Swim Meet Guide
Swim meets are an important and exciting part of being a member of Red Raider Aquatics. Meets give swimmers an opportunity to apply what they have learned in practice, measure their progress, set goals, support their teammates, and gain confidence through competition.
New swimmers and parents often have questions about how meets work. This guide explains what to expect before, during, and after a swim meet.
Helpful Swim Meet Resources
Use these resources to prepare for your swimmer’s next meet:
Meet Schedule
View upcoming meets for our Springfield and Bloomington/Normal locations.
Use our combined checklist to prepare everything your swimmer needs, review important information before leaving home, and make sure your swimmer has completed all events and relays before leaving the meet.
How to Mark Your Swimmer’s Events
Learn how to write your swimmer’s event number, heat, lane, distance, and stroke on their arm so they can easily keep track of their events throughout the meet.
Learn about Regional, State, Zone, and other championship qualifying times.
Why Swimmers Should Participate in Meets
Practices help swimmers develop proper technique, endurance, racing skills, and confidence. Meets allow them to put those skills into action.
Swimmers do not need to be among the fastest members of the team to participate. Every swimmer can work toward individual goals, improve personal times, learn from each race, and contribute to the team.
Coaches will help families determine which meets are appropriate for their swimmer.
Click HERE to read a great article about why attending swim meets is an important part of your swimmer’s development.
Springfield and Bloomington/Normal Meet Schedules
Red Raider Aquatics operates at both our Springfield and Bloomington/Normal locations. The two sites often attend the same meets and always come together for RAID-hosted meets. However, each site may also participate in different meets based on location, scheduling, and the needs of its swimmers.
Families should carefully review the RAID Meet Schedule and announcements for their swimmer’s location.
Types of Swim Meets
Away Meets
Away meets are hosted by other swim clubs. Some are one-day meets, while others take place over an entire weekend. Families may choose the days their swimmer will attend unless the meet information states otherwise.
RAID-Hosted Meets
Red Raider Aquatics traditionally hosts several meets during the season, including:
- RAID Harvest Classic
- RAID Valentine Classic
- Capital City Classic
RAID swimmers are automatically entered in team-hosted meets. Families who are unable to attend must notify their Head Site Coach before the published deadline.
Hosted meets are also major team events that require the help of our families. Each family is expected to work at least three sessions at every RAID-hosted meet. Families with swimmers only in the Little Raiders group are expected to work two sessions.
Volunteer positions may include timing, hospitality, concessions, admissions, set-up, clean-up, awards, and other meet responsibilities. No previous swim-meet experience is required for most positions.
Please review the Parent Volunteer Information in the Registration Packet for additional information about RAID’s hosted-meet requirements and volunteer opportunities.
Championship Meets
Championship meets may require swimmers to achieve specific qualifying times. Coaches will notify families when their swimmer qualifies and will help determine the appropriate events.
Examples may include Regional, State, Zone, and other championship-level competitions.
Visit our Time Standards page to learn more about qualifying times and championship-meet progression.
Future Stars and Intrasquad Meets
Future Stars and other intrasquad meets provide a comfortable introduction to racing. These meets are especially helpful for younger or less-experienced swimmers because they are conducted in a familiar environment with teammates and RAID coaches.
Understanding Pool Courses
Competitive swim meets may be held in pools of different lengths. The two most common formats are:
- Short Course Yards (SCY): Races are held in a 25-yard pool. Most fall and winter meets use this format.
- Long Course Meters (LCM): Races are held in a 50-meter pool. Most spring and summer meets use this format.
Because yards and meters are different distances, swimmers have separate SCY and LCM times. A time achieved in a 25-yard pool should not be compared directly with a time achieved in a 50-meter pool.
Some meets may be held in a 25-meter pool, known as Short Course Meters (SCM), although this format is less common in the United States.
Meet Entries and Event Selection
Families must follow the instructions provided for each meet. Depending on the meet, swimmers may be automatically entered or families may be asked to declare whether their swimmer will attend.
