Meets & Events | Meet Signup | Meet Guide

WHAT TO BRING TO A MEET

Each swimmer should make sure that he or she has the proper equipment for each meet

1. Suit, goggles and at least one towel as well as a cap if desired.
2. Warm clothes for cold days and evening meets.
3. A sleeping bag for warmth and to rest on.
4. Shade structures are recommended.
5. Snacks and drinks--make them healthy!
6. A deck of cards, book or board games to occupy swimmers between events.
    

***We are extremely limited in space, we ask that you please bunk together and look to have 3 families in a tent to assist with getting everyone one in together.***

SWIMMER CHECK-IN

Each swimmer is required to arrive at the meets 2 hour before starting time of home meets and 1.5 hour before starting time of away meets. Saturday meets start at 8:30 a.m.

1. Find our “team area” (each team has a designated area)
2. Each swimmer must Check-In personally with their Age Group Parent.
   • Parents may NOT check in their children & swimmers are NOT to leave the club after checking in
3. Stay in the “team area” except for warm-ups and swimming an event  (Always let your Age-Group parent know if you are leaving the area!!) 
4. Conduct yourself appropriately in the “team area” – no horseplay!!! 

NOTE:Any swimmer who has not checked in by the designated time will be scratched (not allowed to swim) from the meet. 

RELAYS

Relays are one of the best parts of a swim meet. It is a chance for our team to come together in Spirit and work towards a common goal.

We would like to take a moment to emphasize that when your kids are placed on a relay, they are part of the team of three other swimmers. Those other swimmers depend on your child to swim their best and to show up for the relay, which means being in the right place at the right time.  So we would like to give you some guidelines:

• All medley relay swimmers need to report to age group tents immediately following team cheer.
• All swimmers need to report to their tents immediately after their age group butterfly race, even those not in the free relays in case there is a change in relays.
• In addition we also expect all swimmers to stay for the whole meet to the end of free relays, as we are part of a larger team and need to support those still swimming.  As part of a team tradition, we cheer on the older relay teams to conclude the meet.

We aim to have all swimmers placed in at least one relay during a meet. If your swimmer is not at the age group tent at the appropriate time, we will have to replace them with a swimmer who is present. Once we have done this we cannot ask that swimmer to step off the relay if you show up after that point.

There are always changes in the meet schedule on the day of the meet. After the reconfiguration of the meet due to scratches (kids that get sick at the last minute) you must check the updated meet schedule at your age group tent for changes in lane and heat assignments, this is best after the Medley relays get sent off.

Many times the outcome of a meet comes down to the relays. Some of the best relay races are when the kids “show up” for something greater than themselves!

PARENTS 

1. Parent worker should arrive at the meets approximately one (1) hour before the starting time and check-in at their area. Prepare to assume duties as required.
2. Check in with your committee head and be on time when called for your job. 
3. If you are not assigned a job for a meet, please be ready to volunteer if needed

NOTE: If a parent does not work his/her assigned job or find a replacement, his/her swimmer will not be allowed to swim at the next meet that he/she would have otherwise swum. 

WARM UPS 

Each team has a set period of time before each meet to warm-up. Pay attention to the coaches for warm-up times and instructions. When you are asked to “clear" the pool, do so promptly. After warm-ups, the team will have a brief meeting and then the meet will begin. 

GENERAL DECK RULES 

Throughout the meet, all swimmers and spectators are expected to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner: 

1. No excessively loud cheering or obnoxious behavior 
2. No obstruction of the orderly conduct of the meet 
3. No bad language 
4. No clowning during races or at the “starting blocks” 
5. No rowdy behavior in the “team areas” (e.g. no chasing each other around or wrestling) 

Certain sections of the pool areas are restricted as to access. For example, there must be an alley on each side of the pool for the Stroke and Turn Judges, and there must be as much room as possible in the “Ready Bench” and Timer’s areas. Unless you are authorized to be in such areas, please keep out. 

The following are strictly prohibited in the pool area: 

1. Smoking
2. Glass containers 
3. Alcoholic beverages
4. Profanity or abusive language 
5. The Meet Referee has the authority to eject any person from the pool area who is not abiding by these rules.

Swimmers are not allowed in the “small pool” during the meets. 

HOW A MEET WORKS 

When the meet begins, pay attention to the announcements that tell you what events are being swum.

When one of your events is called, check in with your Age Group Parent and then go to the Ready Area. Remain there until it is time to go to the blocks.

At the Ready Area: 

1. Swimmers are checked in before each event
2. Lane assignments are reviewed
3. Swimmers go to the ’starting blocks’ where they will start their event
   
   (Age group parents help younger swimmers get to the ’starting blocks’) 

At the Blocks:

1. Once at the starting blocks, the Starter is in charge from that point forward.
2. Be sure to pay attention to him/her!!
3. The Starter will give the command for the swimmers to “get on the ’blocks’, then to “take your mark”, and then he/she will fire the gun or the ’beep’ of the electric starter and the swimmers begin the race. 

After the swimmer swims the event, the swimmer should exit the pool quickly and return to the ’team area’ to await his or her next event. 

**All swimmers are expected to remain at the meet until it is over. Do not leave the meet just because you have finished swimming -- this is a team sport! 

**At the end of the meet, we need to clean up our ’team area’ and, once it is clean, we may leave the pool area. 

DISQUALIFICATION 

Each of the four strokes has rules governing the proper way that the stroke is to be done, including the start, the stroke itself, turns at the end of the lanes, and the final touch.

Coaches will instruct the swimmers on how to ’start’ and the proper techniques for each of the strokes. A written description of each stroke is contained in the USS Rules and Regulations Book (although the league may adopt slight variations for the USS rules).

Contact the Parent Directors if you want to review these rules. Swimmers who “false start” or who use illegal stroke or turn techniques will be disqualified as follows: 

1. Swimmers are allowed one (1) “false start” 
2. If the swimmer has a second “false start”, the swimmer will be disqualified and not permitted to swim that event. 
3. The officials are more lenient with stroke and turn violations with the younger swimmers. 

A swimmer who is disqualified ("DQ’d") is to be told by the coach that he or she has been "DQ’d" and why it happened. This is to be handled in a constructive and instructive manner.

RIBBONS 

Ribbons are given to every swimmer (except for DQs) based on their finish in their heat. Points for the team are only awarded for finishes in the first heat of each event. Ribbons will be placed in swimmer files in the Swim Team File Box following the meet. They may also be picked up over the weekend at the front desk or at the next practice. Swimmers and parents should not go to the scoring table during the meet for ribbons.