Meet Manager Clinic

1. Meet Manager Clinic Sept 2004

2. Today • Role of Meet Manager • Decision to host a meet • Meet Management Considerations • Start of Meet • Meet Operation • After the Meet • Questionnaire – 15 minutes • Review (answers)

3. Duties of the Meet Manager • The overall role is to manage meets, not perform specific tasks: Delegate • Pre-meet preparation • plan well in advance • delegate work to volunteers • allocate sufficient time for your own work • organize the work you have to do • meet office and results • initial assignments of officials (in conjunction with the Officials chairperson and the referee) • eligibility of swimmers • Chairperson of the Jury of Appeal • Chairperson of the coaches technical meeting

4. Decision to Host a Meet • The decision to host a swim meet should be made sufficiently in advance to allow proper organization. • The swim club executive should discuss and agree on the type of meet and start planning immediately. • 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. • Do not try to do more than your club is capable of doing, i.e. do not try and host a meet on the same week-end as another area club. Officials will be difficult to organize and in the future parents may be reluctant to assist. • Requests to provincial sections to host a meet should include: date of meet, where it is held, and level of the competitors involved. Approval to host the meet comes through the sanctioning process done by the provincial section.

5. Meet Options • Closed Meet - a pre-selected (restricted) number of clubs are invited • Open Invitational - any club that has swimmers who meet the qualifying standards is eligible to attend • Senior Meet – no age restrictions • Circuit/Developmental Meets - ½ day • Invitational - 2 ½ days or 3 full days. These may be run as time final events, preliminaries and finals, time final for distance events, etc. • Provincial Championships - Guidelines are set by the Provincial Section. Generally, Provincial Championships are 3 ½ day meets with preliminaries and finals. An official application must be made in writing to the Provincial Section in advance. • Qualifying/de-qualifying times or Open Invitational • Short Course/long course - single/double ended • Mixed Meets (male and female in same events) – as novelty events or in time trials

6. Meet Considerations • Can you supply the majority of officials both in numbers and at the senior level? Usually clubs are required to provide a significant number of level I and 2 officials when they host a meet. • Level 4 or 5 Official is required as Meet/Senior Referee • Can you run the meet office? • Is the meet to focus on a particular age group? • Is there a week-end open to slot in a new meet and does it fit in with the swim cycle set forth by the coach? It may be helpful to coordinate with the head coach to discuss the proposed event list, timing of the meet and level of meet. • Is pool space available, including time for warms ups and office activities? • What type of awards will you give out?

7. 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

8. Sequence of Activities • Organizing Meeting • Assignment of responsibilities • Team building • Reporting procedures • Budget • Sponsorship possibilities • Contribution to Club finances

9. 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

10. Meet Preparation • The overall role is to manage meets, not perform specific tasks: • Establish your meet committee • Prepare a meet budget • Sanction Application • Meet Office (responsibility of Meet Manager that can be delegated) • Prepare a meet package • Receive and process entries • Tips on timing a meet • Preparations of heat sheets • Concession/hospitality • Billeting • Officials • Awards • Opening ceremonies • Facility, Equipment and Supplies • Access by photographers on deck

11. 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

12. 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

13. Time Management • Swim Ontario regulation that sessions are not to exceed 4½ hours • 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

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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

17. 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.

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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.

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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 • National Anthem: (tape and sound system) • Sound system: adequacy

27. 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

28. 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.

29. Meet Commission(National Level Meets) • SNC Meet Commission (Refer to Rulebook SNC 1.1.5 and 1.1.6) ii) To be used at SNC designated meets (Youth, Junior, and Senior National meets) iii) Their function is: • Control of all pool equipment and all technical installations during the event. • Conduct of the competition • Investigation of protests in preparation for the Jury of Appeal.

30. 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 • Wrap up Meeting

31. Handouts • Sanction Application Form • Sample Budget • SNC Safety Procedures • Jury of Appeal • Official Protest • National and Provincial Record Form • Entry Grid • Pre-Meet Check-list • Meet Report and Gold Bonus

32. 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;

33. 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.

34. 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.

35. 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.

36. 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.

37. 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.

38. 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.

39. 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.

40. 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.

41. 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.

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

43. 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.

44. 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.

45. 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.

46. 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.

47. 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).

48. 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.

49. 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.

50. 18. Responsibility for approving the final assignment of all off icials 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.