Greenway Village

What is a Swim Meet?

A swim meet is an event where your team (the Aquadux) swims against another team. During the meet, there are multiple races between the 2 teams. The "Event" is the stroke and age group (for example, girls 6 and under freestyle race) and the "Heat" is how many races are done in that event. The fastest swimmers for each event score points. These points are added up at the end of the meet to determine which team overall won the meet. In addition, the swimmers are scored first through sixth place for each heat. All swimmers will receive ribbons based on how they did in their individual race. Swimmers who disqualify (DQ) will not receive a ribbon. This allows swimmers to be proud of their accomplishments based on their heat and not focus only on being the fastest swimmer in their event. 

Swim Meet Requirements:

All swimmers must attend a minimum of 2 of 4 meets or 3 of 5 meets (50% of meets). If a swimmer does not complete at least 50% of meets, he/she will not be eligible for Meet of Champs or All Star Meet.

Swim Meet Declaration:

All meet entries are online. Registration instructions and deadlines will be emailed well in advance of the first swim meet. There are strict deadlines for meet sign-ups which we must adhere to. Meet attendance declarations close six days before a meet. If you do not indicate your child is swimming by the deadline, we will assume your child is not swimming. Your child will not be included in the heat sheets and will not be swimming at the meet. No exceptions will be allowed to this rule. If your child unexpectedly becomes ill or has extenuating circumstances after meet declaration has been closed, please email the Aquadux WHALe rep as soon as possible to ensure the races are corrected and the meet runs smoothly.

INDICATE YOUR SWIMMER'S AVAILABILITY FOR EACH MEET EVEN IF THEY WILL NOT BE ATTENDING.

Go to the SWIM MEETS page

Click on each Swim Meet and indicate availability by clicking on "Meet Entry."

Select "attending" or "not attending"

Make sure to save your response!

Swim Meet Strokes:

Every swimmer will swim freestyle and backstroke in each meet. Do not expect to swim a relay or to swim every stroke at every meet other than freestyle and backstroke! WHALe allows three heats of breaststroke and butterfly, and two heats of Individual Medley (IM) for each group (ages 7 and up), therefore not every swimmer will swim these three heats at meets. Also, due to odd number of swimmers, not every swimmer will be able to swim a relay every meet. Coaches will try to give every swimmer an opportunity to swim every stroke at least once (for ages 7 and up) and to swim in at least one relay at one of the four meets. This will also depend on how many meets the swimmers are able to attend and if a swimmer has to be pulled from a meet at the last minute due to illness or other unexpected circumstances. The final decision of what event(s) your child swims is solely at the coaches' discretion.

What to Bring to a Swim Meet:

A positive attitude!

Previous or current year’s team swim suit or black swim suit (must be a one piece swimsuit for girls, no tankinis or bikinis)

Goggles

Extra goggles (back up pair) in case the swimmer’s primary goggles gets lost or broken during the meet

Swim cap

Towel

Flip flops or slip on shoes that are water proof

Chair for swimmers and spectators

Water

Healthy snacks

Sunscreen/mosquito spray (especially need mosquito spray for night meets)

Cash for concessions

Books/toys/activities to keep swimmers/siblings occupied between races. Any electronics brought to the meet is done at your own risk. Greenway Village Aquadux is not responsible for any lost or damaged electronics/toys at the meets.

Flashlights/warmer clothing for night meets

Parents – use SwimTopia app to keep track of your swimmer’s events. Basic SwimTopia app is free, yearly subscription available for more detailed information regarding events for a small fee

At the Swim Meet:

Swimmers are to arrive early before warm ups and check in with their bench parent. If a swimmer is not present by warm ups, the swimmer will be pulled from the first race (which is a relay race) and a swimmer who is present for warm ups may be substituted in their place. This is to prevent the delay of the start of the meet due to a late swimmer. The swimmer will sit in their assigned tent with the other swimmers and must not wander off alone. If a parent desires to take their swimmer to the concession stand, they must first check with the bench parent to make sure there is enough time before the next race and to notify the bench parent where the swimmer is at. Please encourage your swimmer to have good sportsmanship toward fellow teammates and the opposing team. Disruptive or unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated. All swimmers 10 and under must be signed into their assigned tent and signed out by a parent/guardian prior to leaving the meet to ensure no swimmer is lost. Please check with a bench parent prior to signing out a swimmer to ensure that your swimmer has not been substituted in another later race in place of an absent swimmer. There often several heats for each race. Swimmers are seeded into the heats based on their best recorded time for that race with the fastest swimmers being in the first heat. The swimmers without any previously recorded times for a race will be designated No Time (NT) and will be in one of the last heats. Questions regarding meet entries may be addressed to coaches by email and NOT during a swim meets. It is not uncommon for swimmers to DQ (disqualify) in a race, especially in our younger age groups as they are learning new strokes. It is a learning process for our swimmers and we want to encourage our swimmer to try their hardest and do their best! * Note: If a swimmer has a Texas Age Group Standards (TAGs) times in a particular event, it is a league requirement that they swim up an age group in that event. Please visit the WHALe website for more information regarding TAG’s times.

WHALe Meet of Champs (MOC)- All teams competing in the West Houston Aquatic League (WHALe), participate in a divisional meet to culminate the season. This meet’s specifics will be announced closer to the end of the swim season. Teams are allowed limited entries per event. A swimmer must have participated in a minimum of 2 of our 4 scheduled to be eligible to swim in the MOC. In addition, a swimmer’s parents must have fulfilled their volunteer obligations to the team for their child to be able to compete. All parents of children participating in the MOC are required to volunteer at that meet. It is the coach’s decision as to who swims each event, based on the fastest times for that event.

WHALe All Star Meet (ASM)- The event winners from each of the divisional MOC will participate in the All Star Meet. The remaining places are seeded with the fastest runner-ups out of all of the divisions combined. Unless your child comes in first place at our Divisional MOC, they will not have automatic entry into ASM. Runner-up entries are announced once all divisional meets are complete and all results are in. Results are then reported to the team’s Head Coach who will contact parents directly via phone or email to ask if your child would like to participate. You will be given a set time to respond and if we have not heard from you, WHALe will move onto the next swimmer on their list. The Head Coach does not have any control over All Star Meet entries or deadlines. All parents of children participating in the ASM are required to volunteer at that meet.