High school swimming in Texas will look a little different this year, the University Interscholastic League (UIL) announced.
The UIL released a 2020-21 revised plan for postseason competition because of COVID-19 concerns.
The plan will reduce the number of participants in postseason meets, especially at the state championship meets in Februray.
The season began Aug. 17 for 1A-4A classes, while 5A and 6A will begin their dual meets on Sept. 7.
Here is a look at the postseason structure that the UIL released:
2021 Swimming & Diving Post Season Structure
The swimming and diving rules found in the current National Federation Swimming and Diving Rules Book shall be enforced at all UIL meets. NFHS rulebooks may be purchased from the NFHS Website: www.nfhs.org.
District meets shall be held in districts with more than six individuals or relays entered. Only the teams and individuals qualifying through the district and regional meet are eligible to advance to the state meet.
- A maximum of the top four individuals in each event and relays shall qualify from district to regional meet.
- There shall be no consolation finals in the district meet.
- Regional and State Meets will be 1-day meets with prelims in the morning and finals in the afternoon.
- At both the regional and state meets there will be two prelim heats and two heats in the finals, a championship heat and a consolation heat.
- The first place winner in each event of eight (8) regional swimming & diving meets will advance to the State Meet. Plus, the next eight (8) swimmers with the best regional final times overall will advance to the state meet.
- If there are ties in determining the qualifier to the next meet, the times of the competitors from the preliminary competition will be considered first with the competitor with the fastest preliminary time advancing. If a tie should still exist, the decision will be made by lot.
- In diving, two divers will qualify at each of the eight regional meets to the state meet. There is no diving degree required for qualifiers into the regional and state meet.
- All 16 divers will compete in prelims and finals / consols at the state meet.
- A competitor/team relay is officially entered when the official entry sheet is delivered to the meet director at the designated time and place.
- After the entry deadline, there shall be no substitution allowed in the individual events according to NFHS. If the individual place winner cannot compete in the next higher meet, the next place winner may be certified if time allows.
- Scratches are permitted due to academic ineligibility. If this occurs, the regional director may contact alternate qualifiers to replace individual school entries that are scratched.
What you didn’t note (by reporting on only the post-season changes) is that all invitationals are basically wiped off the calendar, as meets with more than 3 schools are not allowed. That is HUGE, in addition to the draconian measures mandated for the championship season.
Also, combined Varsity/JV meets are not allowed; they must be -separate- events: “Only dual or tri-meets will be allowed and only one level of competitors (Var/JV/9th). A school could bring a girls and a boys team, but they would need to be the same level.” For large schools, that is also huge. Many schools have previously run JV as a first heat, Varsity as a second heat, now that is out, too. One supposes separate meets would be scheduled, or one squad level could sit in the stands until the other had finished… Everyone that I know is hustling like crazy to re-do their schedules and many are BEGGING for dual meets to fill in gaps.
Tough changes for the Lone Star State. Not sure if any swim coaches were consulted before deciding on this policy. “Out of the blue” is a comment I keep hearing from my former colleagues. How are other states dealing with the coming season???