Park Village Porpoises

The League

The Park Village Porpoises Swim Team is part of the Tarheel Swim Association (TSA), a recreational summer swim league. TSA organizes competition between neighborhood swim teams across the area. Teams are divided into regions and divisions, and each season’s schedule is based on the previous year’s results to create competitive and balanced meets.

In a typical season, we compete in six dual meets — three home meets and three away meets. While the primary focus is fun, teamwork, and improvement, we are also competing against other teams throughout the season.

More information can be found on the TSA website: https://tsa.swimtopia.com/

Swimmers are assigned to an age group based on their age as of June 1. Once assigned, swimmers remain in the same age group for the entire season, even if they have a birthday during the summer.

Competition Categories

• 6 & Under Girls / Boys
• 7–8 Girls / Boys
• 9–10 Girls / Boys
• 11–12 Girls / Boys
• 13–14 Girls / Boys
• 15–18 Women / Men 

The general order of events during a dual meet is:

1. Medley Relays (ages 7+)
2. Freestyle
3. Backstroke
4. Breaststroke
5. Butterfly (ages 7+)
6. Freestyle Relays (ages 7+)

Events are run from youngest to oldest, with boys swimming before girls in each age group.

One of the most confusing parts of summer swim for new families is understanding the difference between Main Events and Exhibition Heats.

Each event is divided into heats. Most heats have six swimmers.

Main Events (Heat 1)

The first heat of each event is called the “Main Event” or “Heat 1.” This is the only heat that counts toward the team score.

Typically:

• Each team places three swimmers in the Main Event. Home team is in odd lanes, away team is in even lanes.
• Swimmers are seeded by time
• The fastest swimmers are placed in the center lanes

Coaches determine Main Event swimmers based on:

• Current times
• Legal stroke technique
• TSA event limit rules

Main Event Limits

• 6 & Under swimmers may swim up to 2 Main Events
• Swimmers ages 7 & Up may swim up to 3 Main Events plus 2 relays

Exceptions

• Occasionally, especially in the older groups, teams may not have enough eligible swimmers to fill the main event. In that case, there may be exhibition swimmers swimming in the main event to reduce the meet duration. These swimmers are not eligible to earn points. This is denoted on a heat sheet as EXH.
• Some teams only have 5 lane pools - in this case, each team will have two swimmers for each main event. The fifth lane will be an exhibition swimmer.

Exhibition Heats

Additional heats are called exhibition heats. These swims are still official races and are an important part of the meet experience, but they do not score team points.

Most swimmers rotate between Main Events and exhibition heats throughout the season, especially in competitive age groups.

Please do not be discouraged if your swimmer is not consistently swimming Main Events. Coaches update lineups weekly using current meet times and work hard to create fair opportunities for all swimmers. A board member reviews all lane assignments to ensure coaches have followed league guidelines when creating the lineups.

There are two relay types:

• Medley Relay
• Freestyle Relay

Each relay consists of four swimmers from the same age group.

The fastest relay team in each age group is called the “A" Relay. TSA rules require teams to place their fastest available swimmers from that competition category on the A Relay.

Each team is allowed a maximum of three relay teams per competition category. We will attempt to build as many relay teams as we can for each meet.

Relays are often one of the most exciting parts of the meet for swimmers and spectators alike.

Swimming Up for Relays

Families may choose to allow swimmers to “swim up” for relays during meet declarations. This means a younger swimmer may help fill a relay in an older age group if needed. Generally a swimmer 10 & under would not be used in a relay for 11+ unless they have demonstrated the ability to swim a 50 yard race.

This flexibility often allows us to create additional relay opportunities for swimmers.

Combined Events

Teams commonly combine relay events to reduce meet duration. For example, the 13-14 girls and 13-14 boys relay races may be swam concurrently if lane space allows. Points are still awarded for each competition category, even if races occur at the same time.

Individual Event Scoring

Only Main Events score points.

Points are awarded as follows:

• 1st Place — 5 points
• 2nd Place — 3 points
• 3rd Place — 1 point 

Relay Point Scoring

Only the winner is awarded points. 

• 1st Place - 5 points
• 2nd-6th Places - 0 points

Ribbon distribution can be confusing for younger swimmers, especially early in the season.

Main Event Swimmers

Swimmers competing in Main Events receive place ribbons (1st–6th place). These ribbons are labeled and distributed at practice a day or two after the meet.

Exhibition Swimmers

Exhibition swimmers, especially ages 10 & Under, often receive participation ribbons or heat winner ribbons immediately after their race. Not all teams distribute participation ribbons, but most teams distribute heat winner ribbons.

If your child does not receive a ribbon immediately after exiting the pool, they were likely swimming in a Main Event and will receive their ribbon later at practice.

Stroke & Turn Judges monitor Main Events to ensure swimmers are swimming each stroke legally. If a swimmer violates a stroke rule, they may receive a disqualification (DQ).