Marking Your Swimmer

To help things run smoothly at meets, we strongly recommend that parents bring a waterproof marker (like a Sharpie) to mark their swimmer before arrival. With so many athletes in suits, caps, and goggles, it can be tough for coaches and volunteers to recognize every swimmer quickly.

Name and Age

It’s helpful to write your swimmer’s full name and age on their shoulder or upper back. This helps coaches and timers identify them and line them up for the correct events.

Event Chart

Another great way to keep your swimmer organized is to create a quick event chart on their arm or thigh. This allows them to independently check which events they’re swimming and when.

Here’s how to set it up:

  1. Use a waterproof marker.

  2. Create four column headers:
    E (Event) H (Heat) L (Lane) S (Stroke)

  3. Fill in each row with your swimmer’s details.

Example:

E    H   L   S  
12   1   5   50 FR

This means: Event 12 – Heat 1 – Lane 5 – 50 Freestyle

Stroke Abbreviations

  • FR = Freestyle

  • BK = Backstroke

  • BR = Breaststroke

  • FL = Butterfly

  • IM = Individual Medley

For relay events, list the stroke your swimmer will swim (for example, “Relay – Back” or “Relay – Free”).