Swim Meet Survival Guide
Swim meets are a great family experience. They're a place where our whole SwimNation family can spend time together. Listed below are some very in-depth guidelines geared to help you through your first couple of swim meets. It may seem a little overwhelming, but we tried to be as specific and as detailed as we possibly could. If you have any questions, please ask one of your coaches.
First things first - How do I enter my swimmer in a meet?
- Go to the team website at www.swimnation.org
- Sign in with your email address and password (you are able to see the schedule without being logged in but you must be logged in to declare intent).
- Click on Meets and Events Tab
- Scroll down to find the intended event and click on the red Edit Commitment button
- Scroll down and click on the swimmer name
- In the next window click on the drop down arrow and select YES or NO to declare your intent to swim in this meet
- You can select the events your swimmer would like to swim, or you can let the coaching staff select your swimmer’s events. The coaching staff will take your requests into consideration. Your event selection will not be final until the coaching staff APPROVES your event entries.
- ****Be sure to click on SAVE CHANGES****
*Please note our swim meets have sign up deadlines. Frequently sign up deadlines are weeks prior to the actual event. Please understand this is a multi-step process and we enforce deadlines to make sure we don't get shut out of a meet because we tried to enter after the meet entry cap has been reached.
“…The Night Before Swim Meet…”
What to Eat before the Meet
Eating a hearty high-carbohydrate dinner the night before is important. Pre-meet dinner ideas include: your swimmer’s favorite pasta dish (preferably with whole wheat pasta), whole grain roll, and their favorite vegetable with fruit and angel food cake for dessert. Another possibility is chili made with beans and some lean meat, corn bread, and their favorite vegetable topped off with a serving of fresh berries and ice cream. Whatever the dinner menu, just make sure it is loaded with complex carbohydrates and some lean protein.
In the morning getting swimmers to eat before a swim can be tough. But eating breakfast before an early morning swim meet is especially important because it replenishes glycogen in the liver (which later can be used for fuel when needed during a race) that may have been used by the body while sleeping.
It’s important not to skip breakfast. Following are some ideas of light, high-carbohydrate breakfast meals or snacks. Many of the foods can be put in baggies for eating on the way to the swim meet or shortly after arrival if your swimmer’s appetite for breakfast hasn’t quite kicked in.
- hot or cold whole grain cereal with fruit and milk
- pancakes with syrup, fat-free yogurt, and strawberries
- toasted whole wheat waffle topped with fruit and yogurt
- smoothie made with yogurt, lowfat or nonfat milk, or soy and fruit or 100% fruit juice
- whole grain toast with peanut butter and jam, 1% chocolate milk
- whole grain bagel with light cream cheese and jam, fruit and juice
- whole grain crackers, cheese stick, banana, and fruit juice
- bran muffin, yogurt, and berries
- leftover cheese pizza slice and orange juice
Before You Head Off to Bed…
- Get your swim bag packed the night before. That way, you can get some extra time to sleep, and won’t be stressed and rushed in the morning.
- Do whatever you want that keeps you stress-free. Play with your pet, watch a movie, read a good book. If it makes you happy, do it – as long as it is not physically strenuous.
- GET SOME SLEEP! I cannot stress this point enough. Sleep is the body’s way of healing itself. The average teenager should get a minimum of eight to nine hours of sleep each night.
- Try to keep the big meet off your mind as much as possible. It is completely natural to have the “what ifs” creep in. Acknowledge those thoughts and find a way to replace them.
The Swim Bag
In addition to the routine stuff to bring to practice (swimsuit, towel, goggles and cap), you will need a few more things for a swim meet. Here’s a basic checklist:
- Extra-large towel or blanket for your swimmer to keep warm between races or sit on if necessary
- Towels…two are better than one
- Loose fitting, comfortable clothing, warm-ups, team parka to wear in between races
- Chairs and/or a tent if there is outside seating
The “Other” Bag
Do NOT underestimate the importance of “The Other Bag”. This is the activity bag to keep your swimmers happy and busy while they wait for their events to be called. Rest is important during the meet; here are some suggestions for quiet, yet fun activities:
- Electronic handheld games
- Cards, Travel Games
- Books
- iPod, iPad
Remember to label all your items and keep an eye on your things! You are out in public and at a large event where there are many people who are not always paying close attention.
