First: Please download the Swimtopia app. We can communicate time-sensitive info through the app. You can see your swimmers events day of meets. You can also declare your swimmer attending/not attending meets and sign up for your volunteer job duty.

You must let us know if your swimmer will be at the meet or will be absent by the SUNDAY prior to the meet. Should something unforeseen come up (like an illness) please let us know ASAP.

One of the best parts of swimming is that it is BOTH an individual sport and a team sport. This means your swimmer is trying to do their own personal best. This also means we want to see all of our swimmers cheering on their teammates. Unless you only have young swimmers, please stay for the entire meet to cheer on your teammates regardless if you have an event or not.

For each meet, swimmers will need:

• their team suit
• team swim cap (we always keep a team bin with extra caps should your cap break or get lost)
• goggles
• towel
• dry clothes (note: swimmers often like to throw on a t-shirt or sweatshirt and shorts or joggers between events to stay warm)
• backpack/bag (to keep their stuff in)
• sunscreen
• back up goggles (sometimes these break or tear. always a good idea to have a back up pair ready to go)
• Long hair: hair tie
• water + nourishing snack (even if you plan to eat from the snack bar, we have no way of knowing exactly what each location will be offering so we recommend each swimmer bring water and protein source like a protein/granola bar)

Swim Meet like a pro:

• pack a go-bag with toys/entertainment for your little ones, snacks, sun screen, and a sharpie marker (it's helpful to write the kid's events on their arm and kids love to show their team spirit by writing things like "Eat my Bubbles!" And "Go Stingrays!")
• Cooler with cold drinks and snacks (sorry, NO alcohol per SJSSA guidelines)
• Snack bar money (some snack bars may take cash apps like venmo, some may be cash only. Stingrays can now take credit cards at our home snack bar, but it does have a fee of 3%)
• Sun hats, sunglasses, shade umbrella or easy-up. (Each location is different. Some have shade. Some have none. Some have grassy areas to spread out in. Some have none. Ask a seasoned parent for details about the meet locations and plan accordingly)
• Picnic blankets, folding chairs

Swimmers arrive typically a half hour before the meet to warm up. As soon as you arrive, please find the volunteer sign-in sheet and sign in for your position.

Listen for the announcer announce the events or locate the event board at the meet (event board is located near the tent by the pool where the announcer and computer and ribbons are set up). Some pools (like ours) also show what event is happening on the swimtopia app. 

Swimmers will need to be on deck ready to line up a few events before their event. {So for example, if your swimmer is swimming in event 27, they should be lining up behind the starting blocks by event 24. This is important. It's the biggest bummer when a swimmer doesn't get to swim because they failed to line up}

On the Swimtopia app, you will find your swimmer's events and their best times for those events. The meet results will publish with your swimmer's results in the app after the meet is finalized (anywhere from a half hour to 24 hours after the meet ends...unless you upgrade to the paid version, then the result publish in real time). Do encourage and celebrate with your swimmer when they better their times.

We get our "Best Time Bell" out at the practice following the meet, and swimmers who drop time get to ring the bell. We ask swimmers and their grown-ups to celebrate with each swimmer.