Swim meets are a great family experience. They're a place where the whole family can spend time together and bond with other swim families. Meets are also a lot of fun for swimmers! They get to visit with friends, play games, meet kids from other teams, and, of course, race and see how much they have improved from all the hard work they have put in at practice.
This guide is designed to help you through your first couple of swim meets. It may seem a little overwhelming at first, but after attending one or two meets, it will all become much more routine. If you have questions, please ask Coach Quinn, Coach Donny, Coach Michelle, or another DCST parent.
Before The Meet
A little preparation makes meet day much easier.
Check the meet information in Captyn before leaving for the pool. Warmup times are generally posted within a few days of the meet.
- Your swimmer’s session
- Scheduled warmup time
- Meet start time
- Facility and spectator information
- Any special check-in, parking, or entrance instructions
ARRIVE AT LEAST 15 MINUTES BEFORE WARMUP
Your swimmer should be changed, checked in, and ready to enter the water when the group warmup begins.
Pack Your Bag
Bring backups! Suits, caps, and goggles can break, and replacement equipment may not be available for purchase at every meet.
Swimmer
- Team swimsuit x2
- Team cap x2
- Goggles x2
- Towels
- Something warm to wear between events
- Sandals or other easy-on/easy-off shoes
- Activities for downtime, such as books, games, playing cards, or electronics
- Healthy snacks
- Water
Parents
- Sharpie
- Chair and/or blanket if appropriate
- Snacks and water
- Activities for downtime
- Portable charger / power bank (there are no outlets in the bleachers or Sports Court)
- Cash for concessions
- Comfortable clothes for a warm pool area
A regular meet session generally lasts about four hours, not including warmups. Larger meets may have multiple sessions, with each session lasting several hours.
Pool areas are usually very warm, so dress accordingly!
Depending on the meet, your swimmer may spend downtime with you or in a separate team area. There can also be quite a bit of waiting between races, which is why chairs, activities, snacks, and a charged phone can become surprisingly important pieces of swim meet equipment.
Arriving, Checking In & Warmup
Where swimmers and parents spend time between events depends on the meet.
At small DCST home meets, families will generally sit in the bleachers, similar to the Rookie Meet.
At larger DCST home meets and some away meets, swimmers and families may be in the Sports Court, only sitting in the bleachers during your swimmers’ race. You may want to bring chairs and blankets, and swimmers will generally be with their families during downtime. Tailgating is a good analogy for how these areas are set up.
At some away meets, parents may be seated separately from swimmers, sometimes in raised bleachers with a separate spectator entrance. In these situations, swimmers may remain with their team during downtime rather than returning to their parents.
Pay attention to information sent before the meet so you know what to expect at that facility.
When You Arrive
- Find the DCST team area.
- Swimmer checks in with their coach.
- Complete any required positive check-in or sign-in.
- Find the heat sheet.
- Mark the swimmer’s events on their arm.
- Have cap and goggles ready for warmup.
POSITIVE CHECK-IN MATTERS
If a meet requires positive check-in and it is missed, your swimmer could be scratched from the session.
Warmup Matters
Swimmers should report with their cap and goggles ready. Warmup helps them prepare physically, become familiar with the pool, practice walls and turns, and get mentally ready to race.
Caps - Goggles - Ready To Swim
How A Swim Meet Works
SESSION → EVENT → HEAT → LANE
Once you understand these four pieces, the meet becomes much easier to follow.
Session A block of competition with its own warmup and start time. Larger meets may have several sessions.
Event The race being contested, such as the 50 Freestyle or 100 Backstroke. Events are numbered.
Heat An event is divided into heats when there are more swimmers than available lanes.
Lane Each swimmer is assigned a lane within their heat
EXAMPLE: EVENT 12 • HEAT 4 • LANE 3
Timed Finals Vs. Prelims / Finals
Most meets DCST swimmers attend use timed finals. Each swimmer races the event once, and final placing is determined by comparing times from all heats. Winning your heat does not necessarily mean winning the event overall.
All DCST home meets are timed-finals meets.
Some larger meets use preliminaries and finals. Swimmers race in prelims, and the fastest swimmers may qualify to return for finals. If your swimmer qualifies, talk with the coach before leaving. DCST strongly recommends swimming finals when a swimmer qualifies.
Heat Sheets, Seed Times & NT
The heat sheet tells you the swimmer's event, heat, lane, and seed time. If a swimmer has never raced the event before, you may see NT, meaning "No Time."
For DCST home meets, heat sheets are posted no earlier than approximately 30 minutes before the session. They are generally posted on the glass wall behind the starting blocks and, during larger meets, in the Sports Court. Heat sheets are not printed for every swimmer or parent.
