FIRST SWIM MEET BEGINNER TIPS
WHAT TO EXPECT:
Swim meets are supposed to be FUN (for child and Parent!)
Dual swim meets are NOT scored (i.e., a “winning team” is not declared when it’s over)
Events will always be run in this order for each age group and gender:
8 & under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, and 15-18: Medley Relay(Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Freestyle), Short Freestyle, IM (Individual Medley-Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle), Breaststroke, Long Freestyle, Backstroke, Butterfly, and Freestyle Relay (each swims free).
This means there are 80 events in a single swim meet!! There are numerous heats in each event. Your child may swim up to 3 individual events and two relays. There will be a sheet at the pool or a heat sheet in the hands of the tent mom listing which events your child will be swimming. Please check this sheet to verify that your child is listed. We do make mistakes, but do not fear, we can get him in the swim meet! There will be a tent parent that will be calling out swimmer’s names in the order of events, heats, and lanes. Your swimmer needs to know which events he is swimming in, be listening out for his name, and be ready to swim (cap and goggles).
The swimmers will then move to the Clerk of Course area (benches). At Clerk of Course, someone will hand your child his event card which lists his name, age group, even t#, heat #, and lane #. Please know that there are sometimes CHANGES made in Clerk of Course. This means that your child might move into a different heat or lane. No need to worry. These changes are recorded with the Referee, computer operator and records. Just as a friendly reminder, no parents (or coaches) are allowed in the Clerk of Course area or behind the blocks unless they are working the meet. So please hug your swimmer and do all your coaching before they move into these areas. Please be patient and help your swimmer know what he needs to be doing. Ask if you don’t understand!
For 8 & unders only: For the first swim meet and the first swim
meet only, your 8 & under child will NOT be disqualified if he
doesn’t
swim a stroke legally. After this, however, all swimmers will be disqualified
if they do not swim the strokes legally. DQ’s are not the end
of the world. This just means that their times will not be recorded
officially, and they might not receive an “official” ribbon
for the event. As much as we try to explain this, please know that
there might be tears. The best person to “pick up the pieces” is
the coach. The child is more likely to “get back on that horse
again” if the parent steps back from this situation…its
part of growing them as a swimmer. If your child does DQ (and even
the 15 to 18 year olds DQ), he will be told what he did incorrectly
by one of the judges immediately after he gets out of the water. The
coaches receive a written record after the meet for each DQ given listing
the reason the child DQ’d. If you need to know why, ask the coach
on Friday after the meet. Do not talk to stroke and turn judges during
the meet. If your child repeatedly DQ’s for the same reason,
please consider stroke clinic or private lessons.
WHAT TO BRING:
SLMC swim cap, goggles (extra pair wouldn’t be a bad idea), chair
or extra towel to sit on, healthy snacks, water, Gatorade, or money
to buy these at concessions, sweatshirt/sweatpants in case you get
cold in between events….and lots of patience! The SLMC Stingrays
sit together as a team. Please help your child get situated, and let
him know where you will be.
Please ask someone if you don’t understand something or want to know more.