B Meets
WHAT ARE B MEETS?
The North Creek Neptunes participate in weekly swim meets with five other local teams in the Gaithersburg-Montgomery Village Swim B League – the Lake Marion Lasers, Whetstone Whales, Quail Valley Marlins, Flower Hill Dolphins and Plantations Piranhas. While the meets are competitive, the results are not counted towards our MCSL division rankings. Depending on their eligibility, swimmers participate to experience swim meets, improve their strokes and have fun.
WHERE ARE B MEETS?
The B schedule operates on a rotation. We typically host 2-3 home meets a season. The Lake Marion and Whetstone teams are located in the Village. Quail Valley and Flower Hill are nearby in Gaithersburg and Plantations is in Damascus. Directions are sent out before each away meet, and google map links will be provided on the Neptunes Team Event Schedule page. Pool information is also located on the MCSL website.
WHEN ARE B MEETS?
B meets start the week following the first A meet, and end the week following the last A meet. We swim in five B meets a season, plus a B relay meet. Meets start at 6:00 and typically last until 8:30 or 9:00. Swimmers and volunteers are expected to be at the pool by 5:00 for a home meet and 5:15 for an away meet. Check the Meet Schedule for detailed information about that week's meet.
WHO CAN SWIM IN A B MEET?
Every swimmer has the opportunity to swim in a weekly competitive meet. Swimmers are encouraged to sign up for all events for which they are eligible. To that end, the B league has put together the following eligibility rules for B meets. Please read these carefully and contact the B rep with questions. When in doubt, sign up. If you’re not eligible, we’ll let you know before the meet. It’s much easier to scratch you than to add you at the last minute, especially at away meets.
SWIMMER ELIGIBILITY:
If you swim an event in the A meet, you are not allowed to swim the same event in the following B meet, with the exception of freestyle (see exception below.) A swimmer MAY swim any of their off-strokes in the B meet, regardless of how many events they swam in the A meet.
The A meet limit of strokes (3+IM+relay) does not apply to B meets. There is not a limit to the number of events a B swimmer may swim in a B meet – if a B swimmer wishes to swim all five events, they may. This will ensure that each swimmer (A or B) gets ONE chance to swim each stroke once a week.
If you are a usual A swimmer who misses an A meet (e.g. due to vacation or illness), you are not eligible to swim your normal strokes in the following B meet.
Any swimmer who has an All Star time in a stroke is not allowed to swim that stroke in a B meet (even if it is the off stroke.)
FREESTYLE EXCEPTION: A swimmer is eligible to swim freestyle in a B meet as long as they did not place 1st through 6th at the previous A meet (i.e. eligible to swim if swimmer finished in 7th through 12th place.)
GENERAL NOTES REGARDING ELIGIBILITY:
A swimmer is expected to be legal in the stroke before being entered in an event.
No Swim Ups. Swimmers swim within their age group only.
HOW DO I SIGN UP TO SWIM IN THE B MEET?
The B meet signup sheet for the following week’s meet will be posted at practice by Friday morning or earlier. An email signup sheet will also be available, or you can send an email to the B Rep. Swimmers should talk to their coaches to make sure they’re legal in the stroke before signing up.
Because of the time it takes to prepare the meet lineup, it is very important that swimmers sign up on time:
Before a home meet, by the end of evening practice the day prior to the meet.
Before an away meet, by the end of morning practice the day prior to the meet.
If you miss the signup deadline, the next step is to talk to the coach. Swimmers may occasionally be added late, but this is not guaranteed.
HOW CAN PARENTS AND SIBLINGS HELP DURING THE B MEET?
Lots of help is needed and appreciated at all the B meets. We always need timers, clerk of course, officials, automation and ribbon writers. At home meets we need all those helpers plus help setting up and cleaning up, runners (great job for siblings or A only swimmers - SSL hours are provided), concessions help, hospitality, announcers and someone to sing the national anthem!