By Coach Melany Chacon
Swim competitions can be a daunting experience for first time meet-goers. One might wonder what to expect or what to bring. Parents might wonder what the procedures of attending a swimming competition might be. Hopefully, with this guide to swim competition, you will feel a bit better and a bit more prepared about attending your first competition weather you be a parent or a swimmer.
Swim Meets and Heat Sheets
Every sport has its own form of competition. In the world of swimming, swimmers compete in events known as swim meets. In these competitions swimmers will find themselves swimming a variety of events from individual races to relays. Regardless of what they swim, swimmers attend meets to not only race against peers, but also to enjoy themselves.
At these events, one might find themselves looking at a packet of names and numbers wondering “what is this?” That packet is known as a heat sheet and it contains information about the schedule for the day, the main events, the specific races, a swimmers age, a swimmers past times, a swimmers team, and the age of the swimmer. Meets are typically broken into two sections: events and heats. Events are the category of race a swimmer is racing in while the heat is the specific race the swimmer will compete in. In meets with multiple teams participating, events might contain more than one heat. Alongside heat sheets, your coach might provide you with a similar looking document known as a psych sheet. These document details where a swimmer is seeded in an event or what is the likelihood of them achieving that place based on their best times. However, the seed placement does not guarantee the place seen on the sheet. A swimmer with no time–who is typically at the bottom of the sheet–might beat the swimmer who is seeded first.
Since heat sheets are on paper, the packet can get wet. Additionally, swimmers might not have time to find out their race due to the risk of breaking a sheet that contains valuable information. To combat such dilemma, some swimmers will write a graph either on their arm or leg with the letters E, H, and L. E stands for event, H stands for heat, and L stands for lane. As a swimmer, I like to add the specific event on my arm to ensure I remember and prepare myself for that specific race. As a coach, I advise my swimmers who have difficultly remembering things to do the same if they choose to use the graph method.
Scheduling and Rules
The day of a swim meet might be confusing to new parents and swimmers, but by speaking with your coach things might go smoothly. When swimmers first arrive, they must meet with their coach to prepare for warm-up. It is best to arrive on deck at least 15-20 minutes before the warm-up to ensure that swimmers get comfortable with their surroundings, communicate with their coach about certain procedures, and prepare their area in the tent. After the warm-up swimmers will either go back to their tent to hang out with the team or speak with their coaches about their first race.
No matter when it is, a swimmer must always speak with their coach at least several heats or one event before swimming. The coach and the swimmer typically discuss some goals they want to achieve and some habits they must focus on. Some swimmers might also use this time to calm down and find reassurance in their swim coach. After the pre-swim talk, swimmers will prepare for their race behind the starter blocks. Once the race is completed, the swimmer will walk back to their coach to discuss their performance on the race. Here, the coach might provide feedback to the swimmer and what to focus on. Additionally, the coach might advise the swimmer on what they should focus for their warm-down and warm-up for the next race.
Every pool and swim competition is different in terms of how the rules of U.S.A swimming are set in place, but regardless of how they are placed, parents should be mindful of the instructions of U.S.A swimming officials, volunteers, and their coaches. One such example is the way the host team has structured the pool deck. Some might have a designated spot for swimmers and parents and some might only allow only swimmers on the deck. Additionally, there might be places specifically designated for officials, coaches, and volunteers.
Regardless of how these zones are placed, parents should respect these boundaries as it could jeopardize the safety of the swimmers, or ruin important equipment. In addition to the zones, spectators might also have specific places where they can film and take pictures. Typically the adjacent side of the blocks is where most teams recommend photography of any kind. Spectators and parents should never take pictures or film a swimmer directly behind the block. Doing so is dangerous for the swimmer and may result in the spectator to be removed from the location.
Taking Care of Yourself in a Meet
South Florida can get really hot especially during the summers. Since most meets in South Florida are outside, packing sunscreen and bringing equipment that aids one in staying out of the Florida heat is advised. In addition to heat protection, swimmers should be constantly hydrating and drinking fluids high in electrolytes to not only avoid heat illness, but also provide them with fuel for the race. Some drinks that contain high electrolyte are coconut water and sports drinks. On the few days of the year that Florida has a cold front, wearing warm clothes and bringing extra towels can help swimmers avoid the cold. Nevertheless, hydration is still important, but instead of cold water, swimmers can drink heated water to stay warm.
No matter how hot or cold it gets in Florida, swimmers might find themselves swimming in several events and might need more than just electrolytes to get them through the day. Swimmers should pack themselves a small meal for the day with a variety of healthy snacks. Some examples include, grapes, protein bars, or oatmeal. Although eating is important for longer competition days, swimmers should avoid eating right before their race to avoid vomiting. Typically it is advised that swimmers eat at least an hour before their race.
LET’S ENJOY AND LET’S RACE!!!