Having just finished another summer league season of interminably long meets, 4-5 hours each, twice a week (and that's with no rain delays), I was wondering if anyone had good ideas for reducing the time it takes to run a meet. Some ideas I've had are:
1 - only announce event, heat and then full description of that event for the first heat. Subsequently, only announce heats.
2 - have kids on blocks when previous heat finishes
3 - drink more to make it less painful
We had one starter at an away meet who would spend 30-45 seconds after each heat talking to folks before she would get the kids on the blocks. I almost lost it.
In all honestly, any tips would be greatly appreciated.
The age group meet I went to this summer had fly over starts. I am not a fan but they are efficient. I didn't like them partially because I was so mis-seeded. My 200 free was a good 20 seconds faster than I can swim and I was in a middle lane so I hit the wall and kids were flying over me. My 100 fly though I was seeded 20 seconds slow so I hit the wall and climbed out and was practically in the warm down pool before the next heat went.
Improving the time between heats is key. Fly overs do this. They did fly overs during prelims at Senior Nationals and at Worlds last summer. So I think that would be acceptable.
The age group meet I went to this summer had fly over starts. I am not a fan but they are efficient. I didn't like them partially because I was so mis-seeded. My 200 free was a good 20 seconds faster than I can swim and I was in a middle lane so I hit the wall and kids were flying over me. My 100 fly though I was seeded 20 seconds slow so I hit the wall and climbed out and was practically in the warm down pool before the next heat went.
Improving the time between heats is key. Fly overs do this. They did fly overs during prelims at Senior Nationals and at Worlds last summer. So I think that would be acceptable.
