Building a Tradition, One Stroke at a Time

    Swim Meets

    By its very name, the purpose of competitive swimming is to compete and that means attending swim meets! Individuals seeking membership with Riptide Aquatics should understand that we are a competitive, not a recreational team. Swimmers should be willing to accept the responsibility of membership and participate in meets. For many new swimmers, taking the first step and swimming in their first competitive meet is a big undertaking. Our coaches understand this and are happy to share information about each meet and which meets may be good for beginners.

    Short & Long Course Seasons

    USA Swimming recognizes two seasons within each calendar year. The season beginning around Labor Day and ending in mid-February is referred to as the short course season.  During the short course season meets are held in 25-yard pools. This followed by a long course swim season that begins in mid-March and ends in early August.  Many meets during long course season are swum in 50 “meter” pools. 

    Meet Attendance Guidelines

    Riptide Aquatics is a competitive swim team and participation in swim meets is a critical component of your child’s membership. The coaches understand that there may be conflicts throughout the season that prevent participation in a particular meet. If you are not going to be able to attend a scheduled meet, please be sure to communicate that with your child’s coach. Swim meets are multi-day events and your child is expected to participate in all days of the competition. If you are unable to participate in a scheduled meet or a specific day of a meet this MUST be communicated in the notes field when making your declaration for the meet.

    Riptide Hosted Meets

    Riptide Aquatics hosted swim meets require all hands on deck! These meets are a huge undertaking to run and keep successful so teams keep coming back each year. We will have volunteer positions throughout the meet required and donations needed from all families. Attendance is MANDATORY for all swimmers and parents. 

    Meet Swimsuit Guidelines

    Team suits should be worn at all meets with the exception of Championship Meets. All swimmers are expected to represent Riptide Aquatics with a Riptide Aquatics suit and Riptide Aquatics swim cap. There shall be NO TECH SUITS permitted except for Championship Meets or coach designated "Suit Up" meets.

    Attending a Swim Meet

    For any meet your swimmer is attending we encourage parents to read the Meet Letter. This will be sent out prior to the meet and will provide all kinds of information, from parking to rules of the venue to the events available per day for your swimmer. Parking is different at just about every meet venue, so be prepared to spend some time searching for a parking space. At some of the outdoor meets in the summertime, it’s nice to bring a rolling cart. You can pile your chairs, cooler, umbrella, swim bags, etc. into the cart and just roll it on in. The carts don’t work as well for indoor meets as deck space is usually very limited.

    When you arrive at the meet, the first thing you need to do is find the team and stake out a spot for your chairs. Squeeze in wherever you can and send your child to the locker rooms to get changed into his/her swimsuit. Depending on the meet your child may need to SIGN IN to meet before getting in the pool to warm up, particularly if they are swimming distance events. If you wait until after the warm up it might be too late to sign in! If you are not familiar with the meet venue, ask a teammate to show you where the sign in table is located.

    What to bring for the family:

    • Chairs for everyone (depending on the venue)
    • A blanket for the ground (the kids often like to sit in groups on the ground)
    • Games, playing cards, books, but NO electronics – something to keep everyone entertained together as a team. 
    • Sunscreen!!!
    • An umbrella for summer outdoor meets
    • Camera (Note: photography is NOT ALLOWED behind the blocks or in the locker room at any meet!)
    • Water and snacks*
    • *USA swimming has a wealth of information about the right foods for competitive swimmers in their Nutrition Center.

    What your swimmer should bring:

    • At least 2 towels
    • Warm clothing – depending on weather
    • A swim parka – depending on weather or a robe
    • Flip Flops or other comfortable shoes
    • Leave the fins, snorkel and other training gear at home
    • Make sure you have goggles, team swimsuit, team cap, nose plugs, etc. – whatever you need for swimming!