If you are new to swim meets, this is the page for you! We hope to provide answers and guidance for what to expect, what to pack, and how a swim meet operates. Please contact us if you have additional questions..we have all been first-time swim families and want to help you!

What to pack

• $1 for a Heat Sheet (the volunteer will love you if you use a $1 bill!)
• A highlighter for marking your child's events on the heat sheet
• A Sharpie for marking your child's races on their arm (see separate instructions regarding this!)
• Swim suit, swim cap, and goggles, plus extra items to replace broken or lost ones
• Extra towels
• Healthy snacks: granola bars, fruit, water, Gatorade, crackers. Coolers are allowed, plus concessions are sold at each meet as well.
• Camp chairs or a picnic blanket
• Pop-up tents or umbrella tents, where space allows. Shade is key on hot evenings!
• Sunscreen
• Cash for the concession stand

How meets operate

Meets are usually on Thursday evenings beginning around 6pm. Home Team warm-ups are typically 4:45-5:15pm followed by Away Team warm-ups from 5:15-5:45pm. With the exception of Conference, all meets are dual meets without finals, meaning all swimmers swim their events once and ribbons are awarded based on those times.

8 & Under swimmers swim 25 Meter lengths (one length of the pool) in each of the four strokes: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle. 

Swimmers 9 & Over swim 50 Meter lengths for individual strokes plus the 100 Individual Medley.

There may be relays for each age group. 

Pre-Meet Preparation:

• Coaches will notify swimmers of their races on or before the day of a meet. Families are responsible for registering your swimmer for each meet!
• Pack swimmer’s gear.
• Pack family's gear.
• Directions to away meets may be found on the website, under Meets & Events>Pool Locations.

Arriving at the Meet:

• Get to the pool on time. Allow extra time for parking and walking to the pool.
• Check-in with Coaches prior to warmups.
• Purchase a Heat Sheet for $1, which lists the names of swimmers in each event, conference qualifying times, and the fastest time for your child to-date.
• Families check-in with Volunteer Coordinator.

During the Meet:

• Parents, especially for younger swimmers, can help get their swimmer to the Clerk of the Course to avoid missing an event. The Clerk of the Course area is similar to being "on deck" in baseball; look for a row of benches or folding chairs, where swimmers are being checked in prior to each race. Listen for events being called to the Clerk of the Course, so your swimmer knows when to head to check-in. 
• After a race, swimmers should ask Timers for their “unofficial” time and then check in with Coaches. If a swimmer disqualifies (DQs), they will be notified by a coach at the next practice. 
• White swimmers are encouraged to check with the coaches after a race, they may not sit at the coaches' table.
• Concessions, including bottled water, soda, and snacks will be available for purchase at all pools. You are also welcome to bring your own.

After the Meet:

• Pick up team and pool area.
• Volunteers will be asked to help put away equipment.
• Leave the pool as we found it for use the next day.

Plan on the meet lasting 3-1/2 to 4 hours.

Events allowed per swimmer

Each swimmer is allowed to choose up to three individual events (the four individual strokes and the Individual Medley for 9 and older). While families typically register kids for races, coaches may speak to you about another race, if needed. Additionally, coaches may place swimmers in up to two relays. You will declare your swimmer as "available for relays" each week when you register for the meet and sign up for your individual events online. Swimmers may change their individual events from meet to meet.

Strokes and events

The four competitive strokes are:

• Freestyle is characterized by an alternate overhand motion of the arms and an alternating up and down flutter kick.
• Backstroke consists of an alternating motion of the arm while on the back using a flutter kick.
• Breaststroke requires simultaneous movements of the arms on the same horizontal plane. The hands are pulled from the breast in a heart-shaped pattern and recovered under the surface of the water except at the finish. The kick is a simultaneous somewhat circular motion similar to the action of a frog. On turns and at the finish, the swimmer must touch with both hands.
• Butterfly consists of a simultaneous overhand stroke of the arms combined with an undulating dolphin kick. In the kick, the swimmer must keep both legs together and may NOT use any other kick. On turns and at the finish, the swimmer must touch with both hands.

