Meets and Events
Where do away meets take place?
How do I sign up for meets?
What if I miss the meet registration deadline?
What are the expectations for parents and swimmers at meets?
When do we arrive for meets?
Do we really need to be there for warm ups? Can we just arrive when the meet starts?
Where do I go once I arrive at the pool?
What events are included in the meet?
What is the order of strokes in the Individual Medley (IM) event?
How do relays work?
What is the order of strokes in the Medley Relay?
How are meet events timed?
What’s the Fun Meet?
What if there is rain or cold temperatures on meet day?
Do I need a heat sheet? How do I get a copy?
What are the little charts swimmers write on their arms with Sharpies?
What is Clerk of Course?
Can I walk my child to Clerk of Course or to the blocks/ their lane for their event?
What should we bring to the meet?
Will there be concessions available?
How are ribbons awarded? When will my swimmer receive their ribbons?
What should we expect at a meet?
Each pool in our league is different, but you can always expect lots of kids and families at meets! Be prepared for heat and sun and a gradual transition to cooler temps as the sun goes down (meets last a few hours).
Preparation is key, so review the questions and answers below and check out our other helpful documents here.
Where do away meets take place?
There are five teams in our league:- Clinton County Barracudas - Wilmington
- Forest Ridge Fighting Fish - Riverside/Fairborn area
- Greene Valley Gators - Beavercreek
- Yellow Springs Sea Dogs - Yellow Springs
- Oakwood Dolphins - Oakwood
How do I sign up for meets?
Each swimmer needs to sign up in advance for each individual meet that they will swim in. This is done on Swimtopia under the "Meets & Events" tab. Registration for all meets will open the first day of practice. Registration deadlines are as follows:- Swimmers must sign up by Friday at noon (12:00 p.m.) for all Tuesday meets (each Friday prior to each Tuesday meet)
- Swimmers must sign up by Monday at noon (12:00 p.m.) for all Thursday meets (each Monday prior to each Thursday meet)
What if I miss the meet registration deadline?
No registrations will be accepted once the deadline has passed. However, we understand that things happen and we do want everyone to be able to swim. If you accidentally miss a registration deadline, please contact us via oakwooddolphinsswim@gmail.com to ask about our late entry procedure. A late entry basically means that if there are any open lanes in any events in your child's age group, we may be able to plug them in.
This option will require a little work on your part. Please note that we cannot guarantee your child will be able to be placed in an event. Thanks for understanding.
What are the expectations for parents and swimmers at meets?
Meets have many “moving parts” and lots of people! Here’s what you’ll need to do at home and away meets:- Arrive on time for warmups, ready to swim.
- Have your swimmer(s) check in:
- For home meets go to the swimmer check in table (by the diving boards)
- For away meets check in directly with the coaches
- Locate and pay attention to the event board throughout the meet.
- Locate Clerk of Course so your swimmer(s) know where to go when their events are called. Please do not accompany your swimmer to Clerk of Course.
- Each family is required to provide one volunteer per family for every home meet in which they have a swimmer participating.
- Check in for your volunteer shift:
- For home meets go to the volunteer check in table
- For away meets check in with the Parent Reps
- If you are timing, listen for announcements for the Timers’ meeting before the start of the meet, and when/where to report.
- You are responsible for reporting to your work area on time - please don’t wait to be called.
- Most jobs switch at the halfway point (event 40) so if you are working the second half of the meet, please arrive at your work area a few minutes before it’s time to switch. This ensures a smooth transition and keeps the meet moving.
- Be a good sport! Cheer for your swimmer(s) and encourage them to be respectful of the other team, their coaches and volunteers, and their pool facilities.
When do we arrive for meets?
Dolphins home meets have a slightly earlier timeline than away meets. For home meets:- 4:15 - Swimmers report to Gardner Pool to check-in
- 4:30 - warmups begin
- 5:30 - meet starts
- 5:00 - Swimmers check in with Dolphins coaches
- 5:30 (approximate) - warmups
- 6:00 - meet starts
Do we really need to be there for warm ups? Can we just arrive when the meet starts?
We understand that work, activities, and childcare responsibilities make for tight schedules. However, please do your best to arrive in time for warm ups (carpooling can be a great option).
Warm ups serve several purposes:- Swimmers get a chance to practice strokes, turns, and starts and warm their bodies up for their events.
