Athlete Incentives

Incentive Details

Of course most of the athletes on the team are highly motivated, competitive people.  However, we recognize that it's helpful to have a tangible goal, rather than just a specific time or meet.  With that in mind, we offer a number of incentive programs for our athletes to work toward throughout their entire career with the team.  These are detailed below.

At the end of each short course season, any 10&U athlete having completed the following events will receive a certificate from USA Swimming.

• 100 Freestyle
• 50 Backstroke
• 50 Breaststroke
• 50 Butterfly
• 100 Individual Medley

All events must have been completed in one birth year. If an athlete ages up mid-season having completed some events prior to their birthday and some after, the certificate will not be issued. Excel issues these certificates on behalf of USA Swimming and is not responsible for tracking an athlete's completion.

10&U athletes can earn a one-of-a-kind, custom designed t-shirt upon completion of the designated events within the short course season.

8&U Athletes

• 200 Freestyle
• 50 Backstroke
• 50 Breaststroke
• 50 Butterfly
• 200 Individual Medley

10&U Athletes

• 200 Freestyle
• 500 Freestyle
• 100 Backstroke
• 100 Breaststroke
• 100 Butterfly
• 200 Individual Medley

Parents should track these events throughout the season to ensure that athletes complete the needed events.

At the end of each short course season, any  athlete having completed the designated events will receive a certificate from USA Swimming.

All events must have been completed in one birth year. If an athlete ages up mid-season having completed some events prior to their birthday and some after, the certificate will not be issued. Excel issues these certificates on behalf of USA Swimming and is not responsible for tracking an athlete's completion.

Visit the IMX page of the USA Swimming website to learn about the required events for each age group.

Throughout the short course season Excel staff tracks the cumulative number of heat wins for each athlete. At the end of the short course season we award custom designed bag tags to the top three heat winners in each age group and each gender.

Every swim listed in the USA Swimming times database includes a Power Point value. This point system allows for comparison of the quality of performances across strokes, distances and events, as well as between age groups. The power point scale ranges from 1 to 1100 points. The higher the points, the stronger you are in that event.

An IMX score is only established after a swimmer has swum all of the events required for their age group in a sanctioned meet since the start of the current season. Swimmers must complete all the events in the same course, either SCY or LCM.

Excel uses the IMX scores to determine the medalists as follows:

• Gold Medal - 3000+
• Silver Medal - 2000-2999
• Bronze Medal - 1000-1999

All Gold medalists will have the opportunity to order a custom Excel Aquatics Boathouse jacket.

The overriding goal of many training groups is achieving times to qualify to swim at one or more of the end of season championship meets.  While we fully believe that achieving just one championship cut is an amazing accomplishment, we like to reward and inspire those athletes that like to go above and beyond.

Quite a few of our athletes have managed to achieve all of the specific designated championship cuts within their age group, and we reward them accordingly as detailed below.

• Level 1 - All Southeastern cuts in an age group
• Level 2 - All Age Group Sectional cuts in an age group
• Level 3 - All NCSA National cuts in an age group

Special patches will be given to any athlete that reaches this acheivement.