Meet Mobile is helpful, but always check the posted heat sheet for relays and combined events.
Mark The Arm & Get To The Race
Use a Sharpie to write Event / Heat / Lane / Stroke on your swimmer's arm. Example: 12 / 4 / 3 / 50 fr. This gives swimmers a quick reference during the meet.
Swimmers age 8 and under generally only need the event number and stroke when a bullpen is being used.
Parent tip: spray sunscreen can help remove Sharpie afterward.
8 & Under - Bullpen
Listen for the bullpen announcement. Report with cap and goggles. Parent volunteers organize swimmers, take them to the pool, and place them in the correct lanes. Not every meet or every event uses a bullpen.
Age 9 & Older - Self Report
Swimmers are responsible for watching the current event, knowing what they swim next, and getting behind their assigned starting block before their heat begins with cap and goggles ready.
Miss The Race?
If a swimmer is not present when the race begins, they may miss it and may not be able to reswim it. Do not rely on someone coming to find your swimmer.
After Every Race
Race → Coach → Team / Family Area
Then:
Rest • Drink • Snack • Bathroom • Reset
After each swim, the swimmer should go directly to their coach. The coach will discuss what went well, what can improve, and what to focus on next. Parents should encourage their swimmer and let the coaches coach.
Keep Track of the Meet
Meets move continuously from event to event. Swimmers should know what event is currently in the water and how close they are to their next race. At DCST home meets, the scoreboard shows the current event and heat; at away meets, facilities may use scoreboards, whiteboards, PA announcements, or volunteers.
Events and Heats May Be Combined
Events or heats may sometimes be combined to help the meet run more efficiently. For example, swimmers from two separate events may swim at the same time if there is room in the pool. Combined events and heats will be noted on the heat sheet, so pay attention to the heat sheet rather than relying only on event numbers or Meet Mobile.
Times, DQs & Learning
Understanding The Scoreboard
At the DCST pool, each lane has an electronic touchpad. When the swimmer finishes and touches the pad, the time usually appears on the scoreboard. Younger or newer swimmers may not always hit the pad firmly enough for it to register.
No Time On The Board? Don't Panic.
Backup electronic buttons and stopwatches are also used. Officials can use backup timing to determine the swimmer's official time.
The scoreboard is helpful for watching the meet, but the time displayed is not necessarily the swimmer's official result.
What Is A DQ?
DQ means disqualification. A swimmer can be disqualified for a swimming-rule violation during a race. This is a normal part of learning competitive swimming, especially for newer swimmers. The coach will explain what happened and what the swimmer can work on next time.
Every Race Is A Learning Opportunity
There Are No Bad Races - Only Great Learning Opportunities.
Not every swim will produce the time or result a swimmer hoped for, but every race gives them something useful to learn.
- Listen to their coach
- Recognize what went well
- Identify what they can improve
- Learn from the race
- Reset and get ready for the next opportunity
The goal is not to dwell on the result. The goal is to keep learning, improving, and moving forward.
Before You Leave - Check With Your Coach
Do Not Leave Until You Check With A Coach.
Even after all individual events are finished, your swimmer may still be needed for a relay.
Relay assignments may change during the meet and will not appear in Meet Mobile. A coach may need to substitute swimmers. Leaving without checking can leave three teammates waiting for a fourth swimmer.
Results & Awards
Meet Mobile may show results during the meet, but those results should be considered unofficial. Awards are often collected for the team, given to the coaching staff, and later placed in family folders for pickup at practice.
Important Meet Rules
No Parents On Deck unless volunteering or serving in an authorized meet capacity.
No Photos Or Video Behind The Blocks at either end of the pool, including spectator seating or bleachers directly behind the blocks.
Cell Phones Stay Put Away Behind The Blocks Violations of photography and cell-phone rules can result in removal from the facility.
Questions Go Through Your Coach
For DQs, results, timing, officiating, or meet conduct, speak to the coach. Parents should not approach officials directly about their swimmer's race.
Quick Tips
- Most regular sessions last about four hours, not including warmup.
- Pool areas are usually hot - dress accordingly.
- Bring water, snacks, and something for downtime.
- Bring backup goggles and caps.
- Keep watching the current event.
- Meet Mobile is helpful, but do not rely on it.
- Scoreboard times are not necessarily official.
- Every race is a learning opportunity.
- Not every swim will go exactly as planned - learn from it and move forward.
- Encourage your swimmer and let the coaches coach.
- Check with the coach before leaving.
- If you are confused, ask.
One Last Thing
Once you've attended one or two meets, the rhythm becomes much easier to follow. Don't hesitate to ask another DCST parent or a coach if you're unsure about something.