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EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW
ABOUT SWIM MEETS...BUT, WERE AFRAID TO ASK
(or didn't know what to ask)
Swim meets are a
great family experience! They're a place where the whole family can spend time
together. Listed below are some very in-depth guidelines geared to help
you through your first few
Prior to the
meet, information concerning the meet will be made available --- it may either
be posted on a web site( www.frontiernet.net/~pbe151)or placed in your
family file folder. Additional copies of
the information will also be filed in the folder labeled "Meet Information"
in the "Meet Box." The meet
information will include the events offered, qualifying times (if any), fees
for participating in the meet, and the meet entry deadline. The meet entry deadline is generally well
before the meet as the entries from SPUR must be compiled via computer and sent
to the team holding the meet. Consequently, it is very important that all
meet entries are turned in on time.
Blank meet entry forms can be found in the "Meet Box." After completing the
meet entry, place the entry, along with the meet entry fees, in the folder
labeled "Completed Meet Entries" located in the "Meet Box."
As previously
stated, it is very important that meet entries be turned in on time. Once our meet entries have been forwarded to
the hosting team, the only way late entries may be accepted is by "deck
entry," if allowed. Generally, deck
entries are accepted to fill existing heats only. In order to deck enter,
a swimmer or their coach must go to the Clerk of Course at the meet on the day
of the meet. Fees for deck entries are
double the fee for regular entries.
1.
Arrive at the pool at least 15 minutes before the scheduled
warm-up time begins. The warm-up time will be listed in the meet information.
2.
Upon arrival, check in with the coach first, then find a place to put your swimmer's blankets, swim bags,
etc. The team usually sits in one place
together, so look for some familiar faces.
3.
If the coach has not already done so, find the check-in
place and either you or your swimmer will need to check themselves
in.
A.
This is usually around the area marked "Clerk of
Course".
B.
Check for special posted instructions in the area.
Usually one will need to circle the swimmer's name or "#" before each
swimmer's name, in each event they are swimming, that day. If this is not done,
the swimmer will not be allowed to swim that event.
C.
This is done so that the people running the meet know
who is actually at the meet.
4.
Once "checked in", write each event, heat and
lane number on your swimmer's arm or leg in ink. Sharpie markers are recommended for this.
This helps him/her remember what events he/she is swimming and what event
number to listen for.
5.
Your swimmer now gets his/her cap and goggles and
reports to the pool and/or coach for warm-up instructions. It is very
important for all swimmers to warm-up with the team. Swimmer's bodies are just
like cars on a cold day-he/she needs to get the engine going and warmed-up
before he/she can go all out.
6.
After warm-up, your swimmer will go back to the area
where his/her towels are and sit there until the next event is called. This is
a good time to make sure he/she goes to the bathroom if necessary, gets a
drink, or just gets settled in.
7.
The meet will usually start about 10-15 minutes after
warm-ups are over.
8.
According to
9.
Heat Sheets. A heat sheet is usually available for sale
in the lobby or concession area of the pool. Heat sheets generally sell for one
to three dollars per day. It lists all swimmers in each event in order of
"seed time". When the team entry is sent in, each swimmer and his/her
previous best time in that event is listed. If the swimmer is swimming an
event for the first time, he/she will be entered as a "no-time" or
"NT". A "no-time" swimmer will most likely swim in one of
the first heats of the event.
Meet Starts
1.
It is important for any swimmer to know what event
numbers he/she is swimming (again, why they should have the numbers on their
hand, arms, or leg). He/she may swim right away after warm-up or they may have
to wait awhile.
2.
A swimmer's event number will be called, usually over
the loudspeaker, and he/she will be asked to report to the starting end of the
pool. Prior to reporting for the event,
the swimmer should check with his/her coach for any last minute instructions
and encouragement. Swimmers should report with his/her cap and goggles.
Generally, girls events are odd-numbered and boys
events are even-numbered. Example:
"Event #26, 10-Under Boys, 50 freestyle, report to the starting
blocks."
3.
The "Clerk of Course” is where all 12 and Under swimmers check in before their event, the clerk will
seat the swimmer accordingly to their seeding.
