Read on to learn everything you need to know about registering for and attending swim meets.  Also, watch your email for pre-meet, event-specific information from coaches throughout the season.

·       Why swim in a meet?

·       Types of meets

·       Time standards

·       Meet registration

·       What to bring to a meet—swimmers

·       What to bring to a meet—parents

·       The day of the meet

·       Meet sessions

·       The race

·       What disqualifies a swimmer?

·       Meet awards

 

Why Swim in a Meet?

·       It’s a great way to showcase progress  fromof the hours of hard work put in at practices

·       Provides proof of improvement

·       Helps swimmers learn to face challenges

·       Helps build a team

·       It’s fun!

 

Types of Meets

There are several levels and types of meets.

Meets are conducted in school and community pools and can last from one to four days.  Our Club attends many types of meets. “Sanctioned” meets are sponsored by USA Swimming clubs and are run according to the rules established by USA Swimming and Southeastern Swimming, Inc.

Typically spectators do not pay an entrance fee at a local meet (although some invitational’s and all zone and above meets will have spectator fees).  There are costs associated with registrations for swim meets as well:

·       Meet entrance fee, plus a per race fee

·       Parking (at some pools)

·       Meet programs (optional)

·       Event T-shirts (sold at some meets; optional)

 

 

The age groups are typically divided in the following categories for boys and girls:

·       8 & Under

·       9-10

·       11-12

·       13-14

·       15-16

·       17 and Over (Seniors)

·       OPEN (all ages)

 

Time Standards

Meets designated with "time standards" for entry are limited to swimmers who have previously competed in competition and achieved times that fall into the range of those meets' standard requirements.  A swimmer qualifies for meets based on how fast he/she swims.  If you have questions about your swimmer’s qualifying times, ask your coach.  At a swimmer’s first meet, he or she may be registered with No Time (NT); after your swimmer races, his/her best time achieved in each race becomes the qualifying time—or the seed time—for every meet thereafter until he/she achieves a new “best time” in that race.

Qualifying times are by individual race.  For example, a swimmer who has an "A" time in the 50 Breaststroke but a "B" time in the 50 Free can swim his/her 50 Breaststroke at an “A” meet, but can only swim the 50 Free at a “B” meet (including an A/B meet or a B/C meet), or an invitational that allows all times to compete.

 

Meet Registration

LifeTime Swim Southeast determines the meets to attend near the beginning of each season (short course and long course); these may change slightly throughout the season. 

·       Every meet has a registration deadline; all registrations are handled via the website. 

·       Every meet has an Event Page that provides details including the location and directions, type of meet, eligibility requirements, the cost of the meet, the deadline to register for the meet (as well as the link to sign up), times for warm-ups, and times for meet starts.

Expectations for meets vary within the LifeTime Swim Southeast by branch location and practice group.  The swimmer’s coach may suggest races for the swimmer; if the coach does not, don’t hesitate to ask your coach the races in which your swimmer should be competing. 

A few days before a meet, check the Meet & Event Sign-up page for:

·       The Club entry sheet— if something is incorrect, contact your coach to see if changes may be made. Individual and Relay events will be on the entry sheet; it is important that you review entries to see if your swimmer is on a relay.  If he/she cannot swim the relay, please notify coaches by leaving a note in the "notes" box when registering for a meet.  Swimming relays can be a fun experience for newer swimmers and a way to be a part of a winning effort.

·       Timelines—Confirm warm-up times and race times so you know when your swimmer needs to be at the pool and approximately when he/she will be racing.

·       Psych Sheets—Some meets will have a Psych Sheet, indicating how your swimmer is seeded when compared to everyone else in the race.

 

What to Bring to a Meet—Swimmers

·       Your swim suit, cap, t-shirt and other team apparel

·       It is a good idea to have two pairs of goggles and two caps.  

·       Extra clothes

·       Since it can be chilly at some pools—especially at outdoor meets during the summer—have sweats, flannel pants, and a swim parka; and have crocs or flip flops for on deck.  Also have two to three towels, since you’ll be in and out of the pool several times.

·       Food

·       Although there often is a concession at most meets that offers food and drinks, it is a good idea to pack some nutritional snacks like granola bars, fruit snacks, yogurt, fruit, cereal, bagels, and non-carbonated drinks.  Don't forget your water bottle.  It is particularly hard to stay hydrated in a pool environment, so bringing water is extremely important for everyone.

·       Activities

·       At some meets there can be a lot of time between events.  Bring things to pass time: i.e. schoolwork, travel games, coloring books, books, magazines, and portable DVD and MP3 players.

