An Aquatics Competition
The competition you and your athletes experience will depend on many different factors. The meet may be a small, three to four team event for a practice, a regional event or a state games. The more swimmers involved, the more time the meet will take.
Communicate with your teams' volunteers and parents on what to expect.
- How long the event will be.
- What to expect from the athletes.
There may be only certain events offered. Some meets may have electric timing, others may use watches. This information is usually included in the meet information from the hosting team.
The team must arrive at least one hour before the event. The athletes need time to warm up and learn the flow of the meet (i.e., staging for competition and awards). The athletes must be aware of when their events will occur in the schedule.
Teaching the Components of an Aquatics Competition
- Have a practice meet.
- Use the whistle and commands.
- Practice warm-ups
Coaches Tips for Aquatics Competition — At-A-Glance
Tips for Practice
- Prior to the event, advise each athlete on what events he/she will compete in.
- Show a video of a previous meet.
- Have athletes practice with the people on their relay.
- Videotape athletes at practice; have them watch themselves.
- Obtain swimming instructional videos of strokes, starts and turns.
- Teach athletes to rehearse each race in their heads, "imagine the event."
