State BC Meet @ Mountain Crest

In age group competitive swimming, swimming times are divided into three different categories: “A” times, which qualify swimmers for the highest level of championships; “BC” times, which qualify swimmers for the “back-up championships” (Ryan’s description); and then “All Times,” which consist of everything else. This division is the same for all levels of swimmers, whether it’s those attempting to qualify for the Olympics and other national and international competitions, as well as younger kids trying to make it to the State Championships/Junior Olympics.

The age groups in competitive swimming are 10 & under, 11-12, and then either 13-14 and 15 & older, or just 13 & older, depending on the meet. It is widely known that 11-year-olds and 13-year-olds have the most difficulty in competition, since they have recently “aged up” to the new group.

While Ryan easily made “A times” last year as one of the oldest in the 10 & under group, he struggled to make “A times” this season as an 11-year-old. All of his friends who are 12 have state times, and most of his friends who are still 11 do not.

Friday & Saturday, March 9 & 10 was the “BC state championship” meet in Logan (actually the Mountain Crest pool in Hyrum). Ry, Papa & I left right after school on Friday, drove to Logan, and checked into our hotel. Ryan already had his swimming clothes on, so we quickly headed to the pool for warm-ups at 4:00.

Most swim meets give the swimmers a “meet gift.” They are usually water bottles, caps, or knit beanies (Park City is known for these, go figure). The gift for this meet was a swim cap. The kids could decide the color. Ryan & his best friend, James, came back with these beautiful pink caps.


I guess they’re secure with their masculinity. The funny thing was that a girl on our team was sitting right in front of us with her mom. She came back with a blue cap. Her mom had seen the pink caps (on Ryan & James), and said, “Why didn’t you get one of the pink caps?” The girl looked up at Ryan & James. Apparently since the BOYS took the pink caps, there weren’t any left for the girls!

Friday: 50 back (3rd place overall)



50 free (4th place overall)
200 IM (1st place!)



Saturday: 50 fly (1st place!)


50 breaststroke (4th place)
100 IM – against his two best friends to his left in the pictures (4th place – beat one friend; one beat him)



The little brother of a teammate was trying for his very first state time. The kids were really cute to cheer him on at the end of the pool.
The exuberant boys also formed an impromptu conga line!
The big meets, like the various state championships, award a certain number of points for placing in the top 7 or 8 in an event (for example, 20 points for a 1st place finish, 17 points for 2nd, and so on). There is also a high point winner for the meet. Ryan was the high point winner with a total of 94 points! A fellow teammate (who is often Ryan’s closest 11-year-old competition - behind him in the conga line) was in second place with 92 points. His two best friends that were there (one in front of him in the conga line; the two that did the 100 IM with him) had 77 and 76 points. Great job, Big-O!