I assumed that the heat sheet would always be on a deck at a competition. But the heat sheet is gone.

I enjoyed having a heat sheet in my hands. A tangible link to the days order. Every race set out, at hand, with a pen, possibly a highlighter. No, always a highlighter.

I was an endless doodler or note taker. There are so many things going on in each race that I’d try to quickly note something to remember that swim. The upcoming conversation will be soon at hand, but until that happens there will be more races to observe, so quick scratching or note and you’re prepped.

Splits were pretty standard notes on a heat sheet. Before the display boards arrived at pools a stopwatch would be in-hand at any time. So mostly they acted as necklaces for nerds. And splits could be your only link to a race with multiple swimmers.

Now the mobile phone spews out live splits, or close to it (not without fail but good), but splits don’t need to be written. To be honest split taking was something that took my eyes off the race so it’s better with that done for me.

Paper is the issue. Reams and reams of paper were consumed at any competition. Forests died for swimming. So that soon became too expensive for organisers. The death of the heat sheet and the time cards too.

I am old school though, I still miss the heat sheet.