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Swim Meet 101

    Survival Tips

    Swimmers

    • Swimmers should remain in the pool area at all times to allow the age group parents to get the swimmers to their events at the correct times.
    • Report on time. At home, warm ups begin at 7:15 a.m. The website www.emc.swimtopia.com will provide information for away meets.
    • Morning Check in:   All Swimmers must check in when they arrive and get their events. Parents check in for their volunteer spot.
    • Time Trials is to get a base time in the events they know how to swim. We can always get times in events after they learn that stroke. Must have a time trial time to swim in dual meets.
    • At dual swim meets, swimmers will be allowed in 3 individual events and 2 relays (if they qualify) The team is allowed to create 3 relays of 4 swimmers.  This is based on times and is computer generated.  
    •  When we’re away, look for your age group parent. Swimmers should rest between events.
    • Warm up with your age group when the coaches instruct you. Warm ups are especially important for 11 and up swimmers at away meets, as it's their only chance to gauge their turns in an unfamiliar pool before competition.
    • Check the event board periodically to see if you need to report to the staging area by the ready bench
    • Stay at the meet. If you must leave, please tell your age group parent and coach.  This way if they are in a relay, we can replace them.  We don't want to have to cancel a relay for other swimmers.

    Swimmers’ Checklist

    Sunscreen
    Snacks/concession money
    Two towels (sitting & drying)
    Books, cards, games, toys 
    Swimsuit
    T-shirt, shorts, shoes
    Goggles (extra pair)
    Swim caps


    Parents

    • Check on your swimmer(s) periodically to make sure that they are behaving and are drinking lots of fluids!
    • Listen to Announcements. The Announcer will provide valuable information throughout the meet such us calling events to ready bench, shift changes, volunteer opportunities and score update.

    • Be sure to show up to your volunteer spot on time.  It helps with the flow of the meet and gets us done quicker.

    • Stay busy. There is a lot of down time at meets when your swimmer(s) is not in an event. Volunteer for one of the many jobs that need to be done. 
    • Meet your neighbors. Being a part of the EMC EELS Swim Team is a wonderful way to meet new friends. Please introduce yourself whether you were with the team last year or are new to us this year, and get acquainted with your neighbors.
    • Praise your swimmer. Give him/her a pat on the back and leave the coaching to the experts.
    • No smoking, vaping or drinking permitted in the pool area or tent area.   


    Parents' Checklist

    Canopy/tent 
    Lawn chairs
    Lightweight clothing Hat
    Sunglasses Sunscreen
    Shoes that can get wet
    Snacks/drinks/concession money
    Camera

    KNOW THE SWIM LINGO!

    Block – The starting platform
    Bulkhead – A moveable wall, to divide a pool into different courses, such as a 50-meter pool into two 25-yard courses
    Circle-In – Performed by swimmers upon arriving at a meet to designate their intention to swim a race. The swimmer will actually circle in their name for each event they intend to swim at that competition

    Circle Swimming – Performed by staying to the right of the black line when swimming in a lane to enable more swimmers to safely swim in each lane during practice
    Clerk of Course – Person in charge of the ready bench area.  This is the area that swimmers get lined up for a swim.  
    Cut – Slang term for a qualifying time. A time standard necessary to attend a particular meet or event.
    DQ – Disqualification. This occurs when a swimmer has committed an infraction of some kind (ex. Freestyle kick in butterfly. A disqualified swimmer does not receive points for that swim, nor can the time be used as an official time
    Drill – A teaching exercise involving a portion of a stroke which is used to improve technique
    Dryland Training – Training done out of the water that aids and enhances swimming performance
    False Start – Occurs when a swimmer is moving before the start is sounded.
    Final – The championship heat of an event in which the top swimmers from the preliminaries compete
    Flags – Backstroke flags placed 5 yards from the end of the pool. The flags enable backstrokers to execute a turn safely and more efficiently
    I.M. – Short for Individual Medley. An event in which the swimmer uses all four strokes in the following order: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle
    Meet – a swimming competition between two or more teams
    Negative Split – Swimming the second half of the race equal to or faster than the first half
    No-Show – When a swimmer circles-in for his/her event but does not report to swim the event or misses the event. There is a $5.00 fine imposed by Gulf Swimming at the end of each season for each no-show event
    Official – A judge on the deck of the pool at a sanctioned competition who enforces NWAL Swimming rules. There are stroke and turn judges, administrative officials, starters, timers, and referees
    Pace Clock – clock used to check pace or maintain intervals in practice.
    Qualifying Time – Time necessary to compete in a particular event and/or competition. Also known as a cut.

    Ready Bench- area where swimmmers are lined up for their swim.
    Relay – An event in which four swimmers compete together as a team to achieve one time
    Scratch – To withdraw from an event prior to it being held in a competition
    Sprint – Describes the shorter events. In training, to swim as fast as possible for a short distance
    Streamline – The position used by swimmers when starting or pushing off the walls designed to reduce water resistance.
    Time Trial – A time-only swim, which is not part of a regular meet

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