Module 2: Before the Meet

Prior to any meet, preparation is key. As a Starter, you may have duties assigned to you by the Meet Referee. 

On the day of the meet, you will attend the Officials Briefing to confirm your assignment and hear meet protocols and procedures. You will make preparations for the session and practice with the equipment. You may be responsible for presenting the Timer’s Briefing. 

Your own preparation for the session and meet may start in the days leading up to it. You may be asked by the Meet Referee to attend a Starter/Deck Referee meeting.

At that time, or prior to if the information is available, you will review the meet information, assignments, rotations, protocols, and procedures. Be prepared to take notes and review your responsibilities.

Review the meet announcement for relevant information for this meet. Revisit the rules for starts prior to any meet. This is especially true early in your Starter training. You might review the rules for swimmers with disabilities and practice hand signals for swimmers who are deaf or hard of hearing. While not used at every meet, this is a “use or lose” skill. It’s important to stay comfortable with the hand signals so that every athlete gets a fair start. 

You should also practice how you say “Take your marks.” The phrase should be delivered in a calm, clear, and inviting tone. Make it conversational and natural. If the starter delivers the command in an abrupt, unclear or tense tone, it may adversely impact the swimmer's start.

Many established Starters practice this phrase in the days before the meet. You could be sitting in your car, or doing chores around the house. But take time to practice.

Repeat the phrase over and over with the goal of a comfortable cadence and relaxed tone. It may be helpful to practice with statements such as “close the door” or “pass the salt” to find that cadence and tone. Use any phrase with three words, all single syllable, so each word is the same length in delivery.

Take Your Marks

Remember: The way you say “Take your marks” does not have to sound exactly like how other Starters say it. You just have to work on the cadence and tone of your voice. It should sound natural, and you should be comfortable saying it. 

Stand

While you practice the Take Your Marks command, there is another phrase that may be needed after “take your marks” is delivered. An unstable swimmer on the blocks, a swimmer arriving late to the blocks, a loud noise -  these, and other things, can be potential distractions to the athletes. In these cases, a “Stand” command may be given. 

Try practicing, but say “Take Your Marks” and every 5th time, pause then say “Stand.” Typically, a Starter would add “please” as in “Stand, please.” Practice using this additional phrase so it is spoken in a calm demeanor when necessary. 

Practicing ahead of time will help you gain that needed confidence as you step up to the microphone and it’s “go time” for you as a Starter.

Preparation on the Day of the Meet

On the day of the meet, you have responsibilities and preparations to complete before the meet starts. Unless tasked with other duties, you will attend the Officials Briefing. You should practice with the equipment, find your optimal position on deck, gather supplies as needed, and potentially lead the Timers Briefing.

Be on time for each session and the Officials Briefing. If you have duties prior to the Officials Briefing, be punctual. Be dressed appropriately in a professional manner.

As you know, you are part of a team! It is up to you and the rest of your team to work together to ensure a fair competition for all swimmers in attendance. This requires cooperation and respect for all people at all times.

Equipment

As you know, the equipment used for the start is a vital part of your process. Prior to the meet, become familiar with the starting system...it may be different than you've used before.

There are variety of possible starter boxes. If you encounter one new to you, take time to get to know what's what. There will always be a "press-to-talk" button and a way to signal the swimmers.

Coordinate with the Timing System Operator or Meet Referee for the suggested time to practice with the equipment.

Perform a test start to get a feel of how sensitive the starting button is. Make sure the strobe is flashing. Test the recall button to make sure it works correctly should you need it.

Nest, test your microphone. All of them are different. There's a "sweet spot" for positioning a mic, as well, so practice and find that spot. Some microphones are meant to be used with two hands wile others may be used with a single hand.

Starting the Timers' Briefing

At many meets, the Timers Briefing is likely your responsibility. You will provide instruction about the timing system and protocols. This typically happens after the Officials Briefing, usually shortly before the session starts. Since there are different timing systems, be sure you are familiar with the equipment prior to the meeting. There may also be different protocols for the Timers depending on the meet.

Let them know this role is important! Thank them in advance for their contribution to the meet. They will operate under USA Swimming rules. Since athletes work so hard to reach their goal times, this is a critical aspect of the meet.

If the main timing system malfunctions, or a swimmer misses a touchpad, the timer's semi-automatic system button or watch may serve as the official time.

At the end of the Timers' briefing, you can complete a simulated start and finish to check that all watches are working and the timers are comfortable. Frequently at age group meets, parent volunteers are using these watches for the first time. Answer all questions and let them know to ask the Head Timer for help, if needed.

This has just been an overview of what you may expect for a Timers' briefing. Your local club or LSC may have other guidelines and instructions needed for timers, and many have “cheat sheets” for this briefing.

 Make sure you have all the information you need to properly inform the Timers and prepare them for the meet.

Wrap Up

Take a few moments to reflect on what a Starter does Before the Meet.

• What considerations mentioned here stuck out for you?

• Maybe there are things you don't want to forget from this module.

• Or maybe it's thinking about how (or where?) you might practice your cadence for delivering the "Take your marks" command.

• Are there terms or concepts used here in this lesson, or in the previous module, that you need more help with understanding?

It may be helpful for you, as you move through this course, to keep a list of any questions you may have. While there will be full explanations with video of the rules and false starts, you still may have questions to discuss as you move into your on-deck training. This list can be your place to start.

Before each session as a Starter, there are preparations and activities that serve to support the officials’ team and set you up for a successful meet. Follow through on your individual preparations and participate in the group preparations. Do your part as you work together as an Officiating team.

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