THANK YOU volunteers! and some notes...

Phew! We've gotten through the first round of meets! Everything is running smoothly so far, and a large part of that is due to you, the parents who volunteer. As you may have noticed, swim competitions require a large number of workers in order to make them a success. If every parent in the league pitches in, you shouldn't have to work more than once or twice. There are many parents who work almost every meet--they need your help! If you haven't volunteered yet, please talk to your coach. No experience necessary!

I also wanted to inform the swimmers and parents that as the season progresses, we will get stricter in our observance of the rules of swimming. This is to make the competition fair, but also to prepare them for the City Championship! We are still being lenient with the younger and less experienced swimmers, but will become less lenient in the next few weeks. Please support our stroke judges in their decisions as this is one of the most difficult, but necessary, jobs at a meet. We always need more stroke judges so if you are interested in being trained for this (it is not as hard as it sounds) please see your coach!

Also parents, if you know you are not going to be attending a swim meet, please let your coach know ahead of time. It takes a lot of time, energy and supplies to set up your child's races, so please let us know if they are not going to swim. Since everyone has now had the chance to swim at at least one meet, we are going to expect fewer errors in the meet entry process. This means that if your coach requires you to opt in for a meet, and you do not and your child isn't entered, your child cannot be entered late. The only changes we will make to entries at the meet are those that resulted from coaches or entry error. Parents, it is your responsibility to let your coach know which meets you will or will not attend. Especially if your child is on a large team! Please check with your coach if you have any questions about this.

Finally, I just wanted to let everyone know that since we are using meet programs this year, it is crucial that events/heats not be combined. The only exceptions are when they are already combined prior to the meet and listed as such in the meet program OR if only one swimmer is in a race ALONE. A lone swimmer may be moved to another race, provided his/her card is marked accordingly AND the starter is informed. I know it seems like combining heats will move things along faster, but it actually takes longer to get the cards corrected, and is confusing to the stroke and place judges. Also, if the cards are not corrected properly, moving swimmers makes it very hard to determine the results. We expect that swimmers will occasionally swim in the wrong heat/lane, but please don't add to the confusion by combining races unless absolutely necessary.

thanks,

emily...who apologizes to the parents who help her again and again and she still can't remember their names...i promise i'll know all your kid's names, age, best stroke, and maybe even some of their times by the end of the summer :) but for some reason it takes me longer to remember YOUR names, so please be patient with me!

Swim Meets - What to Bring

Having the right equipment can make swim competitions less stressful. If you have any specific questions, any experienced swimmer, parent or coach can help. Here is a list of the basics:

Competition swimwear - you don't need to invest in expensive suits, but it is important that your suit fits well and doesn't create drag

Swim cap(s) - this is a matter of personal preference, but is helpful for girls or boys with longer hair

Goggles - always have an extra pair handy, and make sure that they have both been worn at practice so that they are properly fitted and don't come off when you dive in

Towels - more than one

Sunscreen - be sure to apply before you leave home so it has time to sink in before warm-ups

Refreshments - lots and lots of water and/or sports drinks and a few snacks as well (some pools have concession stands, but it is best to come prepared with healthy choices as well)

Lawn chairs - spectator seating is usually limited

Canopy - there is never enough shade

Sharpie marker - to mark events on the body (or body art)

Fun stuff - to pass the time between events

Miscellaneous - camera, money, comfortable shoes/sandals, umbrella

I hope this list helps. Feel free to comment if there is anything I forgot!