Getting Ready for the Meets

Enjoy the Competition!

As we prepare for the upcoming meets – the Gasparilla Races, then Junior Olympics, Senior Champs, and Junior Nationals – please relax and enjoy your swimmer’s performance. I have met with each of the swimmers to discuss their events and a meet strategy. We have discussed what to expect and how to prepare. If you have any questions, please send me an email or talk to me after practice. There will be a few days this month and next when I will be at the meet, and the kids will need to practice at one of the other branches. A schedule of these changes is attached to this email. Thank you for your hard work as a TBAY swim parent – getting your son or daughter to practice, making sure they have the right equipment, paying the bills on time, and volunteering at the meet this weekend. Our team gets stronger every day and the parents are an important part of our success.

GETTING READY FOR THE MEET: REST! REST! REST!

Make sure swimmers have suits, goggles, towel, shirts ready to go – prepping the night before is helpful. Championship meets are usually VERY crowded. Be on time; make sure you have directions before you leave for the meet. Hydration before the meet is critical – be sure the swimmer has lots of water/fluids. Before meet meals and snacks at the meet are also important – see the suggestions on the next page from USA Swimming.

AT THE MEET

The swimmers will sit with the team and should bring a chair. It is important that they concentrate on swimming. They need to come prepared; stay focused and avoid distractions; drink enough water and snack properly; and stay in close touch with the coach. Visits to family and friends should be limited to before and after the meet.

MEET NUTRITION

What should my child eat before practice? At meets? The best pre-practice or pre-meet meal should contain primarily carbohydrates. Carbohydrate-rich foods like pasta, breads and cereal are easily digested and absorbed. Rule of thumb: 0.5 - 2.0 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight one to four hours prior to exercise.

Meals that provide 100 grams of carbohydrates

• 1 bagel with peanut butter and 2/3 cup of raisins

• 1 cup of low-fat yogurt, 1 banana and 1 cup of orange juice

• 1 turkey sandwich with 1 cup of applesauce

• 2 cups of spaghetti with meat sauce and 1 piece of garlic bread

• 8 oz. of skim milk, 1 apple, 1 orange, 2 slices of bread and 3 pancakes

• 1 serving of GatorLode and 1 bagel

Fluid Replacement Tips  

• Weigh in before and after training and drink at least two cups of fluid for every pound of weight lost.

• Keep a fluid bottle by the side of the pool when working out and drink between repeats and sets.

• Choose sports drinks like Gatorade that taste good, stimulate fluid absorption in the body maintain proper fluid balance in the body, and provide energy to working muscles.

• Avoid carbonated drinks, which can cause stomach bloating and may reduce fluid intake.

• Avoid caffeine-filled beverages. They are diuretics and contribute to fluid loss.

• Check the color of your urine. Dark-colored urine may indicate you are dehydrated and need to drink fluids.

Swim Meet Etiquette from USA Swimming website

BY CAMI BREMER, Special Correspondent

Etiquette

It’s a word you’ve probably heard only when your grandmother reminds you not to dig into your hearty serving of Thanksgiving turkey until everyone has been served. However, etiquette is a word that every swimmer should know. After all, just as there are etiquette rules at your grandmother’s dinner table, there are etiquette rules for swimming, both in practice and at meets. Following these simple guidelines will help you (and your teammates) get the most out of the upcoming championship season.

Meet Etiquette

•  Arrive on time. Get to a meet early enough to settle down into a ‘spot’ with your team and be ready with your cap and goggles on when the warm-up session starts. Meet warm-ups are often short and crowded, so it’s important to be on time.

• Be prepared. It is best to know what events you are swimming BEFORE warm-up. This way, you can practice the appropriate starts, turns and sprints in the warm-up. Also, make sure that you have everything you need – towels, swimsuit, water bottle, cap and goggles

•  Sit with your teammates and cheer. Swim meets are the best time to get to know your teammates and build team spirit. It is also easier for your coach and teammates (relay members) to find you if they need you.

•  Stay positive. If you have a bad swim, or you don’t want to swim the events you’re entered in, get over it and just do your best. In her Road to Athens Journal, recently published on USA Swimming’s web site, Mary DeScenza writes, “Sometimes your coach puts you in an event you do not like. You just have to do your best and not complain.”

• Bring plenty of drinks and snacks. Know how much water you will need (about 8 ounces per event) and be prepared. Bring light snacks to munch on, such as fruit, goldfish or string cheese. You don’t want to be buying Skittles from the concession stand.

• Realize that relays are just as important as your individual events (if not more so). Give it your all and help pump up your teammates (no matter which relay you’re on). Swim in the relay order your coach gave you, and HAVE FUN! Also, stay and cheer on your team until your last teammate is out of the water.

• Talk to your coach and cool down after every event. Make sure that you see your coach after each event to get input on your race. And if you have time, cool down between events until your heart rate is below 100. Cooling down will make a huge difference in your body’s ability to recover for future races.