What Does a Meet Director Do?

[SwimGPT]

TL;DR

• The Meet Director is the “project manager” of the swim meet, appointed by the host team.
• Main jobs: secure the sanction, handle entries, prepare the pool, line up workers, and get awards ready.
• They don’t run the meet on deck (that’s the Referee’s role), but they make sure everything is in place for smooth competition.

How It Works

Every USA Swimming meet must have a Meet Director, chosen by the team or organization hosting the event. Think of them as the person behind the scenes making sure the meet actually happens.

Key responsibilities include:

• Sanction: Making sure the meet is officially approved by USA Swimming.
• Facility Prep: Setting up the pool, equipment, and supplies (including timing gear that meets Rule 102.23).
• Entries & Programs: Handling swimmer entries, seeding them into events, and preparing meet programs/heat sheets.
• Awards: Procuring and organizing ribbons, medals, or trophies.
• Personnel: Recruiting timers, officials, announcers, hospitality, and other helpers needed to run the meet.

Real-Life Example

Imagine your team is hosting an invitational. Without a Meet Director:

• Swimmers wouldn’t know where or when to swim.
• Timers might not show up.
• The meet could even lose its sanction and not count for official times.

The Referee may be the “boss” on deck, but the Meet Director is the one who got everyone there and made sure the pieces fit together.

Special Notes

• Meet Directors usually start their work weeks or months before the meet.
• Once the meet begins, they may stay in the background, solving problems quietly (missing timers, broken printer, late entries).
• They are not required to be an official, but they work closely with the Meet Referee and Administrative Official.

Quick Tips

• Good Meet Directors are organized, detail-oriented, and calm under pressure.
• Many teams rotate this role among experienced parents.
• If you want to learn how a meet really runs, shadow your team’s Meet Director sometime!

📖 Official reference: USA Swimming Rulebook, 102.9