Quick guide to understanding/enrolling in invitational meets 

What are invitational meets?

In short, invitationals are swim tournaments hosted by a swim club. These tournaments are optional and can give parents more flexibility in choosing events that compliment their child's skill level. Unlike swim meets, awards are given to the top swimmers in each event. Furthermore, volunteers are rarely needed so parents can enjoy these meets without having to work them. Invitationals are usually held on Sunday mornings and do have a fee that helps raises revenue for the hosting club.

Does CAC have an invitational?

Yes, we host the annual CAC Odd Age Invitational. The event is a lot of fun and is a big fundraiser for our club.

Which Invitational(s) should I consider for my child?

Though invitationals are similar in format, they differ in size and scope. When looking at Invitationals there are several factors to consider like distance to the meet, size/competitiveness of the tournament, age parameters, and the aquatic center itself. Invitationals are open to everyone in the league but new parents should consider a few factors before enrollment. Below is a summary list of all the invitational meets and recommended swim levels to attend.

PVAC Invitational

https://suburbanaquatic.org/index.php/invitational-meets/

This is the first and furthest (40 mins away) invitational on the list. This is a decent size meet and recommended for swimmers with some competitive experience who are choppin at the bit for a little early competition

HHAA Pentathlon

https://suburbanaquatic.org/index.php/invitational-meets/

A local, larger tournament held by one of our divisional rivals that requires swimmers to swim 5 events. A fun but challenging meet that is recommended for CAC swimmers with some competitive experience.

North Penn Invitational

https://suburbanaquatic.org/index.php/invitational-meets/

This is the largest Invitational hosted by one of the largest clubs. This tournament is deep and talented and should appeal to the more advanced CAC swimmers.

CBST Holiday classics

https://suburbanaquatic.org/index.php/invitational-meets/

Another local tournament that is a personal favorite. Easy to get to, nice seating facilities and the age brackets are more generous to the younger kids. Recommended for swimmers with little competitive experience.

CAC Odd Age

https://suburbanaquatic.org/index.php/invitational-meets/

Our clubs invitational and our biggest fundraiser. This is a mandatory event for all CAC swimmers. We will require parent volunteers. More information will sent as the date gets closer.

Again, Invitationals are open to all, this summary is a humble suggestion from previous experiences to better help guide new parents 🙂

Invitationals are a blast, you won't have to volunteer, you can choose your kids events and can leave when they are done. Also, better attendance to theirs means better attendance to ours.