Swim Meet 101 Overview

Swim meets are exciting!  This page aims to give you some key info to be prepared!

Arrive at each meet a bit prior to 7AM - as that is the time warmups begin PROMPTLY. And warmups are mandatory - each swimmer needs to get limbered up, ready to compete, and needs to check in with the coaches so everyone is accounted for. Each meet then begins at 8AM.

It is important that if a swimmer cannot make a meet - whether sick, car trouble, whatever - THAT YOU LET THE COACHES KNOW BY 7:30am THE MORNING OF THE MEET. Please email swimcoach@shorewoodpool.com to let them know a swimmer will not be there. This way, relays can be rearranged and no kids will be left without a complete relay team.....THANK YOU for your attention to this matter.

Swimmers find the following items handy (you many not need them all - but here are ideas!)
- The essentials: suit, towel, sunscreen, goggles, cap
- Food - Bring healthy snacks or money to buy food at the meet
- Blanket or sleeping bag
- Extra towels
- Sweats -- are nice on chilly days to keep warm between events
- Deck of cards or a quiet game
- Water, Gatorade, or chocolate milk -- helps to keep swimmers hydrated
- Special clothing or items for the theme of the week

Swim Meet Events: Swim Meet Events:
Swim meets are run according to the "order of events":
- Medley Relays
- Freestyle events
- Backstroke events
- 8 and under Free Relays
- Individual Medley events, excluding 8 & unders
- Breaststroke events
- Butterfly events
- 8 and under Individual Medleys
- 9 and up Free Relays

Within an event, the order goes by age: 8 & unders first, then gender: girls, then boys. (Exceptions to age order is noted above.) It is each swimmer’s responsibility to know his/her events, heats, and lane assignments and to be available to swim when they are called.

Another super helpful hint:  Parents should check the heat sheets before the meet and assist their swimmers (including writing on their hands) with this information.

Events are announced ahead of time to allow the swimmer to report to the staging area (called the Clerk of Course). The swimmers are kept in this area until they are ready to swim and go to the pool area in a group. This is for the younger kids only! Older swimmers (13 & up) need to get behind the blocks on their own.

Heats are established according to the swimmer’s seed time. The lower (faster) a swimmer’s time, the closer the swimmer is to the final heat. A swimmer can win in any heat; their final time determines the outcome. (Exception is the consolation finals and championship finals in All City.)

Every swimmer who comes in first in any heat receives a heat winner ribbon. Ribbons are given to first through sixth place finishers in each event. All swimmers in every heat are timed for their event.

Swim meets usually run around 4 hours - smaller ones are a bit shorter, bigger ones run a bit longer.

It is all about FUN!