WHAT TO WEAR — Most swimmers wear their team suits to the meet with sweats or parkas over the suits. After swimming an event, you can put your parkas or sweats on between events. Parents should wear layers or a short sleeve shirt, as the pool area is always very warm.
 

WHAT TO TAKE PACKING— Each swimmer may want to take a sleeping bag or blanket for "camping out" with the team in the hallway, cafeteria, or gym of the school where the meet is held. Look for the Carlynton Aqua Club or other team members, so you can sit together. Bring several towels for drying off after each event. Also, bring a book, deck of cards, game boy, or other items to help pass the time between events. A small cooler with fruit, drinks, and snacks is also nice. Food-including snacks, sometimes breakfast, and usually lunch is sold in the cafeteria at most meets.
 

WRITE ON YOUR HAND — The best way to keep up with your event numbers and strokes is to write them on the back of your hand with a ball point pen. It might look like this:  
#72 100 back
#76 50 fly
#80 100 free
This information is given to you by the coach or is posted on the wall of where your seeding area is at the meet. Once the heat sheets are posted at the meets, you can add the heat and lane in which you are swimming beside the event on the back of your hand.
 

WHEN YOU ARRIVE — Plan to arrive at the meet at least 15 minutes before your warm-up time. This will give you time to sign in and set up your sleeping bag.  As soon as you arrive, look for the place to sign in.  It will usually be with one of the coaches. Failure to sign in before warm-ups end could cause you to be scratched from the events.
 

REPORT TO THE COACH — After you have signed in and deposited your belongings, start getting ready for warm-ups.  Warm-up time is limited and the pool will be crowded, so you will need to make the best possible use of this pool time.  After warm-ups, return to your "camp area" or sit on the bleachers and watch until it is time for your event. (Put on sweats or parka to stay warm.)
 

HEAT SHEETS – Heat Sheets (programs) will be available for parents to purchase at each meet.  This will provide a list of what Events are being swum in each session and all swimmers in each event ranked by their entry times.  Parents can highlight their child and other CAC swimmers in the Heath Sheet so they do not miss the events they are swimming. 

 Events are swum slowest to fastest, which means the final heat in each event will be the fastest swimmers with the fastest recorded time prior to this event.  Each heat is also seeded from fastest to slowest as follows: starting with the fastest swimmer in lane 4, lane 5, lane 3, lane 6, lane 2, lane 7, lane 1, lane 8. 

 

GETTING READY FOR YOUR EVENT —- At most meets for the 8 & under events there will be “Seeders.” Swimmers in this age group should pay close attention to the progress of the meet and report to the "Seeder" area about 4 or 5 events before your event.  Some pools use loud speakers to make first and last calls for an event, but you are not always within ear-shot of the announcements.  The seeder area will be an area away from the pool where lines of chairs will be set up.  You will then be instructed to sit in chairs in order, usually one heat per row. Your row will then move forward to the next row of chairs until it is your heat’s turn to go into the pool area. When you enter the pool area, follow the instructions of the adults there. You will usually stand or sit behind the area of your lane until it is your turn to swim. When it is your heat’s time to stand by the block, give your card to the timer in your lane. Then wait for the starter to say ‘swimmers on the block'. Next the starter will say "take your mark". You then wait for the sound of the electronic beep and you’re off and swimming!  After completing the race, if using fly-over starts stay in the water until the next heat is off of the block, except if you are swimming backstroke then you get out of the water after your event.  After you get out of the pool, it is extremely important that you report to the coach on the pool deck for a brief "chat" about your swim.  Then return to the team’s area to dry off and rest or sit in the bleachers to cheer for your team mates. This procedure is repeated for each event. It’s your job to keep up with the events and report promptly to the seeders.   You can always check with the timer in your lane to confirm that you are on the list and you have written down the correct heat and lane for your event.
 

RESULTS — Results of each event are computerized and posted on a wall as soon as they are printed out. You can check the results to get your official time and place. Awards for each meet vary. Some meets give medals for the top six swimmers and ribbons for 7—12.  Some give ribbons for more places. Some give ribbons to each heat winner. Remember to record your times so you can chart your improvement throughout the season.   Focus on your progress in terms of the amount of time improved, not necessarily on what your place was.
 

ELECTRONIC TIMING — Most pools have electronic touch pads in each lane to record times.  Each swimmer should make a good, solid touch. Other "people" timers are used for back-up.  An electronic beep with a strobe light is used for starting each race.
 

FALSE STARTS — A false start occurs when a swimmer leaves the block top early or there is a problem with the equipment.  In the event of a false start, the recall starter sounds the beeps repeatedly signaling swimmers to stop.  A rope is also lowered into the water to stop swimmers who do not respond to the signals.  If all these fail, a coach or older swimmer jumps in to stop the swimmer! 

 

DISQUALIFICATIONS — A swimmer may be disqualified by the judges or other qualified officials for not swimming a stroke correctly, making an improper turn, etc. For example, a swimmer could be disqualified for doing a flutter kick with the butterfly stroke or failure to touch the wall in a turn.  Most swimmers get disqualified at some point in their swimming careers!  Swimmers will be told by an official (or the official can tell the coach) if they were disqualified and for what reason.  The swimmer must see the coach after this occurs for suggestions to see that it doesn’t happen again.  After the swimmer understands what the mistake was, he or she should "shake it off" and focus on his next event. Parents should be supportive, rather than critical, treating the disqualification as a learning experience.
 

PARENTS AT A SWIM MEET — It is a parent’s responsibility to be familiar with meet procedures and have their swimmers understand the procedures.  The most important roles parents play are getting swimmers to warm-ups on time and double checking sign-ins and seeder routines. (New swimmers seem to catch on fast to the logical chain of events.)  Then a parent can sit back, cheer for the swimmers, and enjoy the meet.  Parent's are asked not to be on deck unless they are timing.  In fact, U.S. Swimming rules state that only swimmers, coaches, timers, and officials are allowed on deck.  If you are asked to leave the deck, please don’t take it personally.