The following events are in addition to the above strokes:

• Individual Medley (I.M.) features all four strokes. The swimmer begins with the butterfly, then changes to the backstroke, then breaststroke, and, finally, to the freestyle. This event is only for swimmers ages 9 and older.
• Medley Relay consists of four team members swimming one leg each of the four strokes in order: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle.
• Freestyle Relay consists of four team members swimming freestyle for each leg.

Most young swimmers start out swimming freestyle and backstroke before progressing to breaststroke and butterfly. It is not essential to know all strokes before joining the team. Strokes will continue to be taught and improved upon during practice.

Order of events

The order is the same for each swim meet with boys competing first and then girls starting with the youngest age group. Heats will be swam slowest to fastest.

Ribbons

Heat Winner ribbons are awarded to 10 & Under heat winners for each event. These ribbons are usually handed to the winner at the completion of each heat. Individual ribbons are awarded for 1st-6th place in each individual event and relay ribbons rae awarded to first place relays. Individual and relay ribbons are typically handed out at Donut Friday following the meet.

How to mark your child

In order to help you and your child keep track of their specific events at the meet, most families mark the events on the child similarly to the example below. First, highlight all places in the Heat Sheet where your child's name is found. Then, use that Event, Heat, and Lane information to create a grid/list on your child's arm in permanent marker.

Make four (4) column headings - E, H, L, S. These stand for Event, Heat, Lane, and Stroke. For each event your child is swimming, write the event number, the heat number, the lane number, and the stroke in the corresponding column.

Note: For younger swimmers, write your swimmer's name in big letters on his/her arm or back. This helps the volunteers who are lining up the swimmers at the starting blocks.

In this example, the child is swimming:

Event #11, Heat 4, Lane 4, 25M Freestyle

Event #31, Heat 1, Lane 6, 25M Backstroke

Event #41, Heat 2, Lane 3, 25M Breaststroke

Event #59, Heat 2, Lane 4, 100M Free Relay

Each swimmer is responsible for their own event schedule. Listen carefully as the events are called so that you do not miss your event.

At the conclusion of the meet, the Sharpie can be removed with alcohol-containing hairspray, hand sanitizer, or rubbing alcohol. 

Getting disqualified

Occasionally, a judge will disqualify (or "DQ") a swimmer during their event. There are official stroke rules listed on the Missouri Valley Swimming website as well as on the USA Swimming website. Please visit those websites for exact rules on each stroke; below is a list of common reasons a swimmer is disqualified.

Freestyle: Pulling on the lane line, pushing off the bottom of the pool

Breaststroke: Improper kick, arm pull below the hips, failure to perform two-hand touch at turn or finish

Butterfly: Flutter kick instead of dolphin kick (swimmer must keep both legs together), failure to perform two-hand touch at turn or finish

Backstroke: Rolling onto stomach as the swimmer touches the wall, improper flip turn

Relays: Leaving the starting block too soon

Once a swimmer gets disqualified, they are not eligible to place in that event reagrdless of time.

Every swimmer has been DQ'd at one point or another! Please reassure your swimmer that it is okay and that you are proud of them. The coaches will have tips for them to improve and review these with the swimmer in practice.

Diving into the pool

During practices, your child will receive instruction on diving off a starting block. If they are unable to do this, they are permitted to dive off the side of the pool. A swimmer is also allowed to be in the water and push off the side of the wall to begin the event.

Conference Swim Meet

All swimmers who compete in three dual meets and meet the qualifying time (listed in each heat sheet) in an event will earn a place at the Conference Championship meet held at the end of the swim season at the Springs Aquatic Center. Swimmers are allowed to swim in three individual events at the conference meet.

Conference is a very large swim meet that takes place over the course of several days. It includes prelims and finals where the top 16 swimmers from prelims advance to the finals. Bring everything you would - including your Shark Spirit! - for a dual meet. Conference heat sheets are $5, and there are concessions for food and drink as well as for swimming gear and conference attire. 

Wanting to join?

Thank you for your interest! If you will be a new family to the team and want us to contact you about registration, please email [email protected].