We ask that all swimmers come to meets dressed in team gear to help build team spirit and create a unified look on deck! Swimmers should wear a FAST team suit or a plain navy suit, along with their FAST cap and FAST t-shirt to each meet.

Packing for Swim Meets

To make sure your swimmer has a smooth, fun meet day, here’s what to bring:

For Swimmers:

• FAST suit or a plain navy suit
• FAST cap
• FAST t-shirt
• 2 pairs of goggles (just in case one breaks!)
• 1–2 towels
• Water bottle
• Flip-flops or crocs

For Families:

• Plenty of snacks and water
• Camping chairs
• Tents or large umbrellas for shade (depending on the pool)
• Portable or handheld fan
• Sunscreen

Pro tip: Label everything with your swimmer’s name, especially towels and suits, so nothing goes missing during the meet.

Swim meets rely on parent volunteers to run smoothly, and every role is important to the success of our team. We ask each family volunteer for at least 3 meets this summer. Many of the positions require no experience and minimal training.

Please visit our “Meet Volunteer Positions” tab to learn more about the different roles and find a good fit for you.

Heat Sheets

Heat sheets are typically sent out the day before or the day of each meet. They list each swimmer’s events, heats, and lane assignments in the order the meet will be swum. Be sure to save a copy when it is shared as only a limited number of printed heat sheets will be available at the pool.

Meet Results

Meet results are usually posted on the pool deck throughout the meet. They show each swimmer’s place, seed time, final time, and any points scored. In individual events, only the top two finishers from each team score points. In relay events, only the top relay from each team scores points. Meet Results will also be emailed out and posted online under the "Meet Results" tab on our website the day after each meet.

FAST always emphasizes time improvements, be sure to check and see if the final time is faster than their seed time. Time Improvements are always something to celebrate!

Results will also indicate any disqualifications (DQs). A DQ occurs when a swimmer does not follow the rules of the stroke or race. While it means the swim does not count, it’s a learning opportunity and a chance to improve for next time and is not something to get upset over. You can always ask the coaches if there is confusion on why a DQ occured.

Marking your swimmer’s forearm or hand can be a helpful way for them to keep track of their event, heat, and lane assignments throughout a meet. It is best to do this before arriving to the meet when your swimmer is dry, plus there is more free time before the meet starts.

1. Locate your swimmer on the heat sheet. It is helpful to highlight or mark their name throughout for a quick reference.

2. Using a Sharpie/permanent marker, draw a table similar to the one below, using the information from the heat sheet. This can be done on your swimmer’s forearm, thigh, or hand.

3. To lessen the amount of writing and space taken up, you can abbreviate the information in the following ways:

E = Event
H = Heat
L = Lane

Fly = Butterfly
Bk = Backstroke
Br = Breaststroke
Fr = Freestyle