Please remember to HAVE FUN!

Events

All swimmers are able to sign up for events through your SwimTopia account. The coach is a great resource for what events your swimmer should swim in. This usually has a deadline of the Sunday prior to the meet.

WHAT TO BRING

Swimmers & Families:

• Black Swimsuit, Penguins team swim cap and goggles. (Bring along an extra of each item)
• Two (at least) towels.
• Swimmers have flip-flops, sandals, slides, or similar footwear that is easy to slip in and out of and will not be damaged by getting wet.
• Swimmers have a robe, sweatshirt, cozy pants, pajamas or some loose fitting, warm apparel to wear between events. Families wear comfortable clothing. The temperature differs greatly from the pool area to the resting area
• Directions to meet and time of warm-ups.

• Sharpies for marking events, heats and lane assignments on swimmer’s hand or forearm.

• Highlighters to mark the heat sheets

• Money for Heat sheets - they will be available for around $3 - $5.
• Sleeping bag and/or large blankets, pillows, camping chairs are all great for resting between events. Rest areas are in gyms, field houses or hallways.
• Downtime Entertainment: Games, puzzles, books, electronic devices are great for passing the time between events. Please use headphones. (Please DO NOT BRING balls, frisbees, or any other throw and catch items. Most places restrict their use.)
• Small Cooler with Healthy items: Water, fruit juice, Gatorade, granola bars, fruit, yogurt, cereal, trail mix or sandwiches are great options. You can also purchase most of these items at the meet.

DO NOT BRING FOOD OR DRINK INTO THE POOL AREA!

DAY OF MEET

Warm-ups

We ask that swimmers arrive at least 15 minutes BEFORE their assigned warm-up time. This will give them enough time to locate the Club’s designated rest area, locker room and pool area, change into a swimsuit and be on-deck when warm-ups begin. Most warm-up sessions last no more than twenty minutes and to waste half that time getting into the pool defeats the purpose of the warm-up session

Heat Sheets

It is a good idea to locate and purchase heat sheets at each event. Most likely they are sold near the concessions. Heat sheets are the program for the entire meet. All events, heats and individual lane assignments are listed. They usually cost around $3 - $5.

NOTE: Sometimes changes in heat or lane assignments occur after the heat sheets have been printed.

Write on your swimmer. You can use heat sheets to write your swimmer’s Events, Heats, and Lane Assignments on the back of their hand or on the inside of their forearm in “permanent” (i.e., waterproof) marker. This helps your swimmer remember what events he/she is swimming, what event number to listen for, and what lane to get lined up behind. This step is usually saved until after the swimmers are done with warm-ups. Someone from the team will help you if needed.

• EXAMPLE:

Abbreviations: E=Event number, H= Heat number, L= Lane number, What=The length of the swim (in yards) and the stroke.

• The event number refers to distance/stroke/age/gender for each race

• The Heat number is used when there are more swimmers than can swim at once within one event. (exp: 20 9-10 girls in a 6-lane pool would require 4 heats).

• Placement of lane numbers can vary by pool.

Seeding / Staging

Only swimmers 8 and under are seeded. Watch for signs posted in the gym or cafeteria. All other swimmers need to watch for events in the pool. It is your responsibility to be behind the block at the start of the event. They will not wait for you. Please pay attention. The seeding/staging area will be posted, usually close to the pool. This is where they will line swimmers up by their heat and lane assignment. Shortly before the event has begun, swimmers will be directed to move from the seeding/staging to the pool deck itself. They can sit or exercise lightly until they are asked by a meet worker to move behind their appropriate lane at the start end of the pool. When the heat immediately before them has started and is in the water, they should hand their lane card (if they were given one) to one of the timers for that lane and await the calling of their heat.

At the Event

Heats will be announced by an announcer or other meet official, after which the swimmers will hear a single, lone whistle blast and/or the command: “Swimmers step up.” At this time the swimmers will step up onto the starting block or if they are starting from the deck (which many young swimmers prefer to do), they will step to their starting location on the edge of the deck, to one side of the starting block for their lane. If they choose to start from in the water, which is permissible, they enter the water on the “Swimmers Step Up” command and prepare for the start with at least one hand remaining in contact with the wall above the water.

