Now that your season is over it is time to pack up the timing equipment for a little while. Here are some tips and tricks for maintaining and storing your timing equipment that will help improve its useful life.

You can buy the Rid-Ox Contact Protector Spray and Dielectric grease mentioned below at many local electronics stores. They are also available on our web store.

If you had any equipment that wasn’t working at the end of your season, contact us now  by e-mailing support@istime.com or calling 800-835-2611 to get an RMA number and send it in for repair. Once the season starts up again we get very busy with last minute repairs and can’t always guarantee a fast turn around time. Repair your equipment today!

Software/Computer/Printer

You don’t need to keep completed meets on the computer once you are finished with the season. For MEETWARE and TIMEWARE users, go to Utilities/Backup/Backup to back up your system. Save the backup to a USB drive or CD for storage in case you need it again.

Once you have the backup, you can delete the meets from TIMEWARE.

In MEETWARE you can delete the meets and prepare for the new season in one step. Go to Utilites/ New Season and follow the instructions. This will delete all of your meets, move your seniors to an Alumni database, and age each swimmer up a grade. Once you have completed this you’ll be ready to start fresh when you get back to your season.

Before you pack your computer away for the season, it is a good idea to run a Windows update. You’ll want to do another one at the beginning of next season, but it will go quicker if you don’t wait a full year between updates. It is important to keep Windows updated. If you don’t, it will occasionally shut off USB ports or WiFi connections in order to for you to restart, which triggers an update.

Store your computer and printer, along with your software installation disks, power cords and mouse in a cool, dry place. Make sure that you remove any paper from your printer before you store it.

CTI/Deck Cable/Backup Buttons

Before storing these items away for the summer, do some basic cleaning on them. Dip a pipe cleaner into an Electronic Contact Cleaner/Protector  spray like Rid-Ox and wipe out each connection on the deck cable boxes and ends, the connectors on the CTI and the banana plugs on the Backup Buttons. This will help clean off any corrosion that has built up and protect the metal. Be gentle when cleaning the 25 pin connectors on the deck cable and CTI; try not to bend any pins.

If you notice any pins that are bent, loose, pushed in or missing, contact IST for an RMA to get those repaired. NEVER USE WD-40 or CLR TO CLEAN METAL CONNECTIONS. Those products will damage the metal.

Once your connections are cleaned, further protect the banana plug connections by coating them with a thin layer of Dielectric Grease. Fill each hole on the deck cable, and wipe a thin layer on each prong of the banana plugs to keep them from corroding in storage. Store the CTI and associated cables, Deck Cable and Backup Buttons in a cool, dry place.

SWIMSTART

Use Rid-Ox to clean the connection for both the Microphone and the speaker. Use the Dielectric Grease on the speaker connection. Charge the start fully, then unplug it.  Store it in a cool, dry place with the charging cable attached but not plugged into the wall.

Touchpads

Rinse Touchpads with fresh water and leave them to dry thoroughly. Clean the banana plugs with Rid-Ox and coat with a thin layer of Dielectric Grease. Store the Touchpads on deck on a cart or in a well ventilated box.  Keep them out of the sunlight and away from any sharp objects that might puncture or scrape the surface.

If you have any questions about your equipment or software please don’t hesitate to contact us. We love hearing from you!

Games to Play During Workouts

Swimming workouts can be tough to manage, especially if you have varying levels of ability in the pool at the same time. They can occasionally be boring too, just follow the black line, flip and repeat. Sometimes in the middle of a season the team and coach get bored and cranky. It’s times like this when a “game” workout can help alleviate the boredom for everyone, while still getting some good work in. Here are a few ideas of workout games that you can play with your swimmers of all ages. Safety first on all of these! Make sure no one is diving in the shallow end or landing on teammates as they enter the water. Also, check out the products that IST makes that will make running those practices even easier!

Fish Ladder

A fish ladder is kind of a relay.  Divide the team into 2 or more equal groups of 5 to 10 swimmers. The more swimmers in the group the more exciting the race.

