Pequannock Piranhas

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Invitational and Championship Meets

With the exception of the Coaches' Choice Invitational and the Ramapo Championships, these meets will last a good part of the day. The day will be what you make of it.  If you plan properly, arrive early, realize you are representing Pequannock and treat it like a big picnic, you'll wind up having a good time. Children's names and times are often posted in local newspapers!  The host clubs use these meets as fundraisers.  You are probably going to pay $5.00 or so for admission and a program. You can usually purchase food, beverages, patches, hats and other items at these meets.  We encourage bringing a cooler with snacks and drinks to keep the kids (and parents) happy.


Some tips

The parents, not the coaches, are responsible for signing the swimmers up for invitational meets.  This is done a week or two in advance by circling the event and initialing it in the entry meet book (which is kept at the snack stand). Entry fees are paid by the team, however, if you miss the deadline to sign up by then the swimmer (not the team) will be responsible for paying the entry fee. If you sign up and do not show then the swimmer will be responsible to reimburse the team for the entry fee. Listen to the weather forecast.  This will allow you to dress appropriately and bring along the things you might need for comfort (sunblock, tents, umbrellas, etc.). 


While your child's name will be listed in the seeding portion of the program for individual events, the relay teams will be listed only as Pequannock or Pequannock A or B.  Your child will find out from the coach if your child is on a relay team.  Typically, championship meets have relay events while invitational meets do not.  In most cases, the meets are held at swim clubs that are on private property. Most clubs (including Pequannock) do not permit visiting swim team members or guests to swim in areas outside of the meet.  Remember, while the swim team would love to have you enjoy all their facilities, the other club members want their privacy.


All members signed up for an Invitational or Championship is expected to pitch in. Volunteer signups will be posted on the snack stand board prior to the meet.


Just before the first invitational, there will be a binder at the snack stand with "A" time requirements as well as your child's best times in each stroke.  You should compare and see if your child has an "A" time.  A times are counted when swum at Lakeland meets and invitationals.  Invitationals give your child additional chances to score an "A" time and participate in the "A" Championship.


The Packanack Lake Odd Age Invitational

This is an odd-age group meet.  All teams from the Lakeland Conference and occasionally, some teams outside the conference are invited.  In an odd-age meet, the conventional age groups are reversed; the age groups become 7/under, 8/9, 10/11, 12/13, 14/up.  Obviously, this gives the children who are ordinarily at the bottom of their age group a better chance to place. Besides being a well run meet, there are events for parents, coaches and even a family relay event.  The major drawback is the weather; the meet is held in mid-July and there is zero shade on the beach.  Remember to bring hats, sunblock and plenty of water and juice to drink. Parents wishing to swim, please notify a Piranhas coach.


The Erskine Lakes Invitational 
This is sometimes called the “C” invitational, although there is no such thing as a “C” time.  A swimmer with an "A" time or a swimmer that places in the Highland Lakes Invitational is not eligible to swim in this meet.  Therefore, this is the least competitive of the summer invitationals and gives the kids who have not won an award a chance to do so.  Typically, small trophies are given to the first three places and there are ribbons for the winners of each heat.  Because of the generous number of awards given out, rumors have circulated that "everyone gets something" at Erskine.  NOT TRUE!  A swimmer who goes to this meet with the idea that they will win something may come away very disappointed.  Try to discourage such thinking and instead, have your swimmer concentrate on doing their best.  As far as the facilities go, parking is very limited by the swim lanes.  You will inevitably have to find parking on the side streets around the lake. There is a good refreshment stand, and this course is one of the best shaded in the conference. 

Ramapo Conference Championship
This meet is held in the evening, always at Pequannock and is a great fundraiser for us.  It is open to children of all ages, however, like Coaches' Choice, the coaches decide which swimmers will swim.


The Pequannock Individual Age Invitational 

This meet is designed to give swimmers a chance to compete solely in their own age group; 8 year olds swim against 8 year olds, 9's against 9's, etc.  Again, this gives the children who are ordinarily at the bottom of their age group a better chance to place.  


The Highland Lakes Invitational 
Swimmers with two or more "A" times are not eligible to place in this meet.  They can swim in "open" events to better their times.  A swimmer with one "A" time cannot swim that stroke in the meet but is eligible to swim any other stroke.  This meet is occasionally referred to as the "B" invitational or "B" championships. Traditionally, medals are awarded to the first three or four places and ribbons for the next few places.  There are also open events for older swimmers: 100 & 200-meter freestyle, and a 200 meter IM. A swimmer who does not place in this meet and does not have an "A" time, is then eligible to swim at the Erskine Lakes Invitational - (The C’s).  The facilities are good; parking is adequate, although latecomers will wind up parking a block or two away.  There is a refreshment stand and some shaded areas, which will be occupied by the early birds. 

The Coaches' Choice Invitational 
This meet is held in the evening and run with only one championship finals heat.  Unlike the other invitationals, the parents and swimmers do not sign up for this one - it is purely the coaches' choice.  

The Lakeland Conference Championship 
This meet is rotated around the conference, so a different team hosts it each year.  This meet is the "A" championship and participation is limited to swimmers who have achieved "A" times.  A swimmer is limited to two events, even if the swimmer has three or four "A" times.  The coach together with the swimmer will select the events that the swimmer competes in. If a swimmer achieves an “A” time throughout the season, they are expected to swim at this meet.