- Swimmers have the opportunity to get comfortable with how the pool feels - each pool in the league has slightly different start blocks, flags, and other small details that are helpful for swimmers to be familiar with.
- Warm ups give the coaches a chance to know early on who is there so they can plan relays.
- Coaches often give swimmers last-minute tips for starts, turns, and strokes during warm ups.
Where do I go once I arrive at the pool?
For home meets, please refer to the diagram of Gardner Pool on our documents page, which shows where the key swim meet areas are.
Each of our away meet pools is set up a little differently. If you have a volunteer shift (either half), find a Dolphins Parent Rep to check in as early as possible. Have your swimmer(s) check in with the Dolphins coaches. Our team usually sits in a large group, so keep an eye out for other Dolphins families and set up your chairs and blankets.
Before the meet starts is also a good time to locate Clerk of Course and the event board.
What events are included in the meet?
| Event # | Age Group | Event Name | Event # | Age Group | Event Name |
| 1 | 6 & U Girls | 25 Freestyle | 41 | 15 - 18 Girls | 50 Backstroke |
| 2 | 6 & U Boys | 25 Freestyle | 42 | 15 - 18 Boys | 50 Backstroke |
| 3 | 9 – 10 Girls | 50 Freestyle | 43 | 9 – 10 Girls | 100 I.M. |
| 4 | 9 – 10 Boys | 50 Freestyle | 44 | 9 – 10 Boys | 100 I.M. |
| 5 | 11 – 12 Girls | 100 Freestyle | 45 | 11 – 12 Girls | 100 I.M. |
| 6 | 11 – 12 Boys | 100 Freestyle | 46 | 11 – 12 Boys | 100 I.M. |
| 7 | 13 – 14 Girls | 100 Freestyle | 47 | 13 – 14 Girls | 100 I.M. |
| 8 | 13 – 14 Boys | 100 Freestyle | 48 | 13 – 14 Boys | 100 I.M. |
| 9 | 15 - 18 Girls | 100 Freestyle | 49 | 15 - 18 Girls | 200 I.M. |
| 10 | 15 - 18 Boys | 100 Freestyle | 50 | 15 - 18 Boys | 200 I.M. |
| 11 | 8 & U Girls | 100 Medley Relay | 51 | 8 & U Girls | 25 Breaststroke |
| 12 | 8 & U Boys | 100 Medley Relay | 52 | 8 & U Boys | 25 Breaststroke |
| 13 | 9 – 10 Girls | 100 Medley Relay | 53 | 9 – 10 Girls | 25 Breaststroke |
| 14 | 9 – 10 Boys | 100 Medley Relay | 54 | 9 – 10 Boys | 25 Breaststroke |
| 15 | 11 – 12 Girls | 200 Medley Relay | 55 | 11 – 12 Girls | 50 Breaststroke |
| 16 | 11 – 12 Boys | 200 Medley Relay | 56 | 11 – 12 Boys | 50 Breaststroke |
| 17 | 13 – 14 Girls | 200 Medley Relay | 57 | 13 – 14 Girls | 50 Breaststroke |
| 18 | 13 – 14 Boys | 200 Medley Relay | 58 | 13 – 14 Boys | 50 Breaststroke |
| 19 | 15 - 18 Girls | 200 Medley Relay | 59 | 15 - 18 Girls | 50 Breaststroke |
| 20 | 15 - 18 Boys | 200 Medley Relay | 60 | 15 - 18 Boys | 50 Breaststroke |
| 21 | 8 & U Girls | 25 Butterfly | 61 | 7 - 8 Girls | 25 Freestyle |
| 22 | 8 & U Boys | 25 Butterfly | 62 | 7 - 8 Boys | 25 Freestyle |
| 23 | 9 – 10 Girls | 25 Butterfly | 63 | 9 – 10 Girls | 25 Freestyle |
| 24 | 9 – 10 Boys | 25 Butterfly | 64 | 9 – 10 Boys | 25 Freestyle |
| 25 | 11 – 12 Girls | 50 Butterfly | 65 | 11 – 12 Girls | 50 Freestyle |
| 26 | 11 – 12 Boys | 50 Butterfly | 66 | 11 – 12 Boys | 50 Freestyle |
| 27 | 13 – 14 Girls | 50 Butterfly | 67 | 13 – 14 Girls | 50 Freestyle |
| 28 | 13 – 14 Boys | 50 Butterfly | 68 | 13 – 14 Boys | 50 Freestyle |
| 29 | 15 - 18 Girls | 50 Butterfly | 69 | 15 - 18 Girls | 50 Freestyle |
| 30 | 15 - 18 Boys | 50 Butterfly | 70 | 15 - 18 Boys | 50 Freestyle |
| 31 | 6 & U Girls | 25 Backstroke | 71 | 8 & U Girls | 100 Free Relay |
| 32 | 6 & U Boys | 25 Backstroke | 72 | 8 & U Boys | 100 Free Relay |
| 33 | 7-8 Girls | 25 Backstroke | 73 | 9 – 10 Girls | 100 Free Relay |
| 34 | 7-8 Boys | 25 Backstroke | 74 | 9 – 10 Boys | 100 Free Relay |
| 35 | 9 – 10 Girls | 25 Backstroke | 75 | 11 – 12 Girls | 200 Free Relay |