The first person starts off the blocks (or the wall if you don’t have blocks), sprints to the other end of the pool and hops out. The second person takes off as soon as the first person’s feet have cleared the near flags, third person goes as soon as the second person has cleared the near flags, etc. You should have a nearly continuous line of swimmers in the pool. Everyone sprints to the other end of the pool, gets out and back in line. As soon as the last person to leave the start end touches the wall to complete their 25, the first person can go again. If your non-starting end is shallow, the kids should start from in the water or jump in feet first – no diving into shallow water!

They continue in this fashion until everyone in the group has completed 20×25’s. The first relay to get every member to complete 20×25’s and get everyone out of the pool and onto the deck wins. It’s a great way to get the kids to sprint a 500, plus getting out of the pool at each end is a good workout too. Winners can get a prize, or just a high 5.

SWIMCLOCK With Bluetooth

The SWIMCLOCK with Bluetooth allows you to program sets and workouts in your Android or iOS device and run them on IST’s popular 2 and 4-digit pace clocks. If you already own an IST pace clock, you just need the Bluetooth adapter. It plugs right in to your existing clock. You can also purchase a new clock with the Bluetooth built right in. Plug the clock in, turn it on, connect the app and you’re ready to go. You can keep your entire workout library in your back pocket!

For more information or a quote contact IST at 800-835-2611 or info@istime.com.

Playing Card Workout – as posted on Facebook by Coach Tyson Ormonde

Photo Credit: Tyson Ormonde

Requires: Standard deck of playing cards.

There are a couple ways to play this game, and the variations are limited only by your imagination! The simplest version is to have the kids draw a card out of the deck and then swim what is on the card. You can set it up any way that you want. In this example the suite determines what stroke they are going to swim and the number indicates how they will swim it.

For example:

= Fly                              = Back                        = Breast                = Free

2 = 2×25’s                                            9 = 9×50 all free

3=3×100’s                                            10 = 10×25’s

4 = 4×75’s                                            Jack = 1×500 Free (regardless of Suit)

5 = 5×50 kick                                      Queen = 1×400 IM (regardless of Suit)

6 = 6×200’s                                          King = 1×500 swim suit stroke

7 = 7×50’s                                            Ace = 1×100 Backwards any stroke

8= 8×25’s

You can have one person draw for the whole team, or they can draw for their lane and each lane can do a different workout. You can put times on the distances (i.e. 30s per 25) or just let them swim them on their own interval. They get a lot of work done and they enjoy the anticipation of finding out what they chose. The 500 Fly is pretty brutal, but you can always let them draw again!

WORKWARE Workout Software

WORKWARE runs on your computer and allows you to create and store sets and workouts that can be run on your scoreboard, including Colorado and Daktronics numeric scoreboards. You can run a different set or workout on each line of your scoreboard, so everyone can be doing something different. On IST Alphanumeric scoreboards you can display either the time of day or a scrolling message on the scrolling line during the workout. It’s like having an extra assistant coach!

WORKWARE also allows you to download sets and workouts to your phone, so you can create your workouts on the computer and then run them on your IST SWIMCLOCK with Bluetooth!

Contact IST for more details or for a quote at 800-835-2611 or info@istime.com

Deal or No Deal

Photo Credit: Eve Julian, Ottawa Hills High School

This game is based on the game show of the same name.

Materials:

20 – 8.5×11 pieces of paper (card stock or construction paper, so you can’t see through it)

16 post-it notes numbered 1-16, 4 post-it notes labeled “Coaches Set”

Painters Tape

Flat surface for hanging the cards on.

Whiteboard to write on.

Setup:

On 16 of the pieces of paper, write sets ranging from 100 to 1600 yards in 100 yard increments. For example:

1. 4×25 Hard/Easy (100)
2. 1×200 IMO Drill (200)
3. 2×150 Kick-Drill-Swim (300)
4. 1×400 IM (400)

…….

14. 7×200 Desc 1-3, 4-6, 7=All out (1400)
15. 30×50 2 EZ – 1 Hard (1500)
16. 4×400 Mixed IM (1600)

First turn the papers face down and shuffle them so they are out of order. Then put a numbered post-it note on the back of each one. Hang the numbered cards in order on the whiteboard or wall in a 4×4 grid with the tape.

Create 4 more cards with “Coaches Sets” on them. These can be anything that you want them to be, ranging from easy to hard and any distance. Label these with post-it notes that say “Coaches Set” and hang them on the wall next to the grid of numbered papers.

