Psych Sheets Drop for 2021 Winter Junior Championships (East & West)

2021 Speedo Winter Junior Championships – East & West

East Details:

  • December 8-11, 2021
  • Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
  • Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
  • Psych Sheets

West Details:

  • December 8-11, 2021
  • Jamail Texas Swim Center, Austin, Texas
  • Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
  • Psych Sheets

The 2021 USA Swimming Speedo Winter Junior Championships begin on Wednesday, following up on last week’s US Open meet. The Winter Junior Championships are a series of two separate meets, which are scored and ranked separately. Athletes are assigned to one of two sites: Greensboro for the “East” meet and Austin for the “West” meet, based on the geography of their registered clubs.

Unlike the US Open, which had fairly small fields, athletes are out in full force for the Winter Junior Championships.

While the meets are administered, ranked, and scored separately, SwimSwam will combine results throughout the week to create an informal “mythical national championship” ranking.

One of the nation’s best junior programs will miss the meet: Nation’s Capital in the DC Metro will host its own NCAP Invitational, as is traditional this time of year.

But most of the country’s most recognizable clubs will be in attendance, including the TAC Titans, Dynamo Swim Club, SwimMAC Carolina, Carmel Swim Club, Club Wolverine, SwimAtlanta, Bolles School Sharks, Bellevue Club Swim Team, PASA, Irvine Novaquatics, Rose Bowl Aquatics, Katy Aquatics, and Sandpipers of Nevada.

The Sandpipers will bring along their two remaining junior swimmers who were on the U.S. Olympic Team in 2021, Bella Sims and Katie Grimes, as well as their new wunderkind Claire Weinstein.

Most of the USA Swimming Junior National Team will be in attendance at one meet or the other.

Also racing at the East meet is 14-year old Thomas Heilman from Cavalie Aquatics. Last week, between the US Open and a nearby short course yards meet that he raced in for one session, Heilman broke 7 National Age Group Records (including records in both courses).

He has a 6 event schedule lined up for the Winter Junior Championships – East: 50/100/200 frees, 100/200 fly, and 200 IM. While he’s not the top seed in any of those races, he is an outright contender in each after his performance last weekend.

More previews to come later this week.

COVID Protocols

  • All credentialed participants, vaccinated or not, must show proof of a negative test for COVID-19 within 72 hours before the meet, before receiving their credentials.
  • All USA Swimming representatives, including volunteers, staff, and officials, must be vaccinated.
  • In Greensboro, everyone in the venue must wear masks except when competing. That includes coaches, athletes, officials, and spectators. In Austin, masking is “strongly recommended” but not required.

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Lucy
2 years ago

On another note, women’s 500 Free is going to be heated in west. Sims 4:32.1 and Grimes 4:37… I wonder if we can see a sub 4:30 from one of these women 👀 Also, we need a swimswam podcast with Grimes! Really eager to hear about her Olympic experience as a 15 year old, and her successful open water season!

Miranda Smith
2 years ago

I wonder why Tuggle isn’t there… no appearance at US Open, and not a blazing opening over her season… hope she gets back to 2019 form!

swimtothemoon24
Reply to  Miranda Smith
2 years ago

She did swim in Berlin/Budapest with the Junior team.

IMO
2 years ago

LIAC and NOVA will also be at the NCAP meet. Three strong age group teams skipping Jrs.

James Beam
2 years ago

I’m sure this won’t be liked, but is this a good thing for a 14-year-old 8th grader to be doing back-to-back-to-back big meets? Is this being driven by his coach or does Tommy really want to be doing this? How about the financial strain of going to 3 big travel meets in a row for his parents?

tutterstutter
Reply to  James Beam
2 years ago

See look, you even admitted it was a dumb comment.

Y’all ever met kids? Kids love competing. Is it good for a kid to do back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back 10,000 meter practices, where they’re 6 hours at practice for a week straight? No, but some of y’all still love to worship that stuff.

The basketball kids play games every weekend. So do the soccer kids.

Athletes love competing. I can’t in my earthly mind, even if I put on my very biggest coach-trying-to-be-pseudo-psychologist hat, think of what would be bad about this. So please tell us what could possibly be bad about it.

VASWAMMER
Reply to  tutterstutter
2 years ago

And burn out is a real issue in swimming so it is a valid concern to raise.

PFA
Reply to  VASWAMMER
2 years ago

It’s no joke lots of the best swimmers in the world have gone through it…even me.

Mr. Pack
Reply to  VASWAMMER
2 years ago

They get burned out from practice, not from meets.

please & thank you
Reply to  Mr. Pack
2 years ago

Is that true? Burnout only happens from practice? The pressure of meets never burns a kid out?

Hannah Wander
Reply to  James Beam
2 years ago

Counterintuitively, sometimes it’s easier for younger swimmers to go to more meets because their homework level is lower.

Big Mac #1
2 years ago

Bellard goated

Swimmerswammerswummer
Reply to  Big Mac #1
2 years ago

Ur talking about Hannah Bellard right? She’s on my team 😉

Meow
2 years ago

Off topic, but can we get a Femke Heemskerk retirement/appreciation post?

SwimJones
2 years ago

There *are* other fast swimmers in this meet too.

Entgegen
2 years ago

Imagine all the school he’s missing. All those 8th-grade homework assignments!

Hswimmer
Reply to  Entgegen
2 years ago

Still some schools offering online so who knows

50free
Reply to  Entgegen
2 years ago

Would do them for him.

MIKE IN DALLAS
Reply to  Entgegen
2 years ago

My experiences as a swimmer, coach, and teacher are simple: swimmers might “miss school” but they don’t “miss” homework” — they make it all up, and usually with a GPA that would make “Other Sports” proud!

Teddy
Reply to  MIKE IN DALLAS
2 years ago

Often under appreciated—not having to do homework is one of the best parts of being an adult

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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