Important Information and Tips for Swim Meets
1. Please get to the meet on time
There are a lot of moving parts to running a swim meet. Every single volunteer is important and necessary. So, when someone is late, that throws a monkey wrench into the system. Swimmers also need to arrive and sign in on time at the meet. If they are swimming in an early relay, and they do not arrive on time, the entire relay team may have to forfeit. Heat sheets are finalized before the meet starts, so if you're not there on time, your swimmer may be scratched (removed from their races).
Emails with meet details (when to arrive, warm-up time, where to park, where you can set up family tents, etc) are sent out a couple of days before the meet. Keep an eye out for that email.
If you are not good at checking your emails and/or you want to make sure you're not missing important information, you can check https://www.bccsharks.org/news. I recommend checking it frequently so you don't miss anything.
Meet details and heat sheets are posted by Friday at noon.
Tip: Add an extra 10 to 15 min for parking, unpacking your car and swimmer, and walking in.
Tent parents, we would love it if you could arrive 10 min before check-in time. You are super important for bringing some order to the chaos. :)
2. If you will be absent for a meet you're signed up to attend, let us know asap using the form on the website.
3. Write your swimmer's name, event, heat, and lane numbers on their body
Use Sharpies to mark your swimmers with their name, event #s, heat #s, and lane #s. Demonstrations were done at the Blue & White meet, but if you did not attend the Blue & White meet or you need a refresher, please see our video on the topic.
Make sure to write your swimmer's name in big letters where it is easily visible -- upper arm, chest, thigh. Your swimmer needs to be easily identified at all times. I suggest writing the first name on one upper arm or thigh and last name on the other.
Write Event #, Heat #, Lane # and event description (e.g., 25free) facing the swimmer so they can see and learn what the numbers mean. If your swimmer can write, please encourage them write the numbers on their own (thigh is easier for them) so they can learn. Tip: Write numbers the night before to save time in the morning.
I wrote Daria's name on her upper arm, and she wrote her Event, Heat, Lane, and event descriptions on her thigh.
4. Please have your swimmers stay in their age group tent throughout the meet so (1) they are available when the tent parents are ready to line them up for their heats and (2) they can hang out with swimmers their own age group to build camaraderie. It's fine if swimmers want to see their parents or see their friends for a little bit, but please have them return to their tents. We don’t want your swimmer to miss a race.
5. Volunteer credits are given only if you fill your entire volunteer shift.
This means arriving on time and not leaving early. If you need a break, please let someone who can relieve you know. If you need to leave early, please let a board member know your reason before leaving ahead of time. Please do not just walk away. Every volunteer position is important and necessary to run a meet.
6. How to win ribbons
The swimmer who touches the wall first in each heat will be given a heat winner ribbon. There will also be place ribbons for swimmers who place 1st through 10th place in each event for dual meets. Tri-meets have place ribbons up to 12th place. Relays teams up to 3rd place earn ribbons. After the meet, time improvement ribbons will be prepared and put into folders with your family's last name on it. Swimmers can earn a Bingo Ribbon if they achieve three time improvements in one meet.
Ribbons will be available for pickup during practice at BCC the Monday after the meet and at SPW the Tuesday after the meet.
7. Coaches may change the events you signed your swimmer up for if the coaches do not feel it is a good time for them to swim in that event yet (e.g. the coaches may feel the swimmer needs a little more time to develop the skills for a particular event). Coaches may also add your swimmer to events so they can try different events.
8. What to pack for swim meets
Here is a list of some things to bring to a swim meet. Since meets are so early, pack most items the night before, so you can easily grab them in your rush out the door in the morning.
- Swim cap
- Goggles
- Sharks team swim suit and t-shirt
- Towel
- Sunblock
- Hat
- Shade (umbrellas, canopies to set up for a group)
- Newspaper, magazine, book, MP3 player or other electronic devices to pass the time between your swimmer's events
- Highlighter and Sharpie
- Heat sheet (but most people just use the SwimTopia App)
- Cooler with water and sports drinks
- Healthy snacks, sandwiches, fruit for your swimmers
- Chairs (for swimmers and adults)
- Camera
- Parent's swimsuit (if you might swim in the parent-coach relay)
- Games or balls
- Mister bottle
- Flashlight, since we generally arrive at meets before dawn
Additional Tips:
- Have your child wear a sweatshirt in the morning. They are cold before the sun comes up, especially after warm-ups.
- Bring an old (washable) quilt or "neat sheet" for the tent. The younger kids really like sitting on the quilt together to play.
- In addition to electronic devices, books, etc., bring activities that kids can play with together (and that won't be damaged if it gets wet), such as chess sets, Polly Pockets, crafts (beading, drawing), Mad Libs, Velcro catching mitts, LEGO. Playing together and making friends is a big part of the fun of a swim meet.
- Teach your small child to wear his goggles around his neck like a necklace. Having an extra pair in the swim bag isn't a bad idea either.
- Swimmers love to draw and write spirit messages all over themselves and their friends with Sharpie markers. Beware! The markings will rub off onto your car's seats. If the child is a work of art, make sure to have them sit on a towel or cover them with a t-shirt for the ride home.
