Meet Tips

Here is some helpful information to help new swim families prepare for our first swim meet. 

• Make sure you swimmer is clearly marked with their name and events on their arm in marker. 
• Set your family's home base up and make sure your swimmer(s) know where it is. Please make sure water, sports drinks, and snacks are readily accessible.
• Once your swimmer is prepped and ready, please check with Juanita Fitzgerald for your volunteer job. 

Items to Bring

Here is a general list of items we recommend for meet nights. 

• Swimmer - Mighty Marlins team cap and swimsuit, 1-2 goggles, 1-2 towel, snacks, refillable water bottle, sports drinks, cover-up, and Sharpie
• Volunteers - light/loose clothing (Smoketree Marlins tee if available), hat, sneakers, sunglasses
• Family Set-up (suggested) - camp chairs, tent, blanket, cooler, snacks/dinner, sunscreen, bug spray, cooling towels or fans, games, magazines/books
• Food/Water - depending on the age of your swimmer (young swimmers’ events typically conclude earlier in the meet), plan for about five (5) hours worth of food and water, including small snacks to refuel your swimmers between each event.

Snack Shacks - dinner, snacks, and drinks will be available for purchase at each pool if you’ve forgotten something or want to eat out!

Other Tips

• Have your child bring a sweatshirt or an extra towel for later in the evening. A wet swimsuit can get chilly as the sun sets.
• In addition to Gameboys, books, etc., bring activities that kids can play with together (and that won't be damaged if it gets wet), such as chess sets, Polly Pockets, crafts (beading, drawing), Mad Libs, Velcro catching mitts, LEGO. Playing together and making friends is a big part of the fun of a swim meet! 
• Please refrain from sending footballs, lacrosse sticks, or anything where the kids need space or might injure another swimmer. We also want them to save their energy for their races!
• Be sure to label all of your child's items!
• Train your small child to wear their goggles around their neck like a necklace. Having an extra pair in the swim bag isn't a bad idea either.
• For little girls with long hair, placing hair in a ponytail or braid will help with getting their cap on and off between races.
• Print the heat sheet before the meet and highlight events (consider using a different color highlighter per child).