You will receive an email from Royal Swimming when a meet becomes available for sign-up. Remember that there is a deadline for sign-up that is listed on the email and on the registration information on the website. After signing-in onto the royal swimming website www.royalswimming.org, you will be able to commit your swimmers to their invited meets. Be sure to check if the meet is appropriate for your swimmer. Some meets have qualifying times that must be met. Others are offered only for B and C level swimmers. If you are unsure if a meet is appropriate for your swimmer check with their coach.

Inside the Commit Swimming portal, you will see events listed by sessions and days of the meet. For most meet session #1 will be the first session of the meet, which would on Friday night. Session #2 will be on Saturday Morning, Session #3 will be on Saturday Afternoon, etc. The meet packet (found when you click on the meet name inside of Commit Swimming) will also have the age groups and what session they swim – day and morning or afternoon, along with the starting times for warm-up and the session. Swimmers need to be on deck and checked in 15 minutes before the listed warm up time.

A swim session usually runs about 4 hours, plus about an hour of warm-up.

No, you do not have to swim every swim meet or all sessions available at a meet. But certain meets are “Team Designated” meets and 100% participation is desired.

After the posted deadline, the coaches will place the swimmers in the appropriate events. When you sign into your account and click on the meet, you will see what your child is swimming. Also a meet entry document will be posted on the website.

The Coaches enter the swimmers into the relays. If your swimmer can not stay for a relay, let the coach know as soon as possible, so a replacement can be found.

Meet entry fees are automatically added to your account balance and will be included in your next month’s bill.

The night before a swim meet, cut down on the fatty foods and eat plenty of carbohydrates and protein to provide energy for your swimmer.

The swimmer should know what event #’s and the name of the event. This info can be written on the swimmers hand with a permanent marker (particularly with the younger swimmers). Heat and lane information will be posted on deck prior to the start of the meet, this can be added at that time. The coaches and seasoned swimmers will help the younger/new swimmers. Keep a spare permanent marker in the swim bag.

Make sure you arrive at the meet 15 minutes early, this allows for your swimmer to have plenty of time to change and get prepared for the meet. Make sure you know what time warm-ups start; it is usually 1 hour before the meet starts. Your swimmer must “CHECK-IN”. The check-in sheets are usually located by the locker rooms. If you cannot find them ask someone (a volunteer at the admissions table will know). Be sure to HIGHLIGHT your swimmers name and all of the events. The coaches check this to see if the swimmer has arrived to the meet. Double check to see if you are entered in a relay as these entries may change right up until the start of the meet, if relays change during the meet, the coach will inform your swimmer. The check-in closes usually 15 minutes after warm-ups have started. If the swimmer fails to check-in the swimmer will not be able to swim any of their events for that session.

After your swimmer checks-in the swimmer will proceed to the locker room to change. Find a locker in the locker room to store anything you don’t plan to bring out to the pool deck (remember to bring a lock), use the restroom, then proceed to the pool deck, find the team and tell the coaches that they are there. The coaches will then give them further directions. Parents are not allowed out on the pool deck. Spectator seating will be clearly marked near the admissions table. Look for other RS parents in the crowd wearing their royal blue and black Royal Swimming team apparel. We encourage all families to sit together as a group at the meets in support of our team.

Swimmers are asked to stay in the team area. This allows the coaches to make sure that each swimmer is ready for their event and behind the blocks at the appropriate time. Also, it shows team spirit and support for other Royal Swimming swimmers. If you need to use the bathroom, get something to eat or want to visit with your parents, ask permission from a coach first. It makes the coaches’ jobs easier if they know where you are for safety reasons but also to ensure you are ready for your next event.

Watch the scoreboard for the event numbers. Typically you’ll want to start getting ready to go 2 events prior to your event number. This may vary; however, depending on the number of heats in an event and the length of a particular race (for example, 25s will run very quickly, versus 200s, which are more time-consuming). Prior to swimming your event, meet with a coach to receive a race plan and review race strategy and goals. After you swim your race, ask the lane timer for your time, and then visit again with a coach to receive a post-race analysis.

Contact another swimmer’s family you know in the same session.

Wear your team t-shirt to show team spirit and pride. It is also advised that the swimmer brings warm clothing (sweatshirt and sweat pants- while the parents might be sweating in the stands, the swimmers can get cold in their wet suits on deck) This will keep you warm after swimming. - Bring a swim bag containing two towels – one for during the meet and one for afterwards. - Cap and goggles – extras too because caps can rip and goggles can break or get lost. We’d like all swimmers to wear the Royal Swimming caps, if you have lost yours or it ripped, you can purchase one from your coach, or wear a plain colored cap. - Marker (sharpie) to add heat/lane information to their hand. - Small healthy snack and water bottle or sports drink.. - Change of clothes for after the meet. Don’t forget underwear if you wore your suit to the pool! :)

Wear team apparel Admission Fee – Typically the fee is $4.00 There are meet programs to purchase if you desire. They are usually $6.00. The program lists all of the swimmers for each event for each session for each day along with their entry times. Sometimes “heat sheets” are available for $1.00. A heat sheet is an updated version of the program. It has the heat # and lane #’s of each swimmer of all events for the session. You may also like to take a book, or something to do. You may also take cameras and/or video cameras. REMINDER: PLEASE DO NOT take flash photography at the start of a race! The start of a race is indicated with a beep and a flash of light, so if someone snaps a flash camera the swimmers may think that is the start of the race and false start.

Swimmers will enter the pool deck through the swim locker rooms. Find a locker in the locker room to store anything you don’t plan to bring out to the pool deck (remember to bring a lock), use the restroom, then find the team gathered together out on the pool deck and announce your arrival with a coach. Parents are not allowed out on the pool deck. Spectator seating will be clearly marked near the admissions table. Look for other Royal Swimming parents in the crowd.. We encourage all families to sit together as a group at the meets in support of our team.

No, although we encourage swimmers to cheer on their teammates, the swimmers are free to leave after their last event. If you are leaving before any scheduled relays check with the coach to make sure your swimmer has not been added to one. PLEASE HAVE YOUR SWIMMER NOTIFY A COACH BEFORE LEAVING!

Check the meet packet. This information can be found on the website. After signing in, click the events tab, then click the name of the swim meet in question. Under the “Forms / Documents” section will be the meet packet document. In this document it will have a section on awards. It will explain how awards are done, if places 1- 8 in A, B, and C times receive a ribbon or an award, or if it done differently. At some meet all swimmers receive a “bag tag” to attach to the swimmers swim bag or a participation ribbon, be sure to check this out, so you can pick it up before you leave. At some meets, swimmers are allowed to collect their awards at the end of their session; at other meets, the coaches will pick up awards at meet’s end. If the swimmer picks the awards up at the meet, there will be an awards table. If the coaches collect the awards, check your family folder at the next practice to collect any earned ribbons or medals. Family folders will be available at every practice on deck.