Announcer
The Announcer is an integral part of meet management and the Starter/Referee team. THANK YOU for helping us keep the meet running smoothly! The essential job of the Announcer is to keep all meet participants informed and instructed. This helps the swimmers arrive timely at their events with best chances for success. Please keep your volume loud enough to be heard easily over the crowd, but without becoming hard to understand or creating feedback.
Protocol
The Announcer will develop an easy rhythm with the signals of the Referee/Starter, and the instructions of the Starter, as each “heat” (race) proceeds. The REFEREE will give a series of five short whistles as each heat is finishing, signaling the next heat to prepare, followed immediately by Announcer’s information (e.g., "This is event ____, boys/girls 25/50/100/200 [stroke], Heat ___ of ____"), The Referee will blow a single long whistle for the swimmers to enter the water. In backstroke, a second long whistle brings swimmers to their starting positions. After the long whistle, the Starter will say, "Take your marks" and then click a horn/buzzer to start the race.
For Every Event....
For every event, the announcer will call out the (1) Event number, (2) girls or boys, (3) distance, (4) stroke and (5) heat. For example, "This is Event 1, Girls 13 and over, 200 m Freestyle, Heat 1 of 2". If you are continuing to the next heat under the event, the announcer will call out the heat number (e.g., "Heat two").
It's important for the announcer to remain quiet at the start of each heat. There will be times when the Starter will ask the announcer to
- Call for a missing swimmer
- Ask for swimmer to "quiet for the start"
General Announcements
Once the heat starts, the Announce can make general announcements related to the swim meet including:
- Ask spectators to refrain from flash photography
- Ask spectators to remain in the designated areas (i.e., don't go behind the blocks)
- General swim team announcements related to upcoming meets
- Remind people to visit the concessions area
- Announce upcoming events (particularly for events for swimmers 10 and under)
Please keep these announcements short and simple. For longer announcements, wait to make those announcements during the 50 and 100 m events.
Moving Timers
For the 8 and under, and 9-10 age groups, those swimmers will be finishing their race at the turn end of the pool. As such, the timers need to be at the other end of the pool. Immediate after a boys 15 & over race, call the timers to the other end of the pool. After the 25 m events have concluded, timers will need to go back to the starting back for the 50 's and 100's.
Announcing Meetings
You will need to remind volunteer timers and officials when their meetings will occur. Timers meetings will occur 30 minutes before the meet begins. Officials meetings will occur 15 minutes before the meet begins.
Starting the Meet
The meet will begin at 6:00 or 6:30, depending on what the Meet Referee indicates. Check with the Meet Referee accordingly or they will give you your cue.
Ten minutes before the meet officially starts, begin calling swimmers to the blocks for the first two events (i.e., Events 1 and 2, girls and boys, 13 & over, 200m freestyle).
Five minutes before the meet officially starts, welcome everyone to the swim meet and kick off the meet with the playing of the National Anthem (or introduce the individual(s) performing).
