Swim Meet Tips

Tips & Tricks for a Successful Meet

Arrive early – get an established campsite, and encourage your swimmer to get into the team tent and get a full warm-up swim

Eat a healthy breakfast – balanced with protein, and get a few glasses of water into your swimmer

Avoid running around during the meet – the swimmers are kids, of course, and they get wiggly. Try to keep them out of the sun, relaxed, and cool.

Hydrate – with water! Sports drinks contain a lot of sugar which spikes the kids energy – usually at the wrong time!

Bring a Sharpie marker – write your swimmers’ events on their forearm (typically “event – heat – lane”,

example 31-2-4 means event 31 (25 yard butterfly), heat 2, lane 4).

Pay attention to event calls to report to the heating tent/area – typically the swimmers spend 10-15 minutes in the heating area queue prior to going to the pool to swim their events

Have a positive attitude – try every event/stroke during the season

Prepare for all kinds of weather – Meets are held rain or shine, hot or cold. You will be outside for most of the meet.

Checklist – What to Bring to Swim Meets

Swimmers

• Swim bag (with toys, games, etc. to pass the time – be careful with electronics, cell phones, etc.)
• Competition Suit
• Goggles (2 pairs recommended)
• Sunscreen
• Towels (recommend writing name on towels with Sharpie!)
• Flip flops or other pool shoes
• Cover up clothing – appropriate for the weather (layers recommended – shorts AND sweatpants, t-shirts AND hoodies)
• Token gift or cheering sign for Big Swimmer / Little Swimmer
• [Sleeping bag – optional, but for cold meet mornings many kids bring them]

Families

• Tent/Shade (lots of pop-up 8’ x 8’ shades around swim meets!)
• Tarp for a “floor” for your tent
• Folding chairs
• Coolers with healthy snacks and water for your swimmer
• (NOTE: most meets have stocked concession stands, which are also fundraisers for the teams, so please utilize them!)
• Sunscreen
• Sharpie pen (to write your swimmer’s events on their forearm)
• Pocket cash for the concession stand
• Sturdy shoes and a positive attitude for working meet jobs
• A friendly smile – you’ll be meeting a lot of new people!

NOTE: To build team spirit and friendships, we recommend having your swimmer spend the meet inside the team tent.