The Heat Sheet
The heat sheet is a 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. The above is a group of event samples from a heat sheet.
Events are listed in order usually alternating girls and boys events.
Event: One of the first things you'll notice on a heat sheet are the event and heat numbers. The event number corresponds to the order in which the events will be swum. For example, if event 1 is the first event, then event 2 is the second event, and so on.
Heat: The heat number corresponds to which heat of that particular event you'll be swimming in. For instance, if you're swimming in the first heat of an event, then your heat number will be 1. If you're swimming in the second heat of an event, then your heat number will be 2, and so on.
Swimmer names and lanes: Underneath each event and heat number, you'll find the names of all the swimmers in that particular heat, as well as their lane assignments. The swimmer in lane 1 will always be listed first, followed by the swimmer in lane 2, and so on.
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.
An X in front of seed time means the swimmer is swimming an exhibition heat. In exhibition heats, swimmers receive a time, but do not score points for the team. Exhibition heats are performed so that more swimmers can participate in events, and are a valuable opportunity to get a legal time for championship eligibility, or achieve one’s personal best.
Note: Individual Medleys are swum 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.
As in the example above, swimmers in age groups 6 & under and 8 & under swim one length of the pool, or 25 meters/yards, whereas older swimmers swimtwo lengths, down and back, or 50 meters/yards. In their relay medleys, swimmers 1 and 3 enter the water at one end of the pool, and swimmers 2 and 4 at the opposite end. Older swimmers start and finish at the same point.
Relay medleys are swum in order: 1) Backstroke, 2) Breaststroke, 3) Butterfly, 4) Freestyle.
