General Information

Parents, please don't forget to check out the swimmers section too for useful information including links to join our mail list, shop, and more.

Swim meets are a fun and exciting opportunity for swimmers to measure progress, experience the thrill of competition, and strive for individual and team accomplishments.  They provide a break in the practice routine, as well as focal points for practice efforts.  All swimmers are encouraged to compete in meets for these reasons.  CYAT swimmers are strongly urged to compete in the YMCA meets throughout the year and the YMCA championship meets at the conclusion of each season. In order to be eligible to participate in championships all swimmers must compete in at least 3 YMCA swim meets.  Meets are offered approximately once a month for most swimmers.  Please see this year’s swim meet schedule on the website and check the bulletin board for the posted copy.  There will also be a few copies available for you to take home.

Classification

CYAT competes in both YMCA and USA Swimming meets.  These swimming bodies both provide competitive opportunities, but they are slightly different.

USA Swimming

USA Swimming is the national governing body for amateur competitive swimming.  It sets rules for competitions, implements policies, conducts national championship meets and selects athletes to represent the United States in international competitions.  USA Swimming requires coaches and officials to be certified according to its standards.  USA Swimming is divided into Local Swimming Committees (LSCs) which administer USA Swimming activities in smaller geographic areas.  All CYAT swimmers interested in competing in USA Swimming sanctioned competitions can be registered as USA Swimming members and are eligible to swim in USA Swimming meets for which they have the qualifying times.

Age Group Designations

In both USA Swimming and YMCA meets, swimmers compete according to their ages.  USA Swimming age groups are divided as follows:  10 & Under, 11/12, 13/14, 15/16, 17/18.  USA Swimming meets will often combine the last two into a 15-18 age group.  YMCA age groups are the same except there are also 6 & Under and 8 & Under age groups.  Sometimes, in both USA Swimming and YMCA meets, 13 & Older swimmers are combined into a “senior” age group. In “open” events or meets, swimmers of any age may swim.  For USA Swimming meets, swimmers compete in their age as of the first day of the meet.  For YMCA meets, their age group is determined by their age as of Dec. 1 of the current year for short course meets and May 1 for long course meets.

Time Standards

USA Swimming establishes national motivational standards by which its meets are classified (C, B, BB, A, AA, etc.). These standards are based on a national average of performances with the goal of allowing swimmers to be grouped in competition with swimmers of the same general skill level.  Please refer to the National Age Group Motivational Times located in the appendix.

Entering Meets

Meet information is sent to families electronically and will be available on the team web site. Information will also be posted on the bulletin board prior to each meet.   This information includes the name, location, dates, times, eligibility requirements, and event order of the meet.  Every effort is made to distribute meet information two weeks before it is due.  Sometimes, however, this is not possible and the turn-around time is shorter.  Please pay careful attention to the deadlines for entering each meet.  Retain the meet information for reference at the time of the meet. NOTE:  Entries turned in after the deadline WILL NOT be accepted. 

What to Bring to a Meet

Suits	2 caps
Goggles	At least 2 towels
Team shirt, sweats, jacket	Pen & paper (to write down times)
Shoes & socks	Money (heat sheet & snacks)
Snacks (if facility permits)

Punctuality

Please arrive at the meet location at least 15 minutes before the designated warm-up time unless otherwise specified by coaches.   Swimmers need to fully stretch and warm up before competing.  In addition, coaches must make relay decisions before the start of competition and they will be unable to include a swimmer who is not present for warm-ups.  Maps to the most frequently attended meet locations are in the appendix.

Team Area

Swimmers should sit in the designated team area.  This promotes team support and unity, which in turn contributes to swimming success and fun.  Parents are asked to sit in the stands, not with their children. Younger swimmers may sit with their parents if the child prefers but they are encouraged to sit with the team.  At most meets, parents who are not volunteering in the meet are not permitted on the pool deck.  This is because deck space is limited and parental interruptions are distracting to swimmers and coaches.  In addition, swimmers develop responsibility and camaraderie.  Parents, while their intentions of support are positive, can add pressure and increase confusion on the deck at meets.

