The Team Spirit Award was announced to encourage teams and swimmers to embody to their best the enthusiasm, encouragement, and unity that has been central to the NAA’s culture and traditions. This award celebrates positive energy, mutual support, and a commitment to creating a fun, participatory, and welcoming atmosphere—both on and off the deck.

Presentation of Award

In 2025, the Team Spirit Award will be decided by the Joint Meet Organizing Committee, and awarded at the annual NAA Championship ‘Big’ Meet, on Aug. 9th.

The JMOC will base its decision on all activities undertaken by teams throughout the season, at official NAA Competitive Swimming events:

• Dual Meets;
• NAA initiatives, such as the Million Metres Initiative;
• Summer Swim Meet, Time Trials and Big Meet.

Each sub-section below represents a quarter of the final Team Spirit score of each team.

1. Team Psych-Out

A psych-out is a special team cheer by the hosting team that is presented before the beginning of a swim meet. It may include a sketch, small acrobatic stunts, music and costumes.

Criteria

• The originality and creativity involved.
• The involvement and participation of the entire team
• The grandeur of the psych-out: how impressive was it? This point is not measured by the number of individuals involved, but by the amount of preparation and coordination necessary to accomplish the act.

2. Team Cheering

Team Cheering is a key part of events. This criterion refers to any cheering during a swim meet.

Criteria

• The originality and creativity involved: is the cheer specific to the pool? Is it uncommon to hear?
• The volume of the cheer: do the participants cheer loud? This point is not measured by the number of individuals involved, but by the effort of those cheering.
• The consistency of cheering during the meet, and the participation of all members in cheers.

3. Team Representation

Team Representation refers to any method a team and its swimmers take, to ensure that their pool is identified and distinguished at Competitive Swimming events. Examples can include custom banners/posters, face paint and specific team apparel.

Criteria

• The widespread representation of the team: do all the swimmers, parents and coaches take part in representing the team?
• The originality and creativity of the team representation.
• The consistency in team representation: is there a unified way of representing the team?

4. Additional Factors Considered

• The level of respect within the team, and demonstrated toward others.
• The participation of staff, parents and masters in races.
• The participation of the team in NAA initiatives.

The JMOC shall determine the winner according to the criteria above, and shall base this decision on all activities by the team throughout the season at Competitive Swimming events.

As they are completed at Dual Meets, teams should send videos of their psych-outs and other team spirit activities to the NAA, and share them on social media. Each week, the NAA will compile these activities and share them on its platforms.