Summer Swim Meet Survival Guide
Swim meets are crowded, high energy, long, sometimes hot, sometimes cold, sometimes buggy, but always fun! The key to being a happy swim Mom or Dad is preparation.
Things to do before a meet:
Sign up to volunteer! It's the best way to learn about the sport and support the team!
Print out the heat sheet that was emailed to you, highlight your swimmer and if clerking, any swimmers you'll be in charge of. See "how to read a heat sheet". It's super helpful!
Get a sharpie and mark your kid up - boys usually on inside of arm. A lot of girls prefer top of thigh. It should look like the picture below.
The reason you do this is so that your kiddo knows what they're doing when and so will any other volunteer on deck. Nerves are high - this really helps! If you don't have time at home, do it as soon as you arrive at the meet.
Stroke Abbreviations:
- FR: Freestyle stroke
- BR: Breaststroke
- BK: Backstroke
- Fly: Butterfly
- IM: Individual Medley
Use the sharpie to mark your child's shoulder with their Swimmingly ID number and BFST written below. When your child gets out of the pool the timers will be looking for this number so they can record the swimmer's time.
Things to bring with you:
Your kid - it's a stressful time, sometimes we forget!
That heat sheet you printed out
A couple of towels
Goggles (extra if you got em)
Cap - if your kid wears one
Sunscreen
Water - lots of it!
Your Marlins shirt - show your team spirit!
A blanket, towel or something for your kiddo to sit on
A sharpie
Cash for the concession stand - everyone has one and they all serve something for dinner along with snacks, drinks and treats. Believe me, your kid's going to bug you for a popsicle eventually!
Want to pack your own dinner? Go for it!
Something to keep your kid occupied while they're waiting for their events - coloring books, simple games, mazes, crossword puzzles etc. I usually get a game of hangman together with a group. There's a lot of downtime... a lot... fill it with low energy things to do.
Sunglasses
Bug Spray
Folding chairs
A pop-up tent if you have one, if not don't worry others will share
Your charged phone with the Swimmingly app if you're a timer or stroke and turn judge
Do's and Don'ts at a Swim Meet:
Do allow plenty of time to get to the meet. You're crazy enough to try to get across town close to 5:00 - there will be traffic!
Do get to the meet on time. In most cases this means getting your swimmer there at 5:00. If you have grandparents or other spectators coming they can plan on 6:00 when the meet actually starts.
Do find our team once you get to the meet. The team that sits together, stays together!
Do check in with the Check in person
Do get to know your fellow swim parents. We're all going to be family for the next couple of weeks. Fortunately, we've got the best group of parents and kids so we'll all get along great!
Do cheer on your swimmer and their team mates!
Don't let your kiddo play on the playground unless they've completed all their events and are done for the night. This is a big no-no! The clerks need to be able to find your swimmer and they can't if they're on the playground.
Do have your kiddo sit with their group. Example: 6 and under girls sit together, 7-8 year old boys sit together etc. That way the clerk can find them and bonus - they'll all become great pals and entertain each other!
Don't let your kiddo run around, wrestle, play tug of war, set off fireworks or anything else that's going to wear them out or cause them to get hurt! Swimmers need to conserve their energy for their events. This is where that bag of tricks and games you brought will come in handy!
Do encourage your swimmer to use the bathroom well before it's time to line up for their event. Again, clerk can't track down a kid in the bathroom!
Do encourage your swimmer to drink lots of water. Same goes for you Mom and Dad!
Do listen to the announcements so you know what race is lining up.
Do check out the race results. These are posted somewhere near the pool and are updated through out the meet.
Do take lots of pictures! We'll be asking for them later in the season for the banquet.
Do encourage and acknowledge your kiddos growth and improvement. There are swimmers on our team at all levels and the main thing is that each swimmer is swimming their personal best. Not every kid is going to come in first place, but I can pretty much guarantee your kiddo is going to swim faster and with better form at each meet. That improvement is what our team and coaches focus on.
Do clean up after the meet. Look around for trash and all that stuff I said you should bring with you!
Do feel free to leave when your swimmer is done - just check in with one of the coaches to make sure there aren't any last minute changes and that your kiddo is indeed done swimming. The one exception is if you are signed up to work - then of course you'll need to complete your job.
Do join the team for Dairy Queen after the meet! We do this most nights. It's optional, but if you're interested ask around.
Do have fun and congratulate yourself after the meet. You did it! You survived a Summer swim meet!
