Bucking Horse Swim Team

Do coaches decide what length the swimmers swim at meets?

No. Swim lengths are determined by the age of the swimmer. Only the hosting team can allow for "open swims" where younger kids can swim up. See the information below for events by age group. 

Will my swimmer "age-up" during the season? 

Swimmer age is determined at the start of the season (June 1st). They will not age up during the swim season and will compete with the age group determined by their age as of the start of the current season.

EX: Johnny Smith is 10 at the beginning of the season on 6/1 and turns 11 on 6/29. Johnny will swim with the 10 & under age group for the duration of the season. 

What events can my swimmer participate in?

Who decides what events my swimmer will be signed up for?

Coaches will take event requests from swimmers at practice the week before the meet and sign them up for meets. Relays are determined by a swimmer's age and the availability of swimmers within that same age group. We will ask your swimmer if they would like to be in a medley, freestyle relay, or both. 

Most relays are open relays that combine girls and boys, so coaches may choose to combine swimmers. We will try to build relays to keep swimmers in their age group, but some swimmers may be asked to swim up an age group if the coaches believe they are skilled enough to do so.

Please RSVP for swim meets via the signup page and email the coaches in advance if swimmers will not be attending meets.

How many events can my swimmer swim?

Most meets during the season allow for 3 individual events and 2 relays per swimmer. 

How long are swim meets? 

• Meets will typically start around 8 AM. The length of the meet depends on how fast the meet flows. Plan for 2.5 - 4 hours depending on the size of the meet, the number of teams in attendance, and the efficiency of the meet. 
• Warm-ups are assigned by the hosting team and depend on how many teams are present and the number of lanes. Coaches will be notified of warm-up times about a week prior to the meet. Warmups will start around 7 AM for most meets. 
• With the exception of City Meet, which is typically an all-day event, most meets should be half-day events taking place in the mornings (most pools will have to open to the public after the meet is complete).

How early should we show up prior to warm-up?

• Warm-up times given by the coaches are the times when swimmers should be actively in the water. Please be sure to arrive 15-20 mins prior to the given warm-up start time to ensure your swimmer gets a full warm-up in.

What should we bring to the meet?

• All pools and seating spaces are different. Be sure to bring blankets, chairs, and canopies for shade if you would like! 
• Dry clothes for swimmers to wear while they wait for their next event. 
  • Pay attention to the weather for the morning of the meet! Because swim meets take place in the morning, it can sometimes be colder than we would expect. Make sure to bring adequate clothing for swimmers to stay warm between events like sweatshirts and sweat pants.
• SNACKS! 
  • Please be sure to bring healthy snacks for swimmers to eat between races.
  • Some good snack options include bananas, granola bars, trail mix, apple sauce, fruit, crackers, etc.
• Water or other hydration items. 
• Towels 
  • We recommend bringing 2-3 towels per swimmer so that they may have a dry towel to dry off with after each event.
• Extra googles 
  • Sometimes goggles break or a teammate may forget theirs and need to borrow a pair, so be sure to have a backup!
• Swim caps
  • We strongly recommend wearing a swim cap during a race. Swim caps help keep the swimmer's hair out of their face while they swim, keep hair from getting tangled, and help reduce drag, making the swimmer faster!