Time Trials are tomorrow (6/3) for all 12 and under Stingray swimmers. This is a fun intrasquad mock meet and we have 117 swimmers competing!

CALLING ALL BIG BUDDIES - if you are available to come tomorrow to meet and cheer on your little buddy OR volunteer to help, we want you! Check in with Colleen, Christina or Jeremy when you arrive.

• 7:50 AM - Stingray Zone Volunteers should arrive
• 8:00 AM - Swimmers/families arrive
• 8:10 AM - All other volunteers should arrive
• 8:20 AM - Timers/officials meeting
• 8:15 AM - Warm Ups
• 8:30 AM - Meet Start

SUIT - Any suit is fine for this meet, but wearing a team suit enhances the feel of a “real” meet. Pack goggles, swim cap (if you have one), towel, water and a few snacks.

ARRIVAL - Families with swimmers should plan to arrive at the pool no later than 8 AM. This will give you time to find a spot to park your bags, chairs, get your swimmer settled and check in if you are volunteering. Bring your 10 and under swimmer/s to the "Stingray Zone" to check in with one of the coaches and find their assigned Stingray Zone area/parent volunteer.

E/H/L MARKING - Assistant coaches, veteran Stingrays and parents will be there to help you and we will have display boards available in the Stingray Zone. We strongly recommend you use the Heat Sheet already sent out and your SwimTopia app to complete your swimmer/s arm markings with a Sharpie at home prior to arrival to reduce chaos - refer to our Guide to Swimmer Markings and How to Read a Heat Sheet as helpful resources.

Sharpies will be available for use at the meet and “E/H/L” markings should be on your swimmer's forearm or thigh (see photo). First initial, last name, and age group (6U, 7-8, 9-10, etc…) should be marked on the back of their right shoulder.

STINGRAY ZONE - 10 and Under swimmers will remain gathered in our STINGRAY ZONE (SZ for short) for the duration of the meet or until they are finished with all of their events. For all home meets, our SZ will be set up on the tennis courts and signs hung on fence/tent with gender/age to denote each area. We will have games, puzzles, and other fun things for them to do in this area (SZ accepts donated waterproof items). After they finish an event, please feel free to hug them, high five them, congratulate them on deck... and then send or escort them back to the SZ. In the SZ, a parent volunteer will be assigned by gender/age group to watch over them, escort them to the Clerk of Course and ensure they don’t miss their events. Please tell your child they should always let that parent volunteer know if they need to go to the bathroom, so they don’t wander off.

10&U swimmers will be brought from the SZ to our CLERK OF COURSE benches to be lined up for each event. They will then be escorted to the start line for each of their events by Clerk of Course volunteers. 11 & Overs have the freedom to wander during the meet but will need to pay attention to the event timeline and their upcoming event start times so that they don't miss lining up for their event. New swimmers can see assistant coaches or veteran 11 & Overs for directions if they need them.

HEAT SHEET - Heat sheets will always be available prior to the meet on SwimTopia (website and app) and we encourage you to print them at home to bring with you. Limited printed heat sheets may be available and left on the guard hut ledge. There is NO fee for these, and you are welcome to pick one up so you can follow along during the meet. You might find it helpful to highlight your swimmer's name in all of their events, so you know where their swims fall in the meet order. SwimTopia Pro subscribers will receive reminder alerts when their swimmers events are upcoming.

DURATION - Time Trials will last ~2.5 hours. If we are running long, we may need to cut some events. The pool is opening at 11 AM tomorrow and we need to finish and clean up by then. Your swimmer/s are free to leave the meet after their events are over but SZ children MUST be checked out by a parent with their assigned SZ volunteer. You should always check with a coach before leaving. There will not be any relay events during Time Trials.

ORDER OF EVENTS - Each "event" will swim girls first and boys second, in ascending age group progression. 10 and under swimmers typically race 25 yards (except 100 IM and 50 distance free), while 11 and over swimmers typically race 50 yards (except 100 IM and 100 distance free). 6U only compete in freestyle and backstroke.

Here is the Event Order for Time Trials(regular dual meets will follow a different order or events ):

• 25 Freestyle (6U, 7-8, 9-10)
• 50 Freestyle (11&O)
• 25 Backstroke (6U, 7-8, 9-10)
• 50 Backstroke (11&O)
• 25 Breastroke (7-8, 9-10)
• 50 Breastroke (11&O)
• 25 Butterfly (7-8, 9-10)
• 50 Butterfly (11&O)
• 100 Individual Medley (open) *not all will swim
• 50 ("Distance") Freestyle (10&U) *not all will swim
• 100 ("Distance") Freestyle (11&O)

TIPS TO AVOID TEARS...

This is a mock meet... it should feel competitive, but above all, it should be FUN. It is for our New Sherwood swim team only. We want all swimmers to leave having had a positive experience, because for many of them it will be their VERY first swim meet!

Talk with your swimmer ahead of time to let them know what to expect - or just let them know what time they'll need to wake up and ask them what they want for breakfast -  you know your child best, just keep the pressure low.   They will likely be entered into all strokes that their age group is eligible to swim (6 and U - 25 free and back, 7-8 -25 free, fly, back and breast, etc...). Swimming is as much about getting to the wall first as it is racing against yourself. This first meet is a way to set their baseline - and then use it to measure their improvement each time they compete. Encourage them to remember their times and then they can take ownership of their progress at future meets.

DON'T WORRY IF YOUR SWIMMER CANNOT SWIM BUTTERFLY OR BREASTSTROKE... tell them to give it their best shot. If that doesn't work, tell them to use that swim instead to work on a stroke they do know. It would be PERFECTLY FINE for them to try, abort, and then swim freestyle for the length of the pool. IF that doesn't work and this discussion leads to tears, tantrums or otherwise - which it may - don't push it. Simply speak to one of the coaches ahead of the event. They can scratch out of that event. It’s not worth the battle. Again, this should be fun!

WHY PUT THEM IN STROKES THEY CAN'T SWIM? This meet will give coaches a chance to identify swimmer's strengths and weaknesses, which will allow more focused stroke development during practice. Stroke judges will be present to help identify infractions and to "train" our new meet officials. There will be no score and no disqualifications ("DQs") for illegal strokes during this meet as there will be during a regular season dual meet.

Questions??

Email us [email protected]

GO STINGRAYS!