Note: In the backstroke and the first (backstroke) leg of the Medley Relay, the “Swimmers step up” command is replaced by the command “Backstrokers (or Swimmers) in the water,” at which time the swimmers enter the water feet first and take their starting positions at the backstroke starting grip/s on the front of the starting block. Backstrokers may also grip the edge of the gutter instead of the backstroke grip/s if they prefer.

Once the swimmers are at their starting locations, the event is announced by one official, who then turns control of the race over to the Starter. The Starter will command “Take your mark,” at which time the swimmers assume and hold their starting positions. The “Take your mark” command will be quickly followed by the starting signal, most often a horn and the swimmers are on their way.

After each race each swimmer should check in with the coach.

Ask for help! If, during a meet, you feel lost or confused, be sure to ask other parents for help! We have all had our “first meets” and know it can be overwhelming. Once you have attended one or two meets, it will all become very routine and enjoyable.

Meet Results

Usually meet results are posted in a hallway for spectators to see race results. It takes between 15 and 30 minutes after a race is finished before they are put up. If you have a question about results, or how your child swam, discuss it with your child’s coach after the meet.

There’s an App for that! Most swim meet results are posted to Meet Mobile in real time during a meet. The app is available on Google Play or the Apple App Store.

• Age Group: Division of swimmers according to age. Age is based on the swimmers age the day of the event. The National Age Group divisions are: 8-under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18.

• Anchor: The final swimmer in a relay.

• Backstroke: (nicknamed Back) One of the four competitive racing strokes. Basically, any style of swimming on your back. Backstroke is swam as the first stroke in the Medley Relay and second stroke in the Individual Medley.

• Breaststroke: (nicknamed Breast) One of the four competitive racing strokes. Breaststroke is swam as the second stroke in the Medley Relay and the third stroke in the Individual Medley.

• Butterfly: (nicknamed Fly) One of the 4 competitive racing strokes. Butterfly is swam as the third stroke in the Medley Relay and first in the Individual Medley.

• Disqualification (DQ): When an official determines that a swimmer has violated YMCA or USA Swimming rules, he/she may disqualify the swimmer. Typically, swimmers are disqualified for an illegal stroke, turn or finish.

• False Start: When a swimmer leaves the starting block before the horn or gun. One false start will disqualify a swimmer or a relay team, although the starter or referee may disallow the false start due to unusual circumstances.

• Freestyle: (nicknamed Free) One of the four competitive racing strokes. Freestyle is swam as the fourth stroke in the Medley Relay and fourth in the Individual Medley.

• Heat Ribbon: Ribbon or coupon given to the winner of a single heat at an age group swim meet.

• Heat Sheet: A schedule of events sold at each individual or championship meet that lists all swimmers that have been entered in those events.

• Individual Medley (IM): A swimming event of four strokes that are swam in a specified order. Fly, Back, Breast, and Free

• Invitational: Type of meet that requires a club to request an invitation to attend the meet. Fees usually apply.

• Relay: A swimming event in which four swimmers participate as a relay team each swimming an equal distance of the race. There are two types of relays: 1) Medley Relay - one swimmer swims Backstroke, one swims Breaststroke, one swims Butterfly, and one swims Freestyle. In that order. 2) Freestyle Relay - each swimmer swims Freestyle.

• Scratch: Withdraw an entry from competition. The coach should always be consulted before scratching. Failure to scratch properly can cause disqualification of a swimmer from not only an event but also from the entire meet.

• Turns: The technique used to turn at the end of each length, except at the finish. The specific turn technique is determined by the stroke.

• Warm-up: The period before the start of each session set aside to allow swimmers to enter the pool, loosen up, practice their turns, and test out the starting blocks. They will last 20 minutes.

Commonly used abbreviations are:

• FR: Freestyle 
• BK: Backstroke 
• BR: Breaststroke
• FL: Butterfly 
• IM: Individual Medley 
• MR: Medley Relay 
• FR: Freestyle Relay