Click here for the parents’ version.
Have Fun
Swim meets are supposed to be fun. You get to spend time with teammates and finally, finally tell your story without having to piece it together on the wall during rest. You get to learn about different types of music, new movies, try new games and discuss what’s going on at your teammate’s school. Remember, you are there to swim. This is why you swam all those laps in the pool. So, don’t miss your event because you focused on the “extras” not the meet. Headphones are great to get you psyched up, but, be sure to know what event is up, and if you’re swimming it. In addition, good times are to be had in the warm-down pool, but real times are found in the competition pool.
Ask Questions or Answer Them
One of the most important people involved in your swimming after you is your coach. Your coaches are there to help. If you’re not sure what to do during warm-ups, talk with your coach. Listen to their suggestions before your swim, and their comments after your swim. Your teammates are there for you as well. Some of them may have been to meets before or may have older siblings who swim. You are part of a team, and it goes beyond having the same t-shirt. Don’t hesitate to ask an older swimmer if you have questions. They were new to swimming at one point as well.
Celebrate Your Swims
You may get disqualified during your event. You may win your heat. Either way, you’ve learned something from the experience, and congratulations, you are a competitive swimmer. Remember, you are a teammate and teammates cheer on and support each other. Relays are one of the most magical parts of a swim meet. They are not at every meet but you get to yell – really loud, and swim – really fast, with your friends.
Go to Bed Early and Eat Well
Excitement may make it hard to go to bed the night before a meet. Once you’ve set up your bag (with two pairs of goggles!), and picked out your snacks, head to bed. You want to be well-rested, and you may have to get up early for warm up. Get up early and fuel up with a nutritious breakfast and healthy beverages. There are many food and drink choices at swim meets, but try to stick with items you have eaten before. Your stomach may be goofy due to nerves, and a new food may not help calm anything, or anyone down.
Swim Meets Are Great Experiences
Swim meets are fun and what you have been working toward since the beginning of the season. This is where some of the best memories of swimming will be made. You’ll meet swimmers from other teams, as well as older swimmers on your team. Swimming is the greatest sport and you have a front row ticket!
I doubt that any 8 year olds read this.
That may be true. Unless their mom, dad, older sibling shoes it too them.
Although the header photo shows a young age grouper, not all first meets are at 8 years old. Mine was at 10, some people in masters it’s much older than that. And keep in mind, most kids have internet access in some capacity now. As a swim obsessed kid I would have been scrolling this site if it was around back then.