Orange Shoals Otters

A heat sheet tells you when your swimmer will swim, what event they are swimming, and where they need to line up.  Once you know what to look for, it’s straightforward. (We promise.  You'll get the hang of it quickly!)

Key Terms You’ll See on a Heat Sheet

• Event: A specific race defined by stroke, distance, age group, and gender.
• Heat: A group of swimmers racing the same event at the same time. Larger events are split into multiple heats.
• Lane: The numbered lane your swimmer is assigned for that heat.

Two Ways Parents May See Heat Information

Depending on how you access meet information, you may see one of two formats. Both show the same data. They are just organized differently.

1. Athlete View (By Swimmer)

This view is set up to show each athlete and the events they will swim. This is the easiest view for most families to see  your swimmer’s events and for marking your child for events.

What you’ll see

• Your swimmer’s event numbers
• Events listed in the order your swimmer will swim
• Heat number and lane number for each event

What to know

• You still need to track event numbers, not clock time
• Event numbers match the full meet heat sheet

2. Full Heat Sheet (All Swimmers)

This view is organized strictly by event number for every swimmer in the meet (or all swimmers on our team if filtered). 

What you’ll see

• All swimmers for each event
• Multiple heats per event when needed
• Lane assignments for every swimmer

What to know

• This is the master schedule used by coaches and officials.  It helps you understand overall meet flow
• Your swimmer will appear in more than one area of the heat sheet if they're swimming more than 1 event. That’s normal. 
• Swimmers often have gaps between events, especially in larger meets.

Marking Your Events on your Swimmers Arm (or leg):

Important Note

Both views point to the same events. If you know your swimmer’s event number, you can use either format confidently.

• Athlete View = organized for each swimmer
• Full Heat Sheet = full schedule

Event number is the single source of truth.  

• Events run in numerical order
• Age groups and strokes change between events
• Meets rarely run exactly on schedule. Track progress during the meet by watching event numbers, not the clock. Start times (if shown) are estimates.

Still Confused?

That’s completely normal.

Ask for help from:

• A committee member
• Your swimmer’s coach
• Another Otter parent or meet volunteer

We’ve all been there.

What is a Heat Sheet?

This is the printed listing displayed before and during a meet that tells swimmers what events they will compete in. It also defines the swimmer's lane assignment per event. Lanes are typically assigned based on seed times, with the fastest swimmers in the center of the pool. Events are listed in order usually alternating girls and boys events. We try to have them available at Thursday morning practice to view and email them out later that day. It is best if you write their LAST name above their shoulder blade in sharpie (with first initial if you have multiple swimmers), as well as their event, heat and lane number on their arms (Some girls prefer on their thigh). This helps the coaches and the Bullpen parents and Deck Managers to make sure the swimmers are where they are supposed to be. See below on how to read a heat sheet to get this information.

Marking Your Events on your Arm:

Important Terms:

Event Number (E): There are 86 events in each meet. For each of those 8 races, we swim 12 events -- one for each age group/gender.

• Medley Relay
• Short Freestyle (25 and 50)
• Individual Medley (a 25 yard of each of the 4 strokes)
• Backstroke
• Breaststroke
• Long Freestyle (50 and 100)
• Fly
• Freestyle Relay

Heat Number (H): In each of the 86 events, there are HEATS. Each heat has 5-6 swimmers - depending on the size of the pool/number of lanes to accommodate both teams.

Lane Number (L): This will tell you which lane your swimmer is scheduled to be in. In our home pool, Lanes will start with Lane 5 on the far left, ending with lane 1 on the far right. The home team swims the even number lanes and the opposing team swims the odd number lanes. In 5 lane pools, the exhibition lane, lane 1, can be rotated each event for either team's use, based on which team may need it for an event, based on number of swimmers. 

Scoring: Each team has a max of two scoring lanes for each event. Only the first heat of each event scores points for the team. The other lanes are exhibition lanes. You can still earn ribbons regardless of which heat or lane you race in. Every lane earns ribbons (unless you DQ). When you earn a ribbon, your place it is based off of the swimmers you compete against in your heat. Wall touches override stopwatch time. 

Seed time is the fastest time a swimmer or team of swimmers has swum an event prior to the submission of entries for the meet. For individuals, this is the time entered for the swimmer for the event, and is a good goal to try to beat. It also factors into lane placement and heat number.

An “NT” listed for seed time means no seed time has yet been recorded for that swimmer, i.e. that swimmer has not competed in that event, or was disqualified during the event.

Individual Medley(IM) is swam in order: 1) Butterfly, 2) Backstroke, 3) Breaststroke, 4) Freestyle. It’s important for swimmers to know the order, because any other order will result in a “DQ” or disqualification. (improper kicks, strokes or one handed touches at the wall will also result in a DQ in any event for swimmers above 7/8 age groups).

Medley Relays are swam in order: 1) Backstroke, 2) Breaststroke, 3) Butterfly, 4) Freestyle. Accordingly, in the relay event below (Event #18 Boys 11-12 200 Yard Medley Relay) The relay order reads left to right across the row. Each boy will swim 50 yards of their stroke for the relay, Caleb will swim backstroke, Noah will swim the breaststroke, Brady will swim the butterfly, and Gavin will swim the freestyle. They will swim in Heat 1, Lane 1. They are relay team C for Orange Shoals (OSST) and NT means this relay team does not have a previous time together to seed with for this event. (The number after each name is their age).

The other two relay teams will swim in the same Heat (1 of only 1 heat for the event) and swim in lanes 2 and 4 respectively. 

*The number next to each swimmer's name indicates their age.  

Changes to the Heat Sheet will be made the morning/afternoon of the meet in emergencies, based on swimmers who don't arrive on time or do not attend for either team. We may also "combine" heats to speed up the meet. 

The announcer will say if heats are combined. Please pay attention when it gets close to the time of your swimmer's event. 

**All swimmers should be ready to swim their event, at least 3 events prior to their event, swim caps, goggles on and ready to go. Their Bullpen parents will be lining them up in order and sending/taking them to the "deck" where the Deck Managers will also aide them in lining up in order. Swimmers should remain with their bullpen throughout the meet so the bullpen parent doesn't have to go searching for them. If they miss their event, they will not be allowed to make it up, the meet will go on, and our team may lose points if they were in a scoring Heat (Heat 1) of an event.