WHAT SHOULD YOU BRING?

K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Silly).Bring with you a folding lawn chair or blanket to sit on, lots of sunscreen, and a small ice chest with water, ice, and healthy snacks.Concessions are also available at most meets and benefit the home team. You might also want to bring some items to entertain younger swimmers between events (books, games, toys, etc). A wagon makes toting everything easier.

POP-UP TENTS 

Feel free to bring a Pop-Up Tent for shade and comfort for your family and a place for your swimmer to rest.Swimmers need to understand that this is a rest area.No running, wrestling, rowdy behavior will be allowed.Save the energy for swimming. Parents are responsible for the behavior of their children and are responsible for getting their swimmer to the ready bench area in time for their event.

SWIMMERS & PARENTS – after you arrive at the pool . . .

1. Find a spot and set-up your stuff.
2. “Circle-In” for the events that you are swimming. Deadline is 7:20. 
3. Be ready to warm up.
4. Parents and/or swimmers are responsible for getting themselves to the Age Group Parent (8 & under) or ready bench area (9 and up) in time for their event.

RESTRICTED AREAS 

Each Pool will have some restricted areas that are used to organize the meet. The ready bench area and the deck immediately around the pool are usually roped off. Please be considerate and avoid these areas so that the meet can run smoothly and efficiently. Seating can be very tight and close around the pool. More room is available outside the pool area near the tents. Playing in the pool is NOT allowed.  This includes using the pool to fill your swim cap.

RAIN DURING A MEET 

Per the NWAL RULE BOOK a meet can be DELAYED or POSTPONED due to climatic conditions. Swimming competition shall immediately be suspended when thunder is heard or lightning is visible. The meet shall be suspended until 15 minutes after the last thunder was heard or the last lighting was sighted. When a meet is suspended because of lightning and/or thunder, the pool area shall immediately be cleared of all participants, officials, and spectators. CHECK with the COACHES before leaving the pool site.

CIRCLING IN AT MEETS

Meets begin at 8:30 AM, but swimmers must be at the pool earlier for circle in and warm-ups (generally by 7:00 am.) The swimmers must check in upon arrival at the meet so that they can be counted present. Circle-in closes at 7:20.  If you will make the meet, but miss circle-in, you MUST contact a friend or a coach to mark you present.  Tardiness can result in the swimmer being scratched from the relays. If a swimmer must leave the meet early, check out with the coach so that the swimmer’s entry can be removed for the rest of the meet.

EVENTS

Individual events for each age group include freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley (IM).  14 and under can also compete in the 100 freestyle. NOTE: 6 & under swimmers usually only swim freestyle and backstroke; 7 & 8 year old swimmers usually don't swim the IM event.

There are also free and medley relay events swum by teams of four swimmers each.  A swimmer may participate in no more than three (3) individual events and the two (2) relays.

It is the responsibility of the coaches to determine which events each swimmer will swim in.  It is the goals of the program to have each swimmer swim every stroke in competition at least once during the season.  This is done to enhance the swimmer's overall ability and experience.  Therefor, the coach may not be able to put every swimmer in their best strokes at each meet.  We also allow swimmers and/or parents to pre-select events they would like to swim; but please understand, the coaches have the final say.

OFFICIALS AND DISAGREEMENTS

NWAL events are officiated by trained and certified judges.  If a swimmer does not swim a stroke within the limits established by the league, does not touch the wall in the prescribed manner, or does not have a clean start an official may call a disqualification (DQ) and the swim will not count.  At the conclusion of the swim, the official should explain to the swimmer why he or she was disqualified.  This should be looked at as a learning experience and the swimmer should tell the coach the reason for the disqualification so they can work on the problem at practice.

Under no circumstances is a parent or swimmer to approach an official or question an official's decision.  The officials are certified volunteers helping the sport and doing the best job they can. As with any sport, we may not always see it the way the official does. Please control your disappointment. The coaches will handle any questions or discussion about a call with the Team Representative who is the ONLY one who may take it up with the meet referee.

MISSING MEETS, LEAVING EARLY OR ARRIVING LATE

If you know you will not be able to make a meet, will arrive late to a meet or must leave a meet early, please let the coaches know.

There will be a meet log book at practices where you or your swimmer can write this information down for the coaches.

In addition to the meet logbook, please enter this information on the website when you RSVP for the meet.

You must RSVP by Tuesday at 11:59:59 PM!

As it is possible to scratch an absent swimmer, but not add a new swimmer after the entries are exchanged with the other team, all swimmers will be entered into individual events.  However, if you do not RSVP or RSVP no for a meet, then your swimmer will not be entered into relays.

The meet entries are put together and entered into the computer on Wednesday and exchanged with the other team on Thursday prior to the meet. There will be no late entries!!!!! You must RSVP by Tuesday at 11:59:59 PM in order for your child to swim relays in that Saturday’s meet!!

This also helps with volunteer assignments as the Volunteer Chair will remove families from their volunteer assignments if they have indicated they will not be attending the meet. And if the volunteer chair knows you're not attending, then they won't be calling you to fill in empty shifts.

DIVISIONAL MEET

At the end of the dual meet season, a divisional meet will be held between all the teams in our division. This is a very important meet where the Division Champion is decided. Please don’t miss this meet! All swimmers that have swum in 2 dual meets are encouraged to swim in this meet.