Preparing for Our Swim Meets

Swim meets focus on friendly competition and team work! The goal for each swimmer is to participate to the best of their ability and work to improve individual swimming times across the season. A key element to success is adequate PREPARATION beyond practice and training. Parental support, before -during - after a swim meet, is also vital to our swimmers' success, both as individuals and as a team. The following suggestions will help everyone, swimmers and parents alike, to achieve their goals.

Swimmers

1. Pack your bag the night before a meet: Goggles (an extra pair, preferably broken in), team suit and caps, extra towels, a Sharpie pen, electronic games, reading materials, cards, sunscreen, change of clothes and something to keep your muscles warm between events.
2. Know your event/heat/lane numbers: Write them on your arm. Be aware of events as they are called.
3. Stay in the team area during the meet. Missing an event affects the whole team!
4. Your evening meal the night before the meet is very important: "Carb Up" with a meal of whole grain pasta. Include vegetables, fruit and lean protein. Avoid fatty foods such as potato chips, pastries French Fries, carbonated, sugary beverages. HYDRATE! HYDRATE! HYDRATE! Water, Gatorade or Powerade are best.
5. Get a good night's rest before the meet and conserve energy the day of the meet by staying out of the sun and by not participating in other sports.
6. About 3 hours before the meet, eat a moderately sized meal with food to provide energy, such as whole grain pasta or bread, cereals, fruits, vegetables and some lean protein. During the meet, especially after a race, snack in moderate amounts on such things as fruit, nuts, protein bars and crackers. HYDRATE! HYDRATE! HYDRATE!
7. Have a pre-race routine: About 10 minutes before your event, do some stretches, arm rotations. MOVE! Keep moving when you are waiting behind the blocks. Get and keep those muscles warmed up! Visualize your race!
8. Post-race warm down: If the pool is not available for warm-down laps, do some light jogging, stretching, arm rotations. Warming down will speed muscle recovery. Keep warm and rest between races.
9. Be on your best behavior: Cheer and encourage your team mates, but win or lose with grace. You are representing not only yourself, but also The Lenoir City Bettas.

Parents / Family Members

1. Please be mindful of sign-up deadlines. Watch your email for information or changes you need to know. A parent or older swimmer MUST provide notice AS SOON as you are aware that a swimmer will be unable to honor a previous commitment to a meet. Last minute changes to the line-up are hard to accommodate - especially the relay events. Illness or family emergencies are the ONLY acceptable reasons for last minute cancelations.
2. Help your swimmer to make good food choices every day, especially on the couple of days before a meet. Have healthy snacks available for them during the meet. A small snack after a race is beneficial.
3. Please be aware of the posted warm-up schedule and arrive at the facility in time to allow your swimmer to get settled, stretch and warm-up in the pool.
4. Kids will be kids - please help to remember to pack the night before and get a good night's rest.
5. Please do NOT coach before, during or after the races. Leave critiquing to the coaches.
6. Comfort is important! Be sure to have enough chairs for your family.
7. Monitor your child during meets - set territorial limits. Know where they are at all times! Although it is their responsibility to report to the Clerk of Course for their events, keep a "quiet" eye on this. Parents of younger children should actively help. And please take younger children to the restroom before they report to the Clerk of Course. No "potty breaks" after their event is called!
8. Be Your Swimmer's Best Fan: Give your support unconditionally! Please do not get visibly upset if their performance is not their best. They know if their swim was good or not ... So, honor them by recognizing their emotional state and through encouragement.