For New & Returning Families

New to summer swim or just wanting a refresher? Welcome! Swim meets can feel overwhelming at first, but after one or two meets, the routine starts to make much more sense.

This page is designed to help new and returning Braun Oaks Dolphins families understand what happens at a swim meet, what to bring, how to read a heat sheet, how to markup swimmers, and how to help the meet run smoothly.

Please do not panic if everything feels confusing at first. Veteran parents, older swimmers, Coaches, Wranglers, Deck Ready volunteers, and team leadership are happy to help. We are all one Dolphins family!

📍 Section 1: How Swim Meets Work

Swim meets are friendly competitions between teams. Swimmers are entered into races based on age group, stroke, ability, and team needs.

Each meet may look a little different, but most meets include:

• Arrival and swimmer check-in
• Warm-ups
• Volunteer check-in
• Meet announcements
• Individual and relay events
• Heat sheets posted or shared digitally
• Ribbons or results after the meet

Before each meet, families should check SwimTopia and team emails for specific information about location, arrival time, warm-ups, parking, concessions, volunteer assignments, and heat sheets.

Important Meet Terms

Event: The race number and type of race. Example: Boys 7–8 25-yard Backstroke.

Heat: A smaller group of swimmers within an event. Large events may have several heats.

Lane: The lane number where the swimmer will race.

Stroke: The type of swim, such as freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, or relay.

Relay: A race where multiple swimmers work together as a team. Each swimmer completes one part of the race.

🎒 Section 2: What to Pack

Be sure to gather and pack everything before meet day so your swimmer is ready and comfortable.

Swimmer Gear

• Black team suit 
• Extra practice suit-just in case
• Dolphins team shirt (labeled with swimmer's name)
• Swim cap
• Goggles
• Backup goggles, if available
• 1–2 towels (one for during the meet and one for afterwards)
• Water bottle
• Sunscreen
• Sharpie marker
• Printed or digital heat sheet
• Bug spray

Family Comfort Items

• Lawn chairs and/or a blanket
• Shade tent, canopy, or umbrella
• Cooling towel or small personal fans
• Snacks & Drinks
• Bug spray
• Cash for concessions, just in case electronic payments are not accepted
• Small activities for swimmers between events, such as cards, books, or small games/toys

Swim meets can take several hours, so it helps to come prepared. Swimmers should stay in the designated Dolphins team area between events so Wranglers, Deck Ready volunteers, and Coaches can find them when it is time to swim.

📋 Section 3: Heat Sheets

A heat sheet is the master schedule for the swim meet. It tells families which events are being swum, who is swimming in each event, and which heat and lane each swimmer is assigned to.

Heat sheets may look confusing at first, but they become much easier once you know what to look for.

What to Look For

When you find your swimmer’s name on the heat sheet, look for:

• Event number
• Heat number
• Lane number
• Stroke or relay information

Families use this information to mark swimmers before the meet begins.

When Heat Sheets Are Available

Heat sheets will be shared as soon as possible after all swimmers have marked whether they will be attending the meet. Once swimmer availability is complete, the coaches from both teams will finalize swimmer entries.

After entries are finalized, heat sheets will be available in SwimTopia, and the Committee Chair, Team Rep, or Head Coach will email them to all families.

Please remember that last-minute changes can happen the morning of a meet. Coaches and team volunteers will help families and swimmers if any changes are made.

Below is an example of a heat sheet with event, heat, lane, and stroke marked.

✍️ Section 4: Marking Up Swimmers

Marking up your swimmer with a Sharpie helps them know when they swim and helps Wranglers, Deck Ready volunteers, Timers, and coaches get swimmers to the right place at the right time.

1. Write the Swimmer’s Name

Write your swimmer’s first and last name clearly on their upper back or shoulder blade area in large, easy-to-read letters.

This helps volunteers identify swimmers quickly, especially younger swimmers who may not always hear their name called or know where to go.

Below is an example of how to write your swimmer's name on their shoulder.

2. Create the Event Chart

Create a small chart on your swimmer’s forearm or thigh using this format:

E / H / L / S

That stands for:

E = Event
H = Heat
L = Lane
S = Stroke

Example:

Common Stroke and Relay Abbreviations

FR = Freestyle
BK = Backstroke
BR = Breaststroke
FL = Butterfly
Med Relay = Medley Relay
FR Relay = Freestyle Relay
St Relay = Stairstep Relay with swimmers from 4 different age groups swimming a Freestyle together from youngest to oldest

For relay events, ALWAYS write the swimmer’s relay order and stroke.

Sharpie Tip

To help prevent smudging:

Apply sunscreen first → complete warm-ups → towel dry completely → then apply the Sharpie chart.

If you are confused, please ask a veteran parent, older swimmer, Wrangler, Deck Ready volunteer, coach, or team leader. We are happy to walk you through it!

Below are examples of a heat sheet with event, heat, lane, and stroke marked, an example of how to write E/H/L/S on a swimmer’s arm, and an example showing swimmer order for the event.

The examples below above and the example below show how to find the information on the heat sheet and transfer it to your swimmer’s arm or leg.

Sharpie Removal Pro Tip: After the meet, rub a small amount of oil, such as baby oil, coconut oil, cooking oil, or castor oil, over the Sharpie marks during a bath or shower, then wipe gently with a warm, wet washcloth.

🚨 Section 5: Important Meet Reminders

Stay in the Team Area

Swimmers should stay in the designated Dolphins team area during the meet. If swimmers wander off to a playground, car, concession area, or another location, Wranglers may not be able to find them when it is time for their event.

If a swimmer misses their event, they miss the opportunity to swim, and the team may lose points.

Let Coaches Coach

Parents are the swimmer’s biggest cheerleaders. Cheer loudly, celebrate effort, encourage your swimmer, and tell them how proud you are.

Please let the coaches handle technical feedback, corrections, disqualifications, and race strategy. This helps swimmers hear one clear coaching message and keeps the experience positive. Remind your swimmer to always check in with their coaches after their events.

Be Ready for Your Event

Swimmers should listen for event calls and follow directions from Wranglers and Deck Ready volunteers. Families can help by checking the heat sheet and reminding swimmers when their events are getting close.

Safe Sport Reminder

Please do not take photos or videos from directly behind the starting blocks. If you need to take photos or videos, please do so from the side or from the opposite end of the pool.

Volunteer Check-In

Parent volunteers are an important part of every meet. If you signed up to volunteer, please check in when you arrive and listen for any volunteer meetings or announcements.

Timers, Wranglers, Deck Ready volunteers, runners, and other helpers all make the meet possible. Thank you for helping our Dolphins!

Stay Until the End When Possible

Please plan to stay until the end of the meet when possible. Staying to cheer for all swimmers shows great team spirit. Coaches may also need last-minute substitutions, so having swimmers available can help the team.

🏅 Section 6: After the Meet

After each meet, coaches will review results and celebrate swimmer progress.

Ribbons are awarded for 1st through 6th place finishes and may be handed out at the next practice, if all goes according to plan.

Coaches may also use practice time after a meet to talk about what went well, areas for improvement, and any disqualifications, also called DQs.

A DQ is not a failure! It is a learning opportunity that helps swimmers understand stroke rules and continue improving.

Every meet is a chance to grow, learn, cheer, and have fun!

💬 Still Confused? Ask Us!

Swim meets can feel like a lot at first, but you are not alone!

Please ask questions. Veteran parents, Coaches, Team Leaders, Wranglers, Deck Ready volunteers, and older swimmers are happy to help new families understand the process.

We are excited to watch our Dolphins grow, compete, support each other, and shine!