Starz Tips: Planning for the Weather at Home Meets
Hi All,
When I don't have anything else to do for the Starz, I shift into my role as amateur team meteorologist. While tonight's initially questionable weather forecast has improved considerably in the past 24 hours, I wanted to walk you through our usual procedure for weather delays at Stillwater home meets so that any adjustments we might need to make tonight (or at future meets) will be as smooth as possible for everyone.
There is a possibility of rain in tonight's forecast, though it is lessening. To be safe, please bring what you need (rain jackets, umbrellas, etc.) to be as comfortable as possible competing and spectating in the rain. As long as we are without lightning and thunder and rain stays light to moderate, we will proceed with the meet. While it may be tempting to shelter in cars in this situation, our PA is only audible on the deck and in the team area (field), so this choice often results in missed swims.
If lightning is seen or thunder heard, our announcer (Mark) will immediately order the pool and deck cleared of spectators and athletes. Athletes should return to their families. We will then enter a 30-minute successive weather hold. At this point, spectators and athletes may shelter either in our locker rooms/guard office or in their personal vehicles, but they should remain on-site and await word from the team (via SportsEngine email/text message/push notification) on when/whether the meet will continue. Families should not leave the area until they receive official confirmation that the meet has been suspended. The interior of our clubhouse, where concessions and computers are located, will not be available for use as a shelter. (Our own use of this facility during meets is limited.)
The NSC parent reps and both teams' head coaches are in constant communication throughout weather delays and decide jointly if/when the meet must be suspended. Typically, this will only happen if the rain becomes torrential or if ongoing lightning/thunder and resultant delays would force the meet too late to reasonably continue. In the past, we’ve had difficulty with some participants leaving the site before a meet is actually suspended, making teams less willing to continue when it might otherwise have been possible. We’re hoping to avoid this tonight!
If a meet must be suspended, the results of events completed before the suspension are valid no matter how much/little of the meet is completed. If a meet must be canceled before it begins, the teams will attempt to reschedule, using either the NSC-established make-up date (July 15) or another mutually available date.
I hope that knowing what to expect in the event of adverse weather will be helpful. Hopefully, all of this preemptive communication will prove totally unnecessary, and we’ll get a complete, uneventful meet in the books tonight! The forecast is looking better all the time.
Take care, and please let me know if you have any questions.
Lea Fortkamp,
Stillwater Stars Parent Board
Lead NSC Rep
