Meet Information for Saturday, 6-15-24
OK, Dolphin Families, are you ready for our first Home Meet? This is going to be a looong email full of information so please read everything carefully! The meet program is showing an end time of 12:51pm. We are combining events and our officials will be running the meet as quickly as possible. This means we will be “moving with purpose” so stay sharp, check those heating numbers and listen to announcements!
Arrive by: 6:15am
Warm-Ups: 6:30am
Meet Starts: 7:30am!! (We start early!)
HOME MEET TEAM POTLUCK & SET-UP: All families are invited to join us tonight from 6:00-7:00pm at the clubhouse for a pizza dinner. Our plan is to start setting around 7:00pm. (I often get anxious and start setting up earlier though so we’ll see what happens.) 😊 Stay to help or stay to get a sneak peek of what to expect in the morning.
Please use the Job Sign-Up to indicate what you’re bringing. You can add a written note under the RSVP. And please RSVP so we know how many we’re expecting. Right now, we need more pizza. No one is currently signed up for drinks so I suggest bringing your own drinks.
See Weather below.
WEATHER: It looks like we may be setting up in the rain this evening. I’m hoping not but please be prepared with rain ponchos – or just plan to be wet! (At least it’s warm!)
That means everything will be wet in the morning. We will have a stack of towels available to wipe off all the tables and chairs. Please feel free to help us out with drying everything off in the morning!
PARKING: The 2 parking spots closest to the playground are RESERVED for the VISITING PARENT REP & COACH. If you arrive before we get the pylons out, please don’t park in those 2 spots!
You can park anywhere in the neighborhood but please be courteous to our neighbors and don’t block any driveways. Also, do not park around the island entrance at Nome. You can also park at Polton Elementary. By road, it’s on the other side of the neighborhood but it’s a quick 6-minute walk through the greenbelt. I am attaching a map so that you can see where Polton is in relation to the pool. If you live in the Dam West and can walk, please do so that we can leave as much available parking as possible.
DAM WEST SEATING AREA: We will sit in the grassy area on the north side of the pool. It can get pretty crowded so please feel free to sit on the outside of the fence as well - wherever you are comfortable - although please stay on the north side of the pool – we need to be able to find your swimmer(s)! There is a tree with some shade but please bring your own tents or umbrellas for shade because the rest of that area is straight up sun! The lounge chairs will be put away so please bring your own chairs. Also, FYI, where the grass meets the concrete will become a wet, soggy marsh so you will definitely want a chair to sit there!
MEET CHECK-IN: There will be a check-in person and volunteer coordinator at the front gate to check you and your swimmer in. Please have your swimmer's events on their arm and their last name on their back written in sharpie. They can help you at check-in if you still need help.
MEET PROGRAM: Attached are the Meet Program, Individual Entry List and List of the Combined Events. I recommend printing out a copy of the Meet Program, highlighting your swimmers and marking it up with the combinations so you can follow along and see where we are and what’s coming up next.
A copy of the Meet Program will be posted on a giant white board hanging on the fence near our seating area. It will be facing inward towards the pool. It will not be marked up with the combinations.
RESULTS: Results will be posted on a white board hanging on the north fence, outside of the pool, facing the parking lot. Our meet manager will be posting results asap after the end of each event. (IE: They will post them after the last 15-18 event of each stroke.)
PLEASE CHECK YOUR RESULTS OFTEN!! We had a LOT of problems last week at Hills West and it is extremely difficult to change things once the meet is over. Check your swimmer(s)’ times and make sure everything looks reasonable. If you have any questions about them, notify Coach Emilie or me, ASAP. Ideally, we want to respond to any issues within 30 minutes.
VOLUNTEERS : Home meets are always good fun but there is a LOT more to be done when we’re hosting! If you have any questions you can ask Jessica or Evelyn at [email protected].
TIMERS: You will be asked to double check the swimmer’s name in your lane to ensure all swimmers are in the correct event, heat and lane. If the name is different, please write it down! This is especially critical when there are a lot of combined events. You can also help to remind swimmers to put their goggles on.
