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SWIM MEET BASICS
- THE TYPICAL MEET WILL LAST UNTIL AROUND 3-4 HOURS.
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Arrive 15 minutes before warmups
- Swimmers should wear their suit to the meet and have their goggles properly fitted.
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Check-In
- When you arrive, check-in with the coach or check-in attendant.
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Write event numbers
- Use the heat sheet (not the psych sheet) to mark your swimmers' events on their arms.
- If your swimmer is 10 and under, please write their name on their upper arm to help the Ready Bench volunteers.
- PLEASE DO NOT PUT SUNSCREEN ON SWIMMERS BEFORE THEY ARRIVE. The marker won't write on top of sunscreen.
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Warm-ups
- SWIMMERS WILL WARMUP BEFORE THE MEET. This is to make sure they don't cramp during the meet.
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Start Meet
- Pay attention to the current event.
- It is you and your swimmer's responsibility to be at the Ready Bench (10 and under) or the lane (11 and up) when their event comes up.
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Relays
- Relays are at the start and end of all swim meets.
- Medley relays at the beginning
- Freestyle relay at the end
- Relays are automatically chosen by the fastest time and combination.
- Early take-off or improper stroke by an individual in a relay will result in a DQ for the entire relay team.
- If your swimmer is on relays and they do not show up the entire relay gets a DQ.
- If you will not be able to stay to the end, please indicate during the meet signup that you would like to be excluded from the relay(s).
- Relays are at the start and end of all swim meets.
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Disqualification - DQ
- A swimmer may be DQ'd by a stroke judge for improperly performing a stroke. This happens to even the best swimmers at times.
- Use of lane ropes, pool sides, or bottom of pool will result in a DQ.
- TIMES WILL BE POSTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE MEET.
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What to Bring
- Properly fitted suit
- Properly fitted goggles (spare goggles optional)
- Swim Cap (extra cap optional)
- Water
- Towels (Extra towels to keep warm at indoor meets)
- Sharpie Marker - to write events and names on swimmers
- Appropriate snacks
- Crackers, Protein/Granola Bars, Fruit, Sports Drinks
- Avoid fatty and greasy snacks as they can lead to upset stomachs.
- Chairs
- Canopies (if outdoor meet)
- Patience
- Books, tablets, coloring books for downtime
- Please keep track of any valuables
- NO ALCOHOL, SMOKING, PROFANITY OR VERBAL ABUSE IS ALLOWED AT SWIM MEETS.
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Heat Sheets
A heat sheet is a meet program and outlines the events of a swim meet. It includes the order of events, the swimmers participating in each event, their lane assignments and their seed time (best time in that stroke).
Important information on Heat Sheet
- Event Number: A short description of the event number, sex, age, distance, and stroke.
- Heat Number: This indicates the order of the races within an event. Swimmers in the same event but different heats will swim at different times. There may also be an estimated start time for the race and is only an estimate.
- Lane Number: This tells you which lane the swimmer will be in for their race. Typically, the center lanes are the fastest times.
- Seed Time: This is the swimmer’s best time in the event, it’s used to organize the heats. "NT" indicates that the swimmer does not have a seed time for that event.
- Next Heat: There may be several heats per event. Swimmers with the fastest seed times usually swim in the later heats.
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Medley Relays on the Heat Sheet
Freestyle relays are set up the same way on the heat sheet but all swimmers will swim the freestyle stroke.
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Write Down Your Events
Always write down your event number(E), heat(H), and lane(L) as soon as you get your heat sheet. These are the most critical pieces of information that will guide you through the meet.
Most swimmers prefer to write them on their hand or arm with a permanent marker (Sharpie).
Permanant marker can eaisly be removed from skin with sunscreen or mosquito repellant.
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