Week of the Meet:

• The Host team will send out meet information to the coaches the week of the meet with specific warm up times any other information to pass along to the families
• Prepare your swim bag 1-2 days before your meet
• Pack your swim bag with extra caps, goggles, towels, swimsuit
• Bring an extra towel to sit on when we are on the pool deck or in a gym
• Check the location of the pool, so you know how long it takes to get to there
• Do not bring equipment bag (fins, kickboard)
• Healthy snacks, food is usually available for a minimal cost, but shop for your favorite snacks to have during the meet.  Such as bagels, baby carrots, granola bars, dry cereal, pretzels, etc.  Plus, water or Gatorade

•       Swimmers should bring card games, uno, etc.

Day before the Meet:

• Review swimmer events with your swimmer (entry report is posted on the website under the meet)
• Coaches are required to put times in for each swimmers’ events even if they have not swum the event before (this helps the host team know the estimated timeline for the meet)
• A swimmer’s time that ends in a “.25” lets a coach know they have never swum the event before.  Everyone should not be concerned if they don’t beat the time
• Many times, a swimmer would like their event numbers on their hand, along with the heat and lane they are swimming in.  If parents can at least put the event number on their hand (see illustration) the coaches can add the heat and lane.  If they don’t want it written on their hand, a piece of paper will work too.  
• An entry report (listing swimmers name and events for a meet) is posted on the team website under each meet

Below is an illustration of what swimmers typically put on the back of their fist

Day of Meet:

• Double check you swim bag and snack bag
• Wear your swimsuit to the meet, with sweatshirt and sweatpants.  Sometimes the pool area can be chilly, so dress appropriately
• Eat a healthy breakfast
• Arrive at least 20-30 minutes before scheduled warm up.  

•       Drop swimmers off at the pool deck (marshal will be there that you can ask our team location).  Swimmer should check in with the Coaches

Swimmers During the Meet:

• Always check in with your coaches before your event. After your race, be sure to go to your coaches so that they may analyze your race
• Swimmers will either be on deck with the coaches/ within in the halls of the pool or in the gym
• Swimmers can go see their parents during the meet, but must inform the coach, so they can make sure a swimmer has enough time.  They can also meet their parents in the hallway

•       Disqualifications. Especially for young swimmers, DQ’s happen very frequently. It’s simply a learning process - no swimmer starts out with a perfectly legal stroke. Don’t dispute the officials’ decisions and try to tell your child what he or she did well in the race. The officials and coaches will provide feedback to the swimmer on their disqualification.  Also, DQs means Dairy Queen stop:)

• Swimming is about beating personal best times before beating the other swimmers. A child who beats his or her seed time (time listed in heat sheet either from previous meet or a time the coaches put in for their first time swimming) could have a great race, even if they’re the last one to finish to the wall
• Your child will not have his or her best race every single race. They will, at some times, swim slower than their seed times. This isn’t the end of the world. Avoid dwelling on this; the coaches will let your swimmers know what they need to do to improve
• Coaches may not always review everything at the meet, but at the next practice
• Swimmers should not leave the meet until they have checked out with a coach

Spectators:

• There are stands for spectators to watch the meet.  Parents cannot be on deck
• Many times, the stands are almost always warm, suggestion to dress in short-sleeves
• Heat sheets are sold at the door so that you may re-check which events your swimmer are in and with heat/lanes.   There is a fee for the heat sheet.  A heat sheet tells you what event order and lists the heat and lane of each swimmer
• Meets can also be found on the meet mobile app

•       Meets can be long, suggestions to bring books, work to do, etc.