For athletes & parents new to swim meets, please scroll down for important information.
Please Note: Minimum Registered Swimmers are required for Skimmers participation in specific swim meets
2024/2025 Swim Meet Schedule
(coaches will advise swimmers & families on events):
Race League (RL) is typically meant for new competitive swimmers
Short course (SC) is 25m lane length; Long course (LC) is 50m lane length
* Oct 19, 2024 – Bison Sprint & Race League Meet, SC, Racing League, Pan Am, Main Tank (meet package)
* Nov 2-3, 2024 Manitoba Marlins Meet, SC, Pan Am Training Tank (meet package || Open to Level 2 swimmers. Athletes are only attending sessions 2 & 4)
* Nov 22-23, 2024 Seals Last Chance, SC, Pan Am Training Tank (meet package)
* Nov 29-Dec 1, 2024 Brandon Rural Round Up, SC & Racing League, Brandon Community Sportsplex, Brandon MB (meet package)
* Dec 5-8, 2024 – Prairie Winter Invitational, Main Tank Pan Am Pool (meet package || Qualifying times are required)
* Jan 11, 2025 – Bison Sprint Meet SC & Racing League, Pan Am Training Tank (meet package)
* Jan 19, 2025 – Selkirk Racing League, SC, Selkirk (meet package)
* Jan 24-26, 2025 – Seals Invitational, SC, Pan Am Training Tank (meet package)
* Feb 7-9, 2025 – Jr Provincials, SC, Brandon, qualifying times required (meet package)
* Feb 21 -22, 2025 – Manta Grand Prix, LC, Pan Am Training Tank, qualifying times required (meet package)
* Mar 6-9, 2025 – ManSask, LC, Regina, qualifying times required (meet package)
* March 23, 2025 – Skimmers Racing League, SC, Steinbach (meet package)
* Apr 12, 2025 – Marlins Sprint-Distance, LC, Pan Am Training Tank (meet package)
* April 26-27, 2025 – Kenora Swimming Sharks Invitational, Kenora (meet package)
*May 9-11, 2025 Manta Invitational, LC, Pan Am Training Tank (meet package)
*May 23-25, 2025 – Gold Plains Invitational, LC, Pan Am Training Tank, qualifying times required (meet package)
* Jun 13-14, 2025 – Jr. Provincials, LC, Pan Am Training Tank, qualifying times required (meet package)
*June 21, 2025 – Steinbach Racing League, Racing League, Steinbach MB
* July 10-13, 2025 – ManSask, LC, Main Tank Pan Am Pool, Winnipeg, qualifying times required (meet package)
** Please check your emails for up to date information.
To reach out to us at anytime, please email steinbachskimmers@gmail.com.
THANK YOU!
SWIM MEET INFORMATION
Swim Meet “LINGO”
Swim Meet: Swim competition between at least 2 teams.
Event: A swim meet is made up of “events” which can be specific to an age group, boys/girls, and specific swim stroke.
Heat: An event has more than one heat. The fastest group of swimmers, based on recorded times, are always in the last heat. The heats work backwards based on times with the slower times competing in the first heats.
Short Course: The length of each “lap” is 25 meters. A 50 meter swim would be “there-and-back”.
Long Course: The length of each “lap” is 50 meters. A 50 meter swim would be a single length of the pool.
Strokes: The 4 competitive strokes are Butterfly (Fly), Backstroke, Breaststroke and Freestyle (Free).
IM (Individual Medley): An individual swimmer swims at least 1 lap of each of the 4 competitive strokes.
Seed Time: Swimmers best recorded time for an event.
Time Standards: Benchmark times for swimmers to gain a general idea of how they stack up against other swimmers in their age group.
“A” Times: These are provincial time standards. A swimmer needs to have a seed time of at least the “A” time to compete at the provincial championships.
“AA” Times: These are ManSask time standards and are faster than “A” times. A swimmer needs to have a seed time of at least the “AA” time to compete at the ManSask championships.
Swim Meet Basics
Swim meets are a great family experience.
Listed below are some guidelines geared to help you through your first swim meets. It may seem a little overwhelming, but if you have any questions, please ask your coach or fellow swim parents.
Depending on the details of the meet, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Food is fuel for your Skimmer so make sure they have snacks, a water bottle and anything else they need to last them through the day.
- Temperatures on deck can vary, so make sure swimmers have an extra towel, sweater, and warm clothing to keep them comfortable.
- Sandals or flip-flops are a good idea.
- A swim bag big enough to hold everything they bring, including their street clothes and shoes, will help your swimmer stay organized.
WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SWIM MEETS
The day(s) can be quite long, so please make sure your swimmer packs the following:
- Lunch & snacks
- Something to read
- Deck of cards or other games/activities
- Warm clothes to wear between events
- Extra Towel
- Flip Flops/Shoes for on deck
It can also be a long day for you and any other family joining you to watch. Ideas for things to bring:
- Food & snacks
- Print heat sheets at home and highlight your child’s events and/or download the ‘Meet Mobile : Swim’ app (free version shows you heat schedules, paid version shows you results ~$12/year)
- Activities for other children or unruly dads
- iPad/laptop (there is WiFi access at most pools)
- Lawn chair or blanket to sit on in the spectator area (parents are not allowed on deck)
- Shorts and flip flops – it can get very hot in the facility – even in winter
Before The Swim Meet Starts
- Arrive at the pool at least 15 minutes before the scheduled warm-up time begins. This time will be communicated to your swimmer prior to the meet.
- Upon arrival, swimmers get changed into your swim suit, and find your team on deck. Parents are not allowed on deck (unless volunteering) so this may be a responsibility of your swimmer or your swimmer’s coach.
- Make sure your swimmer checks in with the coach!
- Swimmers should take note of each event number and start time they are competing in. It is their responsibility to ensure they are ready and on deck before their event. Many swimmers write their events, heats, and lane numbers in sharpie on their arm or leg. For example: E13, H3, L4
- Your swimmer should have their cap and goggles and report to the coach for warm-up instructions. It is very important for all swimmers to warm-up with the team. A swimmer’s body is just like a car on a cold day – they need to get the engine going and warmed-up before they can go all out.
- After warm-up, your swimmer will go back to the area where the team is sitting and wait there until their first event is called. This is a good time to make sure they go to the bathroom if necessary, get a drink, or just get settled in.
- The meet will usually start about 5 minutes after warm-ups are over.
Meet Starts
- It is important for any swimmer to know what event numbers they are swimming. Swimmers may swim right away after warm-up or they may have to wait awhile.
- Most meets are computerized so swimmers are able to see which event is happening.
- Swimmers get to their lane by reporting to the heat marshal a couple of heats before they actually swim. The heat marshal will ask them their name, line them up with their heat, and then direct them to the blocks when it’s time. Swimmers should report with their cap and goggles. Check with your swimmer’s coach for any other instructions.
- The swimmer swims their race.
- After each swim, the swimmer should go immediately to their coach. The coach will discuss the swim with each swimmer. Sometimes, there is a cool-down pool for swimmers to do a recovery swim.
- Generally, the coach follows these guidelines when discussing swims:
- Positive comments or praise
- Suggestions for improvement
- Swimmers now wait until their next event is called and start the procedure again. If there is enough time between events, swimmers are welcome to use the bathrooms, get a drink or something light to eat.
- When a swimmer has completed all of their events, they may go home.
- Please make sure, however, that you, as a parent, check with the coach before leaving to make sure your swimmer is not included on a relay team (if available). It’s very disappointing to other swimmers who may have stayed to swim on a relay team, where your swimmer is expected, and they are not there.
- Results are usually posted in Meet Mobile : Swim quite quickly and/or jot down times on your printed heat sheets, if you like.
- If the meet is providing awards, they are usually given to the coach at the end of the meet. The coach will give the awards to the swimmers at a later practice.
- Things you, as a parent, can do after a meet:
- Tell your swimmer how great they did! It’s important to tell your swimmer how proud you are and what a great job they did.
- Please leave stroke technique improvements to our wonderful coaching staff.
- Celebrate a great experience!
Rules
The technical rules of swimming are designed to provide fair and equitable conditions of competition and to promote uniformity in the sport. Each swimming stroke has specific rules designed to ensure that no swimmer gets an unfair competitive advantage over another swimmer.
Course
Competition pools may be short course (25 yards or 25 meters), or long course (50 meters). The international standard (as used in the Olympics) is 50 meters. World records are accomplished in 25 and 50 meter pools.
Competition
Participants compete in different age groups and meets depending on their achievement level and how old they are on the first day of the meet. Traditionally recognized age groups are 10 and under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18. Many local meets feature 8 and under, single age groups, or senior events. Team practice groups are usually determined by age and/or ability.
Officials
Officials are present at all competitions to enforce the technical rules of swimming so the competition is fair and equitable. Officials attend clinics, pass a written test and work meets before being certified. All parents are encouraged to get involved with some form of officiating.