Swim Meet 101
If your children are new to the swim team, you may have questions about what to expect their first meet. Here are some tips to help get them ready:
- The day before the swim meet, swimmers should eat complex carbs, but nothing too out of the ordinary. For example, a pasta dish with a whole-grain roll and a vegetable side will give them the stored energy they need for the big day. Also, make sure they get breakfast the morning of the meet. A good breakfast might consist of a piece of toast, scrambled eggs, fruit, and juice.
- Pack your bags the day before. Remember to bring:
- Goggles
- Swim fins for warm-ups
- Water
- Towels
- Flip flops or water shoes that are easy to get on and off
- Sunscreen
- If you know that you won't be at an indoor pool, bring a canopy or tent to stay cool and out of the sun.
- A cooler with drinks and healthy snacks
- Bug-spray
- Folding lawn chairs
- When you arrive at the meet, check-in with the coach, verify registration of your swimmer's events and check with the volunteer coordinator to see if help is needed or ask what time to report to your volunteer station.
- Get your child's events marked with a sharpie marker on their arm.
- Find a cool place to hang out in between events. You may want to bring a good book or some playing cards to stay occupied while you wait.
- Make sure your swimmer is ready for warm-ups.
- If you have signed up to be a timer, there will be a meeting for timers and officials before the meet begins. You will need to attend the meeting no matter what shift you have signed up for.
- An announcer will be announcing event numbers and ready bench volunteers will be calling event numbers to get swimmers organized for their races. Please listen to the events being called. If a swimmer fails to show up for their event, they will be scratched from that event.
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