Silly question about winter swim meets

[Anonymous]

My son is on a winter swim team for the first time this year and they have their first meet coming up. He is 8 and we're just going for one of the days. I know the winter meets can run pretty long. Do kids bring things to do like tablets or books or drawing materials, or do they just kind of hang out? I imagine this will be a lot less exciting than a summer meet and he doesn't know the other kids on the winter team too well yet. He will be in his team area between events. Just wondering if I should have him pack anything other than goggles, water/snacks and a couple towels in his bag.

[Anonymous]

Yes, bring some entertainment. In non-Covid times the kids cluster together and talk, play cards, and stuff like that. I don't know if they will be requiring them to maintain social distance while sitting between events so definitely have him pack a few things to do.

[Anonymous]

Definitely bring something to do! The tablets/drawing material don't seem like great things to have on a wet pool deck, tho. Your kid will be pretty wet at regular intervals, too. My older DS brought a book last year when the meets were really distanced. He and his younger sibling will both have books this year. I'm sure they will bring cards, but also not sure they will be allowed to play.

[Anonymous]

If it is the mako meet this weekend a lot of the teams will have team areas outdoors. So swim parka, sweatshirt, multiple towels - book/tablet. Water bottle and SNACKS. Club swim meets are very boring and a bit lonely for the kids. They have to take care of themselves. With the little ones advise him to stick with who his coach will be it is not uncommon for a kid to miss their event because they are engrossed with a tablet -- more common last year with the covid restrictions.

[Anonymous]

Not silly at all. Pack him anything that you think he might need and is able to carry. Definitely water and snacks. As someone else mentioned club swim is not very social. Kids have to kind of take care of themselves. I tell mine to bring books, snacks, water, etc. Multiple towels and warm sweats. They do get cold.

[Anonymous]

Another question -- what are the differences in meets?

There are PVS Open meets which I assume are all the clubs in PVS, right?

There are invitationals - that a club hosts and then invites certain clubs? There looks like to be "fun" type meets?

Does it matter which meets you go to? Are some more important?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another question -- what are the differences in meets?

There are PVS Open meets which I assume are all the clubs in PVS, right?

There are invitationals - that a club hosts and then invites certain clubs? There looks like to be "fun" type meets?

Does it matter which meets you go to? Are some more important?

we are doing a PVS meet at Fairland that is just freestyle. I have no idea how many other teams will be there. I’m new to this. My kid is swimming 2 events but it’s 6 hours long. Can we leave when my kid is done? The meeting area is outdoors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another question -- what are the differences in meets?

There are PVS Open meets which I assume are all the clubs in PVS, right?

There are invitationals - that a club hosts and then invites certain clubs? There looks like to be "fun" type meets?

Does it matter which meets you go to? Are some more important?

we are doing a PVS meet at Fairland that is just freestyle. I have no idea how many other teams will be there. I’m new to this. My kid is swimming 2 events but it’s 6 hours long. Can we leave when my kid is done? The meeting area is outdoors.

I am pretty sure you are going to have to drop your kid at the door. There are no spectators this year. When your kid is done you can usually leave. A meet sheet should go out with your kid's age group. So your kid would be in a two hour block our of the six hour meet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another question -- what are the differences in meets?

There are PVS Open meets which I assume are all the clubs in PVS, right?

There are invitationals - that a club hosts and then invites certain clubs? There looks like to be "fun" type meets?

Does it matter which meets you go to? Are some more important?

we are doing a PVS meet at Fairland that is just freestyle. I have no idea how many other teams will be there. I’m new to this. My kid is swimming 2 events but it’s 6 hours long. Can we leave when my kid is done? The meeting area is outdoors.

So you can always check Potomac Valley Swim for information. Some meet sheets tell you who is invited. https://www.pvswim.org/2122meet/22-02-ma.pdf

This qualifies as a fun meet.

But when you look at the protocols it states clearly that spectators will not be permitted - it will be livestreamed. Read the protocols - your team should send you them as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another question -- what are the differences in meets?

There are PVS Open meets which I assume are all the clubs in PVS, right?

There are invitationals - that a club hosts and then invites certain clubs? There looks like to be "fun" type meets?

Does it matter which meets you go to? Are some more important?

we are doing a PVS meet at Fairland that is just freestyle. I have no idea how many other teams will be there. I’m new to this. My kid is swimming 2 events but it’s 6 hours long. Can we leave when my kid is done? The meeting area is outdoors.

So you can always check Potomac Valley Swim for information. Some meet sheets tell you who is invited. https://www.pvswim.org/2122meet/22-02-ma.pdf

This qualifies as a fun meet.

But when you look at the protocols it states clearly that spectators will not be permitted - it will be livestreamed. Read the protocols - your team should send you them as well.

thank you for this. I am the Fairland PP.

[Anonymous]

Fairland PP again. That link above is for this weekend. The one we are doing is on the 9th. We are with PAC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another question -- what are the differences in meets?

There are PVS Open meets which I assume are all the clubs in PVS, right?

There are invitationals - that a club hosts and then invites certain clubs? There looks like to be "fun" type meets?

Does it matter which meets you go to? Are some more important?

we are doing a PVS meet at Fairland that is just freestyle. I have no idea how many other teams will be there. I’m new to this. My kid is swimming 2 events but it’s 6 hours long. Can we leave when my kid is done? The meeting area is outdoors.

So you can always check Potomac Valley Swim for information. Some meet sheets tell you who is invited. https://www.pvswim.org/2122meet/22-02-ma.pdf

This qualifies as a fun meet.

But when you look at the protocols it states clearly that spectators will not be permitted - it will be livestreamed. Read the protocols - your team should send you them as well.

thank you for this. I am the Fairland PP.

You should be able to leave once your kid is done. Your coach will probably send out a very detailed email before the meet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another question -- what are the differences in meets?

There are PVS Open meets which I assume are all the clubs in PVS, right?

There are invitationals - that a club hosts and then invites certain clubs? There looks like to be "fun" type meets?

Does it matter which meets you go to? Are some more important?

"Fun" in quotes is right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Fun" in quotes is right.

Unless you have a child who is gunning for particular times to make the higher level competitions, these meets are not fun the way that summer swim is. If they make friends with kids on their team, it can be fun to hang out together. Pre-covid they would play games, share snacks, and talk. That is probably going to be harder if they're enforcing distancing. Generally speaking though, they're sitting there for 2-3hrs and swim for a handful of minutes.

You won't find the pep rally type atmosphere with team cheers or whatever.
If this works for your kid, it's a great lifetime sport, but understand going in that it can be much more of a grind than summer swim or sports with shorter games and more rah-rah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Fun" in quotes is right.

Unless you have a child who is gunning for particular times to make the higher level competitions, these meets are not fun the way that summer swim is. If they make friends with kids on their team, it can be fun to hang out together. Pre-covid they would play games, share snacks, and talk. That is probably going to be harder if they're enforcing distancing. Generally speaking though, they're sitting there for 2-3hrs and swim for a handful of minutes.

You won't find the pep rally type atmosphere with team cheers or whatever.
If this works for your kid, it's a great lifetime sport, but understand going in that it can be much more of a grind than summer swim or sports with shorter games and more rah-rah.

thanks for this insight. My kid has one friend on the team but aside from this doesn’t know anyone.