What are Time Trials? Why are they important?
TT allows us to get a baseline time on your swimmer in each stroke they are able to swim. We set up the pool much like we would for a dual-meet. There will be Clerk of Course, Stroke and Turn Judges, the Starter, Timers, Scorers, Computer, etc. The only thing missing is the other team! It is good experience to see what a meet is like.
Swim meets are divided up into events and heats. For example, Girls 8 & Under 25 Meter Freestyle may have 20 girls from our team in the event. If the other team has 20 girls, that is 40 girls, and in our 10-lane pool, that means 4 heats. Heats are run slowest to fastest. (Here is where Time Trials comes in.) The kids are placed (seeded) into heats with other swimmers of similar ability (time). What this does is it prevents a 7-year-old with no experience from being left at the wall, while an 8-year-old who has been on the team for 4 years has swum 25 meters in 17 seconds. What a total motivation-crusher for the inexperienced swimmer!
Getting that baseline time at Time Trials allows the Clerk of Course to properly seed the kids into the correct heats so they might have a good chance of winning their heat!
By-the-way, Heat winners are given a ribbon pool-side at the end of each heat!
So what happens if you can't make time trials?
Well, really, nothing. The outcome will be that when your swimmer is entered in an actual meet, they will be put in an event as NT, or No Time, and may not be seeded into a heat appropriate for his or her ability.
Keep in mind, TT serves as a dress rehearsal, so for that reason alone, it is a good idea to attend. Not just for the kids, but for the parents.