Swim Meet Tips & Tricks
The Tucson J Stingrays encourages all swimmers to participate in swim meets and let their hard work show!
A schedule of upcoming meets can be found on the team calendar. Coach Evan will send out information about every meet and how to register and select events when meet registration opens (typically about 1 month prior to the meet start date). If you have any questions regarding which events to swim or what meets to try, please contact the coaching staff for guidance!
Swim meets are a great way to connect with fellow Stingray families outside of the J! Look for our tent setup outside the pool to find our team area and fellow families. Be sure to wear any Stingray apparel to show off your Stingray pride!
What to bring:
- Team competition suit
- Goggles (backup pair encouraged!)
- Swim cap (backup cap encouraged)
- 2-3 towels
- Deck shoes (flip flops, crocs)
- Sunscreen
- Healthy snacks (fruit, granola bars, sandwiches, pretzels)
- Drinks (Water, sports drinks, hydration packets)
- Sharpie for writing heat/lane assignments
- Camp chairs or other seating
- Dry clothes to wear home
- Extras - Headphones, card games, books, phone chargers
What not to bring:
- Swim shirts or noncompliant swim wear
- Glass containers
- Gear required at practice (kickboards, fins, pull buoys, etc.)
- Candy or junk food
- Valuables that might get lost or stolen
How to be a great swim parent:
- Help your swimmer arrive prepared, rested, and on time
- Cheer for effort, not just results
- Leave the coaching to the coaches
- Avoid discussing technique right after a swim
- Ask questions - "What did you learn?" "Did you have fun?"
- Trust the process! One race does not define your athlete's future
Advice for Families
Swim meets are exciting, rewarding, and sometimes stressful for swimmers, coaches, and parents alike. Every swimmer steps up to the blocks hoping to perform at their best, but best times don't happen every time. Progress is not always measured by the clock, but rather the process.
As a coaching staff, our goal is to make every swim a learning opportunity. Regardless of whether a swimmer finishes first or last, swims a PB (personal best) or a race they would rather forget, there is always something to celebrate and something to improve. Even if one of our athletes qualified for the Olympics, we would still ask, "What can we learn from that swim?"
As a parent or guardian, your most important role is not to coach your swimmer - it is to be their biggest supporter and #1 fan. The coaches will handle race strategy, technique, and feedback. The very best thing you can do is provide encouragement, perspective, and a positive environment before, during, and after a meet. With good environments comes good effort and habits; times and results are a by-product!
When swimmers know that they have a team of coaches and family supporting them regardless of outcome, they are free to focus on learning, competing, and having fun.