Michigan Swimming News & Updates | | |
Message from MISI General Chair
Thank you, Michigan Swimming swimmers, coaches, officials, and volunteers! It’s short course championship season, AKA our version of “March Madness” which requires “all hands on deck” for successful swim meets. It also requires cooperation from “all hands on deck” to reduce the activation of chloramines and allow everyone to breathe easier; volunteers should wear a pair of “clean-soled shoes” and swimmers should shower prior to entering the water. Most of us have experienced the respirational distress as the meet goes on. This can be reduced by preventative efforts and lower temperatures on deck. Only our best efforts will clear the air for everyone involved.
We are excited and planning for the Michigan Swimming Age Group Athlete Summit and the Coaches’ Clinic in mid-April. Thank you to our Athlete Committee and our many coaches working on these LSC endeavors. An IMXtreme Training Camp is in the works for May, so swimmers, get those IMX scores ASAP! Also on the radar are regional development camps and elite-level travel camps.
A quick reminder that Michigan Swimming offers grants to help teams develop throughout the year. Deadlines for this year’s opportunities are mid-April.
The TYR Pro Series being held in Westmont, IL, began Wednesday and runs through Saturday. The qualifying times are tough, check them out here: https://www.usaswimming.org/event/2026/03/04/default-calendar/usas-pro-swim-series-westmont
Best wishes to our Michigan Swimming athletes racing this week:
CW: Kia Alert, Tallulah Beg, Sarah Leiger, Adrienne Schadler, Kate Van Ryn
LCSC: Maria El-Koudsi, Jayla Kuzak
PCC: Kaden Hung
Good luck is not needed for success this season! Great planning, preparation, proper training, and good health are needed. Enjoy your championship season and thank you for training in racing in Michigan!
Best regards,
Vince Gallant, General Chair MISI
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Michigan Swimming Equipment Grant Program – Applications Open
Michigan Swimming is excited to announce that applications are now open for the Michigan Swimming Equipment Grant Program, an annual initiative designed to support member clubs with the purchase of essential training, safety, and facility equipment.
$10,000 awarded annually
• Three (3) grants of $2,000
• Four (4) grants of $1,000
Clubs may apply for one grant per year to purchase equipment that directly benefits athletes and enhances training environments.
Important Dates Application
Deadline: April 15
Equipment Purchase Deadline (for awarded clubs): July 30
Eligible applicants must be Michigan Swimming member clubs in good standing and able to demonstrate a clear need and athlete impact. Proof of purchase and brief follow-up documentation will be required. Michigan Swimming encourages all eligible clubs to consider applying and looks forward to continuing to invest in strong, safe, and successful swimming programs across the state.
Equipment Grant Application – Fill out form
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DEI Grants Information
Michigan Swimming member teams serving low-income and under-represented communities are encouraged to share their vision for developing strong community swim programs with Michigan Swimming. Funds are available to assist these teams in good standing with strengthening their ability to provide their communities with high-quality learn-to-swim and learn-to-swim-better-and-faster programming.
Annual grants of up to $5,000 are available. Additionally, long range programming may be recognized.
If your team is interested in working with Michigan Swimming to develop your program, please contact our DEI Committee for details. Grant applications for this summer are due by May 15 with a May 31 awards decision deadline.
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College Selection Process
reported by Ella Dziobak, dROP Aquatics, Divine Child HS
Choosing a college is arguably one of the most challenging decisions high school students face. Deciding to swim in college makes the process even more scrutinizing as you are not only picking an academic institution, but a team and training environment for the next four years. Last fall, I committed to Purdue University and will be a freshman later this year; although the process felt overwhelming at times, it really is an exciting experience.
Throughout the college recruiting process, do not be afraid to be in contact with multiple schools. Learning about different programs will help you determine what you are looking for (or not looking for) in a school, which may take time. If coaches offer visits, official or unofficial, try your best to take the trip. Personally, I took six official visits, which allowed me to feel very confident in my final decision. Prior to the recruiting process, I had rough ideas about the campus size and location I wanted in a college, and taking the opportunity to visit schools in person solidified them.
In addition to choosing a school that is the right fit academically and during day-to-day campus life, ensuring you are comfortable with the team atmosphere and coaches is a key component of the recruiting process. Once you arrive on campus, a lot of time will be spent with the team; the attitude and energy of those around you have an impact on performance in both swimming and school. Therefore, when picking a college, it is important to remember the team atmosphere will play a pivotal role in your college experience. Often the team culture can be attributed to the coaching staff as well, which is why it is important to be comfortable around the coaches at the school you chose. Some of the best advice I received during this process was to pay close attention to interactions with coaches; if I did not feel respected as a recruit, the situation was not likely to improve if I attended their school.
