The Anatomy of a Swim Meet Heat Sheet

Whether you are a swimmer or parent of a younger swimmer, you need to know how to read a heat sheet (aka meet program). Heat sheets contain a listing of all swimmers by event number, heat, and lane assignment. This will allow the swimmer keep up with where they need to be and when. Parents, friends and relatives will also need to know how to read a heat sheet so they don’t miss seeing their swimmer compete.

Parents, it is important to know what event/heat and lane your child will be in so if necessary you can make sure your swimmer lines up behind the correct swim block in time for the event. Younger swimmers will also need to be reminded what stroke and distance they will be swimming. If a swimmer does not have this information, they may miss their event (there are no refunds for missed events).

It is common to have the event/heat/lane written on the swimmer’s arm or leg so they have it in front of them at all times. It also helps coaches and volunteers help your child if they get confused. Black sharpies are great for this.

The Parts of a Heat Sheet:

• Event Number and Event Name– this will tell you what event number the swimmer will be in.
  
• Heat Number and Lane Number – this will tell you what heat (group of swiimers that swim at the same time) and what lane the swimmer will be swimming in
  
• Age (or year in school)
  
• Team Name (or School Name)
  
• The seed time(the time listed for a swimmer is their best time in that event – distance and stroke)

Things to know:

• Each consecutive heat is faster with the last heat being the fastest.




• In each heat, the swimmer with the fastest time is place in lane 4.

For an annotated example of a collegiate heat sheet, click here.