| 36 | 9 – 10 Boys | 25 Backstroke | 76 | 11 – 12 Boys | 200 Free Relay |
| 37 | 11 – 12 Girls | 50 Backstroke | 77 | 13 – 14 Girls | 200 Free Relay |
| 38 | 11 – 12 Boys | 50 Backstroke | 78 | 13 – 14 Boys | 200 Free Relay |
| 39 | 13 – 14 Girls | 50 Backstroke | 79 | 15 - 18 Girls | 200 Free Relay |
| 40 | 13 – 14 Boys | 50 Backstroke | 80 | 15 - 18 Boys | 200 Free Relay |
What is the order of strokes in the Individual Medley (IM) event?
In an individual medley event, or IM, a swimmer swims each of the four strokes in this order:- Butterfly
- Backstroke
- Breaststroke
- Freestyle
Swimmers complete 25m of each stroke in order for a 100m IM and 50m of each stroke in order for a 200m IM.
Note that this differs from Medley Relay order.
How do relays work?
Relays consist of teams of four swimmers who each take turns swimming the four “legs” of a race. Ages 10 and under may swim 100 meter relay events (25 meters per swimmer), and ages 11 and up may swim 200 meter relay events (50 meters per swimmer).
Each meet has two sets of relays: medley relays toward the middle of the meet, and freestyle relays at the very end. When you sign your child up for meets, please indicate if he or she is available for relays.
Coaches will work with swimmers to make sure they know where to line up and how to swim a relay legally. Swimmers may only swim once during the same relay event (e.g., a relay team may not consist of three swimmers with one swimming twice).
If your availability changes, let the coaches or Parent Reps know as soon as possible. This allows us to find someone to take your child’s place so the relay team can still swim the event.
What is the order of strokes in the Medley Relay?
Unlike freestyle relays, in which all swimmers swim freestyle, in a medley relay each swimmer swims one of the four strokes in this order:- Swimmer 1 - Backstroke
- Swimmer 2 - Breaststroke
- Swimmer 3 - Butterfly
- Swimmer 4 - Freestyle
How are meet events timed?
Each heat of each event begins with the swimmers stepping up on the blocks. Our team uses a Colorado Timing Systems Infinity Start System that sounds a buzzer and flashes a strobe to signal the start of the heat.
Each lane has one timer who holds a manual stopwatch, electronic timing button**, and clipboard. Timers start the stopwatches manually when the strobe flashes and stop the watch and press the timing button when they observe the swimmer touch the wall at the end of the race. A backup timer also stands behind the blocks running two extra manual stopwatches in case of watch malfunctions in any lane.
**In 2023 the Dolphins purchased an electronic timing system to use in addition to manual stopwatches.
What’s the Fun Meet?
The Fun Meet is the very first meet of the season. It’s a practice meet for Oakwood Dolphins 10 and under swimmers only (ages 5 to 10 as of June 1). This is a great way for new swimmers (and their families!) to experience a meet without the pressure of competition against another team, and it is a refresher for the returning swimmers. The parent volunteers and the older swimmers (11 and up) help to run the meet. It is a lot of fun for everyone! We encourage all swimmers to attend.
For the Fun Meet only swimmers should report to the pool to check-in no later than 4:45 p.m. Warmups start at 5:00. The meet starts at 5:30.
Note that because this meet is limited to 10 and under swimmers, there will be large jumps in the event numbers (see the table of meet events above).
The Fun Meet is not considered a regular season meet and therefore does not count toward the two regular season meets needed to participate in championships, nor may records be set during the Fun Meet.
