Meet Manager Clinic

Meet Manager Clinic June 2006

Today • Commitment of the Meet Manager • Decision to Host a Meet • Meet Management Options and Considerations • Meet Preparation • Start of Meet • Meet Operation • After the Meet • Review Handouts, if required • Questionnaire – 15 minutes • Review (answers)

Commitment of the Meet Manager • The overall role focuses on managing meets, not performing specific tasks: Delegate • Prior to taking on the role, make a personal commitment: • Availability of time (throughout pre-meet period, during meet and for follow up) • Ability to delegate work to volunteers, maintain teamwork and adherence to timelines • Ability to monitor progress on multiple priorities

Decision to Host a Meet • The decision to host a swim meet should be made sufficiently in advance to allow proper organization. • Determine the timing and type of meet in concert with Head Coach (see Meet Options) • For a new club, with inexperienced officials, consider hosting a developmental meet first and then move on to more complex meets such as an invitational or provincial meet. • Get information about the meet calendar for the area. This will affect your ability to attract swimmers, as well as availability of officials. • Complete and submit the Meet Sanction Request along with the Meet Package.

Meet Options Often in concert with Coach • Sanctioned/Approved/Time Trial • Closed or invitational meet • Age Group or Senior • Time Standard/No Time Standard • Short Course/Long Course (Single or Double Ended) • Traditional or Mixed gender (novelty)

Bid Meets • Regional and Provincial Championship meets are awarded by bid. • Available meets are announced on the Swim BC or Regional web sites, by e-mail or snail mail. • Terms subject to Provincial or Regional policies, usually set out in bid information. • Assistance with officials is often available. • National Meets usually awarded to a Provincial “team”, in conjunction with a local Meet Committee

Meet Considerations • In concert with Coach: • Meet Options • Consistency with training/development schedules • Timing: • meet calendar • pool schedule • Officials • Requires level 4 or 5 for Meet Referee • Availability and training of sufficient number of volunteers for positions such as Safety Marshall, timers, strokes and turn, Clerk of Course, Marshalling, CFJ, etc • Availability of Senior officials from other clubs, for mentoring, training, and positions such as Starter and Session Referee

Establish a Meet Committee • Meet Manager • Meet Office Chairperson • Senior Referee / Master Official • Billeting Chairperson • Official Chairperson • Awards Chairperson • Concession Chairperson • Publicity • Head Coach • Sponsors Chairperson

Sequence of Activities • Organizing Meeting • Assignment of responsibilities • Team building • Reporting procedures • Confirm facilities and services (electronics) • Budget • Sponsorship possibilities • Contribution to Club finances

Sequence of Activities (con’t) • Prepare Meet Package • Event listing • Qualifying standards • Specific information to that meet • Coordinate with Head Coach • Prepare and submit Sanction Application

Contents of Typical Meet Package • Sanction form • Meet classification - open/closed invitational, developmental, championship, etc. • Dates of the meet • Facility name, location, and helpful information (parking, access, hotels) • SNC Safety Rules • Starting times - warm-up times, actual start time for sessions, heats/finals • Entry Limit (if any) and entry deadline • Qualifying times, de-qualifying times • Format: time finals, heats and finals • Deck entries • Entry Fees • Meet Rules, including starting procedures • Age Groups • Pool details • Scratches • Scoring • Awards • Results • Distance events - specifics (i.e. 2 swimmers per lane ?) • Coaches' Meeting • Event Schedule • Entry Grids - encourage Hytek computer entries • Billet/accommodation information • Contact information • Responsibility for swimmer – each individual club is responsible for their swimmers; during and between meet sessions

Entry Formats • Hy-Tek • Printed Grids • Delivery formats (fax, mail) • Time Cards completed by participating coaches (novice, dual meets) • Entry closing dates • Payment of fees • Confirmation of entries

Time Management • Swim BC regulation that sessions are not to exceed 4 hours for swimmers under 10 yrs. • Take into account number of lanes, single/double ended, etc • Number of lanes • Single/double ended • SWAD – participation should be taken into account • Events • Level of swimmers

Hints on Calculating Timing • Look for the slowest time for each heat in each event and allow another 30 seconds for each heat. • Timing out the meet is essential and if done correctly you can usually be within 15 minutes of the actual time it takes • Hytek will provide a timed printout for each session. Inputting 30 seconds between heats provides for extra time to deal with unexpected delays (i.e). electronic malfunctioning, pad changes, disqualifications, etc.

