What To Pack For A Swim Meet

 

Planning for a swim meet is important. Here are a few tips to help you prepare and pack for a swim meet:

• Racing Suit – Wear one racing suit. It is a good idea to pack an extra racing suit in your swim bag, just in case you need it

• Goggles – Bring an extra pair of goggles. Sometimes goggles will break at the most inconvenient time

• Towels – Bring at least two towels. One is often used to get dry when you come out of the water, and the other towel is used when you are changing at the end of the day

• Swim Cap – One race cap and one practice cap works well

• Water – Always bring several bottles of water to help keep yourself hydrated

• Extra Clothes – Sweatpants, pajama bottoms, shorts or a Ducks t-shirt to help keep you warm between races

• Flip Flops – Protect your feet while on the pool deck

• Snacks – Swimmers burn lots of calories and you need to rejuvenate your energy. Bring light and healthy snacks such as fruit, carrots and cucumbers. (no chocolate or peanuts)

• Entertainment – Even the best swimmers need some entertainment to help pass the time between events. Items can be ipods, books, magazines, deck of cards or a game boy

• Pen/Marker – to write events on your hand

Don’t forget to pack the day before the swim meet!

 

Before the Meet Starts

 

1. Arrive at the pool at least 15 minutes before the scheduled warm-up time begins. This time will be included in the meet information that the Ducks will include in your mailbox and also will be posted on the bulletin board outside the pool area.

2. Upon arrival, you will go into the appropriate change room and get dressed into a swim suit.

3. Parents will go to the pool spectator area. They are not allowed on pool deck unless the pool does not have an actual spectator area and is seating parents directly on the pool deck.

4. Once you go out onto the pool deck, look for your team. The Acton Aqua Ducks team sits in one place together and cheers on their teammates.

5. You will put on your cap and goggles and report to the coach for warm-up instructions. A swimmer’s body needs an appropriate warm-up prior to the races starting. You will get into the water and begin the warm-up as instructed by the coach. There are lane assignments for each team.

6. After warm-up, you will go back to the team area where the Ducks will be sitting and wait there until the first event is called. This is a good time for you to go to the washroom, if necessary, get a drink or get settled in.

7. The meet will usually start about 10-15 minutes after warm-ups are over.

8. Parents are not allowed to approach swim officials during a swim meet. All questions concerning meet results, officiating call or the conduct of a meet should be pursued with the coach back at the Duck’s pool.

 

Meet Starts

Once the meet starts, as a parent or swimmer, it is important to know what event numbers he/she is swimming. You may swim right away after warm-up or you may have to wait a while. An event number is assigned to each event and designates the order of events during the meet session.

Parents may want to purchase a Meet Summary Program. When the team en-try is sent in, each swimmer and his/her previous best time (up to the date that the entry was submitted) in that event is listed.

If you are swimming an event for the first time, you will be entered as a “no time” or “NT”. A “no-time” swimmer will most likely swim in one of the first heats of event. A Meet Summary program sheet will be available before the start of the meet that lists the actual heat and lane a swimmer will be competing in.

Plan to attend one of our “Swim meet 101” information sessions.

There are two types of events swimmers can swim:

Individual events

– Once you are entered in a meet, you are assigned a heat number and lane number by the meet host for each event in which the swimmer is entered.

– It is the swimmer and coach’s responsibility for the swimmer to be in the proper heat and lane at the approach time.

Relay events

Relays are an important part of every meet.

Relays are team competitions requiring four swimmers from each team in an age group to compete.

Relays some of the most exciting races in a meet.

You should check with the coach before having a meet to determine their relay status.

 

Special Parent’s Note

The pool areas are 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 slowly!

You can always dress appropriate according to the heat of a pool area or better yet, you can become an official and get involved!

You get to be close to the action of the race and not roast in the rafters. Speak to the Officials Chair for more information.