Behavior

Swim meets are an opportunity to display not only athletic ability but also team pride and sportsmanship.  Parents and swimmers should always be mindful that they are representing the CYAT swim team and the Greenbrier Family YMCA and should act accordingly even when other swimmers and parents do not.   Swimmers are encouraged to cheer for their teammates and to stay until the end of the meet if possible.  If a swimmer, at any level, must leave before the end of a meet, he or she should notify one of the coaches before the start of the meet.

Clerk of Course/pre-seeding

Some meets will offer a clerk of course to help organize 12 & under swimmers for the events.  Other meets do not have a clerk of course and swimmers will be responsible to get to their heat and lane.  Senior meets are pre-seeded.  In both cases, swimmers need to stay attentive to what event is being called to the clerk or the blocks.  If a swimmer misses an event, he or she may not be able to make it up.

Fundraising

The CYAT Swim Team will participate in fundraising activities and will be coordinated by the fundraising committee. Fundraising is necessary for the program to meet specific needs of the team such as equipment and travel.

For the Parents of a New Swimmer

Swimming is a very different sport from what you, as parents, probably did growing up.  As mentioned, it is not as quick and painless as basketball or baseball, it is a commitment.

It is normal to feel a bit overwhelmed when you join a swim team for the first time.  However, the coaches do not read minds and communication is our first line of defense to prevent problems from festering.  If you do not understand something, please ask. 

At practice, your children are taken care of, they show up and we’ll do the coaching.  During swim meets, the rules are a bit different.  You are there to support your child while helping the team run the meet.  There are ribbons, ready benches, and various other things that will not make any sense on the first go around.  Many of our parents have gone through this before.  Again, please ask someone if you are unsure of what to do.

For practice make sure your children show up on time ready to go with a bathing suit and goggles; we’ll provide the fins.  At a meet a few towels per swimmer is a good rule of thumb.  As are snacks such as fruits, granola bars, and other nutritious items.  The same goggles and bathing suit will also be helpful.  At meets, all the swimmers are housed in one room and parent volunteers usually line the swimmers up for the events before sending them onto the deck.

Once onto the deck, the children are led to the ‘ready bench’ where they are positioned in their heat and lanes.  Most parents take up spots along the pool and, when not helping out, can watch the races.  The event, heat number, and distance of the race are usually announced before the swimmer swims. 

NO awards are given out on the day of the meet.  Once things wrap, that’s it.  Awards are distributed later on and placed in your family’s folder which is located at the end of the pool deck.  Anything else?  Please read the more detailed  excerpt from USA swimming for more information.

Swim meets are a great family experience! They're a place where the whole family can spend time together. Listed below are some very in-depth guidelines geared to help you through your first couple of swim meets. It may seem a little overwhelming, but we tried to be as specific and as detailed as we possibly could. If you have any questions, please ask your coach.

Before the Meet Starts:
Arrive at the pool at least 15 minutes before the scheduled warm-up time begins. Upon arrival, find a place to put your swimmer's blankets, swim bags and/or sleeping bags. The team usually sits in one place together, so look for some familiar faces.

Find the check-in place. Make sure your swimmer checks in with his or her coach!

Check-in is required so that the people running the meet know who is actually at the meet. After check-in, the meet administrators "seed" the swimmers into heats. Heat and lane assignments will be posted, so be sure your swimmer knows where to look!

Once "checked in", write or have the swimmers write each event-number on his or her hand in ink. This helps him/her remember what events he/she is swimming and what event number to listen or watch for.

Your swimmer now gets his/her cap and goggles and reports to the pool and/or coach for warm-up instructions. It is very important for all swimmers to warm-up with the team. A swimmer's body is just like a car on a cold day-he/she needs to get the engine going and warmed-up before he/she can go all out.

After warm-up, your swimmer will go back to the area where his/her team is sitting and wait there until his first event is called. This is a good time to make sure he/she goes to the bathroom if necessary, gets a drink, or just gets settled in.

The meet will usually start about 10-15 minutes after warm-ups are over. Similarly, all questions concerning meet results, an officiating call, or the conduct of a meet, should be referred to a coach. He or she in turn, will pursue the matter through the proper channels.

