How to Read a Heat Sheet
The Heat Sheet is a program that shows all the participating swimmers and what events they will participate in as well as the heat number and lane number. The starter will announce the event and heat number. This information is also available on phones to Premium subscribers through the SwimTopia Mobile App.
Event Number: There are 70 events in each meet. The events will take place in numbered order, with girls going first for each age group.
Heat Number: In each of the 70 events, there are HEATS. Each heat has up to 6 swimmers. Heats will swim in increasing number order, with heat 1 going first, until all heats have swam. The first heat in each event has the swimmers with the fastest seed times, and the last heat typically has the slowest seed times. Swimmers can score points for their team from any heat. There is no requirement that points be scored by swimmers in any particular heat.
Lane Number: This tells you which lane your swimmer is scheduled to be in.
You may also find it helpful (to you and your swimmer) to write each event, heat, and lane for your swimmer on their arm or leg with a Sharpie marker (see example below). It is very helpful for parents to do this BEFORE they arrive for the meet! Please also write your swimmer's last name on their back right shoulder to help volunteers confirm they're in the correct heat and lane.
For meet efficiency sometimes heats will be combined. This can be due to swimmers who do not show up for the meet, or to try and shorten the meet duration. For example, if there are only 3 girls swimming in 15-18 butterfly and only 3 boys swimming in 15-18 butterfly, we may combine them into one heat to save time. We will also do this on later heats that may not be full. The starter will announce any combined heats. Please pay attention as your swimmer's heat approaches for any changes. Please also ask your swimmer to tell the timer their name at the end of every race to be sure if there was a heat combined they are still attributed their right time.