If you have a whiteboard, or another piece of paper, write 100 through 1600 vertically. As the “cases” are opened, you can erase or cross off the distances that have been done. It helps the kids visualize what might be left on the papers.

To Play:

After the warmup, have the first person on the team (you choose who gets to pick) choose a number. The whole team then swims that set, and the coach crosses off the total distance on the list. The coach can pick the next swimmer to choose.

After 4 sets have been chosen and swum, the Coach can offer the team a deal. Have the swimmer choose their number, but don’t show them the set yet.  Take down the first Coaches set card and show it to the kid who is choosing this round. They then get to choose whether the team takes the Coaches set (the deal) or if they go with what is on the card that they chose. Make sure you show them what they didn’t do if they chose to do the Coaches set!

Make your workouts easier and more fun with IST. Take a look at SWIMCLOCK with Bluetooth and WORKWARE today. With help from IST, you’ll have more time to focus on coaching instead of watching the clock.

Looking for more ways to get great coaching ideas? Check out the Central States Swim Clinic May 18-19 in Oak Brook, IL. Registration is open now! Don’t forget to stop by the IST booth and sign up to win a 4-digit pace clock!

What is the IST SWIMCLOCK with Bluetooth?

IST has come out with a brand-new way to control your pace clock. Before, if you wanted to create sets and workouts you did it with a numeric keypad. This worked well, but you couldn’t create very complex sets and you were limited in the amount of sets and workouts that you could store.

IST solved that problem by creating a Bluetooth module that would connect to our pace clock and can be controlled with your smart phone. The module comes either built into a new SWIMCLOCK with Bluetooth pace clock, or as an adapter that you can plug into your exiting pace clock. It allows you to create complex sets and workouts and store them all in your device. You can even create your sets in our WORKWARE software and download them onto your phone.

How Do I Use It?

There are a couple of different ways that you can use your SWIMCLOCK with Bluetooth. The easiest is just the continuous count mode. Just turn the clock on and wait. It will start counting up after a few moments. Alternatively, you can connect your phone app to the clock (see the instruction manual for how to connect) and select the TIMER function on the main screen. If you are using the timer function, you have the ability to start, stop and reset the clock as well as sound the horn on the clock by tapping the HORN button.

EZ Mode

The easiest way to get started programming the clock is to use EZ Mode. Tap on the EZ mode icon on the main menu. Let’s say that you want to do 10×100@1:20. In the REPS box enter “10”. Choose whether you want to count Up (0:00 to 1:20) or down (1:20 to 0:00), in the TO boxes enter the minutes in the lefthand box (“1”) and the seconds in the right hand box (“20”). Tap DONE on the keyboard to hide it. Your screen will look like this:

Click on the START button to start the set. You’ll hear the horn sound, and SR: 1 will appear on the clock for 2 seconds. It will start counting at 3 seconds and will beep again at 1:20, display SR: 2 for 2 seconds and continue counting until all 10 Reps have been completed. Then the clock will stop and go blank.

Creating Sets

Once you are comfortable with EZ Mode, you can create a more complex set. From the main menu tap on Workout Mode, then select SETS.

Sets are organized by category, to make them easier to find. You can make the categories however you want. By distance, by type of set (warmup, aerobic, etc.) or any other way that you want to organize them.

To create a new category, click the menu button (3 vertical dots on Android, box with an up arrow on iOS) and select Add Category. Enter the category name into the box that pops up and tap OK or NEXT to accept it.

Next, select the Category from the set screen, tap the menu button and select Add Set. Type in the set name and tap OK or NEXT to save it.

Now you have your set you can start adding in the intervals. Let’s do a set that looks like this:
2x { 3×100@1:20
{ 4×50@1:00

The Set Rep is 2. You can choose to count up or down by clicking on the UP button. The first Interval Rep (Int.Rep) is 3 and the time is 1:20. Once you have entered those numbers, tap SAVE to save the interval.

To add the second interval (4×50@1:00), tap ADD. The Int. Rep is 4, the time is 1:00. Tap SAVE to save that interval.

You now have your set created.  Run it on the clock right from this screen by tapping on the RUN button, or combine this set with others to create a multi-level set or a full workout.

