Michigan's Time standards web page. Some of these are described below.

 

The Q3 qualifying level is for the District Championship Meets.  This is the first level that requires qualification. Once a swimmer has qualified for a higher level in an event. They may no longer swim that event at the District Meets.  Qualifying times can be from any meet the swimmer participates in.  It does not have to be from a USS meet.  For all levels qualifying times will be converted between yards and meters, using swimming time conversion equations for the various distances. This meet is often hosted in the greater Grand Rapids area.  SJA's District includes our area up through Gand Rapids and

 

The next level up is the Q2 qualifying level for the Junior Olympics Meets.  Once a swimmer has qualified for State in an event. They may no longer swim that event at JO.  JO Qualifying times can be from any meet the swimmer participates in.  It does not have to be from a USS meet.  SJA participates in the Western Junior Olympics that covers the western side of Michigan. This meet is usually in February after the District Meets. In recent years it has been located at Holt High School near Lansing.

 

The next level up is the Q1 qualifying level for the Michigan State Championship Meets.   Qualifying times must be from any USS meet in or out of Michigan. The State Campionship meets are held twice each year. In February or March after the JO meets. The Short Course Yards (25 yard pool) Championship Meets are held. These usually mark the end of our Fall/Winter season.  In late July or early August we have the Long Course Meters (50 meters) State Championship Meets. These are the last summer meets that SJA participates as a team.

Summer States are followed in August by the Zone Championship Meets. These cap off the summer swim season for the age group swimmers who made Zone cuts the next level up from State. Michigan is in the Central Zone. This Zone encompasses from Michigan and Ohio down through Arkansas and all the way over to North Dakota and most states in between. The Zone Meets move around to the various states. These meets are different in that swimmers represent their home region as a team. SJA swimmers participate as part of the Michigan team. Some of the region teams there include multiple states.