Optimize Time • Consider Time Finals for some of the longer events, particularly in the younger age groups, i.e., 400 IM, 800/1500 Free. • Limit the number of entries in longer events • Use an experienced Referee, Starter and Marshal. Consider keeping swimmers in the water at end of races, and starting “over the top” • Swim two per lane in the longer events, such as 400, 800, 1500 Free. • Double ended meets - short course as well as long course. • Senior Seed 800/1500 Free - fastest to slowest all ages combined. Age groups may be separated out for results.

Producing/Selling Heat Sheets • Time between entry deadline and start of meet • Access to photocopier • Sponsors and advertising inserts • Endorsements • Pricing • Likelihood of significant changes to entries • Copies for officials, coaches and sale • 2 copies per team entered • 1 copy per lane • 6-12 copies for senior officials (Referee, Starter, Electronics Office, Clerk of Course, Chief Timer, Stroke and Turns Judges) • Copies for check-in area • Copies for sale (# of swimmers per session / 2) • Carded/cardless; positive check-in vs. scratch only

Concessions and Officials’ Food • A good supply of coffee, cold drinks, veggies, cheese and crackers etc. for officials, coaches, etc. will keep your teams coming back to future meets • Depending on # of sessions per day (1 or more prelims plus finals), and # of days, lunch and dinner • Food sponsors can usually be found for a small ad in your program. • Your concession chairperson should have a team of reliable assistants to help during the various sessions. • A visit to the pool deck during the sessions is a good gesture, which will be appreciated by the officials. • Depending on the pool facility, it may be possible to have food available, purchased or donated, that can be sold to swimmers, parents, etc. • Some pools do not permit food to be sold to visitors. These pools may have their own concession available.

Billeting • Determine whether as host club, you are going to be responsible for billeting some of the out-of-town swimmers; the placing of billets can be a real chore if not organized by a committee, but also impacts the attractiveness of your event • Remember to consider legal risks and exposure • Establish the number of swimmers than you can comfortably handle • Indicate in your meet package whether limited billeting is offered

Billeting (con’t) • A team of 2 - 3 individuals with a co-ordinator is preferred: • copy all billet requests that arrive with the entries, for the billet co-ordinator • if you depend on other clubs in the area to assist in the billeting, make sure you talk to these clubs well in advance of the entry deadline to solicit support • keep a list of chaperone names and contact number's in case of billeting problems • be available during and after the first session to solve any last minute billeting problems • Prepare a list of billets and their billeting family & phone number that can be given to the chaperone of each club requiring billeting • maintain spots for 1-2 swimmers that may not have made the original list supplied (usually a few last minute cancellations create some openings) • maintain a complete and up-to-date list of billet assignments, available at the pool at all times, for emergency contact and follow up

Organizing Officials • If necessary, ask for help in your meet package and have the clubs send their list of names / phone numbers / and qualifications along with their entries • Divide responsibility between senior officials and local Officials' Chairperson to arrange for officials • Confirm status of officials’ assignments to Regional Sanction Officer two weeks prior to meet • In any event, have the majority of the positions filled before the start of the meet. • Arrange 2 - 3 spare Timekeepers on call in case of sickness or no-shows. • Organize the Officials' Room • Have your Officials' Chairperson or designate, greet and sign-in the officials as they arrive. Direct them to the heat sheets and equipment they will need for their position. • Have all positions posted in the Officials' Room. If there are openings for other sessions, officials can sign-up where they see the empty positions. All officials working a session must be recorded • Confirm status of officials’ assignments to regional sanction office 10 DAYS prior to meet

Awards • A committee of 2 - 3 people will be needed to handle the awards • Awards need to be ordered approximately 3 months prior to the meet • Some preparation prior to the meet will make life easier during the meet. • You will need to decide if you will be presenting medals during the meet. • If you do present on deck, who will do the presenting, and when will you present? • Hytek will produce result tags for events once they have been finalized. These can then be attached to the ribbon/medal once they have been printed • If you are not using Hytek, name/event tags should be arranged before the meet and once the event is completed, the volunteers can hand write the winning information on the ribbon/medal • Use large envelopes to organize the ribbons/medals by club and arrange for Clubs to pick-up their awards at the conclusion of the meet. It is very costly to mail awards.

