Invitationals 2018
Invitationals - Saturday, July 14, 2018
LOCATION:
Texas A&M Natatorium
797 Olsen Blvd, College Station, TX 77845
LAST MINUTE ABSENCES:
- Call or text me at 808-346-1889
INVITATIONALS MEET TIMELINE:
11:15 pm - Security Volunteer Arrival
11:30 pm – Pit Parent Check-in (at team Tent)
11:45 pm - Swimmer Check-in
Please look for our Stars’ Tents in the grassy area between the West Campus Garage and Student Rec Center – swimmers will check-in and wait in the shade here until our assistant coaches escort them to the pool deck at 12:00 pm
1:45 pm - Start of the Meet
PARKING:
The West Campus Garage located immediately adjacent to the Rec Center is paid parking. There are also paid parking spaces in lot 104. Both of these areas remain paid parking even on the weekends. Lots 100a, 102, and 100g in front of Reed Arena are free on the weekends. See attached map.
DROP-OFF:
Parents will drop their swimmer at our Team Tent which will be set up on the grassy area in front of the Student Recreation center. Coaches and volunteers will be there to check in your kids. Once you have checked in your swimmer you are free to enter the facility through the main doors of the Rec Center.
ACCESS:
Only qualifying Invitational meet swimmers, registered coaches and volunteers, and registered meet officials are allowed on the pool deck. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Food or item deliveries will be prohibited during the meet.
PARENT SEATING:
All Attendees will enter the main door of the Rec Center which faces Kyle Field. The spectator entrance to the Natatorium will be up the staircase just inside the entrance. Family members may observe the meet from the stadium seating area at the main entrance level to the facility. There will be no reserved seating.
“We are going to need the cooperation of everyone as there are only 1100 stadium seats available while there is an anticipated spectator attendance of more than 2000 people. We are asking that you not “camp out” in the stands but only stay to watch your swimmer and then move out of the stands for a while. One way to make this work is to partner with parents on your team that have swimmers outside of your swimmer’s age group. For example: if your swimmer is in the 78 girls group partner with other families that have swimmers in the 11/12 girls group and 15/17 girl’s groups and rotate in and out of the seats to see your swimmer. Sharing is a must for this to work at this venue. Saving seats is not allowed and security will be directing people to seats that are not occupied by a person and requesting all other items be removed from the seats.
Texas A&M will also provide the use of the Archery Room for remote seating while waiting for events. The Archery Room is spacious and air conditioned and may provide a more comfortable area to wait for your swimmers events on meet day. Signs directing you to Archery Room will be available if you would like to utilize this space.
Folding chairs, blankets, sleeping bags, etc are NOT allowed to be brought into the Natatorium viewing area.
WHAT TO BRING - LABEL EVERYTHING
- Your child in their Steiner Stars Red team suit
- Stars Red Invitational swim cap
- Goggles
- Towels – One for drying off, one for sitting
- Clothes – Swimmers can get chilled upon exiting the pool. Packing extra clothes for them like a sweat shirt, Stars tee, and pajama pants is a good idea.
- Water bottle
- Snacks - no nut products, please. No one will be monitoring the swimmers’ food intake, so please be sure to tell your child when they can/can’t eat if you are concerned about them eating prior to their events.
WHAT WILL BE PROVIDED
- Stars Red coaches – They will guide and support the swimmers as always!
- Deck volunteers – To assist in various capacities
DURING THE MEET
- This meet is for the individual swimmer, there will be no scoring.
- Stars Records can still be broken at Invitationals
- The meet will take place in two 25-yard pools, one for boys’ events and one for girls’ events. The girls will start in the pool closest to the score board. The boys will start in the pool closest to the diving well.
- No heat winner ribbons are distributed at Invitationals
PICKUP:
If you want to pick up your child before the meet ends, you will need to exit the Natatorium and come around to the swimmer entrance across from lot 104. Tell the security person your child’s name, age, and team. You will wait there until your child is brought to you by a coach or volunteer. This procedure must be followed with no exceptions for your child’s safety. If you are planning on taking your child home early from the meet, make sure he/she has not been placed in the last set of relays
All swimmers remaining until the relays will be taken to the team tent area (where you dropped your swimmer off) at the conclusion of the meet. We will have volunteers on hand to assist with the check-out process.
AWARDS:
- Medals are given for first, second, and third place finishes. All other places will receive a Participation Ribbon.
- Stay tuned for an e-mail early next week providing direction on when and where you may pick-up your Invitational medals and awards.
HEAT SHEETS:
- Once completed from the circuit heat sheets will be posted on the calendar section of the Red Team website - they are delayed a bit and may not be posted until later this evening.
REC CENTER DAY PASSES:
The Texas A&M Rec Center will offer day passes to any meet attendees for use of all facilities for $10 (additional fees may apply to certain areas). Day passes are available to any attendee that is 18 years or older with a valid ID. Minors may also purchase a day pass as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Please see the Student Rec Center staff on meet day for further details.
Let me know if you have any further questions. I am away at a swim meet in San Antonio with our older son but my husband Mark Bedford will be acting as the Troop Coordinator at Invitationals. You'll be able to recognize him with his Stars shirt and Aussie accent! If you should need contact him during the meet his number is 512-850-7676.
