Swim Meet 101
HOW TO DECLARE ATTENDANCE TO A MEET:
Since Swimtopia will be used by the coaches for meet entries, one of the easiest ways to let them know if your kids will be there or not is to declare your status using Swimtopia. To do so, follow these steps:
1) Go to your Swimtopia site and login to your account.
2) Find the Swim Meets link along the navigation bar
The swim meets page shows all scheduled meets and the status of the events:
- Pending - the team administrators have not yet opened the meet for entry.
- Closed – the deadline has passed to make declarations for an event.
- Swimmer Sign-up – event is open for declaration
3) Clicking on the Swimmer Sign-Up link will allow you to tell the coaches your status for this particular event.
On the page for a specific event, you will see all your swimmers listed and their status for that event
4) Click on the Edit Entries button to declare their status
Using the Swimtopia tool, you can inform the coaches whether you will be at the meet or not, and even if you are to arrive late or leave early
5) Select the status for each of your swimmers and click the Save Entries button to continue
At any point, if you need to change the status of your swimmers before the Tuesday deadline, follow the same steps outlined above.
HOW TO SIGN OFF FROM A MEET:
Please find below information on how to inform the Coaches and Secretary staff should your kid needs to miss a meet.
If you will be missing a meet, you simply do not commit attendance in the Swimtopia application. This needs to be done NO LATER than the Tuesday before a meet, the coaches seed the meet on Tuesday evenings for that weekend's meet.
If you are sick the day of the meet, please text Tanja or Laura that morning. (Tanja 510 687 9193 or Laura 858 405 5503) so we can make changes if possible before the meet begins.
WHAT TO DO AT A MEET:
- Sign in your swimmer(s) at the Secretary’s Table.
- Pick up your job assignment label.
- Get the list of your swimmer’s events.
- Swimmers who are 11 and up should pick up their EVENT CARDS from the Stingray Check In table after warm ups.
- If your child is age 10 or under, help get them to the STAGING AREA. Shepherds are there to help your child line up, but it is the swimmer’s (family) responsibility to get them to the staging area on time.
WHAT TO BRING TO A MEET:
- Swim cap, swim goggles
- Sunscreen, sunscreen lip balm
- Beach cover-up to prevent excess sun
- Hat (with a brim)
- Sunglasses
- Towels
- Sweatshirts, blankets and/or sleeping bags for swimmers to stay warm in
- Beach or picnic chairs
- High-energy food like fruit, granola bars (candy AFTER the meet)
- Drinks, preferably water
- Snack Bar food donations and money – a team fundraiser
- Smiles and support for all the swimmers
ORDER OF MEET EVENTS
Shift 1
Events 2-20 All age groups Medley Relay
Events 21-32 All age groups Freestyle
Events 33-44 All age groups Backstroke
Break - Shift change
Shift 2
Events 45 - 54 All age groups Breaststroke
Events 55 - 64 All age groups Butterfly
Events 65 - 70 Ages 11-18 Individual Medley
Events 72 - 90 Ages 7-18 Freestyle Relay
Heats – Swimmers are divided into smaller groups in each event and age group – usually determined by the number of available lanes at the pool.
Medley Relay – A four-swimmer relay event requiring four strokes performed in the following order:
Lap 1 – Backstroke
Lap 2 – Breaststrokes
Lap 3 – Butterfly
Lap 4 – Freestyle
Individual Medley – An event consisting of four strokes performed by a single swimmer. Age 11 and up. The strokes are performed in the following order:
Lap 1 – Butterfly
Lap 2 – Backstroke
Lap 3 – Breaststroke
Lap 4 - Freestyle
Free Relay – a four-swimmer event with each swimmer performing freestyle.
For the Medley and Free Relays, swimmers 10-years and under swim 25 yards each, with laps 1 and 3 starting at the starter blocks and lap 2 and 4 starting at the opposite end of the pool. Swimmers 11-years and older swim 50 yards each, all swimmers begin at the starter blocks.
