Swim Parent Resources

Tips & Guides for Meet Day

Practical advice from swim parents who've been in your lane.

Feb 10, 2026

How to Read a Swim Meet Heat Sheet

A plain-English guide to understanding event numbers, heats, lanes, seed times, and everything else on that confusing sheet of paper.

Read more

Feb 8, 2026

How to Mark Your Swimmer's Arm for a Swim Meet

The parent's guide to writing event, heat, and lane info on your swimmer's arm so they always know when and where to swim.

Read more

Feb 6, 2026

Swim Meet Nutrition: What to Feed Your Swimmer Between Events

What to pack, when to eat, and how to keep your swimmer fueled without the dreaded side cramp.

Read more

Feb 4, 2026

How to Highlight Your Heat Sheet (and Why You Should)

Stop squinting at tiny text. Highlighting your heat sheet is the simplest way to never miss your swimmer's event.

Read more

Feb 2, 2026

Your First Swim Meet: A Parent's Survival Guide

Everything you need to know before your kid's first competitive swim meet — from warmups to weird rules to what not to say.

Read more

Jan 30, 2026

The Ultimate Swim Meet Packing Checklist

Everything you need in your bag for meet day — for your swimmer and for you. Printable checklist included.

Read more

Jan 28, 2026

Swim Meet DQs: What They Are and How to Handle Them

Your kid got disqualified and you're not sure why. Here's what DQ means, the most common reasons, and how to react as a parent.

Read more

Jan 26, 2026

A Parent's Guide to Volunteering as a Timer

Timing is the easiest volunteer job at a swim meet and the best seat in the house. Here's everything you need to know.

Read more

Jan 24, 2026

Swim Meet Lingo: A Glossary for New Swim Parents

SCY, LCM, IM, DQ, NT... swim meets have their own language. Here's your cheat sheet.

Read more

Jan 22, 2026

How to Keep Your Swimmer Warm and Ready Between Events

Long gaps between races can leave swimmers cold and stiff. Here's how to keep them loose, warm, and ready to race.

Read more