When declaring for a meet, families may be asked to select the days their swimmer is available. Coaches make the final event selections based on the swimmer’s age, experience, current development, qualifying times, and the format of the meet.
Coaches may enter swimmers in events they have not previously competed in. Trying different events helps swimmers gain experience, develop into well-rounded competitors, and discover new strengths.
Understanding Entry and Seed Times
The time listed for a swimmer when meet entries are submitted is called an entry time or seed time. Meet organizers use these times to place swimmers in heats with other swimmers who have similar recorded times.
A seed time is not a prediction of where a swimmer will finish. Swimmers may have improved considerably since that time was achieved, and seed times may come from different dates or pool formats.
If a swimmer has never competed in an event, the swimmer may be entered with NT, which means No Time. This simply indicates that the swimmer does not yet have an official time for that event.
After the swimmer completes the event legally, the resulting time becomes the swimmer’s official time for future meet entries.
Understanding Meet Fees
Host teams charge meet fees to cover the cost of conducting the competition. Fees vary by meet and may include individual-event fees, relay fees, facility charges, Illinois Swimming or USA Swimming surcharges, and other charges established by the host team.
Families should carefully review the meet information before declaring their swimmer. Once RAID submits the entries and they are accepted by the host team, the applicable fees will generally be charged to the family’s account.
Meet fees are normally nonrefundable after entries have been submitted—even if the swimmer later becomes ill or is otherwise unable to attend. This is because RAID is still responsible for paying the fees charged by the host team.
Before the Meet
Meet information will be shared as it becomes available. This may include:
- Meet location
- RAID team arrival time
- Warm-up time
- Session start time
- Facility and parking information
- Team seating information
- Session assignments
- Volunteer information
- Special instructions from the host team
Meet Updates & Reminders
Before each meet, RAID will send participating families a Meet Updates & Reminders document containing the latest meet-specific information. This document may include:
- RAID team arrival time
- Warm-up and session start times
- Facility and parking instructions
- Team seating information
- Session assignments
- Parent volunteer assignments
- Important host-team policies
- Other meet-specific updates and reminders
Families are responsible for carefully reviewing the Meet Updates & Reminders document before traveling to the meet.
Meet information can change after entries are submitted. Families should always use the most recent RAID Meet Updates & Reminders document when making their plans rather than relying only on information previously published by the host team or in the original meet announcement.
Swimmers should arrive by the RAID team arrival time, not simply the start of warm-ups or competition.
Use the RAID Swim Meet Checklist to pack for the meet and review the important information your family should confirm before leaving home.
What to Bring
Swimmers should bring their RAID team suit and cap, goggles and a spare pair, at least two towels, comfortable clothing, appropriate footwear, water, healthy snacks, and any needed medications.
Depending on the facility, families may also want to bring a chair, blanket, phone charger, and a quiet activity for the swimmer to use between races.
All equipment, clothing, towels, water bottles, and other belongings should be clearly labeled with the swimmer’s name.
Families should review the host team’s facility rules because available seating and permitted items vary by location.
The RAID Swim Meet Checklist includes a complete packing list to help families prepare everything their swimmer may need.
Arriving at the Meet
When arriving, swimmers should:
- Find the RAID team area.
- Check in with a RAID coach.
- Prepare for warm-ups.
- Remain with the team unless a coach gives other instructions.
Swimmers should be dressed and ready to enter the water at the scheduled warm-up time.
Warm-ups allow swimmers to become familiar with the pool, loosen up, practice starts and turns when permitted, and prepare mentally for competition.
Understanding Events, Heats, and Lanes
Each race is identified by an event number. An event may contain several heats because more swimmers are entered than can race at one time.
The heat sheet or meet program lists each swimmer’s:
- Event number
- Heat number
- Lane number
- Distance and stroke
- Entered time
For example, a swimmer listed in Event 12, Heat 3, Lane 5 will compete in the third race conducted for Event 12 and will swim in Lane 5.
