Day of Competition

When you attend a meet for the first time, you will see how many people are involved in helping to run them. There are the officials, in white, who are being timekeepers, checking strokes and turns are correct, starting races and refereeing the whole meet.

There are other jobs on poolside such as warm up marshals to make sure the swimmers are safe, and swimmers marshals during the competition, making sure swimmers are in the correct heat and lane for their race. There are people running the computer systems recording the results. People on the entry desk and people handing out medals.

Meets ask for volunteers so if you would like to help please let us know. Whatever you do, you can see your Swimmer compete, so please help where you can.

Be Prepared

Make sure, you have read all the information sent to you so that you know: -

  • Where the pool is and how long it will take you to get there. It is also worth checking the traffic status on the day in case there are any hold ups.
  • What times the warm ups begin, aiming to arrive 30 to 15 minutes before this time to find the rest of the team and be changed. There is usually limited space for swimmers so the earlier you arrive the better space you will have to sit in.
  • What events you are doing.
  • That you have all of the kit and food with you before you set out

What to expect when you arrive

  • Having arrived swimmers should find the Team and report to a coach that they have arrived. Then they can go and change
  • Swimmers will sit with the team and coaches usually on one side of the pool.
  • Parents/spectators will sit in a different area. No meet organisers will allow anyone without a coach’s pass to be on the “swimmers” side of the pool, as a Safeguarding issue.
  • Swimmers are expected to stay with the team and follow directions of the coaches in attendance at all times. They must ask if they are going off to see parents/spectators and tell them when they get back.

The Meet starts with a warm up swim. This is to get the swimmers ready for their events. Coaches will tell the swimmers what they want them to do. It is usual to do a steady swim, a stroke specific part and then starts and sprints.

During the Meet

  • Swimmers, especially the younger ones, will want to come over and see their parents, for either congratulations or a consolation hug. They should make sure they have something on their feet and at least a “T” shirt on. They should not be wet from having just swum. Do not take any notice of what others do, this is the proper protocol. Also worth noting is that there should be NO changing on any of the balconies, swimmer or spectator sides.
  • During each session the coaches will make sure swimmers know what heat they are in and will be able to give an idea when the swimmers need to report to the marshals. It would be helpful if the swimmers know what events they are doing. You could write it down for them for the first few times.
  • Parents should make sure that their swimmer has sufficient food and drink with them so they can eat and drink when needed. Parents will want to check that their swimmer has eaten correctly, so for the inexperienced swimmer this might mean they start off by coming over to you for some food but they all need to have water to hand. It gets hot for spectators and it is the same for the swimmers.

What to Bring

  • Two swimming costumes for racing, (always have a spare) and a warm up suit
  • Goggles and a spare pair
  • Two Towels – one to keep you warm and one to dry off after swimming
  • Club Kit – consisting of at least a T Shirt and Swimming Hat
  • Other clothing such as hoodie, tracksuit bottoms, leggings
  • Foot wear for the poolside and for visiting the spectator area.
  • Food to last the day or sessions you are attending
  • At least two litres of water/squash. NO FIZZY DRINKS
  • Snack foods high in carbohydrates
  • Music – iPod, etc.
  • Reading book or games device.

About Swim Suits

The difference between Training and Racing suits - What swimmers wear to compete has changed over the years as various textiles and non-textiles have been used in the search for more streamlined suits. There are rules governing what swimmers can wear and racing suits should have a FINA approved mark.

Training / Warm up suits - The designs for boys are the same as racing suits – from knee to waist, although they can wear “Speedo” type suits. Girls can be the knee to shoulder type but are commonly a “traditional” top of leg to shoulder design. They are of a Lycra type material, which lasts well for the heavy usage during training. These are available from the Academy shop, or online, at a reasonable price.

Racing suits - Boy’s suits are from the waist down to the knee “jammers”. Girl’s suits are from the knee to the shoulder with various types of backs, which are usually down to personal likes. Younger swimmers only need a Lycra type material, available at a reasonable cost. The reason for having a different suit for racing is that it needs to be a tighter fit, but there is no need for junior swimmers to wear the Hi-Tech suits worn by National and International Athletes. These are expensive – at a cost of £300, and upwards, and tend to be much more fragile. Please do not start with this type of suit! Tip for girls is not to have the straps of a tight suit over their shoulders until they are ready to swim. Leave them pulled up to just under their arms and finish the job on the way to marshalling. Take the straps off again once they have swum down. Do not sit for the whole meet with the straps on. Once you get to the point of needing a more expensive suit, you will need to do some investigations into which one will be most suitable. Do ask for help. We have all been there.

Parents/Spectators

  • There are usually programmes on sale at the entry desk – pick up one so you will be able to see when your child is swimming.
  • Make sure that your child is with the group and knows where you will be in case of emergency.
  • Bring plenty of food/drink for you to last the day - it can be a long day sat watching swimming, and a soft cushion helps!!
  • Bring a note book/note paper to record your swimmers achievements. Some pools have bad Wi-Fi or phone reception so the old-fashioned way might be best.

Safety Information

All those attending open meets and competitions need to be aware of the safety procedures in place.

  • Officials - Without the officials the meets and competitions could not run. These officials adhere to strict health and safety guidelines, which are set by the pool provider or national governing body. If guidelines and instructions given by the officials are not followed, they can suspend the running of the meet until it is safe to continue.
  • Meet Organiser – needs to ensure that a safety announcement is read out at the beginning of all sessions, adequate safety information should be supplied to all in attendance and also guidelines on how warm ups will be run on each session of the day.
  • Parents/Spectators – must abide by the health and safety rules of the complex and in line with the guidelines set by the meet organisers. They are asked to follow the requests of all officials and staff in order for the safe and organised running of the meet.
  • Coaches/Team Managers – coaches are responsible for the safety of the swimmers in their team. They can educate and promote safe practices throughout the event
  • Swimmers – must follow all instructions of coaches/team managers/pool staff/event staff. They must follow the guidelines set out to ensure that they are safe at all times.

Results

  • Results will usually be posted in a central location for parents and swimmers to see, as each event is completed. They will have swimmers listed in the order they finished so you will be able to see if they have a medal. Please try to pick up any medals throughout the meet to avoid long queues at the end of the day.
  • If the meet is on Meet Mobile, the results will be there with information such as “splits” and the amount of time swimmers are inside or outside of their entry time.
  • The results will be stored on a results file, which is sent to 2 places: -
    • All licensed meet results are sent to the ASA to be uploaded onto the Results and Rankings database.
    • A file is also sent to the Competition Secretary so the times can be used for future meets.
    • See our Results page to see how to view times from official meets

End of the meet

Parents should be aware that swimmers will be asked to do a “swim down” after they have raced, which is an integral part of the competition process. Swimmers should not leave until they have completed this. Swimmers should tell the coach they are leaving before they depart.