Below you will find some basic procedures and meet etiquette to help most of us at our first "real" meet. Meet tips for the Reynolds meet will be listed at the bottom, so please make sure you read it all.
Here is a good website that lists general swim meet basics from the USA Swimming website. Feel free to read it (in addition to my notes) for a good overview of swim meets in general.
Arriving and warm-up:
Swimmers should come to the team area on the deck in their swimsuits. We will inform swimmers when the warm-up time begins. Everyone must complete the warm-ups. This is the time for swimmers to get ready for their races, get their muscles warmed up, and get used to the pool they are swimming in. After warm-ups, we will have a quick team meeting and team cheer.
During the meet:
After the team meeting, swimmer will go to the area where they are sitting and wait there until his/her first event is called. Due to the length of the meet, swimmers should plan to occupy themselves with a book (that could possibly get wet), by cheering, chatting with friends, or sitting with their parents. No electronics should be on the pool deck, due to the proximity of the water. They will need to make sure they are paying attention to what event is swimming. The announcer will announce events and heats. Let your swimmer know that they should go to the bullpen (staging area) about 3 events before they swim WITH THEIR MEET ENTRY CARD in their hand. There will be volunteers to help them get to the right lane in the correct heat of the event. If the swimmer is not in the lane behind the starting block for their heat and event, the starter will not wait for them, so it is important that they follow the meet.
Snacks:
Since the meets are around three hours long, the swimmers may get hungry. The best snacking foods would be any light, and nutritious snack that won't make a mess on the pool deck. Goldfish, Ritz crackers, and Cheerios are poor choices due to how they make a mess once wet on the pool deck. Fruit, peanut-free trail mix, wheat thins, etc... are all great choices.
Nov. 2 specific information:
Our team suits should be ready for pickup Friday afternoon (If this changes, I will post new information immediately!), and I will hand them out before the meet begins. Plan to arrive about 20 minutes early to get your suit, if I have it. Unfortunately, some sizes are on backorder. Please click this link to see if your suit was backordered. Highlighted names are backordered and will have their suit before the Nov. 9 meet. Due to this fact, and wearing the suit for the first time, EVERYONE should bring a backup racing suit. I will have WHCS swim caps for everyone. Please try to take care of yours, but if you should lose or damage it, I will always have more on hand to give out.
Click here for the Meet Report. Please print your own copy and bring it to the meet. This will list all swimmers' events, heats, and lanes.
As always, if you have any questions...ask!
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