Swim Meet Preparation

• BEFORE LEAVING THE HOUSE. Make sure your swimmer has their swimsuit, mirrored goggles, labeled TEAM t-shirt, and labeled yellow TEAM swim cap (replacements are $8).
• SNACKS & DRINKS. Pack healthy snacks and lots of water or cool drinks. Frozen fruit in a cooler makes for a cool refreshing treat. *Most Meets do have concessions for sale, so you may want to have a little cash on hand.

• ARRIVE EARLY. Warm-ups begin within 1 hour before each meet. Please plan ahead and allow enough time to get where you are going and to be able to mark your child (explained below).

• SHARPIES ARE ESSENTIAL! On your swimmer, please take a sharpie marker (OR waterproof black eyeliner) and write their FIRST & LAST NAME and AGE (age as of June 1st) on their back right shoulder. (You may want to write it AFTER your sunscreen is dry because sunscreen can cause it to rub off.) You will also need a sharpie to write your child’s events on their arm.

• MARKING YOUR CHILD. On your child’s forearm, make three columns and write the following (E=Event, H=Heat, and L=Lane) to help them track their events and to allow Clerk of Course to know they are in the right place.

Please check-in with your child’s Age Group Camp Captain prior to the meet start. Camps are important because: 

1. We (and you) know where to find your child for their events.
2. This is where your child will get their relay assignment(s).
3. Your child can lay down their towel, snacks, and belongings so they don’t get lost.

*MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD KNOWS that if they are not swimming, they need to ALWAYS return to their Team Tent so that their captain knows where they are when it is time for their event(s).

Clerk of Course. The Clerk of Course helps get the swimmers lined up and to the starting block on time for their race. The Clerk of Course is located in an area close to the pool deck, usually under a designated tent. Throughout the meet, listen carefully for the event numbers as they are called out for line-up. It is not possible for a coach or the Clerk of Course to always locate a missing swimmer, and the meet will not stop for a tardy swimmer, so parents need to remain attentive and encourage their children to always tell their Age Group Camp Captain where they are. Once the swimmers are with the Clerk of Course, step back and let them do their job.

Cheer! Nothing matches the excitement of seeing your swimmer get up on the blocks for the first time. Cheering is encouraged, after the starter blows the whistle. Once the race starts, cheer like crazy for your swimmer and all the Chenoweth Chargers!!

Encourage Your Swimmer! Once the race is over, your swimmer should automatically return to their Camp Captain. No matter what place they finish, offer encouragement and a "good job!" Swimming is unique in that swimmers can actually swim against themselves from week to week and see their progress as they better their times. Parents need to emphasize weekly improvement rather than who was first or last.

Disqualified – what does that mean? Occasionally a swimmer is disqualified ("DQ'd") in an event for faulty technique. This is understandable, as the rules for strokes and turns are very specific and swimmers often get excited during a race. A coach should be able to determine why a swimmer was DQ’d and work on that technique in practice. Only by critiquing strokes, does a swimmer learn to improve. It is never appropriate to yell at or approach a Stroke & Turn judge to question a disqualification. This is considered unsportsmanlike conduct and could result in a penalty against the team. Questions regarding a call should politely be directed to your coach and they will determine if it needs to be brought to the attention of the Referee.

Awards. Award Ribbons are given to swimmers who place up to 8th place in an event. Ribbons will be distributed the day after a meet at the weekly Team Spirit celebration day. Championship ribbons/medals will be distributed at our awards ceremony at the end of the season.

*****Checklist of Things to bring to a Swim Meet*****

• Team swim cap
• 1-2 towels per swimmer
• Sunscreen
• 2‐3 water bottles per swimmer
• 2 pairs of goggles (in case one breaks)
• flip flops
• $ for concessions
• 1 piece swimsuit
• Sharpie marker OR waterproof eyeliner 
• Snacks/dinner
• Small books and games to pass the time
• Ziploc bag with a change of clothes
• Folding sports chairs (for spectators)
• Tent for shade optional 

*******MEMORY EXERCISES*******

Medley Relay Order (alpha order):
For the Medley Relay, swimmers will be assigned a stroke and will swim in order as follows:
Swimmer #1-BACK (start in the water)
Swimmer #2-BREAST
Swimmer #3-FLY
Swimmer #4-FREE

Individual Medley (IM) Order:
FLY * BACK * BREAST * FREE

(There is a fly on my back but my breast is free.)