Good evening, Cruisers!

You all know the drill, let's get rolling with the pre-meet email!

Meet Theme: Favorite College/Team

1. Meet Timeline

4:30pm - 5:00pm: Check-In

If you are going to be late to check-in/the meet or you are suddenly unable to attend, please email me as soon as possible at [email protected]

All swimmers must arrive to check-in with their events (except for relays) already written down or memorized.  I will not be able to pull up events during check-in.  A pdf is attached to this email with all swimmers' events for this week.  Please reference this for event numbers. 

As with the past few weeks, I will be doing check-in and working on relays/adjusting individual event entries based off of changing attendance, so please save all non-emergency questions until check-in has ended.  The 8 and under relay board will be located at the check-in table, please take note when checking in!

I will also be asking if you will be able to return for our rain date, Thursday the 7th, at check-in.

5:00pm - 5:20pm: Colonies Warm-Ups

5:00 - 5:10: 10 and over

5:10 - 5:20: 11 and over

All swimmers must arrive behind the blocks for warm ups BEFORE their allotted time.  We will start exactly at 5:00pm and 5:10pm.

5:30pm - 5:40pm: Team cheer at diving boards

8 and under swimmers should start finding their relay teams after the cheer!

5:40pm: Officials Meeting, including Runners, Starters, Strokes & Turns

5:50pm: Timers Meeting

5:55pm: National Anthem

6:00pm: Meet Start Time

2. Individual Entires and Clerk of Course

All swimmers must arrive to check-in with their events (except for relays) written down or memorized.  Their events will be listed on the attachment to this email. 

The Clerk of Course is located in the baby pool area.  Swimmers must go to the Clerk of Course as soon as their event is called.  Please be listening carefully to the announcer, checking the event board (located near the announcer's table!), or keeping track of who is in the pool at all times.  Individual names will not be called to the clerk if your swimmer is missing.  We have been doing a great job with this thus far, let's keep it up!  Remember that in particular with relays, if we are missing someone, three other people will not be able to participate. 

Swimmers are not allowed to play in the baby pool while in the Clerk of Course.

Heat and lane numbers will be given out upon arrival to the clerk.  Coaches will not have this information at check-in.

Swimmers who are not participating in the event called to the clerk are not allowed to enter the clerk, nor are parents unless you are assisting with an 8 and under relay.  Only swimmers participating in the event called and coaches!

3. Relays

Relays for 8 and under swimmers will be posted before the beginning of the meet.  The relay board will be located at the check-in table for this age group.  Relays for 9-18 year olds will be posted at the completion of 8 and under relays.  Please remember that because of the relay structure, since it is an IM meet, not all swimmers will participate in relays. 

As always, relays are subject to change throughout the course of the meet.  Please check back constantly for updates.  The relay board will be located either at the coaches table behind the lifeguard stands or next to the Clerk of Course.  DO NOT leave the meet until you or your swimmer(s) have checked with a coach on whether or not you are in a relay.  In the case of an emergency where you have to leave the meet, please notify the coaches as soon as possible. 

4. Important Notes and Reminders

Swim Caps: Please remember that if you are not wearing a CSC cap and it has the name of another team (ex. NOVA, school team, etc.), it must be turned inside out so the name is not appearing. 

Body writing/marking: Swimmers are not allowed to have any body writing or markings other than events on them.  The referee has the discretion to disqualify for this rule, and it may be strongly enforced!

Swim shirts: No swim shirts are allowed during competition. 

Sportsmanship: Please continue to remind your swimmers of the importance of sportsmanship throughout the meet, both to the visiting team and their fellow teammates!

Pool Rules:  Swimmers and families need to follow all of the pool rules during the meet.  Specifically for swim meets at The Colonies, this means that swimmers are not allowed to be in the pool (particularly the deep end), on the diving boards, in the diving well or baby pool, or playing with the water before, during, or after the meet unless specifically directed by coaching staff or they are actively racing.  This includes not entering the tennis courts.

Poster Contest: All posters for the poster contest should be given to Joy Laurence at the start of the meet.  Winners (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place) will be announced at the start of the second half.  Be sure to listen and claim your prize!

Weather:  We are keeping a close eye on the forecast for tomorrow.  Please have SwimTopia notifications enabled for updates regarding delays.  Our rain date will be Thursday the 7th.  As Stacey mentioned in her letter to Canterbury, we will follow the GRAL rule of 10:30pm.

See you all tomorrow, and Go Cruisers!

Coach Julia

P.S... Coach Connor and I can't wait to see everyone in their Hokie gear tomorrow! :)