Creating Workouts

If you want to have multiple sets run back to back, you can create them as above and then combine them into a workout. The workout will run once through from top to bottom. You have the option of pausing between each set (which requires the coach to start the next set) or just have it run from beginning to end.

To create a workout, from the main menu tap WORKOUTS. Tap the Menu button, ADD WORKOUT and give the workout a name. You can name it after the main set, the date or whatever works for you. Tap NEXT or OK to save it.

Now that you have a workout, you can add your sets to it by selecting the category and set, then clicking the ADD SET button. The set will show up in the list at the bottom in the order that you select it. To change the order, tap on a set, the tap the MOVE button that appears. The sets will be numbered, and you just enter the number of the set that you want to insert the set above.

Running Workouts

Once you have the workout created, to run the workout tap on WORKOUTS on the main screen, then Run Workout. Select the workout and tap the START button. If you want to start on a different set in the workout, tap the SET NAME and select the set that you want to start on. It’s that simple!

Creating and running sets and workouts for your pace clock is simple. Once you’ve created a couple you’ll be able to do it really quickly. Plus, since they are always there you can just go back and reuse or modify as necessary.
For more information, or to purchase a SWIMCLOCK with Bluetooth or Bluetooth adapter for your existing clock check out our website: https://www.istime.com/products/digital-pace-clock/

As we near the end of the winter season, it’s time to think about those end of season reports. If you are using IST’s MEETWARE software, we make it easy to run reports for your whole team. If you aren’t using MEETWARE… well, I’m sure the other meet management software packages let you do stuff like this too. If not, give us a call at 800-835-2611 or e-mail us at info@istime.com and we can talk about upgrading to an all-in-one timing, meet and team management package.

Let’s look at the Coaches Corner menu in MEETWARE  and see what’s available.

Top Times

The top times report allows you to view the top times on your team so far either as a summary:

Or a matrix:

You can choose options like just individual times, relay lead off times, or all times. On the matrix report you can use the regular high school event list or all of the strokes and distances.

Individual Points             

This report allows you to total up all of the points scored. Select the meet(s) that you want to calculate, whether you want to use actual points scored in the meet or NISCA Power Points, include diving points or not and how to calculate relay points. You can use this for determining high point for a meet or for the season or awarding varsity letters based on points or power points.

Season Summaries

This report prints a summary of the entire season for every athlete on your team. It creates a matrix of the meets down the left and the stroke and distance across the top. Best times for each event are marked and time drops are calculated.

Diver summaries include their points scored and placing in each meet.

Power Points

Want to see how your team stacks up against other teams around the country? Enter your team in the NISCA National Dual Meet. In MEETWARE you can create the entry form with the click of a button. Just select the meets you want to use and the team to use. Fill out the school information and the report is automatically generated. Don’t like how it calculated your best lineup? You can go in and make manual changes.

TEAM HISTORY

If you run the New Season function each year (found under Utilities>New Season), your home team data is archived in your MEETWARE folder. You can use this information to create reports about your team’s performance over the course of those seasons.

Career Summary

This report is the same format as the season summary, but it includes information from all of the seasons available in the archive folder, not just the current season. It’s a great report for the seniors on your team to see how far they’ve come.  There are other options here as well, including a Best Times summary:

Event Summary:

The event summary allows you to print the top times on your team, creating a top 10 listing for example.

If you have any questions about these reports, or would like to talk more about how MEETWARE can simplify your swim season, give us a call at 800-835-2611 or support@istime.com. We’re happy to help!

This time of year, many coaches start thinking about hosting their big Invitational meet, Conference meet, Regionals, Sectionals, Districts or even State meet. Hosting these meets is a big responsibility for the coaches and volunteers. Here are some tips for making sure your meet runs smoothly.

Check your hardware

At least one month before your big meet, test and clean all your hardware. If you have been running dual meets at your pool, you will have a pretty good idea of what is working and what isn’t. If you have items that aren’t working, call IST (800-835-2611) and get an RMA number. Then send it to us referencing that RMA number. We’ll get it repaired and back to you as quickly as we can.

If your hardware fails just before the meet, never fear! We often have items in exchange stock that we can send you. You can use that item while we repair yours, then send it back once your item is returned. We don’t have every item in exchange stock, but it’s worth a call. If we have it, we’ll get it to you.

