The Block Party pilot program is a national initiative designed to increase/expand competition opportunities for athletes and help clubs, LSCs, and USA Swimming in strengthening membership growth and retention. Block Party meets are easy to run, easy to sanction, short, family-friendly, one day meets.
Can You Conquer the Middle?
This March, we’re celebrating the heart of the 200 IM — the backstroke and breaststroke legs — with the Shamrock Showdown.
Swim the 50 Back and the 50 Breast in the same session.
The aggregate 100 will be calculated and posted on the National Block Party Leaderboard.
It’s that simple.
Why this challenge?
Because champions aren’t just built on freestyle speed. They’re built in the middle.
The backstroke sets your control. The breaststroke tests your discipline. Together? They define the race.
This is your chance to:
- Sharpen your IM skills
- Build confidence in two technical strokes
- Compete nationally
- And bring some St. Patrick’s Day energy to your pool deck
Whether you’re 8 & Under or a seasoned senior swimmer — this challenge is for you.
Swim bold. Own the middle. Find your luck.
Sanction your Block Party Meet and join the Shamrock Showdown today.
Not every swimmer goes to long course championships.
And not every club has to stop short course racing when summer arrives.
The Short Course Summer Slam is a national call to action: Run a short course Block Party Meet this summer.
That’s it. There is no national leaderboard. No aggregate scoring. No rankings. Just opportunity.
This challenge exists to:
- Serve the swimmers not attending long course championship meets
- Keep developing athletes racing and improving
- Maintain team momentum through the summer months
- Provide meaningful competition without the pressure of cuts
Short course racing builds confidence. Short course racing builds skills. Short course racing keeps swimmers engaged.
We’ve made it easy. Download and use the Short Course Summer Slam Marketing Kit to promote your meet, energize your families, and make it an event your team will rally around.
While others shift focus, you can create opportunity.
Sanction a short course Block Party Meet this summer.
Athletes qualify to be included on the Monster Mash National Leaderboard by swimming the 50 SCY breaststroke and 50 SCY butterfly in one session (for an aggregate 100) in one meet/time trial during the month of October.
Athletes will be ranked by combining their times in each event, with the lowest time winning. The leaderboard will feature a ranking for each age: 6 and under, 7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14, and 15 and over.
Athletes qualify to be included on the Turkey Classic National Leaderboard by swimming all of the 50's in one meet (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly). To qualify - swims must happen in the month of November, 50's must be swam in one meet... your format is up to you (you can offer any other additional events).
Athletes will be ranked by combining their times in each event, with the lowest time winning. The leaderboard will feature a ranking for each age: 6 and under, 7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14, and 15 and over.
Holiday Party + Swim Meet = Awesome!
Organize an intrasquad meet and give your swimmers a chance to get their first official USA Swimming time in the 1650 freestyle (mile), 500 freestyle, and/or 400 IM. To qualify - swims must happen between November 1, 2025 and January 15, 2026.
For the younger and/or less experienced swimmers - choose specific events.
The New Year's Splash Bash National Leaderboard will feature a ranking for each age: 6 and under, 7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14, and 15 and over. The eligible events for the leaderboard are the 1650 freestyle (mile), 500 freestyle, and 400 IM.
Holiday Party + Swim Meet = Awesome!
Athletes qualify to be included on the All Hearts on Deck National Leaderboard by swimming the 50 SCY backstroke and 100 SCY backstroke in one session (for an aggregate 150 backstroke) in one meet/time trial during the month of February 2026.
Athletes will be ranked by combining their times in each event, with the lowest time winning. The leaderboard will feature a ranking for each age: 6 and under, 7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14, and 15 and over.
