Willis Road Waves

Important Swim Meet Information

Based on age as of June 1st of the swim year, there are 6 age groups for boys and girls for swim meets: 6 & under, 8 & under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, and 15-18.

Getting Ready:

• What to bring / wear:
  • Cap, Goggles, Towel, suit & shirt, shoes
  • Changes of clothes, warm clothes, extra towel, sunscreen
  • Nutritious snack - fruit, granola bars, bagels, Gatorade, water, goldfish, pretzels, trail mix, etc
  • Water bottle filled with ice and water
  • Small chair for kids or an extra towel to sit on
  • Chair for parents who aren’t volunteering the whole meet
• Get lots of rest and stay out of the sun!
• Great attitude!

Arrival:

• Come at least 15 minutes earlier than designated arrival time.
• Be sure to find out what you are swimming as soon as you arrive!
• Find your designated team area and team parent and let them know that you are here.
• Parents – Volunteer check-in is 30 minutes prior to the start of the meet.

Warm-Ups:

• Know what events you are swimming!
• Enter the pool “feet first” unless Coaches tell you otherwise.
• Warm Ups are not a race - the pool will be crowded so PLEASE be considerate to everyone in your lane.

During:

• We sit as a team. Sit in your designated team area at all times.
• Always communicate to your team parent if you have to leave the team area at any time.
• Remember good sportsmanship – cheer for your teammates and pay a compliment to your opponent i.e. “Good luck” before a race, “Good Job” or “Good Swim” after a race.
• At the end of each heat at meets, swimmers will need to stay in the pool until all swimmers in their heat get to the wall, and congratulate others on their swim
• After your race go to see your coach so they can tell you about your race

Parent Responsibilities at Meets:

• Please show up on time and check in at the volunteer table. Check in your child and also yourself as a volunteer.
• Set up an area for your swimmers with their age group and help get swimmers ready for warm-ups. Alert coaches immediately if one of your swimmers is absent.
• Familiarize yourself with the order of the events. The order is Medley Relay, Freestyle, Backstroke, Individual Medley (IM), Breaststroke, Butterfly, Freestyle Relay.
• Mark your child’s back with their name and age.
• Encourage your children to stay seated with their age group when not swimming. If they are not with their group, rounders cannot help them line up.
• Mark the child's events on arm: event # and stroke (FR, BK, IM, BR, FLY) using heat sheet/age group sheet. Heat sheets should be emailed out the morning of the meet. (Each child can swim up to 4 events and 2 relays. Coaches will choose appropriate events.)
• 
• For relays, make sure the child knows the order and the stroke they are swimming. Ensure that swimmers 1,3 know they will start at the deep end and that swimmers 2,4 know that they will start at the shallow end.
  • Medley relay: back, breast, fly, freestyle
  • Freestyle relay: all kids swim freestyle

Timer Guidance

Before the meet starts:

• Please arrive on time and check in with the volunteer coordinators.
• There will be a brief meeting prior to the meet to distribute stopwatch and assign lanes. The goal is to have enough timers to switch off at mid-point of meet.
• There will be 3 timers for each lane. 2 HOME/1 AWAY
• Make sure stopwatch works and that you understand how to use it.
• Decide which home timer will write times on the timesheet for each lane.

During the meet:

• Listen for Starter to announce the events. Utilize heat sheet/time card to confirm the event distance (25, 50 or 100), stroke & gender (boys/girls).
• For 25 events (10 & U) timers stand at the shallow end of the pool. All other events (relays, 50's and 100's), timers stand at the deep end of the pool.
• Ensure that the name on the sheet matches the swimmer preparing to swim. If the name does not match, write it in. This is important! In the event of a combined event, make SURE that you write in the swimmers name. If you need more time, hold up your hand to the announcer.
• Start stopwatch at horn, stop stopwatch when swimmers hand touches the wall.
• All times will be recorded on the event sheet. Hand sheet to the runner who will collect and turn in to the scorekeepers table.
• A Head Timer will have back up watches. If you miss a start or make a mistake, raise your hand and get his/her attention. They will switch out running stopwatch with you.
• Meets move quickly. Reset the watch after time is recorded to prepare for the next heat.
• Relays involve 4 swimmers. Swimmer 1 & 3 stand at the deep side of the pool; 2 & 4 stand on the shallow side. Clerk of course should have this set up but ensure that is correct and all swimmers know what they are going to swim.
  • Medley relay: back, breast, fly, free
  • Freestyle relay: all kids swim freestyle
• Ensure that swimmer hops out at the end of event in a timely manner.
• Finally, have fun! Cheer for the swimmer in your lane!