Facility Relations • Check with the pool administration at least 1 month before the meet is to start, to ensure all arrangements are in place: • Get to know the staff at the pool you will be working with during the meet • A few days before the meet, check again to ensure tables, chairs starters podium etc. are available • Access rules for photographers • Electronics equipment set-up, operation and maintenance/repair

Equipment • Bells • Lap Counters • Clip boards • Pens/pencils • Staplers • Paper clips • Elastic bands • Starter's guns with ammunition • Watches • Whistle • Extra entry cards • Duct tape • Clerk of Course and Electronics (Scorer) Kits • White board for marshalling and/or posting results • A reliable photocopier • Computer equipment, including printer, with supplies of paper and printer cartridges, extension cords • Signage for Results Posting • Masking Tape • Calculator

Before and at Start of Meet • Arrive at the pool 1½ hours before the start of the warm-ups for the first session • Make arrangements to have someone give out packages to the coaches • Ensure that the Safety Marshal is in place to control the sprint and pace lanes. • Warm-up procedures are in effect at ALL Canadian meets and the warm-up procedures should be posted on the pool deck during the warm-up • Meet with the Referee to discuss specifics of the meet, such as changes to the program, heats that go directly to finals, handling of distance events, etc • Maintain official’s sign-up, including late additions (insurance regulations)

Coaches Meeting • Schedule for just prior to the start of the warm-ups • Discuss any changes to the meet, as well as highlights, can be addressed, and questions answered • Discuss scratch procedures • Define the working deck

Opening Ceremonies • Generally only used for multi-day meets with prelims and finals • March on: a bagpiper or suitable music is usually well received • Opening remarks: • no more than 10 minutes • Sponsor introductions • National Anthem: (tape and sound system) • Sound system: adequacy

During the Meet • Coaches' meeting • Jury of appeal • refer to swimming rules for details • role of the chairperson of the jury • Meet Commission • Office Manager and responsibilities

Jury of Appeal • Meet Manager acts as the Chairperson of the Jury should there be any written protests • select 3 - 5 most senior officials to serve as members of the jury (odd number) • Members should not be involved in the protest • Deal only with the matters being protested • Interview all involved officials and/or coaches to make an objective decision • Be decisive i.e. make objective decisions as expediently as possible • To be held immediately following the session • The Chairperson does not have a vote. • The Chairperson does not express his/her opinion • He/she should direct the jurors to consider all pertinent facts (Referee, ruling official) and then to make a decision • The Chairperson completes the report of the jury of appeal and gives a copy to the protester and session referee.

Meet Commission • SNC Meet Commission (Refer to Rulebook SNC 1.2.1 and SNC 1.2.2) • SNC 1.2.2: The Meet Commission shall have jurisdiction over all matters not assigned by the rulebook to the referee, judges, or other officials and give directions consistent with rules adopted for the conduct of any event. Responsibilities include: • the inspection and control of all technical equipment and installations prior to and during the competition; • finalizing and approving rosters for senior positions at the competition; • the conduct of the competition itself; • investigating cases of protest as preparation for the Jury of Appeal

After the Meet • Meet Report and Gold Bonus Form • Records Submission • Age group events, including age group swimmers properly in senior events • Split times with official times • Results • Identity (including age) and Times of swimmers (Prelims and Finals) • Individual and Team Scores (if applicable) • Names and abbreviations of participating clubs • Publication order • Lead off times for relays, even if subsequent swims are DQ’d • Line demarcating de-qualifying standard for each event • Thank you notes to volunteers, especially out-of-club • Sign NOC Expense Form for qualified officials • Wrap up Meeting

Handouts • Sanction Application Form • Sample Budget • Sample Meet Package, including SNC Safety Procedures • Jury of Appeal • Official Protest • National and Provincial Record Form • Entry Grid • Pre-Meet Check-list • Meet Report and Gold Bonus • Meet Manager Checklist • Office Manager Checklist • Officials’ Chair Checklist • Program Manager Checklist • NOC Expense Form

1. Some of the responsibilities of the Meet manager are to: a. organize and plan the meet; b. ensure the pool is available and booked; c. acquire necessary equipment such as computers, copiers, extra timing systems; d. ensure that the meet is staffed properly; e. operate the automatic placing and timing system; f. prepare and distribute the meet invitation; g. provide the Clerk of Course with necessary time cards; h. prepare entry lists or heat sheets;

1. Some of the responsibilities of the Meet manager are to: i. ensure each race is conducted fairly; j. issue complete lists of results; k. ensure disqualified swimmers are listed at the end of the event; 1. process record applications; m. serve as Chairperson of any Jury of Appeal. n. buy awards; o. arrange provision of food for officials; p. organize warm-up conditions; q. publish safety rules for warm-ups; r. obtain approval/sanction for the meet; s. keep financial books for the meet.