4.
The swimmer swims their race.
5.
After each swim:
A.
He/she is to ask the timers (people behind the blocks at
each lane) his/her time.
B.
He/she should go immediately to their coach. The coach
will ask him/her their time and discuss the swim with each swimmer.
C.
Generally, the coach follows these guidelines when
discussing swims:
a)
Positive comments or praise
b)
Suggestions for improvement
c)
Positive comments
6.
Things you, as a parent, can do after each swim:
A.
Tell him/her how great they did! The coaching staff will
be sure to discuss stroke technique with them. You need to tell him/her how
proud you are and what a great job he/she did.
B.
Take him/her back to the towel area and relax.
C.
This is another good time to check out the bathrooms,
get a drink or something light to eat.
D.
The swimmer now waits until his/her next event is called
and starts the procedure again at the "Clerk of Course".
7.
When a swimmer has completed all of his/her events
he/she and their parents get to go home. Make sure, however, you, as a
parent, check with the coach before leaving to make sure your swimmer is
not included on a relay. It is not fair to other swimmers who may have stayed
to swim on a relay where your swimmer is expected to be a member and he/she is
not there. (The coaches speak from experience on this issue.)
If your child has
a poor race and comes out of it feeling bad, talk about the good things. The
first thing you say is, "Hey, that is not like
you. You're usually a top swimmer." Then you can go on and talk about the
good things the child did. You never talk about the negative things.
If your child
comes up to you and says, "That was a bad race, don't tell me it
wasn't," there is nothing wrong with a swimmer negatively evaluating a
race. The important thing is for the child not to dwell on it. You should move
the swimmer on to something good. "All right, you have had a bad race. How
do you think you can do better next time?" Immediately start talking about
the positive things.
What To Take To The Meet
1.
Most important: Swim Suit and SPUR Cap--and goggles (if your
swimmer uses them). SPUR caps will also
be available at the meet should something happen to your swimmer's cap.
2.
Baby or talcum powder--To "dust" the inside of
swim cap. This helps preserve the cap and makes it easier to put on.
3.
Towels-Realize your swimmer will be there awhile, so
pack at least two.
4.
Something to sit on. Example: sleeping bag, old blanket,
or anything that will be comfortable to sit on.
The swimmers will be spending a lot of time on it. Most of the pools have an area where lawn
chairs can be set up, so you may want to include these items for your use.
5.
Sweat suits: bring one. Each swimmer may want to bring
two because they can get wet and soggy.
6.
T-shirts: Two or three. Same reason as above.
7.
Games: travel games, coloring books, books, anything to
pass the time.
8.
Food: Each swimmer is usually allowed to bring a small
cooler. It is better to bring snacks. They usually have snack bars at the meet,
but the lines are long and most of the time they only sell junk food.
Suggestions for items to bring:
Drinks: Hi-C, Fruit juice,
Gatorade
Snacks: Granola bars, Fun
fruits, yogurt, cereal, Jell-O cubes, sandwiches, honey, rasins,
DO NOT BRING ANY GLASS ITEMS/CONTAINERS TO A SWIM MEET. Once you have attended one or two meets this
will all become very routine. Please do not hesitate to ask any other SPUR
parent for help or information!
These meets are a
lot of fun for the swimmers! Swimmers get to visit with friends, play games,
and meet kids from other teams. They also get to "race" and see how much
they have improved from all the hard work they have put in at practice.
Special Parent's Note
The pool area is
usually very warm. Therefore, you need to make sure you dress appropriately.
Nothing is worse than being hot at a swim meet. It makes the time pass very
slowly! At most of the meets, the parents are allowed to sit with the
swimmers. Most of the pools that SPUR
competes at also have areas where lawn chairs can be set up; you may want to
pack some, "just in case."
Very Basic Swimming Rules
Starts
The swimmers are not allowed a false start. If they jump the start and
the starter thinks they are trying to get an advantage (whether intentional or
not-it does not matter), they will be taken out of the race. This is not
like the Olympics where they are allowed at least one "free" false
start.
