Welcome to Grown-Up Swimming! If you haven’t stood behind a starting block in ten, twenty, or forty years, or if this is your very first time on a swim team, don’t sweat it. Our meets are designed to bring back the best parts of summer league swimming (team cheers, fast heats, and hanging out on deck) without any of the high-stress pressure.
The Vibe: Fun First, Fast Second
Think of our meets as a summer block party that happens to have a swim meet in the middle of it. Whether you are a former collegiate swimmer looking to race or someone who is just happy to make it 25 yards to the other wall, there is a lane for you.
No Diving Required: Uncomfortable diving off the blocks?No problem at all. In Grown-Up Swimming, you are always welcome to jump in feet-first from the deck or start right in the water with a hand on the wall.
Short & Sweet: Meets move quickly! Our Thursday evening meets typically have warm-ups at 5:30 PM and a 6:00 PM start time, wrapping up in about 90 minutes to two hours so we can head out for post-meet food and drinks.
How Heats & Age Groups Work
You don’t need to worry about being singled out or left behind in a heat. Grown-Up Swimming uses a unique, laid-back seeding format:
Scored by Age Bracket:
Once the timing system records your finish, your time is automatically sorted into your specific age bracket for points and ribbons.
Age Divisions:
Brackets are broken down by decade based on your age as of December 31st: 18–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, 70–79, and 80+.
Event Limits & Scoring
You choose how much (or how little) you want to swim at each meet when you declare your attendance on SwimTopia:
Rule Category
League Guideline
Max Total Events
5 events per swimmer per meet (not counting the exhibition "Fun Relay").
Individual Events
Up to 3 individual events (or 4 individual events if you only swim in 1 relay).
Relays
Up to 2 official relays per swimmer.
Scoring
Top 16 finishers in each age group score points for the Sharks (up to 20 points for 1st place in individual events, and 40 points for 1st place in relays!).
Standard Order of Events
Most Grown-Up Swimming meets follow a sprint format focusing on 25-yard (one length) and 50-yard (two lengths) races, plus the 100 Individual Medley.
Exhibition "Fun Relay"(rotates by meet—raft relays, multi-generation relays, etc. Does not count toward your event limit!)
100 Individual Medley (IM)(1 length each of Fly, Back, Breast, Free)
200 Freestyle Relay(4 swimmers x 50 yards each)
How to Sign Up for a Meet (RSVP)
We handle all meet entries right here on our SwimTopia website:
Log into your SwimTopia account and click on the Calendar / Meets tab.
Click the green Meet Entry button next to the upcoming meet.
Declare yourself as Attending or Not Attending.
Pick your favorite individual events and let the coach know if you are available for relays.
Heat Sheets (showing your exact heat and lane assignments) are emailed out and posted before the meet so you know right when you’re swimming.
What to Pack in Your Swim Bag
Your Suit & Goggles: Wear your favorite practice suit or team suit and always bring a backup pair of goggles just in case!
2 Towels: One to dry off with, and one to sit on.
Sharpie Marker: Yes, just like when you were 10 years old, we still write our Event, Heat, and Lane numbers (E / H / L) on our arms or hands so we don't miss our races!
Hydration & Snacks: Bring plenty of water, sports drinks, and light snacks for the deck.
Folding Chair: Pool decks fill up fast during league meets, so a camp chair is always a smart move.
