Meet Entries FAQ

How To Enter Your Swimmer In A Swim Meet

1. Click on PARENT PORTAL in the navigation

  • Sign in using the email and password that you used to register your swimmer for BBD
  • Click on Birmingham Blue Dolphins Swimming
  • Click on the drop-down menu in the upper right-hand corner → Click on MY WALLET

Please be sure there is a saved credit card on file that shows as "Primary payment method" or "Your primary". If not, YOU MUST add one.


2. Once you have a card on file, click "View meets" in the Parental Portal main drop-down menu


3. Scroll to the meet you are trying to enter (any available meets will be listed)


4. Under your child’s name, click the "Attending" button

  • All events that your child is eligible to swim will then show up


5. Click the button next to each event your child would like to swim

  • There is generally a limit for each session as noted (1IE means 1 entry is allowed, 3IE means 3 entries are allowed). You can also review how many events are allowed in the meet packet in your email or on the website.
  • The system will not allow you to enter more events than are allowed.
  • You only enter your swimmer in individual events. Coaches enter the relays.


6. Click SAVE once you are done with entries.

  • There will NOT be a confirmation email from the system.
  • You can confirm your swimmer is entered by signing out, then signing back into the Parent Portal and checking for the entries under the meet you signed up for.


7. FYI: The registration works best on a desktop or laptop. If you are experiencing difficulty, try using a device other than a mobile platform.


8. You’re all set!


9. Once the meet entry period closes and I confirm all entries, you will receive a confirmation email.



10. Your account will be billed for the meet closer to or after the meet has occurred.

  • Once the meet entry period closes, no refunds are allowed as the host team has already paid their entry fees.

FAQs – Meet Entries

Here are some of the frequently asked questions we receive from parents:

  • I have a new credit card. What should I do?

    You’ll need to update your credit card in two places – at the YMCA (can be done over the phone or in person) and within BBD’s online website. Log in to the Parent Portal, click on your name in the upper right-hand corner, and select My Wallet. There you can enter your new credit card information and save it, as well as select it as your primary payment method.


    BBD swim team dues are collected by the YMCA, and meet entry fees are collected by BBD Boosters via our website.

  • I missed the meet deadline. Can I still sign up?

    No, we can’t accept meet registrations after the deadline has passed. There are no exceptions to this rule.


    After the BBD signup deadline, we send entry reports to our coaches, who create relays based on the number of attending swimmers. We enter the relays in our system and send the BBD team file with all entries to the host team. If we miss their deadline, our team cannot participate. USA-S meets fill up quickly after entries open.


    We will ask the host team if deck entries are allowed (day-of-meet entries) and will post this information on the website as it becomes available. However, updates are only allowed for time changes, not for late registrants.

  • Can I receive a refund of meet entry fees after the signup deadline?

    No. We immediately send a check to the host team to pay for pool rental, officials, printing, etc. Before the deadline, you can withdraw from the meet through the Parent Portal by deselecting events or marking "Not Attending."

  • My child is sick and can’t attend a meet. What should I do?

    Please contact your age group coach as soon as possible.

  • Where do I sign my child up for a relay?

    You don’t! The BBD coaches create the relays, and BBD Boosters pays the relay entry fees. Coaches aim to ensure every swimmer participates in a relay, but sometimes, due to odd numbers, a child may not swim in a relay.

  • Can I use summer league times for BBD?

    No. These meets are not sanctioned by YMCA or USA Swimming officials, so the times are not valid within the BBD meet entry system.

  • Can I use middle school or high school meet times for BBD?

    Generally no. MS and HS dual meet times do not count as “official” times according to YMCA Swimming or USA Swimming rules. Championship meet results may be used if properly sanctioned, but this is the responsibility of the host team.

  • The meet is over. Why don’t I see my child’s time in the BBD system?

    Please be patient. Official results take time as electronic pad times, button times, and hand-recorded times must be verified. DQs are processed, and the results must be reviewed and approved by the head official. BBD uploads times after receiving the official file.

  • What does the “three meet requirement” mean?

    It is a National YMCA rule that every swimmer must participate in at least three YMCA meets during the season to be eligible for Championship meets. For example, a three-day meet can count as two meets if the swimmer participates on both Friday and one other day. Swimmers who don’t complete three meets cannot participate in Championships, and their season ends with their last regular meet.

  • Why can only 9 & Over kids with three years of winter experience swim at USA-S meets?

    This is a BBD rule set by the coaches. USA-S meets are more complex, and newer swimmers should gain experience in YMCA meets, which are more relaxed.