The start of a race is coordinated with a series of whistles.
1.
A minimum of 4 or 5 short whistles will get all lanes in
the next heat’s attention in preparation for their swim.
2.
A long whistle will be used to indicate that the next
heat will step up on the blocks and the race is ready to start.
3.
The starter will call “Take your marks” to direct you to
be in your starting position.
4.
A gun or beep will start the race.
1.
Freestyle: feet have to touch the wall.
2.
Backstroke: swimmers have to be on their back when they
touch the wall. After he/she touches, he/she can then turn around, but he/she
must push off on their back. At the finish a swimmer must finish on his/her
back. A swimmer may not roll over and grab the wall until they have first
touched it.
3.
Breaststroke and Butterfly:
A.
Swimmers have to touch with both hands at the same
time.
B.
A swimmer may not freestyle kick off the wall in either
breaststroke or butterfly.
C.
When swimming butterfly, both arms must move at the same
time.
Disqualifications
Unlike other
sports, no warnings are issued. If a
swimmer does something improperly, the appropriate official will disqualify
them. If a swimmer is disqualified, the
official disqualifying the swimmer will talk with him/her immediately following
his swim and advise him/her of what was done wrong, then the coach will explain
it so the swimmer will understand and learn from the mistake.
Championship Meets
Policy
One of our team
goals is to qualify as many swimmers as possible for the Championship
meets. These Championship meet are a
special experience and extremely important in the athlete's development.
As our season
progresses, all of the swimmers get excited and motivated to "make their
Silver/Gold times." As an Age Group
swimmer, our swimmers learn they swim faster at the Championship meet than at
any other time during the season. They are prepared for this; they are taught
this; they practice this. If a young swimmer goes to the Championship meet and
is not properly prepared, the experience is negative and can affect other
championships later in his/her swimming career.
To insure that all of our swimmers are properly prepared for their
championships, meet attendance and participation throughout the entire season
is strongly encouraged. This
participation in USA meets offers the experience necessary for the
championships.
The Championship
meets are not the ultimate goal. Making
the "cut off time" is simply a requirement to attend the meet. The
goal is to be as prepared as possible and perform to the best of one's ability
at the meet. Sometimes swimmers get the
"end" and the "means" mixed up.
Swimmers are
special people and deserve to have positive experiences as rewards for their
dedication and commitment. Let's make
sure that parents, swimmers, and coaches, are laying the foundation for the
best possible experience at the Championship meets.
Prelims & Finals
Meet Format
In a
preliminaries and finals meet format, swimmers are limited to 3 events per
day. The object of the preliminary swim
is to qualify for the evening finals session. If a swimmer places among the top
8 (in an 8 lane pool) after his/her morning swim they then qualify to swim in
the Championship finals in the evening session. Some meets also swim a
Consolation final. If a swimmer places from 9th - 16th place from
preliminaries, he/she qualifies to participate in the Consolation finals in the
evening session. In the evening finals session, the Consolation heat is swam
first followed immediately by the Championship heat. During the prelims, the
results are usually posted within 1/2 hour of the conclusion of the event.
If a swimmer does not wish to swim in a final swim he or she may
"scratch" the event and not be penalized. This must take place within
a half hour of the posting of the preliminary results. Therefore, within
approximately 1 hour of the end of an event, a swimmer should know if they have
made finals. A swimmer should never leave the meet without making sure if
they are a finalist or an alternate. United States Swimming rules dictate
that if a swimmer makes a finals event and fails to show up they are bared from
participating in the remainder of the meet (individual events and relays).
Alternates should check with their coaches about attending finals.
