Alto at Meets (Info Page)
Information for Parents and Swimmers - Attending a Meet with Alto Swim Club!
Please carefully review the updated calendar and meet schedule for your swimmer’s group: Alto Schedule. Regular meet attendance is very important for skill development and families should make every effort to attend 100% of the meets on the group schedule. The information below is an overview for families regarding what to expect when attending a meet with Alto Swim Club!
Winter Age Group Championships (Dec 6-8) - Information and Reminders
We are looking forward to great racing at the Winter Age Group Championships this weekend (Dec 6-8)!
Meet-Sheet
You can find the meet sheet here.
Location
The meet is held at Morgan Hill Dennis Kennedy Aquatics Center – 16200 Condit Road, Morgan Hill.
Individual Event Check In
The meet will be deck seeded. Athletes must check-in at the Clerk-of-Course prior to the start of the session or they will not be seeded in the event.
Individual Events
Has been sent out via email. Please review carefully.
Psych Sheet
Has been sent out via email.
Relays
Relay line up is attached. Please review carefully. Swimmers who are listed as “Reserve” only need to come to the meet if they are contacted by the coaching staff.
Note: The Relay line up can change until the day of the event, based on the most recent practice performance as well as the day performance at the Championships.
Relay Arrival: Swimmers and parents should check their email throughout the weekend to see the confirmed relay line up and finalized check in time as this information is announced at the meet.
Check-In Times
A coach-lead group meeting will begin right at the listed check in time. Swimmers must arrive on time, and I recommend leaving a 5-10 minute buffer in case you are delayed parking, etc.
Friday December 6
3:45 PM Individual Events Check In
6:00 PM Relay Check-In (Relay-Only Swimmers)
Saturday and Sunday December 7-8
7:45 AM Prelim Check In
3:00 PM Finals Check In (Individual Events)
5:00 PM Relay Check In (Relay-Only Swimmers)
Note: The check-in times for the morning sessions are set. The check-in times for the afternoon session may change. We are going to email right away if changes are coming up based on the announced finals start time at the meet.
Timers and counters
Athletes have to provide their own timers and lap counters for the 500 Free and the 1650 Free. The 1650 Free event is timed finals held at the conclusion of the last prelims heat.
Volunteer Sign Up
When our team attends a qualifying meet, it is expected that all families will contribute at least one timing slot during the meet. This is not the same as a regular-season meet where parents can pick and choose which meets to volunteer during. Please help out by signing up here: Volunteer Sign Up.
Every family with a swimmer attending this meet should volunteer for one time slot.
Alto Athlete Area
Our team area will be set up near the competition pool. This area is for Alto swimmers only.
Hotel
There is no team travel for this meet. Families who have a swimmer competing in both prelims and finals multiple days can book a hotel locally.
Team Apparel
Alto gear should be worn at all times while at swim meets.
Uniform, All Sessions -
- Alto swim cap
- Arena black Alto team suit
- Alto sweatshirt / parka
- Warm socks and close-toed / athletic shoes
- Bring extra towels, sunscreen
- Winter hat, gloves, scarf and other extras to stay warm
Friday - Red t-shirt “Team above All”
Saturday - Black t-shirt "Greater Together"
Sunday - White t-shirt "True to My Team"
What else to bring
- Spare Goggles and Towels
- Water bottle + Electrolytes
- Healthy snacks
- Alto Camping Chair
- Extra layers, dry socks, etc to stay warm throughout the weekend!
General Meet Information
Note: information specific to each meet will be distributed via email and is listed above
Meet Schedule / Updates - Please carefully review the updated calendar and meet schedule for your swimmer’s group: Alto Schedule. Regular meet attendance is very important for skill development and families should make every effort to attend 100% of the meets on the group schedule.
Swimmer / Family Communication - In the following I have outlined more background information about the communication you can expect for every meet that Alto attends. Parents please read through this carefully, but even more importantly please assist your swimmer in accessing this information! At every age, the Alto Coaches expect that swimmers will read team communication and be responsible for knowing the information outlined. Our Coaches will communicate the entry, venue details, arrival time, etc through email. They will also review meet information with the swimmers in person at practice.
