Invitational swim meets (simply referred to as “invitationals”), are swim meets that set minimum time standards swimmers must achieve before they are “invited” to swim in the meet.  No formal invitations are sent, simply by achieving the time standard for a given event, swimmers are invited/eligible to swim in the invitationals.  Qualifying times must be “official NWAL times,” and thus times from either our formal time trial, or times taken during practice do not count for invitational qualification.  All dual meets, mid-season invitationals, and divisional times count as official times.  In NWAL there are two different types of invitationals:  mid-season, and end of season.  Participation in invitationals is not required and completely optional.

Our team typically participates in one mid-season invitational (Pentathlon), and two post season invitationals (Trinity, and Ponderosa).  They all take place in NW Houston in the Klein (North Spring) and Woodlands area—between I-45 and 249, and north of FM 1960.  NWAL invitationals are run similarly to regular dual meets; they are divided by age group and gender, and they will swim the same 80 events.  However, they will typically have significantly more swimmers than our dual meets, and maybe swim the events in a different order.  Invitationals also charge an entry fee of $5/event, that is not covered by your Tsunami registration fees, so if you choose to swim in any invitationals you will be required to pay the associated fee in advance of the meet. (Details about payment will be provided for each meet closer to the meet entry deadlines.  Any and all relay entry fees will be covered by the City of College Station.)

Pentathlon is currently scheduled for Sunday, June 12th at Klein Collins HS, but their 2016 invitation has not yet been released.  At Pentathlon qualifying swimmers MUST swim all 4 individual strokes, and an Individual Medley (“IM”), so FIVE (5) events.  Time trial times are allowed, but swimmers MUST have a time for every event, and must meet the time standards, which are posted on the website.  The cost for each swimmer to enter pentathlon is $25, and entries will close by June 9th, possibly sooner.  Again, we are still waiting on the full 2016 invite to be published for final details; however, if you think you want to swim in Pentathlon, the event is listed on our calendar and you can start RSVPing “Yes” so we can make sure we get the information to you.  Pentathlon will also limit entries to only 700 swimmers, and split the day with 10&Unders swimming in the morning, and 11&Up swimming in the afternoon with an estimated start time of 2pm.

Trinity Summer Classic is one of two post season invitationals that our team participates in.  The time standards for Trinity are more easily achievable than those for Ponderosa; however, please note for the 2016 season the Trinity time standards have “tightened” up.  Trinity is held at the Conroe ISD Natatorium, which is truly the nicest of all the swimming facilities any invitational will take place at.  The meet is split over two days.  All 10&Under events will be on Saturday June 25th, and all 11&Up events will be on Sunday, June 26th.  Swimmers must qualify for each event they want to swim at Trinity; however, once a swimmer qualifies for three times at Trinity they can enter and swim any event they have an “official” NWAL time for.  (Except the 100 Free, all swimmers wanting to swim the 100 Free must actually qualify for this event.)  Swimmers must pay $5 per individual event they want to swim at Trinity.  Swimmers CANNOT under any circumstances swim an event at Trinity in which they have achieved a Ponderosa time.

Ponderosa Invitational is the oldest and “fastest” post season invitational meet.  This meet will be held at Klein Oak HS on June 25th & 26th.  It is “the best of the best” in NWAL.  The time standards for Ponderosa very fast; somewhere between 40-60 swimmers in each age group & gender will qualify for each event.  Unlike our dual meets and the other invitationals, Ponderosa swims prelims and then the swimmers with the top 16 fastest times in prelims will swim in finals in the evening.  Ponderosa divides all of the events over two days.  On Saturday, June 25, 2016 will be all ages, all genders in freestyle & backstroke.  On Sunday, June 26th will be all ages and all genders butterfly, breast stroke and IM.

Both Trinity and Ponderosa also include relays, and the coaches will do their best to put together relays based on available swimmers at each meet.  Swimmers who qualify for Ponderosa cannot swim in relays at Trinity.  Relay swimmers at Ponderosa do not have to have Ponderosa qualifying times, so all swimmers are eligible for Ponderosa relays.

Swimmers can qualify some events for Ponderosa, and other events for Trinity.  It is possible to swim at both Ponderosa and Trinity, but it is not recommended unless your events are on different days.  While both in NW Houston/spring area, the two pools are not particularly close to one another, and event time schedules can never be guaranteed.  The official invites and times standards are posted on the website, under the News menu.

As we get closer to the invitationals more information will be provided!