Used in the
prelims of Championship meets with events that have "prelims &
finals". This affects only the top 24 seeded swimmers (8 lane pool) which
compete in the last 3 heats. All other heats are regular seeding. Circle
seeding goes like this: The fastest
seeded swimmer will be in the last heat in lane 4. The second fastest swimmer
will be in the second to last heat lane 4. The third fastest swimmer will be in
the third to last heat lane 4. The fourth fastest swimmer will be in the last
heat lane 5 and so on. For an event with 60 swimmers, the seeding would look
like this: #=swimmers seed in prelims
(Lanes
1-8)
|
|
Lane 1 |
Lane 2 |
Lane 3 |
Lane 4 |
Lane 5 |
Lane 6 |
Lane 7 |
Lane 8 |
|
Heat 1 |
|
|
#59 |
#57 |
#58 |
#60 |
|
|
|
Heat 2 |
#55 |
#53 |
#51 |
#49 |
#50 |
#52 |
#54 |
#56 |
|
Heat 3 |
#47 |
#45 |
#43 |
#41 |
#42 |
#44 |
#46 |
#48 |
|
Heat 4 |
#39 |
#37 |
#35 |
#33 |
#34 |
#36 |
#38 |
#40 |
|
Heat 5 |
#31 |
#29 |
#27 |
#25 |
#26 |
#28 |
#30 |
#32 |
|
Heat 6 |
#21 |
#15 |
#09 |
#03 |
#06 |
#12 |
#18 |
#24 |
|
Heat 7 |
#20 |
#14 |
#08 |
#02 |
#05 |
#11 |
#17 |
#23 |
|
Heat 8 |
#19 |
#13 |
#07 |
#01 |
#04 |
#10 |
#16 |
#22 |
The finals are
seeded like a regular meet as are any events that are swum as timed finals such
as relays, distance freestyles and other events most often held on Friday
evening as a timed finals session.
NOTE: Meets other than end of season Championship
meets may use the Championship meet format, including preliminaries/finals and
circle seeding.
Awards & Placing
The swimmers who
participate in the championship finals receive awards as listed in the meet
information. The swimmers who participate in the consolation finals receive
awards, and score points for the team. One very important thing: Once a swimmer
has made the championship final, the worst they can place is 8th, regardless of
how slow they may swim in finals. The swimmers who participate in the
consolation finals may place no better than 9th (the winner of the heat)
regardless how fast they swim. It has been known to happen that the winner of
the consolation finals swims a time that would have placed him/her 2nd or 3rd in
the championship finals, but the highest he/she can score is 9th. That is why
it is important to swim very fast in the morning prelims session to make the
championship finals. If a swimmer is disqualified in finals, they do not score
points or get awards, however, a non‑finals swimmer can not be moved up
to score. The place simply is not awarded. Alternates occasionally get to swim
and can score the same as any other swimmer.
Receiving Awards in Public
Whenever there is
a system of presenting awards at a meet, it is customary for swimmers to be
prompt and to cooperate fully with dignity and respect at the presentations. It
is also customary for SPUR swimmers to be polite and modestly thankful for any
awards they receive. It is appropriate to congratulate other swimmers and
receive the same with poise and a "thank you". Good sportsmanship is
essential. The image a swimmer presents is a direct reflection of the team and
oneself.
Trips to meets in
other cities become an important aspect of a swimmer's career while advancing
through the age group ranks. SPUR has established the following policies for
the safety of the swimmer and peace-of-mind of parents:
1.
Parents are to be responsible for arranging
transportation and lodging to away meets, with the exception of Nationals and
those competitions so designated. DO NOT ASK YOUR SWIMMER(S) TO HANDLE THIS
JOB. Oftentimes, a certain hotel will be designated as "team
headquarters."
2.
Parents are encouraged to attend out-of-town meets with
their swimmers and to chaperone other youngsters. These trips can be great fun
for parents and swimmers alike. They also are a rare opportunity to participate
in a special way in each young swimmer's career.
3.
A coach has too many responsibilities to the entire team
to accept responsibility for an individual swimmer. Therefore, do not ask a
coach to provide transportation.
4.
Any swimmer riding in a car is responsible to the
parent/driver for his/her behavior and is expected to behave in accordance with
the Code of Conduct in Section 0 of this handbook at all times.
5.
A medical release and emergency telephone number should
be given to the parent/driver with whom your swimmer is riding in case
emergency medical treatment is required.
An appropriate contribution is expected
from each passenger in a car to the driver/owner to help defray gasoline and
related expenses
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