Meet Schedule –
1) Attending meets on a regular schedule is an important component to skill development and skill assessment. Swimmers at Alto attend every meet scheduled for their practice group. Please review your swimmer's group meet schedule online and ensure that your swimmer can attend all of the meets listed on the calendar – Alto Schedule.
2) The Alto Coaches complete and submit all Alto team meet entries. Each swimmer's individual event lineup is decided by their coach.
3) If a swimmer cannot attend a meet or a meet session, please communicate a minimum of 60 days in advance by sending an email to your swimmer's lead coach. Unless the coach receives an email in advance communicating a conflict, your swimmer will be entered and billed for the meet.
Swimmer Event Entry –
Meets usually begin accepting entries 4-6 weeks in advance, but this varies for every meet. As soon as a meet opens and begins accepting entries, the Alto Coaches enter our team right away. Meets close when they reach capacity (sometimes in less than 12 hours). For this reason, you need to email in advance if you cannot attend. When a meet opens, we will not send a reminder (the coaches will enter right away and email the entry once submitted).
Once the entry is completed, the Alto Coaches will send a copy of the entry out to the team. Please always read that email carefully to ensure the following –
1) Your swimmer is included
2) Your swimmer is entered in the correct number of events (usually either 3 or 4 per day for regular season meets)
3) Your swimmer is entered in the correct events (for example, let your coach know if you see that all of their peers are entered in one set of events and your swimmer is entered in something different – this may be intentional but it’s best to clarify)
If there are any issues, communicate with your coach right away so that they can correct errors. Occasionally, there are mistakes – these can be fixed when they are pointed out in a timely manner. Once a swimmer’s entry is submitted to the host team, it cannot be canceled or refunded. However, a missing swimmer can likely be added or incorrect events can likely be fixed.
Arrival Time –
The age / gender breakdown (by session) will always be listed in the “Meet Sheet,” which is an info sheet that the host team provides. When we send out the entry, please check the meet sheet to see if your swimmer's age group is competing in the morning or afternoon. The exact Alto team check in time will be sent out to families after the host team collects all entries and tells us how long each session of the meet is estimated to last.
Generally, most regular season (non-championship) meets that Alto attends follow the same breakdown for AM / PM sessions. There are some exceptions to this. The breakdown is often as follows. When there is a different age distribution we will let families know as soon as we are aware of a change –
Morning session, approx. 7 AM check in – 11 & overs
Afternoon session, approx. 12 PM check in – 10 & unders
Check-In Times A coach-led group meeting followed from a swim warm up will begin right at the listed check in time. Swimmers must arrive on time, and I recommend leaving a 5-10 minute buffer in case you are delayed parking, etc.
Team Apparel –
Alto gear is worn at all times while at swim meets. The team uniform is as follows. If you have new apparel, please label the INSIDE of your apparel items (do not write on the outside).
Uniform, All Sessions -
- Alto swim cap
- Arena "marble" team suit (new 2023-24 suit)
- Alto red sweatshirt / parka
- Warm socks and close-toed / athletic shoes
- Bring extra towels, sunscreen, water bottle, and chair to sit outside
Friday - Red t-shirt “Team Above All, All Above Team”
Saturday - Black t-shirt "Greater Together"
Sunday - White t-shirt "True to My Team"
Alto Athlete Area –
We have an Alto Athlete Tent Area set up at each meet. This is the area where the whole Alto team is sitting together and it is for swimmers set-up only. Swimmers will sit with the team during the whole meet and will check in with the coaching staff before and after each race.
What Your Swimmer Needs to Know –
Please show your swimmer their coach's emails on a regular basis. Swimmers should review all of the team and meet information that is sent out. If your swimmer has their own email account, please respond to this email and send over their email address so that the swimmer can be added to their group's email list.