Psyche Sheet or Heat Sheets. A psyche sheet is usually available for sale in the lobby or concession area of the pool. It lists all swimmers in each event in order of "seed time". When the team entry is sent in, each swimmer and his/her previous best time (up to the date that the entry was submitted) in that event is listed. If the swimmer is swimming an event for the first time, he/she will be entered as a "no-time" or "NT". A "no-time" swimmer will most likely swim in one of the first heats of the event. A Heat sheet may be available close to the start of the meet that lists the actual heat and lane a swimmer will be competing in.

Meet Starts

It is important for any swimmer to know what event numbers he/she is swimming (again, why they should have the numbers on their hand). He/she may swim right away after warm-up or they may have to wait awhile.

Generally, girls events are odd-numbered and boys events are even-numbered. Example: "Event #26, 10-Under Boys, 50 freestyle"

 

Most meets are computerized. There are generally two ways a swimmer gets to his/her lane:

A swimmer usually reports directly to his/her lane for competition a number of heats before he/she actually swims. Check with your swimmer's coach for specific instructions.

The clerk will usually line up all the swimmers and take them down to the pool in correct order.  You can expect at least 1-2 heats of each event.

After each swim:

• He/she is to ask the timers (people behind the blocks at each lane) his/her time.
• Depending on the coaches instructions, the swimmer may be asked to do some recovery swimming if a "warm down" pool or lanes are available.
• The swimmer should then go immediately to his or her coach. The coach will discuss the swim with each swimmer.

Generally, the coach follows these guidelines when discussing swims:

• Positive comments or praise
• Suggestions for improvement
• Things you, as a parent, can do after each swim:
• Tell him how great he did! The coaching staff will be sure to discuss stroke technique with him.
• Take them back to the team area and relax.
• The swimmer now waits until his next event is called and starts the procedure again.

When a swimmer has completed all of her events she and her parents get to go home. Make sure, however, you, as a parent, check with the coach before leaving to make sure your swimmer is not included on a relay.

Results are usually posted somewhere in the facility. Awards are often gathered for a team and given to the coach at the end of the meet. The coach will give the awards to the swimmers at a later time.

 

What To Take To The Meet

• Most important: Swim Suit, Team Cap--and goggles (if your swimmer uses them).
• Baby or talcum powder--To "dust" the inside of swim cap. This helps preserve the cap and makes it easier to put on.
• Towels-Realize your swimmer will be there awhile, so pack at least two.
• Something to sit on. Oftentimes the swimmer area may be located in a gym or cafeteria. Example: sleeping bag, old blanket, or anything that will be comfortable to sit on. The swimmers will be spending a lot of time on it.
• Sweat suits: bring one. Each swimmer may want to bring two because they can get wet and soggy.
• Team T-shirts: Two or three. Same reason as above.
• Games: travel games, coloring books, books, anything to pass the time.
• Food: Each swimmer is usually allowed to bring a small cooler. It is better to bring snacks. They usually have snack bars at the meet, but the lines are long and most of the time they only sell junk food. Suggestions for items to bring: --Drinks: Hi-C, Fruit juice, Gatorade, Granola bars, Fun fruits, yogurt, cereal, jello cubes, sandwiches

Once you have attended one or two meets this will all become very routine. Please do not hesitate to ask any other parent for help or information!

These meets are a lot of fun for the swimmers!

Special Parent's Note
The pool area is usually very warm. Therefore, you need to make sure you dress appropriately. Nothing is worse than being hot at a swim meet. It makes the time pass very slowly! At some of the meets, the parents are allowed to sit with the swimmers at the blanket area. If you don't think that a gym floor is comfortable, feel free to bring folding chairs to sit on. Better yet, become an official and get involved! You get to be close to the action and take the focus off of your own child!

Annual Awards Banquet
Each spring the team has an awards dinner honoring the team’s achievements during the previous year. All swimmers receive participation awards. Character Awards are given to swimmers who best exemplified the character traits during the season.  Additional special awards are also given.