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A step-by-step guide to running a Kisu Swim Meet
This guide is the first of three modules to help Kisu volunteers and officials plan, set up and run successful swim meets including main meets, jamborees and time trials. Additional information about planning and running meets is available from Swimming Canada (www.swimming.ca.) The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on how these activities are managed by the club.

Before you get started, you may want to learn more about and the types of meets we support as well as the Key Roles and Responsibilities of the officials, volunteers and staff.

Planning a Kisu Swim Meet
A number of activities need to happen well in advance to support a successful meet. This section describes those activities and identifies who is responsible.
 * 1) Engage the Meet Manager
 * 2) Set the date
 * 3) Prepare the Meet Package
 * 4) Book the pool
 * 5) Invite teams
 * 6) Apply for the sanction
 * 7) Promote to the club
 * 8) Create meet file
 * 9) Issue event file to teams
 * 10) Arrange Volunteers
 * 11) Inventory Supplies
 * 12) Import entries and build the meet
 * 13) Print the heat sheets

Our program
As a competitive swim club, Kisu is expected to host a number of swim meets each season to give athletes an opportunity to compete and achieve time standards. These meets are also important opportunities to raise funds to support the club. There are three types of meets - Main Meets, Jamborees and Time Trials. They may be sanctioned, meaning the results are official and recognized by the Fédération International de Natation (FINA), the international governing body of swimming, or unsanctioned, meaning the results are unofficial. The schedule for the upcoming season is determined by the Head Coach in the spring. The timing and format of the events are fairly consistent from year to year.

Key roles and responsibilities
The success of these events depends on the support of all parents, swimmers and staff. There are a few key roles that lead the coordination of the events. These roles are held by staff or are official positions governed by Swimming Canada. They have specific responsibilities and require some training. The main roles that support the meets include:
 * Head Coach
 * Meet Manager
 * Meet Registrar
 * Clerk of Course
 * Equipment and Set-up Coordinator
 * Club Administrator

Other official roles that support the meet include the Chief of Officials, Referee, Starter, Electronics, Stroke and Turn Judge, Chief Timer and Timers. A complete description of these supporting roles is available from Swim BC (www.swimbc.ca.) (Responsibilities may vary somewhat from the official description provided by Swim BC.)

Head Coach
The Head Coach prepares the meet schedule, identifies the need for time trials and determines what events will be offered. In partnership with the Meet Manager, the Head Coach determines the meet details such as number of lanes and timing of events. The Head Coach is also responsible for assigning events to swimmers.

Meet Manager
The Meet Manager is responsible for ensuring all activities are in place for a successful meet. The primary responsibilities in advance of the meet include preparing the meet package, booking the pool and other facilities, and identifying the volunteers and officials. During the meet, this role coordinates set up and the activities of the volunteers. There are two Meet Manager positions – one for Main Meets and Jamborees and one for Time Trials. The position for Time Trials is a training position to prepare this person to assume the role for Main Meets and Jamborees.

Meet Registrar
The Meet Registrar applies for the sanction with Swimming Canada (www.swimming.ca), builds the meet file in Meet Manager according to the meet package, collects entries, and prepares the meet program and heat sheets. After the event, this role files the results with Swimming Canada (www.swimming.ca.) There are two Meet Registrar positions – one for Main Meets and Time Trials and one for Jamborees. The position for Jamborees is a training position to prepare this person to assume the role for Main Meets and Time Trials.

Clerk of Course
The Clerk of Course runs the meet software during the event. This role adjusts entries, collects results, coordinates reviews by officials, publishes results, and prepares labels for ribbons. Equipment and Set-up Coordinator The Equipment and Set-up Coordinator is in charge of ensuring the meet equipment (touch pads, timing console, scoreboard and starter) are maintained and ready for use. This role is also responsible for setting up equipment and taking it down at the end of the meet with the assistance of volunteers.

