What is a Heat Sheet? 

This is the 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.

Events are listed in order usually alternating girls and boys events.

Sample Individual Event from a Heat Sheet:

Important Terms:

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.

A “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, whereas older swimmers swim two lengths, down and back, or 50 meters. 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.

Accordingly, in the relay event below, Nicholas Wolf will swim backstroke, Keith Miller the breaststroke, Ryan Anthony the butterfly, and Chris Carlin the freestyle. They will swim in Heat 1, Lane 4. Their team has not yet received a legal seed time, so they have “NT.” This team is in the age group that swims two lengths of the pool, or 50 meters, each, which is reflected in the 200-meter event distance.