Writing the grid on the arm
Put sunscreen on first and let it dry. Then draw a grid on the forearm with a Sharpie, one row per race in event order, and copy each row from the card: event number, heat, lane and the race. Relays add the leg. A check-in race has no heat or lane yet, so write the event and a note to check in.
The swimmer then reads it like this: at event 10, heat 1, go to lane 1 for the 50 breaststroke. Team habits differ, so follow your coach if they want another layout.
What the page does with your heat sheet
It reads the text of the PDF in your browser, finds every event, heat and lane, and lists the teams and swimmers. Search works with either name order and ignores accents. Each card is checked against the sheet: a lane listed twice in one heat is flagged so you can look at that race yourself. Combined events show both numbers, alternates show their place, and relay swimmers get their leg when the heat sheet prints it.
Families with several swimmers get one card each, and a coach can add a whole team and print a team sheet by event.
Questions parents ask
How do you write swim events on your arm?
Draw a small grid on the forearm with a Sharpie and fill one row per race, first race at the top: event number, heat, lane and stroke. Put sunscreen on first and let it dry before writing. After the meet, rubbing sunscreen on the marker helps take it off.
What do E, H and L mean on a swimmer's arm?
E is the event number, H the heat and L the lane. Teams often add a fourth column for the race, such as 50 Free. For a relay the grid shows the leg (leg 1 swims first) when the heat sheet prints it. Otherwise it shows the relay and its swimmers, so check the leg order with your coach.
Is my heat sheet uploaded anywhere?
No. Your own browser reads the PDF on your phone or computer, and it is never sent to us or anyone else. The meet and the swimmers you pick are saved on this device only, so the grid is still there when you open the page again at the pool.
Which heat sheets can it read?
English heat sheet PDFs from Hy-Tek Meet Manager, SwimTopia Meet Maestro, Swimmingly, Splash Meet Manager, OnDeck and TeamUnify single-team sheets. Scans, photos and start lists in other languages can't be read yet, so type those races by hand. Results are turned away. A psych sheet gives events but no heats or lanes yet.
The heat sheet changed after scratches. What now?
Download the new version and open it here. If it is the same meet, the page lists every change for your swimmers, such as a new lane or a race that is gone, and marks it on the cards. If it can't tell, it asks whether the file is an update or a new meet. Check on meet morning, because heats can change after scratches.
The heat sheet came by email. How do I open it?
On iPhone, touch and hold the PDF in the email, choose Save to Files, then tap Open the heat sheet PDF here and pick it from Files. On other phones, download the attachment first. The PDF is read on your phone and is not uploaded.
What does Check in mean on the grid?
Some meets seed long races, such as the 500 free, on deck after swimmers check in. The heat sheet then lists the swimmer with no heat or lane. The grid shows Check in so you remember to check in before the deadline in the meet information.
Can I print labels instead?
Yes. Pick Avery 5163 (Letter, 2 by 4 inches) or L7165 (A4) for a full grid, the smaller Avery 5160 (1 by 2 5/8 inches) or L7160 (A4) for a compact one, or print cards on plain paper. A label or card is handy for a coach's clipboard or a swim bag. The arm itself still needs a marker, so copy the card onto it.
Grid layout and sunscreen tips from the Centennial Cyclones guide to arm marking and the PCPS swim team's arm marking how-to. Label sizes from the gLabels template list.