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Why do we have Swim Meets?

• Competitive swim meets help to teach the children good sportsmanship and discipline while helping to develop their athleticism and competitiveness. These characteristics combined together result in TEAM SPIRIT; working together for a common goal.   Parental support through active participation in the Barracuda's meets and events helps to reinforce those life skills that the children are learning.

Before the meet:

Check your racing equipment and make sure you have your team suit, team cap(s), 2 pairs of goggles, and Team T-shirt ready to go to the meet. 

 Rules and Responsibilities (Swimmers and Families)

• Each swimmer is responsible for getting to the meets.  Map and directions will be provided both here on the web and at the East YMCA on our board.  Swimmers should arrive at a meet 15 minutes before their warm-up time. 
• Be aware that at most meets you will not be allowed to use a flash to photograph your child during an event.   This is because the timers at the event use a strobe light to start their stopwatches.
• Good sportsmanship is expected from Swimmers, Parents and Guests
• For meets that We (MYB) Host, each MYB Swim Family is required to help (volunteer) during at least two (2) sessions of a three (3) day meet and at least one (1)   session of a one-day meet.   Sessions are usually no longer than four (4) hours in length.  (MYB Handbook, Page 13, Para 1) 

What to Bring

• Getting ready for a swim meet can seem like you'll be camping for a week.    Write your name on absolutely everything you bring. The checklist below might help you pack:

• Swim Suit  (For meets this is the MYB Black Suit with Barracuda on it)
• Water & Juice
• Swim Cap (For meets this is the MYB Yellow Cap)
• Healthy Snacks (Nutritious snacks and plenty of liquids will keep your swimmer fueled, there is usually a snack bar which is a fundraiser by the hosting team)
• Goggles (an extra pair just in case)
• Towels (3 or more per swimmer)
• Sleeping bag or blanket
• T-Shirt & shorts
• Sweatpants,Sweatshirt, Coats (Swimmers get cold, bundle them up!)
• Lawn Chairs (Parents are usually more comfortable if they bring a folding chair)
• Sharpie Marker (put event #s on swimmer's hand)
• Money for Concessions, Heat Sheets and Meet T-Shirts/Sweatshirts

Aside from the equipment listed above bring 2 towels each day of the meet, having only one means eventually you will be drying off with a wet towel.

Bring warm clothes to wear between race’s including shoes and socks and even gloves if necessary.  These items need to be climate appropriate, in the winter sweats but in the summer shorts and a T-shirt.  The shoes, socks, and gloves are important because your body heat flows out of your extremities, if it is cool enough a hat is also important.  For example auburn swimmers at a meet will sometimes wear everything they wore to the pool that morning in between events just keep the body heat in and not lose energy.  The more body heat you lose the more energy you are wasting.  It takes energy to shiver and makes your muscles very tight.

Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated.  Drinking three full (32 oz) water bottles during the course of one session of a meet is not too much.

If you like music to get you pumped up before your race, bring some good positive music not music that makes you sleepy.

Bring a chair or something to sit or lay down on to keep you relaxed and comfortable.  This is not a nap mat.  Sleeping during the meet is a no no.  Your body needs to be awake to perform at your best.

Bring snacks that will lead to fast swimming; not candy bars and fast food.

Things to do the morning/day of a meet:

Wake up at least 2 hours and 30 minutes before your race. 

Eat a good breakfast, mostly carbohydrates and fruit.  You do not want anything very heavy to eat before you race.

Get to warm up fifteen minutes early and prepare to get in the pool.   Longer warm up is especially necessary if you have just gotten out of the car from a long drive, 40 miles or more. 

Do not leave warm up without the coach’s permission.

If you've never attended a swim meet before, here are a few things you can expect:

• Blankets, sleeping bags, chairs, towels, and kids everywhere! Chilly mornings (keep your swimmer warm), Lots of Cheering, New friends and a great time (especially if you get involved with the team and volunteer)
• Meets are divided into morning and afternoon sessions.  Usually, but not always, 8 & under, 9 & 10, and 11 & 12 year old swimmers compete in the morning and the 13 & over swimmers compete in the afternoon.  
• Plan to arrive 20 minutes before warm-ups start. This way you can check in, stake your area out, find your goggles, and report to the coaches when the announcer calls for warm-ups.  Shortly after teams have warmed up, the meet should begin. 
• Make sure you know your event numbers.  You can get the event numbers from the heat sheets that are sold at the meet and also are usually posted in the pool area.  Have a parent write your events on your hand, arm or leg with the Sharpie Marker.  If you think you have a relay but don't know for sure, double check with your coach.
• When you hear your event called over the loudspeaker, report to the "Clerk of Course." This is the person who gets the swimmers in order for their event.    There is usually a first call and final call for each event, so you must listen closely - it can be very loud around the pool. 
• Younger swimmers must be supervised at all times by parents. Please help your swimmers report to the Clerk of Course when their events are called. PARENTS: It's important to allow your child to remain at the Clerk of Course staging area alone.  Parent volunteers can do their job best if they don't have to contend with extra moms and dads!   At the East YMCA Pool the Clerk of Course is located to the right of the pool off to the side of the starting blocks (as seen from the bleachers)

During the meet:

See your coach before and after every race to make sure you understand strategy and technique issues.

Warm down after seeing your coach.

As swimmers get older warm up and warm down become more and more important.  Check with your coach to see haw much warm up and warm down you should do before and after each race.

Check the results posted.

 Heat Sheets

• Heat Sheets are usually sold at meets at the concession stand or nearby.  They will include the individual events, the swimmers entered in each event, and their fastest time.   MYB Heat Sheets also feature advertising by local businesses and firms in support of our team - support our advertisers!
• Relays in heat sheets sometimes list swimmers names, be aware that relay team members change due to who shows up for a meet and other considerations by the coaching staff.   If you are on a relay your coach will let you know.

 What's My Time?

• Swimmers times are collected multiple ways, at the East YMCA, swimmer times are recorded by our timers on stopwatches, a plunger pressed by the timers and by the swimmer touching the pads in the water at the end of their event.  If your swimmer asks a timer for their time, be aware that time is NOT official.  Once all the times for a heat are collected, the swimmer must wait for the official results to be posted. The official event results (which include the swimmers' names, their times, and event placing) are usually posted about an hour after completion of the event (For MYB East YMCA meets results are posted in the hallway).  MYB results are also posted to this web site as soon as possible following a meet.  All event results are computerized and retained for each swimmer all season.

Leaving the meet:

Check with the coach before you leave the meet to make sure you are not on a relay or you are in a swim off of some kind.

Go get a great meal because you have done a great job.

 After the meet:

Check your family folder for awards. 

Other Meet Questions

• What is Disqualification (DQ)?  Our team complies with United States Swimming (USS) rules - the same rules used at the Olympic Time Trials and the Olympics. To ensure fair competition for all swimmers, these rules are equally applied to all swimmers, regardless of age or experience. During competition, if a swimmer fails to comply with the stroke and turn rules, a Stroke & Turn Judge (dressed in white) will raise his/her hand, write up a disqualification (DQ) slip, and present it to the referee for approval. A swimmer is not disqualified until the referee accepts the report. Judges always try to reach the swimmer to explain the reason he/she disqualified him/herself, but this is not always possible. Being disqualified is not the end of the world. Almost all swimmers have been DQ'd at some time. This should be viewed as a learning experience and not a failure. Swimmers should discuss this with their coach after the race, and together they will formulate a plan to correct the mistake.

• Is there something we forgot to talk about?  A topic you would like explained on this page?  Email us and let us know what we can do to get the info out!