Jack Thompson Information
Location
The Jack Thompson Invitational is held at the Mary T. Meagher Natatorium. The address is 201 Reservoir Avenue, Louisville, 40206. Phone number is 502-897-9949.
Directions
Take I-64 West to Cannons Lane exit, go right on Cannons Lane. Follow until Cannons Lane ends at Frankfort Ave. and turn left onto Frankfort Ave. Follow Frankfort Ave. around ¾ of a mile and turn right into Reservoir Ave. Go over railroad tracks and the pool is straight ahead of you. Reservoir Ave is across the street from the Water Company. If you come to a light on Frankfort, you have gone too far. (Click on View Larger Map, below, to get detailed directions from Google).
Lakeside Website
www.lakesideseahawks.org The psych sheet (a list of who is entered in each event) should be posted before the meet. You can also check for any updates about times.
Warm-Up and Meet Times
***All times are subject to change. Always check your email for any last minute changes before you leave for a meet. Always arrive at least 15 minutes before warm-ups.
Friday PM – warm up at 4:30 PM meet starts at 5:30 (13 & Over)
Saturday AM – warm up at 7:00 AM meet starts at 8:00 AM (9 to 12yr olds)
Saturday Mid-Day 8-unders – warm-up 11:50am meet starts at 12:30 PM (8 & Under)
Saturday PM – warm-up at 2:00 PM meet starts at 3:00 PM (13 & Over)
Sunday AM – warm up at 7:00 AM meet start at 8:00 AM (9 to 12yr olds)
Sunday PM – warm up at 11:30 AM meet starts at 12:30PM (13 & Over)
Parking
The MTM Natatorium has a reasonable amount of parking, though it might be tough to find a spot in the transitions between sessions. There is street parking as well as a lot to the right of the building.
What to Bring
You will need to bring money. There will be an admission fee for all non-swimmers. You will also want to buy a heat sheet to help your swimmer know their heats and lanes. There will be a concession stand, but we suggest that you bring your own drinks and snacks. Plenty of water and healthy snacks are the way to go! The swimmers will need an extra towel or blanket to sit on, and parents might want to bring a chair. There is some bleacher seating, but it will fill up quickly. Swimmers need their team suits, caps and goggles. BRING EXTRA GOGGLES!! Swimmers should wear shoes between events and other clothes to stay warm. Swimmers and parents should wear Dolphin apparel or red and navy.
What to Do When you Arrive
When you get to the pool it will appear to be a sea of madness. There are actually two pools in the building, the meet takes place in the one farthest away from the entrance. We usually sit on the right side of the pool. When you get there, look for other Dolphin families and get settled. The swimmers need to be ready to warm-up at the designated time, but the coaches will come get them when they are ready for them to enter the pool. It will be crucial that the swimmers listen for instructions from the coaches. You will be able to sit with your swimmer at this meet.
When the meet starts, parents and swimmers should follow along on the heat sheet. The coaches will try to get the swimmers to the blocks (10 and unders) but the swimmers need to know when it’s about time and head down to the coaches for final instructions. Swimmers should talk to a coach before and after each swim. Lots of quality coaching can take place after a swim– good or bad.
How Does the Meet Work?
The swimmers will be seeded into heats that are slowest to fastest. If you are new to the team, you will most likely be entered as NT. This stands for no time, and just means that you have no official entry time. Summer times do not count. Also, if you’ve never legally completed an event you will be entered as NT. There is no exhibition at a USA meet. Every heat has a chance to count for points. However, only the top 8 swimmers per event score points and receive ribbons. No one receives ribbons at the meet. If your swimmer scores in the top 8, we will receive the awards at the end of the meet and they will be placed in your family folder next week. Results from each event will be posted at the pool during the meet. You will also be able to access complete results on the internet shortly after each meet.
Our coaches want the swimmers to focus on having “best times.” This means that regardless of place, a swim is successful if they went faster than last time. They will also be helping the swimmers find positive achievements in areas such as legality, correct turns, etc… First time swimmers can take enormous pride in finishing new races for the first time and establishing a starting point from which to gauge improvement.
When you have finished your events for the day, check in with one of the coaches to make sure that you are okay to leave. There are not relays at this meet, but it’s a good habit to always check with a coach before leaving in case you are needed for a relay at the end of a meet. Please clean up any trash before you leave for the day.
What If I Can’t Be There?
If there is an illness or emergency that prevents you from attending the meet, please call Coach Phillip. Texting Phil would be the easiest and quickest way to get him a message. You will still be charged your entry fees, but it is proper swim etiquette for us to notify the host team if we have scratches in case another swimmer is waiting to get in to the event.
Volunteers
We are not required to provide timers for this meet at this time. If you are a certified official and you would like to work, please see the Lakeside website for instructions.