About Meets |
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| This page will help you understand more about our U.S.swim meets, how to enter and prepare for them. |
| When attending U.S. / A.M.S. Swim Meets here are a few tips to help you be better prepared. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.The night before - pack your bags > Always bring extra warm gear we never know if pool area or swimmers area will be warm or cool. Warm foot wear to walk around at meets is also a good idea. Make sure you have Team suit - goggles (it is a good idea to have two pair ready to go - can't tell you how many times swimmers snap a strap prior to events)- caps - warm up or sweat suits - extra t-shirts and towels. Also a good idea to know what events you are entered in - check meet results page. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Arrive at meets about 15-20 minutes prior to our warm up time. Swimmers use this time to stretch, loosen up, wake up, and get events written on hand by parents. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Prior to warm ups - write swimmers event # / heat / lane on their hand. This will help swimmers and coaches know what to do for warm ups. Coaches will not be writing events down for swimmers - we may have 60 swimmers at a meet and can not do it! Bring a marker! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. At least 5 minutes before our warm ups swimmers need to go on deck to Coach and rest of team. Coaches will tell them what we are doing for warm ups. If for some reason a coach is not there yet - keep stretching and be ready. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. A.M.S. / U.S. rules > NO PARENTS ARE ALLOWED ON POOL DECK AT ANYTIME !!! If there is a question or problem have your swimmer communicate with coaches. Some times there are disqualifications and parents want to know why - often coaches will know right after their swim. Even coaches are not allowed to approach officials except for the deck referee. If a swimmer misses there event at a regular meet (not championship format) they have missed it and will not be allowed to swim that event. If there is a rare circumstance and a timer or official caused the child to miss then coach can discuss with Deck referee to try to allow child to swim! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Awards > usually there will be an awards table located near swimmer area. Parents or older swimmers may sign for and pick up awards. Once in a while teams do not hand out awards during meet - coaches or team rep may pick up awards at end of meet. Awards are usually top six overall times - not just from race / heat child was in. Sometimes there are silver & gold flights ? What teams do in this case is award top 6 times with gold flight awards and then about middle of the pack they will award top six silver flight awards. ie/ 40 swimmers compete overall / Annie finishes 23rd - she will probably receive 3rd place silver flight award. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. A swimmer is finished with events - may they leave - yes - but first check with coach especially if you checked off yes for relays. Coaches will deck enter relays at the meet - if we have enough swimmers in that age group who are willing to stay and swim relays. Generally relays are at end of sessions - although once in a while they may be first event. Coaches will decide who is in relays. Much depends on times they swam that day - who is available for what strokes - attitude - plus a variety of criteria. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8.Food at meets > Swimmers may eat during meets and usually there are food sales at meets. Prior to sessions swimmers should eat 45 minutes before they swim, and food should be easy to digest food as well as good fuel. Water is the best thing for them to drink - sport drinks can give some people upset stomachs - don't try something new at a meet. During meet if swimmers are hungry - eat small portions of good - easy to digest food. 3 hot dogs and a can of pop is not good food. Carrots - Apples - high protein foods (meats) are NOT good during a meet or just before. Hard to digest! Eat soft - good carb foods in moderate proportions and drink water in small sips / portions. Should be well hydrated prior to meet. NOOOOOO Milk products with in four hours of meets - creates problems with airways when you are gasping for air at the end of a swim. Carrots - Apples - Meats - Milk are great foods and eat lots of them - but not right before or during a meet. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We hope this answers some questions and better prepares you for meets, we don't want to train hard and then not do well because we are not mentally ready. Or have not fueled up well or we don't have the right gear for a meet. Coach Bob, Angela, Tiffany |