What You'll Need to Know as a Swim Parent About Swim Meets

Listed below are some very in-depth guidelines geared to help you through your first couple of swim meets.

THURSDAY MORNING PRACTICE

• At practice on Thursday, the coaches will use a Sharpie to write your child's events on his/her arm. They will write the Event, Heat, Lane, and Stroke (E/H/L/S). This will help tell your swimmer, you, the coaches, and the bullpen parent where your child needs to be at the meet. This may fade during the day. It would be extremely helpful if you could rewrite this information on your child's arm before coming to the meet on Thursday afternoon.
• At practice, they will just swim a few laps and be given some pointers by the coaches. The coaches will also stress the importance of sportsmanship. We encourage you to talk to your child about how they can show good sportsmanship to their teammates and to the other team. This includes wishing good luck, staying in the water until everyone from your heat finishes the race, shaking hands with the other swimmers, saying good job, and cheering on your friends after you swim.
• On Thursday afternoon, Coach Kim will send out the Meet Program. Many parents like to print this out so that they can see where everyone is swimming. Other parents just take a picture of the writing on their child's arm to pay attention to when their child is swimming.
• **If your swimmer gets sick last minute, please contact Coach Kim ASAP by calling her at 770-403-5265. It is so important that we know who will be at the meet and who will not be there so that the relays can swim. We completely understand that children can get sick last minute, but the earlier Coach Kim knows, the better.

• Arrive at the pool by 4:15 for home meets and 4:30 for away meets.   *If you are a bullpen parent, please make sure to arrive on time to check in the swimmers.
• Upon arrival, find a place to put your swimmer's towels & swim bags. 10 & Unders must report & check in with their bull pen parent. We will have tents with labeled signs to help you find the correct area. To help the bull pen parents, please write your child's name on the back of their shoulder and introduce your child. You should leave your child, their towels, games, and their snacks at the bullpen.
• Then, make sure to check in at the volunteer check in. Bullpen parents will receive instructions and papers 15 minutes before the swimmers arrive. Judges and timers will attend a meeting at 5:15. (This is for all judges and timers for both sessions to receive directions. ) If you need any information with your volunteer position please ask Jen Cluthe or Coach Kim.
• If you are not working at the meet, you'll want to set up your tailgating chair along the side of the pool to watch the meet or find a seat someone in the pool area and then just stand by the pool when your child is swimming.
• Your swimmer should stay in his/her bullpen with the bullpen parent for the duration of the meet.  
• The coaches will get the swimmers from the bullpen area and bring them to warm up.
• After warm-up, your swimmer will go back to the area where his team is sitting and wait their until their first event is called. The meet will usually start about 10-15 min. after warm-ups are over. It is important that if your child needs to leave the bullpen area during the meet (to go to the restroom, concessions, sit with you) that they let the bullpen parent know where they are going. The swimmers need to be in the bull pen at least 10 events before their race.
• According to ASA USA Swimming rules (because of insurance purposes), parents are usually not allowed in front of the rope areas unless they are serving in an official capacity. Similarly, all questions concerning meet results, an officiating call, or the conduct of a meet, should be referred to a coach & swim team chairperson. They will in turn pursue the matter through the proper channels.
MEET STARTS- 5:30
• For swimmers ages 10 & Under, the bullpen parents will bring the swimmers to the blocks. Please make sure that your swimmer is in the bullpen at least 10 events before his/her race. The parents are allowed to cheer from the sides of the pool or by the finishing end. Parents are not allowed behind the blocks.
• The first events will be the 6 & Under relays. These will be all freestyle.
• Then the 7-18 year olds will have their medley relays. The 7-10 year olds will compete in 4 x 25 relays where each swimmer will swim 1 length of the pool. The 11 & up swimmers will swim in 4 x 50 relays where each swimmer will swim 2 lengths of the pool. The 11 & Up swimmers are responsible to gathering their relays and being behind the right lane 3 heats before their race.
• After the relays, the individual events will start. Coaches are not allowed in the pool to assist swimmers per league rules. All swimmers must be able to swim the length of the pool independently to swim in a meet.
• You can expect around 1-4 heats in each event.
• There is a paid official from the league that will be starting the races. The official will move the pace of the meet quickly. The coaches will be at the blocks to help tell your swimmer to get ready.
• The swimmer swims their race.
• After each swim, the timers will record the times and these will be inputed into the computer. Your child will receive ribbons with their times at Friday's practice. Starting with the 2nd meet, the coaches will hand out "improvement beads" to any swimmer who improves his/her time in a race. This helps reinforce the importance of doing your personal best and helps build team spirit as everyone can congratulate the swimmers wearing beads throughout the meet.
• Throughout the meet, swimmers can go to the concession stand as long as the bull pen parents know where they are.
• When a swimmer has completed all of their events, the swimmer and their parents can go home. (unless scheduled to work meet clean-up duty) Your swimmer will receive all of his/her ribbons at practice on Friday.

WHAT TO TAKE TO THE MEET
• Most important: Swim Suit, Team T-Shirt, Team Cap, and goggles.
• Towels. Your swimmer will be there awhile so pack at least two.
• Something to sit on. The swimmer area may be located in the lawn, basketball court, gym, etc. Examples: sleeping bag, old blanket, or anything that will be comfortable for your swimmer to sit on. The swimmers will be spending a lot of time on it. For parents, each neighborhood pool is different. Some have bleachers or seating available, many others do not. Bring a lawn chair for yourselves too.
• Games. Travel games, coloring books, quiet things to help pass the time.
• Food. Concession stands are available so bring cash. But it is also a good idea to bring healthy snack options and lots of water. June in Atlanta can be very hot. Hydration for swimmers and parents is essential.
• Sunscreen and bug spray can be helpful as well.

Once you have attended one or two meets this will all become very routine. Do not hesitate to ask any other parent for help or information.  

Swim meets are a lot of fun for the swimmers. They get to visit with friends, play games, and meet kids from other teams. They also get to race and show how much they have improved from all the hard work they have put in at practice. Remember Summer Swim Team is about all of us having fun!!!