B Meets

[Anonymous]

Even with no rain delays Monday night, our meet lasted until almost 10. I hear some pools get done much earlier and I’m curious what the secret is?

[Anonymous]

Clerk of course makes a huge difference. Are they combining heats where there's room? Are they reassuring on the fly for no shows?

Quick turnover between heats too from the ref.

One thing I don't agree with but does dropped e thing up is ignoring stroke violations.

If your team has 150+ kids though, it's just going to take a long time. Some teams are small.

[Anonymous]

Our meet on Monday had tons of partially full heats. Seemed like a waste.

[Anonymous]

We pre-seed with combined heats (eg, 13-18 girls; 10U mixed) based on times, we create a program/heat sheet, we don’t use cards, and we have junior coaches act as kind but efficient drill sergeants to ensure every swimmer is in clerk of course. Our team is 175 swimmers, but we are usually done by 8:30 when starting at 6. Also, we don’t delay and will start early if possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We pre-seed with combined heats (eg, 13-18 girls; 10U mixed) based on times, we create a program/heat sheet, we don’t use cards, and we have junior coaches act as kind but efficient drill sergeants to ensure every swimmer is in clerk of course. Our team is 175 swimmers, but we are usually done by 8:30 when starting at 6. Also, we don’t delay and will start early if possible.

WHat do you use instead of cards?

[Anonymous]

Combined heats are SO important for big teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We pre-seed with combined heats (eg, 13-18 girls; 10U mixed) based on times, we create a program/heat sheet, we don’t use cards, and we have junior coaches act as kind but efficient drill sergeants to ensure every swimmer is in clerk of course. Our team is 175 swimmers, but we are usually done by 8:30 when starting at 6. Also, we don’t delay and will start early if possible.

(PP) Also, swimmers can only swim 2 events, and can’t swim any stroke that they swam at the A meet. IM is at the end and it counts as one of the two strokes. We typically swim teams with 75-125 swimmers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We pre-seed with combined heats (eg, 13-18 girls; 10U mixed) based on times, we create a program/heat sheet, we don’t use cards, and we have junior coaches act as kind but efficient drill sergeants to ensure every swimmer is in clerk of course. Our team is 175 swimmers, but we are usually done by 8:30 when starting at 6. Also, we don’t delay and will start early if possible.

WHat do you use instead of cards?

We run B meets exactly like A meets. Heat sheets, timers put times on pre-printed time sheets, multiple data people, etc.

[Anonymous]

It also makes a big difference to use a Chief Judge, in addition to the ref, so that reviewing DQs and moving to the next heat moves quickly. It helps even more if they can write slips and not just have stroke and turn write them. We've swam teams that didn't provide a CJ and that makes it exhausting for stroke and turn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We pre-seed with combined heats (eg, 13-18 girls; 10U mixed) based on times, we create a program/heat sheet, we don’t use cards, and we have junior coaches act as kind but efficient drill sergeants to ensure every swimmer is in clerk of course. Our team is 175 swimmers, but we are usually done by 8:30 when starting at 6. Also, we don’t delay and will start early if possible.

WHat do you use instead of cards?

We run B meets exactly like A meets. Heat sheets, timers put times on pre-printed time sheets, multiple data people, etc.

What do you do when the other team doesn’t run their b meets that way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It also makes a big difference to use a Chief Judge, in addition to the ref, so that reviewing DQs and moving to the next heat moves quickly. It helps even more if they can write slips and not just have stroke and turn write them. We've swam teams that didn't provide a CJ and that makes it exhausting for stroke and turn.

Yes! We have two CJs, one on each end, and two rotating S&T judges to sub in while another is writing DQ slips.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We pre-seed with combined heats (eg, 13-18 girls; 10U mixed) based on times, we create a program/heat sheet, we don’t use cards, and we have junior coaches act as kind but efficient drill sergeants to ensure every swimmer is in clerk of course. Our team is 175 swimmers, but we are usually done by 8:30 when starting at 6. Also, we don’t delay and will start early if possible.

WHat do you use instead of cards?

We run B meets exactly like A meets. Heat sheets, timers put times on pre-printed time sheets, multiple data people, etc.

What do you do when the other team doesn’t run their b meets that way?

I think our consortium of B Meet teams have agreed to follow these procedures.

[Anonymous]

Team size makes a HUGE difference as does the ref and starter who set the pace. Having a second Judge to help deal with DQs is also important.

[Anonymous]

How many strokes are kids allowed to swim?

Ours can only swim 2 and IM if they are offered.
New swimmers can only swim breast and back with coaches approval to limit DGs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We pre-seed with combined heats (eg, 13-18 girls; 10U mixed) based on times, we create a program/heat sheet, we don’t use cards, and we have junior coaches act as kind but efficient drill sergeants to ensure every swimmer is in clerk of course. Our team is 175 swimmers, but we are usually done by 8:30 when starting at 6. Also, we don’t delay and will start early if possible.

WHat do you use instead of cards?

We run B meets exactly like A meets. Heat sheets, timers put times on pre-printed time sheets, multiple data people, etc.

How many data people do you have? If not cards, does each lane of timers just have sheets with all swimmers in each event? This requires both teams to seed the meet? Do you allow swimmers who didn’t declare to show up and swim?