Swim Meet 101
This page will help parents navigate a swim meet. It is great for those who are new to meets, and it is a nice refresher for parents who are returning. We love to watch our kids swim, and it is a great way to build our neighborhood spirit!
How to Find My Volunteer Shifts
Use this helpful article to find out how to view the shifts you signed up for:
How to Declare Attendance for meets
In order to let our coaches know if you are/are not attending each of our season's meets, you will need to declare your intentions. Please use the following steps:
1. Go to the Swimmer Information>Signup Calendar
2. You will need to declare for all 7 meets individually. Click on the green button that says, "Meet Entry Open."
3. Click on the "Edit" button under your swimmers' name(s).
4. Next to the name, click on the pulldown menu. Choose either "Attending this meet" or "Not Attending this meet."
5. Repeat for all 7 meets.
Swimmer Arrival
Swimmer Arrival:
- Swimmers should arrive by 5:15pm to either home or away meets for warmups.
- Swimmers need to have a towel, swim cap, goggles, and a team suit or a solid colored blue or black suit.
- They should have their arms marked with their events. See instructions further down on the page.
Volunteer Arrival
Volunteer Arrival:
- Volunteers should arrive by 5:30pm and check in at the front table just inside the gate at home meets. You will need to check in with Amanda Brennan at away meets.
- Please be aware of your job and the order of events. We typically change shifts around the mid way point in the meet (after the Individual Medley events at roughly 7:45).
Weather Delays
June is notorious for crazy weather! We are sometimes hot, sometimes cold, sometimes really wet, and sometimes really dry! You never know.
We make every effort to hold the meet on the day that it is scheduled. Our swim season is so condensed that it makes it difficult to reschedule.
A meet is considered complete if we can make it through the Individual Medley (IM) events. We will not reschedule and complete the rest of the meet if we make it through the end of the IM.
Thunder delays the meet by 30 minutes, and that 30 minutes starts after every rumble. The lifeguards are trying to keep us safe, so please don't question their judgment.
Lightning also delays the meet by 30 minutes, but we will have to clear the deck completely. The clubhouse is not an option. You will need to shelter in your car. We will make every effort to communicate with you. If it is a home meet, you are welcome to go to your home, but please return if the meet resumes.
What to Bring to a Swim Meet
In order to ensure a pleasurable experience, here are some suggestions about what to bring to a swim meet:
- Bring chairs for the family. At home meets, we are set up on the slide side of the pool. You are welcome to sit anywhere, but this is where most of the team families sit (shhh...it's shadier!).
- Bring money and/or snacks/drinks for your family. We have a well-stocked concession stand, but we also understand that every family has different food needs. ALCOHOL is PROHIBITED per Greater Charlotte Swim League rules.
- Bring a copy of the heat sheet (we send it out the day before or day of the meet). Bring a highlighter and a Sharpie to mark your child's events.
- Bring extra towels and something to entertain the real little ones, if needed.
- Bring your patience as swim meets can sometimes run into the later hours (especially with rain delays).
Heat Sheets and Arm Markings
HEAT SHEETS
When we swim against another team, we have a meet file that is created by each coach. This includes the events and each heat with every swimmer participating. We don't sell heat sheets at the home meets anymore (to keep our costs down). The heat sheet will be sent to you via email either the day before or the day of. It will be your responsibility to do one of two things: print a copy or have access to the pdf on your phone.
ARM MARKINGS
This is the one thing that usually trips people up during the first meet of the year. How do I write my child's events on their arm or leg. You will need to create the following on your child's forearm or in some cases, their thigh. Key (E=event #; H=heat; L=lane)
If the heat sheet indicates that Susie Q is swimming the 25 Free, and she is a 6 and under in heat 2 and lane 4, the swimmer "shorthand" may read as follows:
E H L
2 2 4
Relays and Swimmer Positioning
When you view the heat sheet, you may wonder, "what is my child swimming in the relay?"
The order of the Medley Relay is Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Freestyle. It is in alphabetical order. The heat sheet will read left to right. So, if your child is listed on the second line of swimmers, all the way to the left, he/she will be swimming Butterfly.
The order of the freestyle relay is easy. It too reads left to right. So, if your swimmer is again listed on the left side in the second row, then they will be swimming the 3rd position.
Stroke and Turn Judge Training
If you have decided to serve as a stroke and turn judge, you will need to watch this series of videos in order to understand your job.