Because it is usually a very short meet, we will have water for sale, but no additional concessions will be available.
What if there is rain or cold temperatures on meet day?
In the event of bad weather before or during a meet, please understand that safety is our priority but that we will always do all that we can to hold the meet. This means the meet may be delayed one or more times so be prepared to stand in the rain or wait out lightning in your car.
All delays and cancellations will be posted via email and Facebook. We appreciate your patience in bad weather.
Please also remember that if the team decides to delay or continue on but your family would rather leave, you are welcome to do so, please let a Parent Rep or coach know so we can alter the schedule and lanes accordingly.
Do I need a heat sheet? How do I get a copy?
The heat sheet shows which events your swimmer is in, along with the heat and lane in which they will swim. We do our best to email the heat sheet to the team before warmups; although, at times there are last-minute changes. A paper copy of the heat sheet will also be posted at the pool so you can note any changes.
Relays are usually not posted until after warm ups to ensure all participating swimmers are in attendance and accounted for. Look for this information near the rest of the heat sheet.
If your child is in a relay at the end of the meet and you’re unable to stay, please inform the Parent Reps and/or coaches as soon as possible so we can find an alternate swimmer. Please do not leave the meet without letting someone know.
What are the little charts swimmers write on their arms with Sharpies?
While there are many ways to keep track of your swimmer’s events, many find it easiest to write the events directly on the swimmer’s arm or leg with a Sharpie marker (backs of hands are often not large enough for all the needed information). This is not required but it can make life easier if your swimmer is on the other side of the pool deck when their events are called so they know when they swim.
Above is an example of how to write each Event, Heat, Lane, and Stroke in a simple chart. Pictured is a swimmer who will swim in event 35, heat 1, lane 3 for the 25m backstroke and then event 53, heat 1, lane 2 for the 25m breaststroke. For a detailed explanation see the Arm Writing 101 sidebar on our Heat Sheet Instructions on the document page.
Sharpies are preferred because the tip doesn’t hurt or poke and the ink stays on in the pool. It is easily removed with some spray sunblock or a good scrub in the tub or shower.
What is Clerk of Course?
Clerk of course is a staging area where swimmers are organized into their assigned lanes and heats prior to their events. Volunteers refer to the heat sheet to verify names, events, heats, and lanes and line swimmers up in an area close to the blocks. This is to keep the meet moving smoothly.
As soon as you arrive, look around the pool area and find the Clerk of Course area near the starting blocks.
Please listen for announcements of upcoming event numbers and calls to report to Clerk of Course. Usually swimmers are asked to report 3 to 5 events ahead of time.
Can I walk my child to Clerk of Course or to the blocks/ their lane for their event?
Parents should NOT accompany their child to Clerk of Course or behind the blocks. Both of these areas are extremely crowded and busy, so we need to limit it to swimmers and Clerk of Course volunteers only.
What should we bring to the meet?
It can feel like packing up for a trip out of town at times, but our philosophy is it’s better to be prepared! Basics to bring include:- Chairs (more appropriate for away meets)
- Blankets for kids to sit on
- Swimsuit, goggles, and swim cap
- Extra towels
- Sharpies
- Games/distractions
- Snacks, drinks, and/or cash for concessions
- Dry clothes
- Warmer clothes for cooler nights
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen
Will there be concessions available?
Yes. Each pool in our league has concessions, though offerings differ at each pool. Be sure to have cash on hand as concessions are usually cash-only. You are also welcome to bring your own snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.
Please note that for the Fun Meet only, we will have water for sale but no additional concessions.
How are ribbons awarded? When will my swimmer receive their ribbons?
For all home meets the ribbons will be awarded as follows:
For swimmers ages 5 - 10:- 1st-3rd place ribbons are given for the first heat only in each event and participation ribbons are given for all others.
- Heat Winner ribbons will be handed out poolside at the end of every heat for every individual event except the first heat.
- Heat Winner and participation ribbons are not given for relay events.
- 1st-3rd place ribbons are given for the first heat only in each event. No participation ribbons are given.
- Heat Winner ribbons will be handed out poolside at the end of every heat for every individual event except the first heat.
- Heat Winner ribbons are not given for relay events.
Ribbons can be found in family folders three (3) days after each meet.
For away meets, each host team will have different ribbon policies and procedures. Any ribbons awarded will be available in family folders three (3) days after the meet.
