ALL YOUR NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SWIM MEETS

 

Everything you wanted to know about swim meets but were afraid to ask!

 

Swim meets are a great family experience.  They're a place where the whole family can spend time together. Listed below are some very in depth guidelines geared to help you through your first couple of meets.  It may seem a little overwhelming but we tried to be specific and as detailed as we possibly could.  If you have any questions, please ask your coach.

 

Before the Meet Starts:

 

1.  Arrive at the pool at least 15 minutes before the scheduled warm-up time begins.  

 

2.  Upon arrival, find a place to put your swimmer's blankets, swim bags and/or sleeping bags.  The team usually sits

in one place together, so look for some familiar faces.

 

3.  Find the check in place.  Usually parents are not allowed on deck so this may the responsibility of your swimmer

or your swimmer's coach. Make sure your swimmer checks in with his or her coach. Check for special posted instructions in the check in area.  Usually one will need to circle the swimmer's name or the number before the swimmer's name, in each event he or she is swimming, that day.  Check in is required so that the people running the meet know who is actually at the meet.  After check in, the meet administrators "seed" the swimmers into heats.  Heat and lane assignments will be posted so be sure your swimmer knows where to look.

 

Sometimes the meet is "pre-seeded" and no check in is required.  You and your swimmer can find heat and lane assignments by purchasing a program.

 

4.  Once checked in, write or have the swimmer write each event number on his or her hand in ink. This helps him/her remember what events he/she is swimming and what event numbers to listen or watch for.

 

5.  Your swimmer now gets his/her cap and goggles and reports to the pool or coach for warm up instructions.  It is very important for all swimmers to warm-up with the team.

 

6.  After warm-up your swimmer will go back to the area where his/her team is sitting and wait there until his first race is called.  This is a good time to make sure he goes to the bathroom if necessary, gets a drink, or just gets settled in.

 

7.  The meet will usually start about 10-15 minutes after warm-ups are over.

 

8.  Due to insurance regulations, parents are not allowed on deck. unless they are serving in an official capacity. Similarly, all questions concerning meet results, an officiating call, or the conduct of a meet, should be referred to a coach.  He will in time, pursue the matter through the proper channels.

 

9.  Psyche sheets or heat sheets are usually available for sale at the admissions desk.  It lists all the swimmers in each event in order of seed time.  When the team entry is sent in, each swimmer and his previous best time in that event are listed. If the swimmer is swimming in an event for the first time, he will be entered as a no time or "NT".  A no time swimmer will most likely swim in one of the first heats of the event.  A heat sheet may be available close to the start of the meet that lists the actual heat and lane a swimmer will be competing in.