Update your software

Make sure that your software is up to date and current. The current version of MEETWARE and TIMEWARE is 3.2 dated 12/8/2017. First, make sure to delete any old MW3update.zip files from the folder on your computer where you plan to save the file. Then go to https://www.istime.com/support/software-updates/ and click on the MEETWARE/TIMEWARE version. SAVE the file to your computer. DO NOT RUN, EXTRACT or UNZIP this file. Now open MEETWARE or TIMEWARE and go to Utilities>Update. Click BROWSE and select the MW3update.zip file. Click OK, then click UPDATE and follow the instructions on the screen.

Double check the date when you re-open the MEETWARE or TIMEWARE software to make sure that the update went in properly. If you run into any trouble updating your system, give us a call at 800-835-2611.

Check the help files and videos

If it has been a while since you last ran a prelims/finals meet or a big invitational, it’s a good idea to review how to setup and run Championship style meets. You can find a Quick Reference Guide for Championship Meets and links to articles about setting up and running Championship Meets. In MEETWARE or TIMEWARE go to Help>Help and scroll down the left side to find Championship Meets – Quick Reference.
You can also watch our video help files about Championship Meets on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dibHBxslcVY&list=PLyFsZEg-Hk8JRgTmp5u404LXe-ul7EEr4 .
If you have further questions or you would like someone to help you with setting up the meet, give us a call at 800-835-2611. We can walk you through it on the phone or set up a TeamViewer session so that we can see what is on your computer and walk you through the process.

Check your supplies

Make a list and check it twice. Do you have everything you need? Stopwatches, pencils, clip boards, extra touchpads and backup buttons, volunteer timers, food for the coaches, water for the swimmers, ice for injuries, first aid kit, chairs, tables, trash cans. The list is endless.

Get your volunteers

Make sure you have people who can run the timing computer (and Meet Manager computer if you are running TIMEWARE), people to be backup timers on the lane, take admission money, man the coaches hospitality table, be runners, etc. Lots of hands makes light work for a meet like this!

If you have parents that you trust, delegate the assigning of volunteer positions to them. They can take your list of positions and find people to help fill them, freeing you up to worry about other things.

Have a backup plan

What will you do if there is bad weather? What if a touchpad goes bad in the middle of the meet? What if someone spills water on your computer? If you have backup plans in place for every emergency, then you won’t need them.
Have a second computer loaded with MEETWARE or TIMEWARE. Make sure that one is updated too! Any time you make changes to your meet, whether it is setting it up, putting in entries or during a break in the action of the meet, you should make a backup. Go to Utilities>Backup>Backup. Click Browse to select the location, then click BACKUP to save the file. The backup file will save a BACKUP_System.zip. System is your system name, like LITE or OHMEN. Make sure to save it to a thumb drive or network drive and not to the hard drive of your computer!

If the unthinkable happens and your main computer goes down, don’t panic! Boot up the back up computer, open up MEETWARE or TIMEWARE, go to Utilities>Backup>Restore, and restore the latest backup. You may lose a little bit of data, but it won’t be the end of the world and the meet will continue on.

Run a test

If you haven’t run a prelims/finals meet in a while, it’s a good idea to do a dry run. You can create a test system that will allow you to play around with the meet and its data without interfering with the actual meet.
Go to Utilities>System and select your system. Then click the COPY TO TEST button on the upper right of the screen. Answer the questions and your whole system will be copied into a TEST folder. You will be automatically logged in to the TEST system. You can tell by looking at the name in parenthesis at the top of the MEETWARE or TIMEWARE screen.

Check the DEMO check box on the screen under the system name, exit the system and go for it! You can run events with the touchpad simulator, watch how the scoring happens, review how to put award information up on the scoreboard and much more.

Once you are done playing with the meet, don’t forget to switch back to your original system!

Last minute items

• Things to check before at least 24 hours before your meet starts:
• Is your printer working? Do you have enough paper and ink?
• Plug in your SWIMSTART to charge overnight. Make sure that the outlet that you plug it into has power running to it!
• Double check your lists, are you missing anything?
• Breathe – this is going to be fine!

If you start preparing for your big meet in advance, everything is going to run smoothly. We’ll be there to help along the way. If you have questions or you run into any issues give us a call at 800-835-2611 24/7 or e-mail us at support@istime.com.