Participation at swim meets is encouraged but it is not mandatory. We place emphasis on the child competing against themselves to try to improve on their past performance. Swim meets place swimmers with similar abilities together so every child has a chance to win their heat. Parents are responsible for transportation to and from meets and hotel arrangements for overnight meets
How do I register my swimmer for a swim meet?
Log on to the website. Click on the “Meets/Events” tab on the top of our website. Scroll down to the meet you wish your child to attend, and click on the “Attend this Event” button. Choose the name of the child you wish to register, and click on it. You will see a tab that asks for YES or NO; choose YES. You can then choose which session your child is able to attend and leave a note in the comments box for the coaches to see. If you wish attend a meet that VAST is not sending a coach to, please talk to the head coach. They will assist you in signing up and finding a coach for warm-ups, etc.
How do meet entries work?
At the beginning of every season, the coaching staff will post the meet schedule to the website under the “Meets/Events” tab at the top of the website. Scan the list and commit your swimmers to the meets in which you will be able to attend. After you are committed the coach will select the events for the swimmers and send entries in the host team. However please know that if your schedule changes during the season and you cannot attend a meet that you had originally planned on attending, notify the coaching staff prior to meet entries being sent to the host team otherwise you will be responsible for the meet fees billed to your account.
What does my swimmer need to bring to a swim meet?
- Swimsuits, swim caps and goggles (tinted goggles for outdoor meets)
- Towels (a general rule of thumb is one for each event + warm-ups)
- Highlighter, Sharpie, Pen
- Cash (for program & concessions)
- Camping chairs and blankets
- Canopies/tents for outdoor meets
- Entertainment for swimmers/parents (there can be a lot of time in between events)
- Food and drinks. At most meets, small coolers are allowed. There are usually concessions available as well. Check the meet information sheet for specific details.
- Sunscreen for outdoor meets.
- Appropriate clothing - temps at indoor meets can vary depending on whether you are camping in the pool area (warm) or in a gym (cool) & outdoor meets vary with the weather.
What a program reads like:
When swimmer goes down for their heat?
Swimmers should speak to their coach 15 to 20 min before their event is scheduled. The program usually gives an estimated time of the heat. This allows you to see if the meet is running on time as scheduled. The timeline in the program is only an estimate and meets can run ahead of or behind schedule. On the rare occasion that meets run ahead, we’ve had kids miss their races because parents are paying too close attention to time instead of what event is happening. Once a swimmer speaks with their coach they should head over to the lane they are expected to swim in.
When to meet with your coach?
Swimmers should speak with their coach before and after each event they participate in at a meet. This allows the swimmer to get valid and current feedback on how they did in their event
