Oyster River Otters

Swim Meets: The Ins and Outs

Swimmers are divided into age groups: 8 & under, 9-10; 11-12; 13-14; 15-16 & 17-18.

In dual meets, the15-16 & 17-18's swim and score together. In Championships, they swim together, but score separately.

The order of events will vary for the league and USA Swimming meets.

Each swimmer may swim no more than 3 individual events and 2 relays at league meets. The coaches try to enter each swimmer in as many events as they are ready. In some cases due to time constraints or weather, a swimmer may not get all of their events.

The majority of the meets the Otters host and attend are preseeded with lane and heat assignments available in the program prior to the start of the meet.

NT (no time) and slower times swim first with fastest times in the last heat.

The larger USA Swimming meets routinely require a positive check in. This means you must tell the check in table that you are at the meet or you will be scratched. This must be done BEFORE getting into the pool for warm-ups.

There are 3 possible courses:

Short Couse Yards 25 yards UNH Pool

Short Course Meters 25 meters Portsmouth Pool

Long Course Meters 50 meters Jenny Thomas Pool

During the winter we swim only short course, either yards or meters. In the summer, swimmers have the opportunity at a league meet to swim 50 meters.

What should a swimmer do ?

When a swimmer arrives at the pool for a meet, their 1st job is to check in with the coach, parent, or older swimmer taking attendance. This helps make sure there are no gaps in the meet if someone doesn't show.

Warm-ups, under the direction of a coach

No jumping or diving in during warm ups.

Enter at the starting end of the pool and under the direction of a coach.