SHIFT CHANGE: The shift change will be after Event 48 – the end of backstroke. There will be an announcement for 2nd shift so listen for that. If you are volunteering for 1st shift, please don’t leave until your replacement shows up. If you are volunteering for 2nd shift, please be ready to take over on time. You can show up early if you want to see what they’re doing before you take over.
INFORMATION MEETINGS: All information meetings will be held at 7:10 am - please listen for announcements for exact locations and times in case they change. All meetings are for BOTH SHIFTS so regardless of your shift, please show up.
- S&T meeting at the Lifeguard stand in the Officials Area.
- ALL Timers (1st and 2nd shift) grassy area behind the officials
- Heating meeting in the heating area (the baby pool area.)
FLY-OVERS: Please remind your swimmer(s) that we will be doing fly-overs. What is a fly-over? It means at the end of the Freestyle, Butterfly, Breast and IM’s, the swimmers will stay in the water, close to the wall and to the side of the dive block. They should remain quiet and still while the next event begins. Once the next event has entered the pool the Referee will instruct them to exit the pool quickly. (Fly-overs are not used for Backstroke or Relays.)
TIMERS – this is another place you can help out – reminding them to wait quietly to the side and then making sure they get out quickly when it’s time.
NEED HELP for 6 & UNDER FREE-STYLE RELAYS: The coaches do their best to help with the relays but the last set of 6 &Under relays (Events 81 & 82) come immediately after the 15-18 IM’s so many of our coaches are either preparing for their own event or in the pool so they are unavailable to get the relays put together and to help them. So, we’re going to try asking parents to help out.
- Check with Heating to see if they’re missing any kiddos.
- Help get the right wrist bands on the right swimmer.
- Swimmers 1 & 3 should be behind the blocks.
- Swimmers 2 & 4 should be at the shallow end.
- Stay with the swimmers at the shallow end.
- When the race is ready to go, make sure swimmer 2 gets in and keeps their hand on the wall until swimmer 1 touches it.
- Same for swimmer 4, waiting for swimmer 3 to touch.
We’ve never asked parents to help with relays before so hopefully this doesn’t make it worse! 😊
CONCESSIONS: There will be breakfast burritos, pop tarts and mini packs of donuts for breakfast choices. There will be hot dogs and hamburgers available for lunch as well as lots of drinks and snacks. Cash is easiest but we do have the means to accept a credit card via Square. (Hopefully! We’re working on it now!) If your swimmer has Dolphin Dollars from this season or past seasons they can use them here. They are worth 25 cents each.
THEME: Groovy Hippie
TOILETS: Our toilets are pretty old and have old plumbing. PLEASE DO NOT FLUSH anything except toilet paper down the toilets. (And those “flushable” wipes are NOT flushable.) Last season we had backed up toilets during a meet so we don’t want to repeat that!
CLEAN-UP: ANY help after the meet is GREATLY appreciated! I know we all want to go home after a long, hot meet but there are still things to be done.
- Everything needs to be put away.
- The lounge chairs need to be put back out on the deck.
- Trash needs to be picked up off the ground.
We always want to leave any pool area as nice, or nicer, than when we got there. (This goes for away meets too.) Please and Thank you!
PLAYGROUND: Children should never be there unattended.
BABY POOL: We know it is super tempting to play in the baby pool but please remind your swimmers and younger siblings that the baby pool is closed during meets.
DO NOT leave early before the end of the meet unless you first notify Coach Emilie. You must tell HER. Do not rely on someone else to pass along the message.
Contact Coach Emilie ASAP if for any reason your swimmer cannot make the meet! [email protected] or (970) 376-5362.
WHERE TO FIND HELP:
Jessica Johnson can be found in the Heating Area.
Evelyn Carino can be found at the DJ Booth next to the bathrooms.
Toni can be found most often in the Officials area next to the lifeguard stand. If I’m not there, just wait. I’ll be right back. 😊
Shew! OK, that’s all for now but I’m always thinking of more things so keep an eye on your email in case I forgot anything! We’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning!
Go Dolphins!
Toni
303-579-8667