Families should remember that event numbers may move quickly. Swimmers must stay aware of the meet’s progress and report to the appropriate location when instructed.
Heat and lane assignments sometimes change after the original heat sheet is published. Swimmers should listen for announcements and follow directions from their coaches and meet officials.
Some meets use a bullpen or staging area where younger swimmers are organized before their races. Parents should follow the host team’s instructions regarding bullpen procedures.
Arm marking can help younger or newer swimmers remember their races. Review How to Mark Your Swimmer’s Events for an example showing event, heat, lane, distance, stroke, and relay-position information.
During the Meet
Before each race, swimmers should speak with their coach for instructions and race reminders. After the race, swimmers should return to their coach to discuss their performance.
Parents should allow coaches to coach swimmers during the meet. Parents can provide encouragement, celebrate effort, and help swimmers maintain a positive attitude regardless of the result.
Swimmers should remain with the team and support their teammates whenever possible.
Relays
Relays are team events involving four swimmers. Relay assignments are determined by the coaches and may change because of illness, attendance, meet rules, or other circumstances.
A swimmer should never leave a meet without checking with a coach. Leaving early could prevent an entire relay from competing.
Disqualifications
A disqualification, commonly called a DQ, occurs when an official observes a violation of the technical rules for a stroke, start, turn, finish, or relay exchange.
Disqualifications are a normal part of learning competitive swimming. They are not a punishment. Coaches use them to help swimmers understand what needs to be corrected in practice.
Parents should remain positive and allow the coaches to explain the disqualification to the swimmer.
Results, Times, and Awards
Results may be posted at the facility, available through a meet application, or published online after the meet.
A swimmer’s place is only one measure of success. Coaches also consider:
- Improved times
- Proper technique
- Racing skills
- Effort
- Confidence
- Sportsmanship
- Progress toward individual goals
Some meets provide ribbons, medals, trophies, or high-point awards. Award procedures vary, and awards may be distributed at the meet or given to the team later.
Time Standards
Time standards—sometimes called qualifying times or cuts—are established times swimmers must achieve to participate in certain championship meets.
Different standards may apply based on a swimmer’s age, event, and level of competition. These may include Regional, State, Zone, Sectional, or National standards.
Not every meet requires qualifying times. Most regular-season meets are open to swimmers of all experience levels.
Coaches will help swimmers understand applicable time standards and identify appropriate goals. Swimmers and parents should focus on continued improvement rather than comparing one swimmer’s progress with another.
Additional information is available on our Time Standards page.
How Long Do Meets Last?
The length of a meet depends on the number of swimmers, the number of events, and the meet format. Sessions may last several hours, and a swimmer may have significant time between races.
Meet timelines are estimates and may change. Families should avoid making plans based on an exact ending time.
Before Leaving the Meet
Swimmers should not leave until a RAID coach confirms that they have completed all individual events and are not assigned to an upcoming relay.
Before leaving, families should:
- Check with a RAID coach.
- Confirm that the swimmer has completed all individual events.
- Confirm that the swimmer is not needed for a relay.
- Collect all equipment, clothing, towels, and personal belongings.
- Help clean the RAID team area.
The RAID Swim Meet Checklist includes a final section families can review before departing the facility.
After the Meet
Review results when they become available and celebrate the swimmer’s effort, improvement, and sportsmanship.
The best first question after a race or meet is often, “Did you have fun?” or “What did you learn?” Positive support helps swimmers develop confidence and a lasting enjoyment of the sport.
Questions?
Swim meets may feel confusing at first, but they quickly become easier to understand. RAID coaches and experienced families are happy to help new families learn how meets operate.
f you have questions about meet participation, entries, schedules, fees, or procedures, please speak with your swimmer’s coach or contact us at redraideraquatics@yahoo.com.