Day of the meet!
- Arrive at the meet location no later 15 minutes before their scheduled warm-up time. All parents should receive an email notification with all of the meet details a day or two before the meet with warmup times, volunteer requests and any other meet-specific information.
- Upon arrival, please look for our team area, usually under an EZ-up with our team banner. You are usually welcome to bring your own EZ-up canopy as well. Take a few minutes to set up your chairs and swim bags. The team usually sits in one place together, so look for some familiar faces.
- Check-in! If the meet is not pre-seeded, look for the check-in table and check in with a meet administrator. If you plan to be significantly late, please let one of the coaches know BEFOREHAND so we can check you in. Failure to check in can cause you to be eliminated from one or more events. If the meet is pre-seeded (you will receive your swimmer’s Event, Heat and Lane assignment in your information email), then there will NOT be a check-in table.
- Have your swimmer grab their cap, goggles and towel, and report to the pool and/or coach for warm-up instructions. It is very important for all swimmers to warm-up with the team. A swimmer's body is just like a car on a cold day, they need to get the engine going and warmed-up before they can go all out. Warmups usually start about 45 minutes prior to the first event.
- Parents, if you are working a volunteer position at the meet, please check-in with the Volunteer Coordinator, or one of our coaching staff. We value our volunteers, so thank you for supporting our program.
- It is important for any swimmer to know what events (Event Number, Heat and Lane) they will be swimming. Some swimmers may swim right away after warm-up or they may have to wait awhile. As the meet begins, parents should help their swimmer listen for their Event Numbers as they are announced. Normally 5-10 minutes before your swimmer’s event, they should move behind the starting blocks (behind the timers) in the lane they will be swimming in. While they are waiting, they should check in with the timers in their lane to let them know they are there. Make sure your swimmer has everything they need to swim their event (cap, goggles, etc).
- After your swimmer swims his or her race:
- They should ask the timers (people behind the blocks at each lane) their final time.
- The swimmer should then go immediately to his or her coach. The coach will discuss the swim with each swimmer.
- Generally, the coach follows these guidelines when discussing swims:
- Positive comments or praise
- Suggestions for improvement
- Positive comments
- Things you, as a parent, can do after each swim:
- Tell your swimmer how great they did! The COACHING STAFF will be responsible for discussing stroke and technique with your swimmer. PARENTS need to tell them how proud you are and what a great job they did.
- Refrain from coaching your swimmer... your coaches are very qualified, and they will be giving your swimmer one or two things to think about. Please let our coaches coach!
- Take your swimmer back to the team area and relax.
- This is another good time to check out the bathrooms, get a drink or something light to eat. It’s always good to replenish some of the calories your swimmer just burned off.
- The swimmer now waits until their next event is called and starts the procedure again. When a swimmer has completed all of their events they (and their parents) get to go home. Make sure, however, you, as a parent, check with the coach before leaving to make sure your swimmer is not included on a relay. It is not fair to other swimmers who may have stayed to swim on a relay where your swimmer is expected to be a member and they are not there.
- HAVE LOTS OF FUN!
At the Conclusion of the Meet
- Check in with the coaching staff to make sure your swimmer is finished for the day
- Make sure to collect all your belongings! They tend to get scattered.
- Please scan our team area and make sure everything is picked-up and tidy! We want to be remembered as Gracious Guests!
What to Say to your Swimmers on the Drive Home
After a while, saying “good job” to your swimmer won’t make as much of an impact. Of course, it’s always good to tell your swimmer you’re proud of them, but here are some other things you can say to your swimmer after a meet that can help them maintain their momentum!
- “I’m proud of you for ___” Be specific! Notice and name some of the things you saw your swimmer doing well. This reinforces those good habits and tells them you were really paying attention.
- “You’ve worked so hard for that” Praise your swimmer for their efforts! This helps them maintain a growth mindset and helps them focus on the effort over the outcome.
- “That took a lot of ___” Praise your swimmer for a positive quality you see in them: strength, focus, determination. These specific types of praise will help reinforce your swimmer’s strengths.
- “What did you learn?” No matter if a race is good or bad, taking something away from each race is incredibly important. Asking WHY it was a good race can help make the next ones good too!
(08/01/2025 SAR)
