What is a Heat Sheet?

This is the printed listing displayed before and during a meet that tells swimmers what events they will compete in. It also defines the swimmer's lane assignment per event. Lanes are typically assigned based on seed times, with the fastest swimmers in the center of the pool. 

Important Heat Sheet Terms:

Seed time is the fastest time a swimmer or team of swimmers has swum an event prior to the submission of entries for the meet. For individuals, this is the time entered for the swimmer for the event, and is a good goal to try to beat. It also factors into lane placement and heat number.

An “NT” listed for seed time means no seed time has yet been recorded for that swimmer, i.e. that swimmer has not competed in that event, or was disqualified during the event.

An X in front of seed time means the swimmer is swimming in an exhibition heat. In exhibition heats, swimmers receive a time, but do not score points for the team. Exhibition heats are performed so that more swimmers can participate in events, and are a valuable opportunity to get a legal time for championship eligibility, or achieve one’s personal best.

Note: Individual Medleys (IM) are swum in order: 1) Butterfly, 2) Backstroke, 3) Breaststroke, 4) Freestyle. It’s important for swimmers to know the order, because any other order will result in a disqualification or “DQ”

Marking your swimmers arm: