PREPARING FOR A SWIM MEET
WHAT TO BRING
Here is a list of “must haves” in your swim bag to make your swim meet experience an excellent one. Remember the night before a meet, have a good dinner, get your bag ready, and get good night’s sleep. You will be ready to go in the morning!
• TEAM SUIT: weather you wear your suit to the pool or bring it in your swim bag, always bring a spare suit, just in case! (2 suits)
• YELLOW TEAM CAP: again, bring a spare. This might be the meet your cap rips. (2 caps)
• TEAM T-SHIRT: make sure to review the meet itinerary so you know which shirt to wear each day! Bring along a TEAM hoodie or sweatshirt in case you get cold.
• GOGGLES: again, two pairs is a must. Many a goggles have broken just before a race. Make sure if they are new you wear them in warm ups so you can adjust them if you need to. (2 pairs of goggles)
• DECK SANDALS OR FLIP FLOPS: a must on the pool deck. Swimmers who have activation routines are expected to wear socks and athletic shoes for activation, as well as between swims to stay warm.
• TOWELS: at least two or three. One usually gets really wet! Sometimes the kids use a towel to sit on the deck together. (2-3 towels)
• WATER/SPORTS DRINK: Swimming is hard work and you need to stay hydrated. Bring at least two bottles of water or preferred sport drink. It is not recommended to drink any type of soda or even juice unless it is watered down. (2 drinks)
• FOOD: Bring plenty of nutritious snacks: granola bars, banans, apples, yogurt, bagels, nuts, and sandwiches, etc. It’s best to have a good mix of protein, carbs, and healthy fats.
• BLACK SHARPIE: This is to write your events and event numbers on your hand!
THINGS TO REMEMBER
• Be sure to review the meet itinerary so you know when your swimmer is expected to arrive at the pool, and do everything possible to get them there on time!
• TEAM swimmers sit together during meets, so be sure to look for other members of our team when you arrive.
• All swimmers need to report to the coaches for warm-up instruction.
• Parents are encouraged to also wear a team apparel at swim meets!
• Parents are responsible for making sure younger swimmers have their event, heat, and lane for each swim written on their arm/hand. You’ll likely recieive the heat sheet in advance with the meet itinerary, but at some meets, you’ll have to purchase it on-site. Make sure you bring a Sharpie so you can assist your swimmer with this!
• After a swimmer swims a race, he/she should cool down and go directly to the coach to discuss their swim. After talking to the coach about their swim, they may come to you for hugs and praise. Parents are there to give support and encouragement to the swimmer, let the coach worry about race feedback!
