Guide for Parents and Swimmers

What is a Swim Meet?
A swim meet is a competition between two or more clubs. Events are split by boys and girls, by stroke and by age group. The order of events is listed here. During the season each swimmer may compete in any of the four basic strokes, either individually or as part of a relay team, according to age. The four basic strokes are crawl (freestyle), back, breast and butterfly.

Age Groups
A swimmer's age for the Midlakes' summer season is his or her age on June 15th of that season. No exceptions can be made. The age divisions are 8 & Under, 10 & Under, 12 & Under, 14 & Under and 15 & Over (or the summer after high school graduation).

A and B Dual Meets
Each week we will swim an A meet and a B meet against another team from our division. One will be a home meet and the other will be an away meet. The coaches decide which swimmers will attend which meet based on several factors: time trials, time at previous meets, stroke technique, other siblings on the team and experience with competitive swimming. Once a swimmer attains a B disqualifying time in an event, they cannot participate in that event at a B meet. The B disqualification times are listed here, and in your swim team handbook. A swimmer does not have to attain a particular minimum time to participate in an A meet.

Assignments to A and B meets are made by the coaches, and are based on ability, improvement and availability for specific meets.

Swim Meet Scheduling
Dual meets are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, starting June 14th. Meets start at 5:30 PM and last approximately 3 hours. Warm-up begins at 4:30 for home meets and 5:00 for away meets.

Meet Line Up The coaches will post each week's swimmers by event. The list may be found on the Swim Team Bulletin Board on the wall across from the mail pockets. Each swimmer is responsible for checking their name off each event they will be swimming to indicate attendance. Swimmers not checked off by Tuesday or Thursday of that day's meet will be considered no shows and scratched from the meet.

Events
Each swimmer is allowed to swim in four events at dual meets with a maximum of three individual events. The events are swum in the order listed here.

Home and Away Meets
Each week one of our meets takes place at Mercerwood and the other is hosted by our competition. Maps and directions to all away meets are here, and also in the back of the swimteam handbook.

Championships
The season culminates with Division Championships and League Championships. Swimmers who have not attained a B disqualification time in a specific event may swim in Division Champs. Swimmers who have achieved such times swim in the League Champs. Swimmers are limited to three events total in combined Champs, so it's possible for one swimmer to be in both, depending on their time in a particular event.

Division Champs this year will be held on July 19th, at Newport Hills.
Mercerwood will host this year's League Championships on July 26th, at King County Aquatic Center.

Meet Essentials
The weather and temperature can vary greatly during a meet, so be prepared and stay comfortable. Here's some ideas for what you might need: 2-4 towels, goggles, caps, dry clothes to change into after the meet, sweats to wear between events, warm clothes including shoes and socks and sleeping bags for cold meets, folding chairs, blankets, sun screen and healthy snacks and drinks (most clubs do have concessions available).

Parent Responsibilities
All parents of swimmers are required to help out 10 times in some capacity during the season. Come to the Parents' Meeting to find out what swim team is all about and what you can do to help.

It is the responsibility of parents to keep track of their children at swim meets and to be sure they are ready for their events. Parents are encouraged to write the event name, event number, lane number and heat on younger kids' hands. The information you need for your swimmer will be posted at every meet. Your swimmer will also receive a small slip of paper with his/her races listed. We highly recommend that you attend meets with your swimmers. Nothing means as much as the cheers of a parent!

Volunteers
Swim meets and events depend on many parent volunteers. Each family is responsible to fulfill 10 obligations or time slots. 76 positions need to be filled for each home meet and 18 for each away meet. If all positions are not filled, you will be assigned responsibilities. If you are unable to fulfill your responsibilities you must find your own replacement. You should not depend on the team or event coordinators to find your replacements. The meets and special events, including the camp-out, only happen with lots of parent support.

Check the easel at the top of the pool stairs often and especially before home meets to see where help is needed. Following is a list of jobs for each meet. Most offer learn-on-the-job training and a fun way to meet other members!

Check-in Volunteers will check 8 & under and 10 & under swimmers in for the meets beginning at 4:45 for away meets and 4:15 for home meets. 8 & under and 10 & under swimmers must check in by 5:15 PM or they will be scratched from the first event! At check-in, the swimmers will be given their events and lane assignments and their positions for their relay events.
Home Meet Set-Up Crew Each home meet requires the set up of many items such as the barbecue, food tables, tables, chairs etc. The set-up crew assists club staff to get ready for each home meet.
Timers Each swimmer (lane) is timed by three timers, two from the home team and one from the visiting team. Stopwatches are provided by each team and are started with the starting light and stopped as nay part of the swimmer touches the wall. The three times are recorded on the swimmer's event card and the middle one is circled and considered the official time. Back-up timers are available for each race.
Runners Two runners collect the event cards from the timers after each event and deliver them to the scorekeepers. Siblings are welcome to help!
Ribbon Coordinators Several volunteers record the swimmer's name, event and time on the appropriate ribbon for each event.
Announcer A trained volunteer who announces the current and upcoming events throughout the meet.
Starter A trained volunteer who starts each event and judges false starts. Attend an Officials' Training session, on May 17, 21 or 29 at Newport Hills.
Stroke & Turn Judges Trained volunteers who watch the swimmers during their events and judge whether or not their strokes and turns were swum correctly. They disqualify the swimmer if the stroke or the turn was not correct. Attend a clinic (above) to find out what's legal and what's not.