Ridgewood Hills Swim Team

Hey parents! New to swim meets, or just want some advice on how to prepare? Here is some information on what to bring and what to expect 

What to bring

• Team swimsuit - black
• Goggles - If you have extras, bring them! Believe it or not, goggles can be easy to snap - especially with race day excitement.
• Team swim cap - We will have a couple extras to buy if one snaps or gets lost.
• Water bottle - It is important to keep your athletes hydrated!
• Snacks - Not sure what snacks are best to bring? Snack suggestions are below.
• Towel (s) - (it is helpful to bring an extra one, as athletes will use towels after warm up and every event, and they can get very wet)
• Lawn chairs/blankets to sit on - Picnic tables get filled up fast, come ready with something to sit on while you are waiting for events.
• Sunscreen - It gets hot outside in the summer heat, make sure to bring sunscreen to keep everyone safe from sunburns.
• A small game - Sometimes swim meets can run long. Bringing a small game, such as a deck of cards, might be a good way to keep kids entertained and bonding with each other on deck while waiting for the next event (please don't let it become a big enough distraction and miss an event).
• Cash in case there is a concession stand! 

Snack suggestions

• Sports drinks
• CLIFF bars
• Popcorn
• Fruit
• Muffins
• Bagels

Swimmer meet expectations

✔  Be on time for warm up! Warm up times vary, Coach Mikayla will keep everyone updated as meets get closer with this. Warm ups are vital for a good and safe race, so coaches need everyone there to get in the water at the start of our warm up time.

✔  Swimmers should have goggles, cap, proper suits, and towels.

✔  Swimmers need to make sure they are drinking water and eating small snacks throughout.

✔ Cheer on their teammates!

✔ Show good sportsmanship (ex. congratulating others for their swim, staying in the water until their heat has finished, etc.)

Parent meet expectations

✔ Make sure your swimmer(s) are there on time for warm up

✔ Bring lots of snacks, water, and sunscreen

✔ Stay out of heating and starting area (if you need to get your swimmers attention, please ask a coach or another athlete to help)

✔ Keep the environment positive for all athletes and coaches, and help us make it a fun experience for everyone! If there are concerns about the meet that do not need immediate attention or are not a safety concern, please contact coaches after the meet.

How does a meet work? 

A swim meet is organized by event. An event is defined by gender, stroke, and distance. For example, one event is the 9-10 year old boys 50 yard freestyle.  There may be more kids swimming in that event than there are lanes in the pool, and so the event is divided up into heats.   It's important for kids to know (they can work with the coach) to know what event, heat, and lane they are in, so they know when to start getting ready for each event.  

Kids can swim several individual events and up to two relay events.  We encourage people to try something new each meet!  

Parents from the home team will be getting kids organized in a "heating area" when it is close to time for their event, so it's important to pay attention to the status of how events are progressing, and ensure your kid is ready to go when it's their next swim is a few events away.  The announcer will typically say what event numbers should head to the heating area as the meet is progressing.  

Then, it's just a matter of trying hard, having fun, and working to drop time over the course of the season!