ROCK Swim Meet Expectations
Swim meets are an opportunity for swimmers to evaluate their progress, identify areas that need additional focus while also bonding with their teammates and coaches.
General Expectations:
- Have FUN! Some of the greatest memories in the sport are times spent at swim meets with teammates; build those memories & enjoy the sport.
- Exhibit good sportsmanship and team spirit. This is accomplished by wearing only ROCK team gear, cheering for their teammates and congratulating competitors.
- Swimmers should attend at least one meet per month. ROCK generally will attend two meets per month, except for championship season month.
- Swimmers that qualify for a final’s session in a prelim/final meet are expected to swim finals.
- Swimmers are expected to compete in the highest level meet they qualify for. If you swimmer qualifies for the state meet, if only in one event, they should realize the year of hard work and compete at the state meet.
- Swimmers will not pull out of events, intentionally no-show or scratch an event without first discussing the circumstances and getting approval from their coach.
Swimmer Responsibilities at swim meets:
- As a reminder, swimmers represent Castle ROCK Swim Team at meets and should act responsibly and with integrity, respecting their teammates, coaches, meet officials & staff in addition to the facility.
- Swimmers will talk to & listen to their coaches, follow their instructions such as proper warmup and cool down following races as well as talking to them about race strategy and post-swim evaluation for every race.
- Swimmers should listen to all announcements, know their event numbers and pay attention to the progression of the meet.
- Coaches will not assist swimmers to the blocks, so it’s the swimmer’s obligation to get report to their event on time as to not miss it.
- Swimmers should only wear ROCK gear and cheer for their teammates.
- Swim fast & have FUN!
Parents Responsibilities at swim meets:
- ROCK families often sit together, so get to know your teammates’ families.
- Bring things to do. There is a tendency swim meets have lots of down-time, so sit back & relax.
- Parents should provide a carbohydrate-rich meal (consisting of primarily fruit, vegetables and protein) the night before and the morning of a meet.
- Parents should get their swimmers to the pool with enough time to comfortably be on deck by the team warm-up time specified in the Coach’s meet info email. A stressed swimmer is not a good way to start a meet.
- Wear your ROCK gear – we love to represent our team!
- Parents are not allowed on deck, per USA Swimming rules, unless volunteering, timing or officiating. For any other reason, please contact your coach; officials will remove parents who are on deck unofficially.
- Bring a sharpie to mark your swimmer with their events as referenced in Before/After Meets section above.
- Be on time to your volunteer assignment or find a replacement if you can’t make it.
- Be positive, encourage and cheer for your swimmer. Do not coach your swimmer, leave that to the experts paid to teach your swimmer.
- Help your swimmer pay attention to the pace of the meet and when their event occurs. Swimmers are responsible for proper warm-up, talking to their coach and getting themselves to the race on time.
- Parents are more than welcome to ask a coach about a disqualification but should never dispute with an official at any time. Coaches will handle any issues that arise with your swimmer; missing events, disqualification or incorrect times or placings.
- Once your swimmer has completed their events and cool-down for the session, they are free to leave.
- Any ribbons, medals or awards will be picked up by the coaches and distributed at practice.
