should a switch like this occur again I hope it is communicated at least a year in advance. With long course being such a short season, it requires extra time, effort, and planning to get a long course IMX score.
THIS: “Consequently, there will be less chances for 12-year-old girls and 13-year-boys without dedicated spots per age on the younger side of the spectrum.” What is the point of having the 12-13 girls/13-14 boys if it seems that almost all the fastest swimmers will be 13 year old girls and 14 year old boys?
I feel that using the fact that this is an Olympic year to justify the cuts is a bit disingenuous. My daughter was selected for Eastern Zone camp in 2020 based on IMX score. She won five of eight events at Virginia’s LC AGC, and got second in the other three. She won 200 and 400 IM, 200 back and fly, and 400 free. She was 2nd in all the breaststrokes, but she and the winner were both almost four seconds under the state record in the 200 br. I believe she had the top IMX score of those invited. She didn’t specialize, she swam everything. In an Olympic year. Olympic events. And was invited to the camp. Of course,… Read more »
12 years ago my son attended this camp on IMX points. He was a great all around swimmer. He learned so much at this camp and it motivated him. I believe this helped him excel in future years. He was a part of 3 national championship teams at Denison University, national runner-up 3 times in his individual events and became a team leader in high school and college. This camp helped him become a better swimmer, teammate and now a head coach of a college team. I am sure the research didn’t look at the total athlete. Also taking coaches over athletes and changing the criteria after the qualification deadline is unacceptable.
This is interesting. On the one hand the logic makes sense, given the challenge of running an amazing Olympic Trials. On the other hand it’s not as hard as they make it seem to provide an intelligent motivational camp led by really smart experienced people — among whom they get most of their National Team Members. The attitude that only USA Swimming hired employees can coach and teach at a level that will prepare up and coming talent for the next level is ludicrous, of course. There are many great coaches and scientists who can be certified and run such camps. There should be more of these select camps, not less. As far as choosing from IMX scores; I wonder… Read more »
The previous system accounted for the peaty’s, as half the camp was the fastest kid in each event in the zone, and the other half was IMX scores. 14/14
Honestly, such a bummer. I think there should be more opportunities for talented swimmers to have an opportunity to attend training trips like this. The top swimmers are already in the limelight, so let some other people in as well! I really enjoyed my time at zone select camp 7 years ago. I was not the top swimmer there by any means but it was extremely motivating and an experience I’ll never forget.
Our daughter swam an outstanding swim last long course. We have a lot of knowledge in the sport, and for that reason alone, I knew that there was a Zone Select Camp.
I went to the USA-S website early fall, and sure enough, the 2023 selection criteria was posted along with, *Criteria selection subject to change in italics
Somewhere after the first of the year, the Zone Select Camp page noted the dates with full selection criteria listed for the 2024 Camps. It was clear they made some changes, and it WAS NOT the same as when I looked in the fall.
They did proper diligence to notify members. They used their method of communication to all… Read more »
Thanks for providing that information.
Meant to say “a coach for a swimmer.” Sorry!
The notice was 5 months after the qualifying window closed. That’s not due diligence.
They were never obligated to continue using the same criteria in the selection process for the 2024 Camp. There was never any mention until after January 1, 2024 regarding the current year camp. No dates. No location. No selection criteria. They have yet to announce the athletes for the 2024 camps.
Everything I saw was for 2023 until after the calendar year flipped.
They probably should have sent an email to all the membership stating the change in the program that affected the less than one percent. That is both reasonable and concurrently irrelevant for many, which also certainly would have ignited a fire storm prior to selection letters going out to coaches and families.
Regarding the… Read more »
I don’t think “not posting any info until 5 months after the selection window closes” is OK.
It’s like not posting Secrional meet info until after a meet starts, and then dropping the “It’s a Timed Final Meet” bomb after everyone was in town.
That only makes sense if the camp was happening in Fall 2023. If they are going to use LCM as a scope for talent, they have to use the performance data ending in August for the next term’s camp.
Holding a camp within months of performance faces challenges and conflicts from high school several may not want/can to make/do, therefore forcing USA-S hand to the following spring for attendee availability. I did find it interesting they pushed backed the camp dates to when most of the country is out of school, even with the proximity of Trials for some of the athlete coaches.
Also, if this is to enrich and motivate the next generation, get them engaged going into… Read more »
If they announced the criteria in September 2022, with the qualifying period being Sep1-2022 thru Aug31-2023, fine.
But they didn’t announce a change to the selection process until after that Sep1-2022 they Aug31-2023 window closed.
If they announce it early, folks know the deal and can plan their racing schedules accordingly. Announcing it after is terrible.