Choosing Meet Software

[peterg]

At the moment I am using a very old, DOS based, Sportsystems programme to organise our meets. We are considering purchasing new software and hardware, and I am interested in peoples expriences of using the latest Sportsystems package as well as Meet Manager. Also, are both compatible with Colorado timing systems?

Thanks for any comments.

[swimstore]

Been using SportSystems V5.1 and Colorado for years now with no Issues, not used Hy-Tek Meet Manager my self so I can't comment on it.

[GettingFaster]

Hytek Meet Manager all the way. VERY compatible with other Hytek things, extremely easy to set up, extremely easy to create electronic entry information, extremely easy to use when putting in your entry information.

Try downloading the demo version from their site, the help file is very comprehensive and explains lots about it. And as the software is gaining in popularity you'll be likely to find lots of people willing to lend a hand.

Sportsystems was great, but in my opinion it's had its day. It's very idiosyncratic (sp?) and for a new user it's a total pain in the bum trying to learn and figure out what's going on. And it is important that a system is newbie-friendly, unless you want to be still running meets from beyond the grave...

[Chris]

I love Meet Manager too!

We use Meet Manager and Team Manager at the Barracudas, and have done for the last 5/6 years or so.

Chris

[lane4]

Meet Manager is definitely the best and they have very good technical support if you're not sure how to do something. Get Team Manager too for your club as they work side by side.

[peterg]

We already have Team Manager, although it isn't me who uses it, so I was inclined to go the way of Meet Manager.

We really want to begin running cardless meets. Would this be possible with either system?

[peterg]

I'll download the demo later and have a play around on it.

Thanks everyone for their help.

[GettingFaster]

We already have Team Manager, although it isn't me who uses it, so I was inclined to go the way of Meet Manager.

We really want to begin running cardless meets. Would this be possible with either system?

Very easy with Hytek, though the only (very) minor downside is that if you do "deck level seeding", which in English is where you rearrange heats to take into account non-swimmers (signing in before the race rather than posting cards) that the system doesn't generate a list of non-swimmers to read out before the race so the spectators can cross them off their programme.

The way it works when we've done it at our meets is that the operators print off a list of all the swimmers, who then sign in, rather than posting cards. When the signing-in time is up, the announcer calls out the names of anyone who hasn't signed in or whose signature looks like it might have been crossed off. This is in order to make sure swimmers haven't forgotten to sign in for every race they want to do, and to make sure nothing "naughty" goes on with swimmers crossing off a rival's name, which I understand has happened at other meets in the past.

In order to get over the "no list of non-swimmers", once the race has been finalised we print out heat sheets and stick them on the wall on poolside for swimmers and coaches, and another set upstairs in the gallery for spectators. It's proved pretty popular, as swimmers then get to see who they're swimming in a heat with and not just what their heat and lane is, as with the cards.

Timekeepers have also said they like not having to work with folded, scrunched up or chewed cards!

I have worked with it at meet set-up and found it miles easier to use than Sportsystems, and I am told by the operators on the day that it's also much easier.

Try sending FlyingBean a PM about it, she's done some excellent procedures which we used to help us get over the hurdle of first time, as you do have to think slightly differently.