Club Administrator
The Club Administrator is a staff position responsible for administering or coordinating the business of the club and is a resource for managing meets. As part of this role, the Club Administrator manages content on the club website and is a key point of contact for all club members.

1 Engage the Meet Manager
Most swim meets in the region are scheduled collaboratively by the coaches before the season starts. In addition to the regional schedule, the Head Coach may want to have a time trial for Club members at various points throughout the season. It is the responsibility of the Head Coach to inform the Meet Manager of the regional scheduled events as well as proposed additional events. The key engagement activities are listed in the following checklist.

Checklist

 * Provide the regional schedule to the Meet Manager before the season starts.
 * Contact the Meet Manager to discuss desired dates for additional events.

2 Set the date
Once the Meet Manager has the schedule and is notified about additional events, this role will make the following arrangements in order to confirm the event and set the date.

Checklist

 * Contact the pool to confirm availability and timing.
 * Arrange for a Level 4 referee from the list of local referees.

3 Prepare the Meet Package
The Meet Package is the master document detailing all of the logistics of the event. Swim BC provides a template and dictates the items that need to be included in an official Meet Package.

Checklist
	
 * The Meet Manager locates the previous year’s file on the Club computer or downloads the Swim BC template.
 * The Meet Manager updates the file with current information provided by the Head Coach.
 * The Meet Manager arranges to review the following details of the meet with the Head Coach.
 * Date
 * Time
 * Location
 * Events
 * Lanes
 * Sessions
 * Fees
 * Entry Deadline
 * Warm Ups
 * Age Groups
 * Ribbons
 * Scoring
 * Rules
 * Format (# of events)
 * Eligibility
 * Seeding
 * Deck Entries

4 Book the pool
With the details outlined in the Meet Package, the next steps of Planning the Meet can get started. The Penticton Community Centre is very supportive of the swim club and allows sections of the facility to be closed to the public so that we may host our events. Considerable notice is required as the staff must advertise the closure to patrons. It is also very important that the requirements are clearly understood as the club pays for use of lanes and meetings rooms as well as special cleaning requirements. The key factors to consider when booking the pool are included in the following checklist.

Checklist

 * Rent the full 10 lanes - We normally rent the full 10 lanes for events. This is one of our biggest costs. We may only use 8 lanes for the jamboree and 6 lanes for a time trial but it is important to reserve the entire pool to allow for warmups and cooldowns and to ensure swimmers in the outer lanes are not interfered with during their events.
 * Allow time for set up - It is important to note that we are not able to enter the pool before 7 am on the weekend. Set up may need to happen the night before or start time may need to be later to allow set up. Allow a minimum of 2 hours for set up and testing before warm ups.
 * Book the multi-purpose room - This is the area where we set up for deck food, ribbons and coordination of volunteers and officials. This rental is in addition to the pool rental.
 * Allow time for take down - Take down of equipment usually takes about an hour.
 * Request closure of the waterslide - People on the waterslide often splash the officials sitting below so whenever possible, try to have this closed during our events.

5 Invite teams
Once the meet package is created and the arrangements are made with the pool, the Meet Manager can formally invite teams in the Okanagan region to attend. Teams are only invited to participate in Main Meets and Jamborees. Clubs such as Summerland Orca may be invited to time trials at the discretion of the Head Coach. The key activities for inviting other teams are listed in the following checklist.

Checklist

 * Email the meet package head coaches for the following clubs in our region: Summerland Orca, Liquid Lightning, Kelowna Aquajets, Vernon Kokanee, Kamloops Classic Swimming and Kisu Swim Club.
 * Email clubs who have expressed an interest in attending our meets and jamborees including: Williams Lake Bluefins, Columbia Selkirks, and Wenatchee Velocity.
 * Be sure to copy your Meet Registrar, Head Coach, Administrator and President to ensure they are aware arrangements are proceeding.
 * The meet package should be issued several weeks in advance of the scheduled meet to give coaches time to plan to attend.