Relay 2023 Forum - Recent Threads

Closing Comments

Jessica Reilly — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 19:25:48 GMT

Closing Comments
- Speakers: Ed Coates, Dawson Hughes

USMS Sanctions & Best Practices for Event Hosts (Jeopardy)

Jessica Reilly — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:40:00 GMT

USMS Sanctions & Best Practices for Event Hosts - Discussion on how/why to sanction, overview of sanction rules, similarities & differences for pool meets & open water events, follow up after sanction, submitting times, etc.

Speakers: Nicole Christensen, Jacky Merianos
Session Resources
- Jeopardy Game: Questions and Answers

RE: USMS Sanctions & Best Practices for Event Hosts

Jacky Merianos — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 04:10:01 GMT

Hello, everyone! Nicole and I are here to assist anyone who has questions on our presentation and/or materials. You may ask your question in this forum or you may email us directly:

Nicole: ncr@creativewaters.net

Jacky: coachjackyswims@gmail.com

Happy event planning!

RE: Event Showcase

osterber — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 15:47:04 GMT

Some of the information I shared in my section of this presentation:

Rick Osterberg - Meet Director for NE LMSC SCY Champs at Harvard from 2000-2019, and hopefully again in 2024. This meet is typically 750-850 swimmers, with a max of 1064 swimmers back in 2010. Meet format is typically 4 days over 2 weekends:

Weekend 1: Saturday Distance Day (1000 and 1650 freestyle, all day long)
Wekeend 2: Friday/Saturday/Sunday: All day, all other events including all 5 standard relay events.

Five keys to the meet that I shared:

1. Know your audiences
- Repeat swimmers who know what to do, but want to know what has changed.
- Returning college swimmers who are comfortable on the pool deck, but need to learn some of the USMS nuances.
- Folks returning to the water after 5 or 30 years, who may need help with whistle starts, fly-over starts, check-in, etc.

2. Predictable, not boring
- Our overall structure is the the same every year, but we change the order of events every year. We have never done the same order of events more than once.
- Pre-entries timeline: We post a guesstimate timeline before entries, so folks know that the 50 free is likely 3-4pm, and not at 10am.
- Post-entries timeline: We post a detailed timeline, and generally stay very close to it (usually within 5-10 minutes). The timeline is updated online throughout the session.

3. Communicate the right information at the right time
- What do participants need to know via email before they enter? 1 month before? 1 week before? 1 day before?
- Signage at the meet: Clear, concise, and consistent.
- PA announcer: Also predictable but not boring. Reminders about times and deadlines. Warmup ends in 10 minutes. Sprint lanes open in 20 minutes. 200 fly closes in 15 minutes.

4. Leverage technology, but be careful
- At Harvard's Blodgett Pool, we have a beautiful big scoreboard that we can get lots of information onto. (It's a Daktronics board, 1296x720 resolution.) We can put the lane assignments for the -next- heat on the scoreboard. We put the timeline and other dynamic messaging about deadlines so everyone can see. ("M 200 fly closes at 2:36pm")
- We do not use online check-in. If there are problems (such as your phone isn't working right), there is no backup plan since the swimmer is probably not at the pool yet. We do on-deck positive check-in on paper. Each event closes 60 minutes before it swims, and heat sheets post about 45 minutes before the event starts. Over 4000 splashes, we end up with 35-40 no-show empty lanes, which makes for full heats and good competition.

5. Have fun!
- Seed time prize: If you swim your exact seed time (to the 0.01), you get a $10 Starbucks card.
- We do a seed time analysis so folks can see who the "best" and who the "worst" seeders were for the meet. (Calculated in swim time/seed time differential per 100 yards swum.) There is lots of chatter from people trying to avoid the "worst seeders" list.

