Blue & Gold Night

Here is a bit more information about Blue and Gold night and what happens!

This is a chance for Olympic Way Level 1, 2, 3, Swim Skills 1 swimmers (and us parents!) to see and experience how a swim meet runs. It is also a chance for you to see your child’s successes! For our older swimmers, it is an opportunity to learn how to set up, time and organize a swim meet.

The Blue and Gold event will be separated into 2 sessions. This way the younger swimmers do not have to wait for long periods of time before their next swim event. Swim Skills 1 and Olympic Way Level 3 swimmers will be swimming from 4pm - 5pm (arrive at 3:45pm) Olympic Way Level 1 and 2 swimmers will be swimming from 5:15pm - 6pm (arrive at 5pm)

For those families with siblings, Swim Skills 1 and Olympic Way 3 swimmers are welcome to swim in the wave pool after their event between 5pm & 6pm. Please note on the declaration (sign up) if your swimmer is staying to swim during that time so that we know how many swimmers to submit payment to the City for. Also note that the free swim is only available to swimmers age 7 and above as the City of Nanaimo requires all swimmers entering the pool on their own to be at the age of 7 years and older. 

Make sure you pack a couple of towels, or even a housecoat as the swimmers have to wait in between swims.  Wearing a pair of flip flops or Crocs helps to keep them warmer, too.  Feel free to send a water bottle and some light snacks for your swimmer to eat in between swims.  When you arrive, bring your swimmer and their gear to the bleachers by the office under the “HOME OF THE NANAIMO RIPTIDES” sign.  Find your Level flag.

The coaches will assign your swimmer a Heat and Lane number, and will write the info on your swimmer’s hand so they don’t forget!  Heats are the groups the swimmers swim in.  Lane numbers are #1-8, with Lane 1 being in front of the office.  If you forget, the lane numbers are on the blocks (the things the kids jump off at the start of a race, by the diving boards).  Each of the Level 1 and 2 swimmers will swim with a big buddy who brings along a kick board in case your child needs a break!  Most swimmers do not need it, but the kick board is there if they want it!  Swimmers can also wear a life jacket if they want to!

Parents are asked to sit on the opposite bleachers and cheer from there!  Our coaches and older Junior & Provincial group swimmers will help the Level 1-3 swimmers figure out when and where to go, as well as do all the timing!  The swimmers will go in this order:
Level 1, 2, 3, Swim Skills 1 kick
Level 1, 2, 3, Swim Skills 1 freestyle
Level 1, 2, 3, Swim Skills 1 backstroke

We have all the swimmers do their length of kick first, then their freestyle swim and finish with their backstroke   For example, if you have a Level 1 swimmer, they will be in one of the first heats, then go back to the bleachers and wait until all the rest of the levels swim that same stroke.  Then your Level 1 swimmer will do their freestyle swim, go back to the bleachers, watch the rest of the kids swim their freestyle, and finally your Level 1 swimmer will complete their backstroke.  At the end of the Level 1 and 2 swimmer’s backstroke, the swimmers will head to the coach's table to collect their event time sheet and prize. Olympic Way swimmers that have completed their current registered Level will be honored at the event with a medal and certifcate.

The distances of the swims are different depending on the level of the swimmer.
Level 1 and 2 do 25m kick, 25m freestyle, and 25m backstroke, (one length of each)
Level 3 does 50m kick, 50m, freestyle, and 50m backstroke, (two lengths of each)
Swim Skills 1 will do 100m freestyle, 50m backstroke

That is how the Blue and Gold event should go!  The number of heats is dependent upon the number of swimmers that come.

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