Hello Dolphin Families! 

It's finally here! Time Trials will be held tomorrow on the DHGC Pool Deck! I am sending out the Heat Sheet a little early this round so we can all familiarize ourselves with the events, layout, and what to expect! Please see attached and reach out to Robyn or one of our experienced Swim Team Committee Members with any questions! 

Note: Regular Practice Saturday Morning (5/13) will not occur. Swimmers will be rewarded with Donuts at the Practice Meet! 

Timeline:

1:15pm- First Shift Volunteers arrive and check in at the Towel Shack
1:30pm - Swimmers arrive and check into their bullpen.
2:00pm - Warmups begin
2:30pm- Event One Swimmers are lined up at the blocks and ready to go!
By Event 20, Second Shift Volunteers should have checked in, and be ready to take over.
Event 26 - Second Shift Volunteers take over from First Shift Volunteers
Event 60 - Time Trials ends! Donuts distributed!

Heat Sheet Information

Even for the experienced Dolphin swim family, receipt of the heat sheet prior to a swim meet often generates questions. Below is a summary of relevant rules:

NOTE: We will not be swimming relays for Time Trials! Familiarize yourself with the below rules to prepare for the season, but tomorrow's practice meet has some special circumstances! 

• Each swimmer may swim a maximum of 3 individual events and 2 relays at a swim meet; however, not every swimmer will swim 5 events at a swim meet. The number of events a swimmer is entered in will vary from week to week. This rule does not apply to 6U swimmers. Coaches are happy to discuss event selection the day following the swim meet.
• The line-up exchange between teams occurs on Monday afternoons after 12:00 p.m. A heat sheet cannot be created prior to the line-up exchange. After all heats and lanes have been consolidated, an initial heat sheet will be emailed to Dolphin swim families (typically by 3:00 p.m.).

Heat sheet has been emailed and you have reviewed it. Frequently asked questions and what to do:

• My child isn’t on the heat sheet!
• First, to prevent this, make sure you “commit” or “not commit” to every swim meet on Swimtopia by the cutoff date. If you have not “committed” your swimmer on Swimtopia, they will not be on the heat sheet.
• If your child is not on the heat sheet and will be attending the swim meet, do two things:
• Email Robyn! I will not be able to respond to all emails but will collect all notifications and forward them to Coach Justin. ([email protected])
• Come to the meet, check in with our Volunteer Booth, let your bullpen parent know, we will make it work.
• My child IS on the heat sheet but now will be absent (sick, etc.)!
• Let Robyn know via email, as above. This is important so that we can shuffle relays and get other swimmers in the water.
• Please note, if you don't check-in with the appropriate bullpen parent on time, there is a possibility that your swimmer will be scratched from their events, particularly early races. If you are running late please let someone in your bullpen know so that we don't tap another swimmer for your relay spot.
• My child’s name is wrong on the heat sheet!
• All names of swimmers on the heat sheet will appear as the swimmer is registered under Swimtopia (e.g., John Michael Phelps will appear as John Phelps on the heat sheet, not Michael Phelps). If you want the name of your swimmer to be anything other than their first name and surname, please make sure that information is noted on Swimtopia. 
• My child is entered with “NT” in an event!
• If your swimmer is entered with "NT" in an event, that simply means your swimmer has never swum the event previously and does not have an official time.
• My child is swimming the Individual Medley, or is on a Medley Relay. What order of strokes do they swim!
• If your swimmer is swimming the Individual Medley (IM), the stroke order is butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle. If your swimmer is swimming on a Medley Relay, the stroke order is backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle. 

What to Expect at Time Trials

Our "Time Trials" - Sometimes referred to as a "Practice Meet" is our first opportunity to time our swimmers in the various events in which they will be competing. During competitive meets, we arrange swimmers in their heats based on their "seed times" - the time they have most recently recorded for that particular event. We will be using the times gathered at Time Trials for our first meet vs. Cherokee, but also to have a defined starting point for our swimmers to track their growth throughout the season!
This run through is also important for our team- giving our swimmers the chance to experience what a meet will be like, and giving our parent volunteers an opportunity to practice their roles without another team on deck.
Time Trials will run like a regular meet- meaning we will have a Heat Sheet, the swimmers will remain in their Bullpens for the duration, and our timing company will be on site to time our swimmers! Swimmers will participate in the events they are eligible for so we can gather their base times, except for relays. 

Other Time Trials Notes:

• Please make sure to bring:
  • Caps
  • Goggles
  • Sun Screen (labeled)
  • Water Bottle (labeled)
  • Nut-Free Snacks
  • Non-Electronic Entertainment for the Bullpen
  • At least two towels (Towels are not provided for meets)
• Wear your Competition Suit!
• You are welcome to stay with your child in their bullpen even if you are not volunteering. Please make sure your child is in their bullpen so our volunteers can mark them and line them up for their events.
• Please Sun Screen your swimmer AFTER they are marked. It is difficult to use a sharpie on already Sun Screened Skin!
• Junior Dolphins Placement Day will be occurring at the same time as our practice meet! Please be patient with our Junior Swimmers as they are sorted into the Green or Gold groups in the Middle Pool!
• Practice the morning of Time Trials will not occur! We will be holding Donut Saturday after the Practice Meet!
• Don't be afraid to CHEER LOUD for your teammates! 

Thank you all, and I cannot wait to see you all tomorrow! 

GO DOLPHINS! 

Robyn Whittemore