Check out our 2019 event page, including seed time analysis on the results page:

http://www.meetresults.com/2019/nelmscscy/

http://www.meetresults.com/2019/nelmscscy/results.shtml

Event Showcase

Jessica Reilly — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:40:46 GMT

Event Showcase - Featuring 6 experienced USMS event hosts! From open water to pool to dryland, this session promises to be a diverse and dynamic showcase of the best USMS events across the country.

Speakers: Doug Garcia, Bonnie Adams, Celia Wolff, Rick Osterberg, Teddy Palmer, Peter Guadagni

Adding Pizazz to Your Established Event

Jessica Reilly — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:42:25 GMT

Adding Pizazz to Your Established Event - Details and playbooks from experienced event hosts featuring unique event ideas & best practices, with opportunities to brainstorm in groups.
- Speakers: Beth Nymeyer, Kenny Brisbin, Gary Girolimon

RE: Adding Pizazz to Your Established Event

Crystie McGrail — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 15:28:25 GMT

Share your ideas from the session here!!!

RE: Adding Pizazz to Your Established Event

osterber — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 15:27:27 GMT

As a note to question in the session: Do non-conforming events (25s, etc.) count towards your daily event limit? USMS Rule Book says yes:

102.6.7: Any nonconforming events swum shall be included in the daily event limit.

Starting Your First Event

Jessica Reilly — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:42:09 GMT

Starting Your First Event - How to create a new event / resources available to event hosts. time to map out event stakeholders, marketing, facility, fees, tasks, volunteers, etc.

Speakers: Shari Cruse, Cory Nguyen, Tony Preston

Committee-BOD-LMSC Roles Meet-Up

Jessica Reilly — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:41:54 GMT

Committee-BOD-LMSC Roles Meet-Up - National committees/BOD/LMSC Roles - info sessions/meet up - geared towards getting more volunteers involved by learning about what committees do, or getting time to meet with others in same LMSC roles to network. floating around to have convos.

Speaker: Ian King

Events with community building focus

Jessica Reilly — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:41:20 GMT

Events with community building focus - Events with social elements / community building and/or fundraising. 25s / fun relays / other "non conforming" events. "recognized" versus "sanctioned" events.

Speakers: Doug Sayles, Carrie Stolar, John King

How LMSCs can Advocate for Events Participation

Jessica Reilly — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:41:01 GMT

How LMSCs can Advocate for Events Participation - How LMSCs can Advocate for USMS Virtual, Clinic, and Fitness Events (How LMSCs can support participation). What is LMSC role in helping meet directors.

Speakers: Tim Waud, Jeff Commings

De-Mystifying Open Water Sanctioning and Event Hosting

Jessica Reilly — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:40:31 GMT

De-Mystifying Open Water Sanctioning and Event Hosting - Start to finish how to run an OW event, including USMS sanction process, safety rules, best practices, resources.

Speakers: Jill Wright, Beth Nymeyer

Promote more USMS Events through Event Hosts and Facilities

Jessica Reilly — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:40:16 GMT

Promote more USMS Events through Event Hosts and Facilities - How LMSCs can Advocate for USMS Competition Events, Why Run a Masters Meet? What is the "sales pitch" from a masters volunteer to a club leader and/or facility owner; why should they want to host masters events?

Speakers: Bill Brenner, Kenny Brisbin

Sanctions Chair Responsibilities & Best Practices

Jessica Reilly — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:39:44 GMT

Sanctions Chair Responsibilities & Best Practices - Discussion on best practices for Sanction Chair & Safety Chair, similarities and differences for pool meets & open water events, follow up post event completion.

Speakers: Linda Chapman, Karen Harris, Phyllis Quinn

Relay Kick-Off Event Development

Jessica Reilly — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:39:24 GMT

Relay Kick-Off Event Development

Speakers: Ed Coates, Dawson Hughes, Brian Robbins

USMS 101 for New Volunteers

Jessica Reilly — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:39:09 GMT

USMS 101 for New Volunteers - Orientation for New USMS Volunteers

Speakers: Britta O'Leary, Ian King