What's the worst thing(s) that happened to you at a swim meet? I have a pretty nice list.
I had a problem with keeping my goggles on. Dive off the blocks, hit the water and pop off they go. So I had to swim a 100 free blinded. lol Not a good time.
Accidentally did a freestyle kick after a breaststroke turn...oops! DQ'd.
I remember my first time in a meet, first time using my stupid little speedo. Hated that thing. Anyways...I was REALLY paranoid...I was so scared it'd come off when I dove in. So the WHOLE 100 meters, every single stroke I'd check to see if it was still there. lol Slowed me down big time!
Ok...off the topic of swim meet and onto practice...
First practice, did a couple 25s, a couple 50s...tired, but ok. Then we did a 100. That did it. Pushed me over the edge. Had to run to the bathroom. Got sick. lol I only told 2 people. My coach and my ex-g/f who was also on siwm team with me. At the end of the year we got awards. The Most Improved swimmer was next. The coach started by saying "This swimmer went from throwing up to actually beating some people..." Soon as "throwing up" was said, THE ENTIRE ROOM OF 100+ PEOPLE LOOKED AT ME. AHHHHHHH! Man was my face RED! I got that award and the Coach's award for being "all around great person". Ugh...I can't believe EVERYONE knew!!!
Most of my oopsies have been from a meet operations/management perspective, since I do more of that now.
There was the time I was running a college dual meet, doing the pre-meet introductions and announcements and went to play the national anthem on the CD player. Unfortunately, the CD player had bee switched to "Shuffle", so the first track (USA Anthem) didn't play, and we instead got the anthem of some other country.
There was a time recently I was running a masters meet, doing pre-meet intros. I had a new wireless headset microphone on, and the national anthem was playing (correct country this time). I was in the timing booth, and a friend of mine was still lap swimming in the middle of the pool, directly under the flag. She was the only one still swimming. I leaned to another friend who was in the booth with me to make a snide comment that she was still swimming. Unfortunately, I had forgotten that my headset mic was still live.
Same meet recently, I was working the meet so hard, and was at the pool real late each night fixing technical problems and back so early for a couple days, getting only a couple hours of sleep, and not eating or drinking enough, that I ended up passing out in the timing booth. I was doing electronic timing, results processing, and announcing, so I was the only one in the booth. Fortunately, I signalled the referee to hold up the next heat for a minute or two. Witnesses who were there will confirm that I was only out for about 15 seconds, and that we only held up the meet for about 4-5 minutes total. Timeline is everything, you know.
-Rick
Most of my oopsies have been from a meet operations/management perspective, since I do more of that now.
There was the time I was running a college dual meet, doing the pre-meet introductions and announcements and went to play the national anthem on the CD player. Unfortunately, the CD player had bee switched to "Shuffle", so the first track (USA Anthem) didn't play, and we instead got the anthem of some other country.
There was a time recently I was running a masters meet, doing pre-meet intros. I had a new wireless headset microphone on, and the national anthem was playing (correct country this time). I was in the timing booth, and a friend of mine was still lap swimming in the middle of the pool, directly under the flag. She was the only one still swimming. I leaned to another friend who was in the booth with me to make a snide comment that she was still swimming. Unfortunately, I had forgotten that my headset mic was still live.
Same meet recently, I was working the meet so hard, and was at the pool real late each night fixing technical problems and back so early for a couple days, getting only a couple hours of sleep, and not eating or drinking enough, that I ended up passing out in the timing booth. I was doing electronic timing, results processing, and announcing, so I was the only one in the booth. Fortunately, I signalled the referee to hold up the next heat for a minute or two. Witnesses who were there will confirm that I was only out for about 15 seconds, and that we only held up the meet for about 4-5 minutes total. Timeline is everything, you know.
-Rick
