How to sign swimmers up for meets and meet volunteering

 

SWIM MEET BASICS

PLANNING FOR THE MEET

  1. Bring cash. Most meets will charge for “heat sheets” (event papers). There may also be a refreshment stand or swim/dive apparel.
  2. Bring a Sharpie marker, pen, and/or highlighter to mark on your heat sheet. You will also want to WAIT UNTIL YOU GET TO THE MEET to mark on your swimmer as events and heats may change.
  3. When taking pictures, please be aware of those working on deck (officials and coaches). PHOTOS CANNOT BE TAKEN AT THE ENDS OF THE POOL.  This is for the safety of your swimmer and other swimmers. THERE IS NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY.
  4. Pack HEALTHY snacks (good carbs and proteins): buttered noodles, peanut butter, nuts, fruit, veggies, WATER, WATER, WATER!
  5. Bring extra clothes for your swimmer to stay warm in between events and go home in.
  6. Pack extra goggles, straps, suits, etc.
  7. Be prepared for downtime. Swimmers must pay attention to events so that they are not missed. 
  8. Many meets will have assigned seating in gyms. Pack blankets and chairs to sit on.
  9. Please pack and label all of the things you bring. We cannot guarantee the safety or return of any items brought to meets. 

 

BEFORE THE MEET STARTS

  1. Arrive at the pool at least 15 minutes before the scheduled warm-up time begins to get changes to events and heats. This is a perfect time to get in pre-warm-up stretches.
  2. Upon arrival, find a place to put your swimmer's/diver’s blankets, swim/dive bags, and/or sleeping bags. The team usually sits in one place together, so look for some familiar faces.
  3. Mark your swimmer’s events, heats, lanes, and strokes (example below). Updated event information usually is posted in the gym or Bull Pen parent may have a copy.  Please do not ask coaches to do this as they will be busy talking to the other coaches and setting up warm-ups as well as checking in swimmers.

  1. Your swimmer now gets his/her cap and goggles and reports to the coaches for warm-up instructions. It is very important for all swimmers to warm-up with the team. A swimmer's body is just like a car on a cold day-he/she needs to get the engine going and warmed up before he/she can go all out.
  2. After warm-ups, your swimmer will go back to the area where his/her team is sitting and wait there until his/her first event is called. This is a good time to make sure he/she goes to the bathroom if necessary, gets a drink, or just gets settled in.
  3. The meet will usually start about 10-15 minutes after warm-ups are over

 

DURING THE MEET

  1. Swimmers must be alert and ready to line up several events before his/her own. BULLPEN Parents will help out with younger swimmers. Events and heats will be called in advance, but they are often difficult to hear. Have goggles and caps ready.
  2. After each swim:
  • Swimmers ask the timers (people behind the blocks at each lane) his/her time.
  • The swimmer should then go immediately to his or her coach. The coach will discuss the swim with each swimmer. 
  1. Things you, as a parent, can do after each swim:
  • Tell him how great he/she did! 
  • Take him/her back to the team area and relax.
  • This is another good time to check out the bathrooms, get a drink or something light to eat.
  1. The swimmer now waits until his/her next event is called and starts the procedure again.
  2. When your swimmer(s) have completed all of his/her events and the parents are not working the meet, the family may go home. Check with the coach before leaving to make sure your swimmer is not included on a relay. Changes may happen in the middle of a meet. It is not fair to other swimmers who may have stayed to swim on a relay where your swimmer is expect­ed to be a member and he/she is not there.

 

AFTER THE MEET

  1. Results will be posted on the walls at the event as well as on Meet Mobile (most meets).
  2. Ribbons and time drop tokens can be found in the North Y hallway by the team records. 
  3. Clean up and leave the area we are in better than what it was in before we came.