Swimcloud offers three easy ways to create a meet—whether you're starting from scratch, copying last season’s setup, or importing an event file. This article provides an overview of each option and what to do after your meet is created.
1. Manually Creating a Meet Using the Meet Builder
🎥 Video: How to Create a Meet Manually
Best For: Coaches who want full control over every detail.
With the Meet Builder, you can:
- Set the meet name, location, dates, and host
- Build your event list
- Set up rules like age groups, time standards, and entry limits
- Invite teams and define fees
This is the most flexible option—ideal for custom meets, championship formats, or multi-day events.
2. Cloning (Copy) an Existing Meet
Best For: Recurring meets or similar setups from past seasons.
Cloning a meet saves time by copying everything from a previous event, including:
- Events and age groups
- Entry rules and standards
- Fees and invited teams
After cloning, be sure to double-check:
- Dates
- Entry deadlines
- Fees
This is a great option for duals, invitationals, and annual meets.
3. Uploading a Hy-Tek or Lenex Event File
🎥 Video: How to Create a Meet Using an Event File
Best For: Coaches who already have a meet file prepared in Hy-Tek or another platform.
Accepted file formats:
-
.EV3(Hy-Tek event file) -
.LXFor.LENEX(international meet standard)
🛑 Heads up: These files usually only include basic event structure. After uploading, you must still complete the setup in the Rules, Fees, and Teams tabs.
🔧 Tip: If the file is inside a zipped folder, you may need to extract it before uploading.
What Happens After You Create Your Meet?
Once your meet is created, use the Meet Setup Tabs to configure how the swim meet will run:
| Tab | What You Can Set |
|---|---|
| About | Meet name, dates, location, host, and entry deadlines |
| Rules | Entry limits, age restrictions, qualifying times, and time standards |
| Events | Add/edit individual and relay events, group them by session |
| Teams | Invite teams to enter the meet |
| Swimmers | Coaches declare their meet roster |
| Coaches | Add meet coaching roster for deck passes and more (if applicable) |
| Fees | Set athlete, event, and team fees (if applicable) |
| Files | Location for file imports and exports |
| Reports | Meet entry reports, heat sheets, timelines, QR Code, and more |
| Feed | A detailed listing of every action taken in a meet |
Summary: Which Method Should You Use?
| Method | Best For | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Manual (Meet Builder) | Custom meets | Most flexible setup |
| Clone a Meet | Recurring formats | Saves time and reduces errors |
| Upload a File | Existing Hy-Tek invites | Requires post-upload configuration |