Getting Ready on Meet Days?

[gymnastbeth]

I've seen so many threads in the past asking what to have in a gym bag, what to do to be prepared for a meet, etc. This thread will hopefully cover most of it.

Preparing for a meet can be really rushed and stressful, so I thought I'd make a nice checklist of everything that needs to get done before leaving for a meet. This is just a general overview, post how you get ready on your meet days!

FOR GYMNASTS:

Get enough sleep the night before the meet! Being overtired at a meet is no fun.

The day of the meet, eat a good breakfast. Meets are long, and a lot of times food is not allowed on the floor.

Take off all fingernail and toenail polish!

Pack your bag. Things you might need: Grips, small nut-free snack, water (in a plastic bag to prevent leaks), tape, extra leo, hair elastics, hairspray, hairbrush, music, feminine products, money. (Don't forget things that are unique to your situation; contact lens case, any medicines, etc.)

I'd recommend putting your hair up before putting your leo on, especially if you use lots of hairspray. You DON'T want hairspray on your leo...

Put your leo/warm up on, grab your bag, and you're all ready to go! Leave early, there's nothing worse than being late to a meet.

PARENTS:
Print out directions to the meet, and or put it in your GPS ahead of time! Even if you think you know where you're going. Countless times my dad has thought he knew where he was going, and we ended up driving around for an hour. Make sure to leave early, I can't stress that enough!

Have nail polish remover in your purse. Someone on the team will inevitably need it.



How do you get ready for meets? What's your meet day routine? Post it here!

 

[SignHere]

For Parent

1. Wake daughter up with plenty of time to get ready. Be sure you yourself are completely ready to walk out the door BEFORE you WAKE daughter up.
2. 10 minutes later - Go back to daughter's room. Attempt to wake her up again.
3. 10 minutes later - Go back to daughter's room - Pull her from her bed - Shout at her - We're going to be late!
(LOL!!!)

- Know how long the "meet hairdo" is going to take. Allow some extra time for mess ups. Also, make sure your daughter doesn't have a shirt that will need to go over her head!

- Some parents will do hair night before for meets, esp. early morning meets. If this is your plan, you should do a "dry run" and have your daughter sleep on her meet hairstyle a few weeks/days before, so that you'll know if it will hold up. I also recommend having your daughter wear a meet hairstyle to a practice to see if it will hold up/be comfortable.

- Your daughter's hair should be neat, out of her face, and any ponytail should be short enough that it will not get tangled when doing bars. She should not be wearing nail polish. There should be no visible tattoos. She should wear at most 1 pair of small stud earrings.

- Make sure your daughter's gym bag is packed for the meet - water bottle, small snack (nut free, not messy), nail polish remover, extra hairspray/hair pins/clips, and small hand towel (for sweaty hands/forehead).

- Make sure you have GOOD directions (mapquest is not always right!).

- Get to the gym 15-30 minutes prior to warm up for registration.

- Have cash (bills smaller than $20, please).

- You should consider bringing a seat cushion (like for bleachers).

- Your daughter should leave her shoes and coat with you. She does not want to lug these around on the competition floor.

 

[All Chalked Up]

For Gymnast
- Make sure your hair is GLUED back.

- Leave your shoes and coat with a parent or in the hotel room/car if possible.

- Bring a pair of flip-flops for wearing around the floor (bathroom runs).

- Bring makeup remover wipes and very small mirror in your gym bag (especially if your makeup isn't waterproof)

- Eat a good, healthy breakfast- fruit smoothie and a slice or two of whole-wheat toast with soy butter (false peanut butter) on it is very good and very quick.

- Bring a little travel bottle of nail polish remover in a baggie and cotton balls. Someone ALWAYS forgets.

- Our group likes to plan food before the meet and then share, if the meet allows foos on the floor. Make sure it's not messy food.

- Don't bother with sports drinks. I like to bring a bottle of orange juice and a bottle of water.


- If you bring snacks, make sure they're nut free. Many gymnasts are allergic and most gyms (well in my province) don't even allow nut products in the gym.

- If you have tattos or piercings, make sure they're covered. One pair of studs in the earlobe in okay.

- Bring instant ice, athletic tape and braces if you need 'em. I also bring my puffer (ashsma) and Advil since all those hairspray fumes pound in my head!

 

[gymgal]

If your meet is more than 90 min away, consider making a reservation at a nearby hotel. If you get an 8am start time, that is awfully early to wake up in order to get ready and get to the meet on time. It is money well spent. If you find out your session is in the afternoon, you can always cancel the reservation.

make sure you have extra batteries (or chargers) in your camera and video recorder.

bring a pen and paper if you plan on keeping track or scores/places (dd likes to have her scores and place written on the metals and sometimes it's hard to remember - most of the meets we go to don't do this)