Swimmer Advice-Tips, Tricks, and Ideas

What to bring to meets: Club

I remember when I was a little swimmer, just starting out. My first meet was terrifying. I had no idea what to do, especially what to bring. Now, time has passed and I have learned. Here are some ideas for what you should pack.

2 towels - if the meet is longer than several hours and you will be swimming more than 3 events, you should bring 2 towels. One is guaranteed to get soaking wet, and all soggy, and after you swim, you're not going to want a soggy, cold towel.

Team suit - if your team has a specific suit, otherwise, if you have a team color, bring a suit in that color.

Team cap - same as suit, otherwise, a black cap is a good option.

2 goggles - you do not want your goggles breaking moments fore the big swim, and then not having a pair and having to swim without.

Team clothes - at some meets, there will be an awards ceremony, and chances are, if you're gonna be up on that podium, your coach is going to want you to look sharp wearing your team gear.

Parka - I legit live in these. These and warmup jackets, they are wonderful, warm jackets, with big pockets for caps, goggles, and a power bar, plus, room for a phone so you can play music and get in the zone.

Entertainment - you're gonna be sitting around waiting for your event, and while it's great to cheer for your teammates, you probably aren't going to want to stand around cheering for several hours before you swim next. So bring some homework, or an electronic device. Otherwise, you'll get pretty bored.

Headphones - if you're the kind of person who listens to pump up music, these are a must have (along with like, a iPod or something). You can also just bring along headphones, tuck the end of the cord into your pocket, and walk around with a look on your face that says 'leave me alone'. People will do it because they know that you shouldn't interrupt somebody listening to pump up music, and they won't want to interrupt you, especially if you have that look on your face that says 'leave me alone'. They will.

Shoes - you'll want to bring crocs or flip flops to the meet, the bathrooms and pool deck can get pretty nasty as the meet goes on

Food:

Food is essential. You're gonna be there for awhile, and you'll likely get very hungry as the meet goes on. Be sure to overpack. It's better to have more food than you need than to have not enough.

Power Bars - plan on about 1.5 power bars per hour

Yogurt/other lunch items - if your meet is over the lunch hour, try packing a lunch from home. Some good options are a pita bread, Apple, and yogurt. Keep in mind, you don't need to pack a full lunch because you will have other foodstuffs with you.

Energy drinks - these are wonderful for long meets. You want about 12 ozs for an hour. Choose some different favors, or, choose a favorite. 

Banana - oh, bananas. I am not a big fan, but they prevent you from getting cramps, so, I try to eat one. Banana chips may work as an alternative; often, I have banana chips instead.

Trail mix - you can make your own, or, buy one pre made. Choose one with nuts for protein, and with crasins for antioxidants. 

Cheerios - Cheerios are wonderful for me. I usually eat apple cinnamon, honey nut, or regular. You don't want chocolate or frosted because they are so sugary. Cheerios are great because you can grab a handful and just walk around eating them.