Swimmers, our first swim meet of the season is this Thursday at 6:30pm at Normandy Swim Club.  Normandy is located at 9585 Union Cemetery Rd, Loveland, OH.  

A few notes for new families and reminders from our returning parents.  This will be controlled chaos.  Normandy and us are the largest clubs in the league.  As such we will be swimming quite a few heats of 25s and once the meet gets going, we go.   If you have not read the Swim Meet Basics, please do so.  This is considered a dual meet so follow that outline.   

Swimmers

We will have sharpies for the body markups and please write your child's name on their back on one of the shoulders (First Name, Last Initial).  This is hugely important for our age group parents.   The events will be posted in our team area and there are plenty of us that can help you with the mark-ups.  Remember it is alphabetical - Event, Heat and Lane.  This is will be important once they get to the clerk of course, to line up for their event.  

Please make sure to bring chairs for yourself and child and/or a blanket.  Most clubs put their chairs up and Normandy is no exception.   Make sure to bring multiple towels and mark everything (shirts, caps, googles, towels) with your child's name.  Pro-tip - have a bag and make sure your child puts their goggles and towels. 

Swimmers need to be at the pool by 6pm and ready to warm up.   I would strongly recommend getting their early (5:00-5:30pm) to find parking (more below), and get settled.  Once the meet gets going, it will go by fast.  

Medley relay swimmers - Back, Breast, Fly, Free.  I'll have it on the clipboards as well.  For the younger swimmer relays (100m), the odd numbers will be at the blocks and the even numbers on the opposite side.  

Volunteers

Each meet is ran by an army of volunteers.  It's all volunteers running this meet, so we need your help in this area.  The biggest need at the moment is 8 and under Boys Age Group Parents (zero first half - need 3 and 2 more for second) and 9-10 boys (zero first half).  Age group parents are the unsung heroes for the meet because they have tedious job of herding the swimmers from the designated areas to the clerk of course.  We have all done this role and will help you.  We will have clipboards for all age group parents to make it easy and we will walk you through it.  The more we have the easier it is.  It's why we also need the kids to sit close or in the designated areas. 

We also need a clerk of course for the 2nd half.  Other than that, thank you because we have enough timers for the meets.   

We will have a volunteer check in in our team area.  Timers - I'll provide a stop watch and you will need to be at the timers meetings at 6pm (both first and second half).  Officials I'll have heat sheets.  

The 2nd half begins on backstroke.  There will be announcements. Please be ready to switch - for age group parents, find the designated areas and then switch clipboards.   For timers, find the other FH timers and switch at the start of the back stroke.  

Once the meet is published, you will also have access to meet and results in Swimtopia.  This is controlled by the home meet on when they publish this, but it should before the meet.  However, check the event lists at the meet, because we may have changes to relays and events based upon illness.   

Team Areas: Forest Hills team area will be to the right of the play set behind the baby pool, Normandy team will be on the other half of that grassy area to the left of the play set.  We are in the area by the McCabe entrance and by the duck pond/baby pool Please see the map below. 

Please  clean up their areas before leaving. There will be multiple trash cans around the area.

Team Area Map

We will have designated areas for 8 and under and 9-10 age groups.  This is done for every home and away meet because of the large amount of kids we have swimming in this meet.  There will be at least one designated area for each of these age groups (8 and under boys, 8 and under girls, 9-10 boys and 9-10 girls and we ask that if you are in these groups to stay in the area.   The age group parents who will be assisting getting the swimmers to the clerk of the course which is on the other side of the pool.  We ask that you stay with the age groups so the parents can easily find your swimmer.  This is hugely important for the meets as we do want to be chasing down kids.  

If your swimmer misses the event, there will not be a chance to make it up.  

Viewing:  Please stand on the sides of the pool for viewing.  You can stand at the end opposite end of the blocks but do not impede with the swimmers or timers.  Timers need to see the kids touching the wall.   Parents are not allowed behind the blocks unless they are a coach or clerk of course.  Also no photography behind the blocks. You can film from the sides or the opposite side of the blocks.  

Parents:  There will be a ton of nerves for your child, there always is.  This is a fun league and this is our first meet.   Coaches are going to be encouraging them on and I would ask you to do the same.  Cheer them on to do their best.  They will improve upon their times from this meet to the next.     

Concessions: Food and drinks will be available - Normandy takes CASH or CARD.  Pro tip - make sure your child has some snacks and water with them.  Reminder no glass in the facility.  

Timers Meeting: Will begin promptly at 6pm. All first and second half timers are expected to attend.

Forest Hills Warmup: 6-6:25

Meet will begin at 6:30

Parking: Parking is available for our away team in our main lot for Normandy. Address is: 9585 Union Cemetery Rd., Loveland, OH 45140.

Please pass along the following to your team…

• Please do not park on any grassy areas in our parking lot.
• Please take caution when entering and exiting our drive and proceed slowly.
• IF NEEDED: Overflow parking is available behind the club in the McCabe parking lot. To get to the McCabe lot, from Union Cemetery, turn on to Northeast Dr. and go to the end and turn left before cul-de-sac. (See picture below) It's a little hidden but there is a path way through some trees to get to our back gate. It's at the end of the lot to the left
• Map to Overflow Parking

Having parked at Normandy for years, if you are early, you can park in the lot.  However, if you are not, parking at McCabe's isn't that bad.  If you are running late, go to the main entrance and drop your child off, and find parking.  Normandy usually has their team park at McCabe's, so that lot may fill quickly.  The driveway for Normandy is at the bottom of the hill and it is narrow.  Please be courteous for drivers.  Be careful getting out as the club is located on a turn and not the easiest to turn out of. .  

Once your child has swim his/her events and you are not working 2nd half, you can leave.  Make sure to clean all of the team areas and pick up trash.  

Also, if you have not declared for the meet as attending, you need to do so by tomorrow at practice.  Coaches have to submit the meet by Wednesday at 1pm. 

Divers -  we are currently finding a time to do the mock meet.  We don't dive at Normandy so we do this at one of our practices.  More to come but we are waiting on Normandy to get back with us.

Practice Schedule for tomorrow.  

6/2 - Tuesday

Swim

Dive - all divers - 11:30a-12:30pm

Also, I'll be sending reminders for payments and those that have not declared.  

Hope this helps, and more to come as we get closer to the meet. 

Thanks,

Dan Ryan

FHSC Swim and Dive Coordinator