Last year at this time I was venturing into a new world; the world of swim team. My husband and I didn’t grow up as swim team kids, so all of this was very foreign to us. Our kids had done lessons for years because we believe that knowing the basics is important and water safety is critical. Particularly since we live in the Pacific Northwest where it’s not uncommon to be on boats or diving off of docks into lakes in the summer months. But that was the extent of it; swim lessons for sessions here and there and even that wasn’t super consistent.
When our son expressed interest in swim as a sport, I was clueless on how it all worked. Lucky for us, some of our close friends have three kids in swim team so I had an excellent resource. Thus, began what has been the biggest sport parent learning curve I have yet encountered. Each sport comes with its own challenges to acclimate to as a parent but in my experience, swim team is by far the most challenging.
Events, heats, lanes, distances, apps to track times, rules on what can disqualify; it was all entirely new to me. I also had no idea the crazy time commitment that it would entail. I am used to mid-week practices and weekend games that are often a long drive away. But it turns out swim practice can be anywhere from early morning before school or afternoon and that swim meets last hours upon hours.
Now with a solid year under my belt, I still find myself lost at times but a whole lot more knowledgeable than I was a year ago. My son participates in a year-round swim team, and we are now gearing up for outdoor meets in the summer months. As I start preparing for the schedule change and multiple meets each week, I am also preparing to ensure we have all the gear we need.
Here are must-have items I bring to all swim-meets:
Water proof bag. It’s a pool area; it’s going to be wet. I come prepared that everything I bring has the potential of getting wet. There are dozens of options but I got something like this at TJ Max for a super reasonable price. I prefer something that doesn’t zip so my kids can easily grab what they need.
Smaller water proof bags. In my larger bag, I then have clear bags to store additional items. I have probably four of these and it makes life so easy that we can see what is in each bag and that I do not care if they happen to get wet.
Sharpies. Kids typically have their events, heats, lanes, and stroke written on their arm to be able to keep track of where they need to be and what they are doing. Swim meets are long but very fast moving so it’s important the swimmer can easily be reminded what they have next. I keep a few sharpies in our swim bag at all times.
These sharpies with a lanyard are extra convenient so you are not digging in the bag for one.
Extra caps and goggles. Something is going to break, bring extras.
Portable phone battery. I use my phone a lot during meets. Whether it’s on the swim apps to keep track of things or in down time to listen to pod casts or taking videos of my swimmers. Considering meets can last a few hours, my battery often drains. I keep two portable phone chargers in my swim bag. Pro tip- make a note to remember to charge them after the meet for the next one!
Towels. Sounds obvious but a tip I heard was to bring one towel for each event your swimmer is in plus one extra. That is a ton of towels but for outdoor meets where it can sometimes get chilly as the day goes on, this is a great idea. For indoor meets or hot days, you can get away with bringing fewer. These towels are fast-drying and don’t take up a ton of room like most beach towels can.
Stadium Chair. For indoor swim meets in particular, I sit. A lot. I started bringing a portable chair like this one and it makes my backside much more comfortable.
For outdoor meets, you’ll likely want more of a camping style chair as the set up will be different.
Snacks. Lots of snacks and extra water. There are typically concessions or sometimes even food trucks, but I have learned to come prepared with a load of snacks. Beef jerky, granola bars, nuts, cheese and crackers, protein drinks and pre-cut fruit are the main items I bring. My kids get hungry during meets but usually don’t have a full-on meal. Depending on the time of the meet, I usually will pack something heartier for myself like a salad or sandwich.
Layers. Muggy, hot, cold; you never know what you’re gonna get at the meet as far as temperature. I always dress in in layers to be prepared for anything. For summer swim team, keep in mind the day might start out warm but as the hours go on, it will cool down. Be prepared.
Entertainment. My son usually stays with his team the whole meet and only visits me for snacks. That means I have a lot of down time. It’s often so loud that listening to a pod cast or music is impossible. Sometimes I will do a couple quick laps around the facility just for something to do other than sit for hours straight. I also bring a notepad or work items so I can get something done even if it’s just a meal planning or grocery list. Sometimes I bring my laptop to at least just clean up my work emails. Your kids might have a lot of downtime too so bringing something for them; coloring books if they are little, maybe an electronic, is probably a good idea.
Are you an experienced swim parent? What other tips or items would you add? We’d love to hear!
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