Although the recruiting process may be intimidating, you will know once you find the school that aligns with your athletic academic, and personal goals.
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Michigan Swimming Age Group Athlete Summit, Sunday, April 12, 2026
~report from the Michigan Swimming Athletes Committee
We’re excited to announce our Age Group Athlete Summit on April 12th in Okemos! This special event is designed to empower young athletes with the tools they need to grow both in and out of the sport. Throughout the day, participants will take part in engaging sessions centered on leadership development and mental health awareness, learning practical strategies to build confidence, resilience, and a positive team culture.
Each head coach will have the opportunity to select one or two athletes from their team to attend this summit.
More details to follow soon!
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Michigan Swimming Coaches’ Clinic, Sunday, April 12, 2026
~report from the Michigan Swimming Camps & Clinics Committee
Complementing the Age Group Athlete Summit, this coaches’ clinic will focus on raising the level of performance of all our athletes. Topics include: building a team from a strong lessons program; developing young swimmers from learn-to-swim to learn-to-train to learn-to-train at higher levels; and how to develop a culture that benefits all levels of swimmers. More details will follow in our next newsletter.
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Michigan Swimming IMXtreme Racers: Congratulations!
Being a well-rounded competitive swimmer requires a high level of skill development and a fundamentally sound training environment to fit your racing aspirations. One measure of competitive fitness is a demonstrated ability to race all evens offered in the Olympic program. USA Swimming recognizes athletes' accomplishments through its IMXtreme program, and beginning this 2025-2026 short-course season, Michigan Swimming will recognize the best IMXtreme athletes by age in our LSC.
The IMXtreme program recognizes swimmers when they have successfully competed in all of their age group’s IMX events.
From the USA Swimming website, here is the important information about the recognition program:
"9 & Under, 10-year olds: 200 Free, 100 Back, 100 Breast, 100 Fly, 200IM
11-year olds, 12-year olds: 400 Free (LCM) or 500 Free (SCY), 100 Back, 100 Breast, 100 Fly, 200 IM
13, 14, 15, 16,1 7, 18-year olds: 400 Free (LCM) or 500 Free (SCY), 200 Back, 200 Breast, 200 Fly, 200 IM, 400 IM
An IMR or 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; both short and long course seasons stat September 1 and end August 31 for IMR/IMX purposes. Additionally, a swimmer must complete all of the events in the same course (SCY or LCM) to have a score in that particular course."
Here is a challenge to all Michigan Swimming athletes from the Michigan Swimming Board of Directors:
Achieve your IMX score and receive official recognition from the LSC. Recognition will include a certificate of achievement and an invitation to an LSC hosted camp focusing on athlete development. Recognition of the top IMXtreme athletes each year will take place at our annual LSC recognition banquet held in October. Information about top rankings may be found by connecting to the USA Swimming Data Hub, which is easily accessible via the Michigan Swimming website.
| | Michigan Swimming inspires excellence through education and develops integrity in a fun, inclusive environment. | |  | Integrity, Inclusion, Education, Excellence | | | |
Pure Excellence! Made in Michigan Swimming!
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Regional Meets
March 7-8. 2026
Lake Superior Meet at Battle Creek Lakeview
Lake Michigan Meet at East Grand Rapids HS
Lake Ontario Meet at Brighton High School
Lake Erie Meet at Grosse Pointe South HS
Lake Huron Meet at Clarkston High School
Regional Team Assignments
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10 & Under Championship Meet
March 14-15, 2026
Hosted by SST at Saline High School
Order of Events
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MAGS Championship Meet
March 20-22, 2026
Hosted by MLA at Holland Aquatic Center
Order of Events
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UTLRA Championship Meet
March 27-29, 2026
Hosted by OLY at Oakland University
Order of Events
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Officials Committee Update
For questions or ongoing updates related to officiating, the Officials Website remains an excellent and regularly updated resource.
If you need assistance or have additional questions, please feel free to contact the Officials Committee at officialscommittee@miswim.org.
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Certification Reminder
In order for Coaches and officials certifications to be updated and show in good standing, all certification documents must be sent to certifications@miswim.org. Certification documents cannot be shown to Meet Directors or Meet Referees the day of the meet. They are not able to update certifications or allow you access to the pool deck if your membership card is not in good standing.
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