Time Trials and Team Photo Information
Benicia Stingrays
Hey Team! This is a long one. I promise most meet NewsSplashes won't be this long but we have a lot of new families so here goes!
Time Trials is Saturday, May 20th!!!
- Time Trials is our first "meet" of the season. I say "meet" because there is no opposing team. Everything else is exactly the same as the dual meets that will occur later this season. The race times the swimmers get at Time Trials will serve as their base times for the season.
- If your swimmer plans to compete at Time Trials, make sure to "Commit" your swimmer to Time Trials by Saturday, May 13th. The deadline to register for all regular meets is one week before the actual event. If you forget to register, it is very difficult for the coaches to make last-minute changes to the meet schedule. Don't know how to register for a meet???? Watch this video:
- 6 and Unders: If Coach Mariska has approached you to sign up your 6/under for The Otters' Invitational, then they are ready to swim at Time Trials. If you are unsure, please ask Coach Mariska ASAP so you will know whether to register your swimmer or not. Coach Mariska will only put your swimmer in the events that she knows they are capable of swimming.
- Set Up and Take Down Crew: We inadvertently did not ask for a setup and take down crew for Time Trials! If you are able to help out, please go to the Time Trials' Job Signup and sign up for a setup/take-down role. You will have direction and guidance so newbies are welcome! You must be available both before and after the meet to help out. This will serve as one of your 4 required meet volunteer jobs.
- More information will be sent out for Time Trials next week, but for regular families, plan on arriving at 7:30 AM and ending around 12:30 PM.
- If you are part of meet setup, the side gates will open at 6:30 AM.
- ONLY folks involved with meet set up can arrive this early. Everyone else MUST enter through the MAIN FRONT DOOR at 7:30 AM. Do NOT enter through the side gate.
- The very first thing to occur will be photos. More on this below.
- The meet sheet will tell you what events, heats, and lanes your swimmer will be in. It will be emailed out late next week. When it is sent out, there will be instructions on how to read it.
- During or immediately after team photos, volunteer families should check in with the volunteer coordinators. You must check in to get credit for hours served. The volunteer coordinators, Bekki and Wendy, will have a small table set up where the two legs of the grass "L" intersect.
- For returning families, you will be very comfortable with the organized chaos of a swim meet. For new families, it will be confusing, but it is so much fun! Please reach out to any person in a light blue Board Member shirt for help on the pool deck. We are all very nice and we want to help you!
- Make sure to bring many towels (one towel will not cut it....the swimmers will be in and out of the water potentially 5-6 times if they are swimming all of the events), cash (we will definitely have a food truck and are hopefully working on a snack bar!!!!), folding lawn chairs, WARM CLOTHES (it will be cold early in the morning for your wet swimmers), and, if you are extra,--your wagon, blankets, popup tent, entertainment for between events, etc.
Team Photos
- Even if your swimmer is not participating in the actual meet, they are still encouraged to attend photos.
- Photo Schedule
- The group team photo will take place immediately upon entering the pool, shortly after 7:30AM. Do not be late.
- The group photo will be taken with swimmers in their team shirts over their suits (the shirt is included in their registration fee). Shirts will be handed out on the morning of Time Trials.
- When you arrive at the pool, please immediately go to the t-shirt table, under the scoreboard (near the lap lanes) to get your shirt.
- Swimmers will be lined up from shortest to tallest on the cement between the two pools.
- The group photo will be taken first, immediately followed by individual photos.
- If your swimmer has a team suit, make sure they already have it on for the individual photo. With so many swimmers, we are on a very tight schedule. Please help keep your swimmer in line and quiet so that the photographer can quickly get through all photos.
- Your swimmer is not required to take an individual photo, but if you MIGHT want them, make sure to line them up. They can take the photo and you can order them for up to 48 hours after the event.
- Order Forms
- Picture order forms are already in your family folders on the pool deck in the shopping cart-like cart near the large green recycle bin.
- Please pick the order forms up today or early next week AND FILL THEM OUT AHEAD OF TIME. Filling them out ahead of time will save the photographer a huge amount of time (again very tight schedule!). Even if you prepay, you MUST still present an order form for the purpose of identifying your child's photos amongst other swimmers.
- It is easiest if you prepay for the photos via this link: https://BaySportsPhotography.onlinephotocart.com/prepay/37563148?code=Stingrays but you MUST still fill out the picture order form and hand it in when your swimmer takes their photo. If you go to the payment link printed on the order form, the password is "Stingrays". If you click the direct link above, you do not need a password. Cash and check are also accepted with the order envelopes if you do not want to prepay online.
- FINALLY, for families with multiple swimmers, each swimmer will need their own order form if ordering individual packages. However, if just ordering a buddy package with all swimmers in one shot, then one order form per family will suffice.