Granite Marlins

Meet Information:

All meets start at 6:00 pm. Warm ups for home meets begin at 4:45 pm and 5:15 pm for away meets.

Items to bring to a meet: swimsuit, goggles, swim cap, a towel, sweatshirts/sweatpants (cools off at night), sharpie, entertainment items (books, cards)

It is a good idea to pack a cooler (especially for away meets) with sandwiches, crackers, fruit, water, sports drinks, but make sure you bring money for the Famous Granite Grill for home meets.

Meet organization: Swimmers will swim in events based on the swimmer's age and gender. The order of events: 8 and under relays, individual medley, freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke and 9 and over relays.

Meet Theme: We will announce a theme for each home meet this year prior to the meet. We also are planning some special “olympic” events for fun day practices this year.

FAQ’s

How does the team share information to families about meets and other events?

We will email or text most information to families using the Swimtopia's communication options. We will also post important information on the Granite Marlins page on Swimtopia.

What happens when bad weather hits?

We usually do not have to cancel morning practices, but since we are starting morning practice much earlier than normal, we will monitor air temperatures and adjust if necessary. If the pool is closed for weather conditions, we may have to adjust or cancel practice. We will try to alert parents as soon as possible.

Meets can be rescheduled or canceled due to inclement weather. If bad weather hits before the start of the meet and it does not look like it will pass for quite some time, the meet may be postponed to the next available evening. If bad weather hits during the middle of the meet, the meet may be postponed or be called. Once again, we will communicate as soon as possible.

What happens at “Fun Day”?

The coaches will organize games and activities for swim team members. At the end of practice, ribbons will be distributed and a treat provided (donuts, most of the time). Due to limited space and practice opportunities in the evening, we will only provide ribbons and treats for evening practices (we may do some fun relays).

Do swimmers have to participate in meets?

Yes. The expectation is that when a child is ready to swim, they participate in every meet. If a swimmer is not able to compete in a meet (vacation, camp, work, etc.), please let the coaches know immediately. It is very difficult to make changes to entries after our entries are due (24 hours before the start of the meet).

Do parents have to attend practices?

No, but coaches will not be able to supervise swimmers before or after their scheduled practice times. If parents do attend practices, please allow the coaches space to instruct the swimmers at practice. If you have any questions for the coaches, please reserve those until after practice. If it cannot wait, please speak to Coach Matt at practice.

How do I sign up my child for a meet? When can I leave a swim meet?

We will send an email out letting you know when families can announce their intentions to participate in a meet. When selecting “attend or decline” on the invitation, you will also be able to “request” the events your child would like to swim. However, the coaches will have the final say (sometimes we place swimmers in events for competitive reasons or because the coaches believe a swimmer is ready to swim an event). Please remember an individual medley requires the swimmer to swim each stroke for a length of the pool. This event is usually reserved for swimmers 9 and over. This event is different from the medley relay which has 4 swimmers swimming one of the four strokes. The coaches will create relays, so there is no need to sign up for a relay event.

Once your child has swum their events, they are free to leave the meet. However, if they are not scheduled to swim in a relay, they should check with the coaches to make sure they are needed for a relay. If they are scheduled to be in a relay, they are expected to swim the event.

How do I Volunteer Online for Meets and Special Events--*  We will be using the Swimtopia platform for volunteer positions. Please make sure a representative of your family is volunteering for every meet (especially, home meets). We cannot run an effective meet without parent involvement. 

Job Descriptions:

Strokes and turns, referee, starter, computer operator do require RMAL training. Please monitor RMAL’s website for training schedules. We have several parents who are “retiring” this year and have been performing some of these jobs for over a decade. We desperately need new volunteers to be trained.

Timers/Head Timer – no experience needed, best seat in the house right at the pools edge

Strokes and Turns – must attend one training session and watch videos on proper stroke technique

Mite Parent – no experience needed; you will help wrangle the young kids for their events. Great job for parents of little ones who want to be near the action

Clerk of Course helpers – no experience needed, assist the head Clerk of Course organize swimmers in heats/lanes

Runner – no experience needed, collects timer sheets and DQ slips after each heat and delivers to

computer table and referee

Heat Winner – no experience needed, hands out the “treat” to the winner of each heat for younger swimmers

Grill Workers – no experience needed, home meets only. Help grill (burgers and hot dogs), work the booth to sell home baked goods as our teams fundraiser