Spartan Aquatic Club (SAC) participates in numerous swim meets during the year.

General Meet Information

Swim meets are a great family experience. Listed below are some guidelines to help you through your first couple of meets. If you have any further questions, any of the coaches, veteran parents or swimmers will be glad to help.

Before, During and After

• What to Bring: Two towels (one for during and one for after the meet), swimming suit (the SAC Team suit is dark blue), required SAC swim cap, goggles if you wear them, warm clothing to wear between events, shoes to wear on deck and in hallways and something to sit on. Swimmers should also bring something to drink like bottle water, juice, gatorade (not soda pop) and a small healthy energy snack like fruit, nuts, banana, power gel, power bar (nothing heavy or greasy).
• Arrive at the pool at least 10 minutes before the scheduled warm-up time. Times will be listed in the meet entry packets for all meets. You must arrive before the end of the Check-In time. Swimmers must check-in at all USS Swim Meets at the Meet Check-In location (look for a table or wall with the check-in sheets laid out). This is usually either near the locker room entrances or other pool entrance areas. If your child fails to check in, they will be scratched from the meet and will not be allowed to compete. Check-In times are listed in the Meet packet, usually Check-In closes 15 minutes after the start of Warmups. Parents, you should write your child’s event numbers & abbreviated description on the swimmer’s hand or arm before the swimmer goes onto the pool deck. If you should need to scratch your swimmer out of a particular event prior to the start of the meet, please contact the Meet Clerk-of-Course during the Check-In time period and also let the SAC Coach know that you have scratched an event.
• Upon arrival swimmers should check in with the SAC coach in attendance. All swimmers sit together as a group. Please remind your child that they are to sit with the team so coaches won’t have to look for swimmers before their events.
• After check-in swimmers should begin the coach assigned warm up.
• Special note to parents: The pool areas are usually very warm to keep the swimmers from getting overly chilled so please plan to dress accordingly.

Swimming Events

• USA Swimming meets are self marshalling.  They will be assigned a heat and lane at the end of the check in time and just before the meet begins.  They heat sheets will be posted throughout the pool deck and given to the coach.  It is advised that each swimmer looks at the heat sheet and marks their hand or arm with a sharpie to keep track of each event's heat and lane assignment.  It is then the swimmer's responsibility to get to the starting blocks on time.
• At Dual Swim Meets: A swimmer's event number will be called and posted in the marshalling board. At that time he/she should report to the person in charge of Marshalling (if the meet is not self marshaled). The swimmer is “seeded” with the other swimmers in the event according to their time. All coaches will be given heat sheets for each event at the start of each swim session. They will then tell the SAC swimmers which heats they have been assigned. Most events will have multiple heats of swimmers, so it is important for your child to listen to the coach’s directions for their assigned heats.
• The swimmer will then be given a “heat” (group of swimmers within an event) and “lane” (lane number) assignment for each event. The SAC coach will give these assigned heats and lanes to all swimmers. Since most events have multiple heats of swimmers, it is important for your child to listen to the coach’s directions for their assigned heats and lanes. Each swimmer will then wait at the back of the blocks as their assigned event progresses through the heats until it is their turn to swim.
• The swimmer moves up to the blocks to swim the event and listens to the instructions of the starter.
• After each event, the swimmer should immediately proceed to the cool down pool or assigned cool down area per the coach’s directions. After cooling down the appropriate number of laps, he/she should then go to the coach for a critique of their race.
• Disqualifications: The officials that are watching the meet can disqualify a swimmer for doing a stroke improperly or "illegally". If this happens, they will stop the swimmer as he/she is getting out of the water after the event and explain the problem. This can be a very disappointing (devastating!) experience for a young swimmer. Be assured, it happens to every swimmer, at every level. Support, reassurance and encouragement are the best parental remedy for a “DQ”.
• The swimmers should now go back to the area where the team is sitting and relax until their next event is called.
• When the swimmer has finished his/her last event and your job is complete, they may leave. Please have your child check with the coach before getting dressed to make sure he or she is finished. There may have been a change in relays that requires your swimmer to stay.
• Check your child’s swim bag to make sure they have all their belongings!
• If your child earns a ribbon during a meet, they may be permitted to get it at the meet, however, many meet hosts are now giving all ribbons to the team coaches at a meet's conclusion. If that is the case, your swimmer will receive it at practice.