Meet 101
What Happens at a Swim Meet?
PLAN TO ARRIVE NO LATER THAN 3:30 pm at home meets and 4:00 pm at away meets. We will warm-up first and the meet will officially begin at 5:00 p.m. Swimmers should wear their suit to the meet and have their goggles properly fitted. When you arrive, take your children to their respective Age Group Tent. There, the Tent Parents will mark their swimmer number and meet events on their back/shoulder/arm. Once marked up, the swimmers will warm-up before the meet begins.
PLEASE DO NOT PUT SUNSCREEN ON SWIMMERS BEFORE THEY ARRIVE. The marker won’t write on top of sunscreen. The Tent Parents will help apply it after marking them up if you send it with them.
HOME TEAM WILL BE ASSIGNED EVEN NUMBERED LANES. Away team will swim in odd number lanes.
6 AND UNDERS WILL COMPETE IN THE FREESTYLE AND FREESTYLE RELAY. They may leave after their last event, Event 20.
7/8′s AND 9/10′s MAY COMPETE IN UP TO TWO INDIVIDUAL EVENTS AND TWO RELAYS. The Coach will determine in which events they will participate. However, 11/12′s, 13/14′s AND OPEN (15 thru 18) MAY COMPETE IN UP TO THREE INDIVIDUAL EVENTS AND TWO RELAYS. The Coach will determine in which events they will participate.
EVERY SWIMMER RECEIVES A RIBBON FOR EVERY EVENT THEY SWIM. Even a disqualified swimmer receives a Participation Ribbon.
WE WILL UPLOAD SWIMMER TIMES ASAP, AFTER THE MEET. You will be able to view these times when you login to your account.
A SWIMMER MAY BE DQ’D BY A STROKE JUDGE FOR IMPROPERLY PERFORMING A STROKE. This happens to even the best swimmers at times. If you want to understand stroke technique and help your child develop, please attend a League Stroke Clinic. Use of lane ropes, pool sides, or bottom of pool will result in a DQ.
EARLY TAKE-OFF BY AN INDIVIDUAL IN A RELAY WILL RESULT IN A DQ FOR THE ENTIRE RELAY TEAM.
THE HALFWAY POINT IS USUALLY AROUND EVENT 30 OR 40. This is when first half volunteers are released, and second half volunteers begin. Second half volunteers – PLEASE report on time.
SWIMMERS SHOULD STAY IN THEIR TENT THROUGHOUT THE MEET. The Tent Parents assigned to the tent need to know where the swimmers are AT ALL TIMES!! They must be available for their events. If you want to take them to the Concession Stand or elsewhere, please “check them out” with the Tent Parents.
THE MEET WILL LAST UNTIL AT LEAST 9:30-10:00 (SOMETIMES EVEN LATER). At Home meets, we have a Concession Stand to provide food and drinks at a reasonable cost. Most other teams also have some sort of concession stand. It’s a good idea to pack water and healthy snacks/sandwiches, though, to get you and your gang through the meet. Pack separately for each swimmer since they will be eating with their groups.
FEEL FREE TO BRING THINGS TO ENTERTAIN YOUR CHILD DURING THE MEET. Books, coloring books, cards, are all good ideas. Don’t bring anything valuable, or anything you don’t want to lose. LABEL EVERYTHING.
GATHER YOUR THINGS BEFORE IT GETS DARK. Once the sun goes down it is hard to find things in the dark. Please, please, please help pick up trash and keep the area clean.
PARENTS MAY BRING LAWN CHAIRS TO SIT IN.
PER SHRSL BY-LAWS, NO ALCOHOL, SMOKING, PROFANITY OR VERBAL ABUSE IS ALLOWED AT SWIM MEETS.
SWIMMERS / SIBLINGS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN OR NEAR BABY POOLS!
SWIMMERS MUST COMPLY WITH RESTRICTIONS OR REGULATIONS SPECIFIED BY THE HOME TEAM POOL.
