Meet Information: Frequently Asked Questions

The following is a list of Frequently Asked Questions about meets. If you have any questions that are not answered below, please contact your coach and they will gladly answer any questions.

What events do I enter my child in if they are new?

If they are in blue or orange, we would like to see them start out swimming the freestyle and backstroke events at their first meet. Then as we progress through the season, we start to add the other strokes. It is important that they feel success early on, so that they are not afraid later on to go to meets.

If they are new to another group, email the coach or call the coach and ask them what they think they need to be swimming. Normally we will ask that they swim as many events as possible. We do not want them to become a 1 or 2 event swimmer, we want them to be able to swim everything.

When are the entries due and where?

Entries are due when stated on the weekly newsletter, Metro newsletter, or meet information on the board at the pool.  The entry date in the meet information is when the meet entries are due by Metro to the host team.  The date given out (hand written or when it says it due by us) is the date the entries are due to us.  The easiest way to enter the meet is through www.directathletics.com.  You will need a username and password from Brent Mitchell.  To get these, please email him at coachbrentmitchell@hotmail.com

How do I know where to send my child?

Each swimmer will attain times when they have swum an event. These time standards are under the Top Times section on the website. This is a tool that you will need at swim meets.  

To be an A swimmer, then your swimmer must be able to go an A time in an event to swim it at that meet. To swim all events at most meets then this swimmer must have three A times.

To be a BB swimmer, your swimmer must be able to go a BB time in an event to swim it at that meet. To swim all events at most meets then this swimmer must have three BB times.

To be a B swimmer, your swimmer must go a B time.

All other swimmers, including new swimmers, are C swimmers.

There are no time standards for 8 and under events (25’s)

With this as help, you can tell what level your swimmer is and what meet they need to go to. You cannot go to a higher meet until you have reached that level.

Do you have our child’s times?

Yes, once a swimmer has swum in a meet then a file is sent to the Time Chairman of Metroplex Aquatics, Brent Mitchell, and it is entered into the computer. If a child gets a disqualification, then that time is not sent and that time is not valid. Some complaints come that their best time book does not match the time, make sure that your child was not disqualified.  You can see these times on the hy-tek website which you can find under the meet info part of our website.

How do I late enter a meet?

Late Entries must be done at the meet. Please do not email entries after the due date for entries. If you look at the meet information, you will see if late entries are accepted. Normally there is a late entry fee for each event entered. You will have to pay that as well. Please try and get to the meet more than 15 minutes early (before warm-up) to try and get this taken care of. If you need help, the coaches will help as long as you are early to the meet. Please understand that their job is to corral all the kids to get into the pool so that they get in on time.

The clerk of course will help normally, but have something set up before you go, namely, the events that they are going to swim, USA card, times for each event printed from USS swim website and a check.  You must get your child's times.  To get those times click here. 

How do I get directions?

If you check the meet information at the top of the information is a location for the pool. If you plug this in to mapblast at www.mapblast.com, it will give you directions from your house to the pool.

When to be at the pool?

The coaches will always want you to be at the pool 15 minutes before warm-up. Warm-Up times for each session are on the meet information.

How do we check in?

The swimmer (normally the parent) will be responsible for checking in the swimmer. Please make sure to check in each event, not just the first event that they swim. It is normally posted with a sign that states “Check-In” on deck.

What do I do as a parent?

Make sure you do not come down on deck. Only USA registered people are allowed on deck, meaning, coaches, swimmers, and officials. If you would like to come on deck, it would be great if you would time behind the blocks.  However, please make sure that your child is checked in.

What does my swimmer do?

Your swimmer needs to see the coach before and after the race. Normally what happens at a new meet is the child will run up and talk to you the parent. Make sure that you ask them if they talked to the coaches. We have 30 to 35 swimmers normally at a meet and it is rising, we as coaches can not go run and find your kids. They need to come to us.