 

What to Bring to a Meet—Parents

·       Your swimmer!

·       Each family is responsible for their own arrangements and transportation costs; consider carpooling to get swimmers to warm-ups on time.

·       A meet program

·       Programs may be purchased at most meets. Highlighters, pens, and Sharpies are helpful.

·       Comfortable clothes

·       Indoor pools are heated; so is the air around the pool.  Dress in layers to stay comfortable.

·       Seating (some meets)

·       Most pools don’t have much spectator room, so get there early and be prepared to exit to hallways or a gym in between your swimmer’s races.  Some pools may let you bring a chair or bench seat…most bleachers are concrete and hard to sit on for three to four hours.  Sometimes, it's good to bring blankets or mats for the swimmers/siblings to sit/lie on.

·       Folding lawn chairs, sunscreen, hats, sunglasses and water bottles. (Outdoor meets)

 

The Day of the Meet

Your swimmer should get a good night’s sleep, eat a nutritious breakfast, and bring healthy snacks to the meet.

Arrive so your swimmer can check in with his/her coach 10 to 15 minutes before warm-up. 

·       Warm-ups typically last 30 - 50 minutes before the first race.

·       Teams are generally assigned lanes and times for their warm-up sessions. 

Coaches will arrange a place where the swimmers can sit together as a team; wearing the team’s shirt helps identify our swimmers.  Swimmers should bring their bags with them when they check in with their coach, and will leave it in the swimmer's seating area.  After warm ups is a good time to have your swimmer come to you so you can mark their arms with their race information (event, heat, lane, stroke).  A Sharpie is good for doing this. 

On the way in, spectators can usually purchase a Meet Program (Heat Sheet) for $2-$15.  Meets are pre-seeded, so the program lists the swimmers by event (the stroke/distance), heat (the grouping of swimmers), and lane (the specific lane in which your swimmer is expected to race for that event).  You can keep track of your swimmer's and their friends' performances. 

Please note: Parents are not allowed on deck at meets, so make sure your swimmer knows where you will be sitting.  Usually, there are separate seating areas for spectators (bleachers).  Some venues allow spectators to have folding chairs. 

 

Meet Sessions

Meet Sessions are defined by the meet host are divided into morning and afternoon sessions.  Typically, 12 & under competes in the morning and 13 & over competes in the afternoon.  

 

The Race

The coaches will direct swimmers to the blocks prior to their races.  It’s important they be on deck in the team area 20-30 minutes before their race.  If they miss their heat, they won't be allowed to swim in that event.  However, our coaches will help to get them into another heat when possible.

If swimmers violate a rule, they will be disqualified (DQ'd).  Everyone gets DQ’d at times—even experienced swimmers.  For younger swimmers, you should view the DQ as constructive criticism to help them learn to swim legally.  It identifies for the swimmer and his/her coach an area that needs to be worked on and improved.

During the swim, cheer for your swimmer (and their friends) and encourage the swimmer to cheer for teammates!  Good sportsmanship starts with you.  Remember that improvement and personal accomplishments are more important than winning.  When a swimmer swims poorly, continue to focus on the positive things that happened in a race.  It’s okay if a swimmer negatively evaluates a performance; just don’t dwell on it—think about improvement, and focus on fun.

When a swimmer has completed all of his/her events, the swimmer and his/her parents get to go home.  As a parent, praise your swimmer and his/her effort.  But remember, let the coaches’ coach! 

 

What Disqualifies (DQs) a Swimmer?

False start

·       If the swimmer jumps the start or moves forward once the starter has said, “take your mark” but before the actual start, he/she “false starts” and will be taken out of the race. 

The strokes

·       Freestyle:  Walking on the bottom, pulling on the lane rope, or not completing the distance.

·       Backstroke:  Swimmers have to be on their backs when they touch the wall and push off; they cannot pull/kick the wall once they have passed the vertical onto the breast.

·       Swimmers must finish on their backs, and cannot turn onto the breast before touching the wall with the hand.

·       Breaststroke:  An illegal kick such as flutter (freestyle), dolphin (butterfly) or scissors (sidestroke); not being on the breast; alternating movements of the arms; taking two arm strokes or two leg kicks while the head is under water; touching with only one hand at the turns or finish.

·       Butterfly:  Alternating movements of the arms or legs; pushing the arms forward under instead of over the water surface (underwater recovery); a breaststroke style of kick; and touching with only one hand at the turns or finish instead of touching simultaneously with both hands.

 

Questions?

Once you have attended one or two meets this will all become very routine.  Please do not hesitate to ask another parent for help or information, or look for information on the Club or USA Swimming websites.