2. An "Open" meet is: a. available only to those who are not age-group swimmers b. available to all swimmers registered with SNC; c. available to all age groups but restricted to one province; d. held outdoors as an open water long distance event.

3. A "Senior" event is an event for which: a. there are NO age restrictions; b. swimmers must be at least 18 years old; c. only Masters swimmers are eligible.

4. The following Age Groups are Nationally recognized for records, etc. a. 10 years and under; b. 11-12 years; c. 13 years; d. 14-15 years; e. 15-17 years; f. 13-14 years; g. 15 years and over; h. 8 years and under.

5. In order for the results of a swim meet to be officially recognized for SNC records or for future qualifying times, the Meet must: a. be conducted as an "Open" meet; b. be approved by the provincial section; c. use an approved automatic placing and timing system.

6. Applications for meet sanctions are normally sent to the: a. SNC national office; b. Provincial Section office; c. Provincial Officials' Chairperson; d. Provincial Sanction Officer so designated by the section.

7. An Application for Meet Approval: a. shall be submitted for each individual meet; b. shall be accompanied by a copy of the meet invitation; c. is needed for Class Two Time Trials.

8. Mixed competition (males and females competing with one another) shall be permitted: a. in an age group meet; b. as a novelty event; c. in a Senior meet; d. in time trials.

9. In pre-seeded meets, primary responsibility for seeding each event lies with the: a. Referee; b. Meet Manager; c. Clerk of Course; d. Marshall.

10. The Meet Manager has the responsibility of notifying the following people ten days prior to the meet regarding staffing: a. Regional Officials Chairperson; b. President of the Provincial Section; c. SNC Statistician.

11. The term "Short Course" refers to: a. a 25 yard pool; b. a meet in a 25 yard pool; c. a meet in a 50 meter pool; d. a 25 meter pool; e. a pool that is shorter than regulation length.

12. Non-regulation length pools may be used for SNC-approved competitions: a. at no time; b. at the local or PS level only; c. during the summer break.

EQUIPMENT/POOL SETUP 13. When standing at the starting end of the pool, facing the course, you will find lane number one (1) to be: a. on your far left; b. on your far right; c. immediately to the right of the centre lane.

14. The following pool and equipment conditions are correct if: a. the end walls of the pool are parallel and vertical; b. both end walls or bulkhead walls extend at least 0.80 meters below the water surface; c. free movement of officials is provided along the length of the bulkhead if the pool is more than 9m wide; d. each lane is not less than 2.0 meters wide and unobstructed; e. the top surface of the starting blocks is at least 0.5m x 0.5m; f. backstroke grips protrude beyond the vertical plane of the end-wall, over the water surface; g. the false start recall rope is 15 meters from the starting end; h. a marker visible to swimmers is placed 15m from the start for backstroke.

MEET INVITATION:15. The meet invitation package shall contain the following: a. date of meet and starting times of each session; b. a list of Senior officials working the meet; c. a list of events and qualifying times; d. de-qualifying times (if appropriate); e. disqualifying times; f. entry fees and procedures; g. accommodation and travel information; h. recommendations for rule changes; i. pool details (length, number of lanes, etc.); j. scoring rules for prizes and awards; k. admission price for spectators; l. procedures for scratches, deck entries, etc.; m. a list of all invited clubs; n. rules about Finals (A) and Consolation (B) Finals; o. safety/warm-up procedure; p. an approved (signed) sanction form; q. notification of starting procedures for the meet (one or two starts).

DURING THE MEET 16. Responsibility for ensuring that a list of current records and TAG times is available to the Recorder/Scorer lies with the: a. Meet Manager; b. Clerk of Course; c. Referee; d. Provincial Officials Chairperson; e. Provincial Section office.

17. Responsibility for recruiting and initially assigning officials lies with the: a. Chief Timer; b. Meet Manager; c. Referee; d. Provincial Chairperson of Officials; e. Provincial Section office.

18. Responsibility for approving the final assignment of all officials for a session lies with the: a. Clerk of Course; b. Session Referee; c. Meet Manager; d. Official on duty with the highest level badge.

Meet Manager Clinic