Gold Medal Swim School's Goal for Swim Meets: Fall in love with racing... "Racing is fun!”
Bring a swimsuit, goggles, cap (optional), team shirt, and towels (one for each event) and/or parka. You may also want to bring games, coloring books, toys, or anything else to pass the time. Make sure to bring snacks and water! We encourage bringing something hydrating, such as fruit or watered-down Gatorade. Don't forget to bring something to sit on, such as a folding chair or a blanket!
Swimmers age 8 years or younger will swim 25 yards (1 Lap). 8 and under swimmers will start off the side of the pool, not the blocks. Swimmers age 9 years or older will swim 50 yards (2 Laps) and will have the option of starting off the blocks. All swimmers are automatically registered to swim all four strokes (Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle) but choosing to participate in even just one is great! Swimmers 9 or older will also have the option of registering to swim in the 100 Freestyle race.
All swimmers are entered and then seeded based on previous best times. Swimmers who have not raced previously (or have not yet raced in their age group) are entered with a no time (NT) and will race against other swimmers with a NT. If a swimmer doesn't have entry times, they may have a more random placement in each heat.
Racing is organized by age groups, gender, and stroke. Each type of race is called an "event" and each event are ordered and numbered. Each event will have a series of "heats" (races) within each event. Heats will have 8-10 swimmers in each, which are seeded (organized) by swimmers' previous best times. Ribbons will be awarded for 1st through 8th place of each heat. Medals are awarded at the end-of-the-season championship meet for 1st – 8th place of the EVENT (not the heat).
Swimmers are expected to participate in Swim Meets as a team. Cheering for each other is highly encouraged! Team tents will be set up with team gear, tattoos, stickers, water, and Otter Pops. Swimmers are encouraged to sit together at the team tent, cheer each other on, play games, and hang out between events.
Your swimmer should find a Gold Medal coach and say, "Hello!" They should then get ready to enter the pool for warm-up instructions. "Warm-up" at this age is a VERY loose term. Warm-ups are designed to develop good habits and get butterflies out. Next is the team meeting, which is held after the warm-up.
REPORT to starting block one event before your race!
RACE and do your best!
RETURN to the team tent, get an otter pop, and celebrate!
CHEER with friends!
REPEAT again!
All registered swimmers will be given a personalized heat sheet when they arrive at the Swim Meet. This will help swimmers (and parents, if needed) know when and where to report for their races. This personalized heat sheet is provided for your swimmer by Gold Medal Swim School. Swimmers should still learn how to read the meet heat sheet (available HERE the day before the meet) as they will not be given personalized heat sheets when they move onto club swimming, high school swimming, or other teams.
All swimmers age 9 years or older will report to the correct event, heat, and lane. All swimmers age 8 years or younger will report to the team tent and a coach will walk all the swimmers to the opposite side of the pool, where they will begin their race. Swimmers should RACE as fast as possible and aim for a PR (personal record) time. Swimmers can hang out between events and play games, cheer for teammates, and relax.
Arrive at the pool at least 15 minutes before the scheduled warm-up time. Arriving early helps swimmers feel less stressed. Parents and guardians are encouraged to cheer for their swimmers! Help ease anxiety by keeping it light and fun. Limit technique suggestions and encourage swimmers to RACE as fast as they can!
Give lots of high fives and smiles. Possible questions to ask include, "What did you think of your swim?" or "You must be so proud of your effort!" Help your swimmer return to the team area and relax, play with friends, and grab an Otter Pop! Take a moment to celebrate your swimmer. Swim Meets are a time to shine and show off all the hard work they have put in during practice.
While the coaches are always ready and willing to help, they are not responsible to ensure swimmers are ready and in the correct place for their race. If you have questions or comments about your swimmer's meet or practice performance, we would love to hear from you! Please contact the Swim Team Department Leader.
