The Olympics are over, but the spirit of competition is still going strong for many. Hosting a swimming tournament can keep that Olympic spirit going throughout the year. Picture it, you and your friends battling it out in your swim spa. It’s the perfect way to spend a fun evening with your friends.

Get Ready

The first thing that you will need to do is figure out how many people will be attending your tournament. A little advance preparation is required so it is helpful to know how many people you will need to prepare for in your bracket. If you have a big group, you will also want to plan for what people will be doing when they aren’t swimming. Having a great selection of snacks and drinks is a good option. Since the spirit of competition will be strong, it can also be fun to have other games around that are quick to play in between rounds.

Set up a bracket

You will want to set up a bracket to keep track of winners and losers. This can be as simple or as complicated as you like. If you are a computer nerd and love nothing better than setting up a spreadsheet to automatically pair up winners and loses then go for it. If just hearing the word bracket makes your head spin, then a simple marker board will be just fine. You can even find apps that will create a bracket for you.

Set up your game

You will want to decide what swimming games you will include in your tournament. You could use actual Olympic games that test a swimmer’s stroke, or you could set up playful games like chasing rubber ducks. Set up your space so there’s plenty of space for the players to move and spectators to watch. After all, there is nothing more satisfying than watching your biggest rival go down.

Prizes

You will want to decide if there will be actual prizes or if everyone is playing for bragging rights. It can even be fun to offer a prize for the most losses in the night! There has to be some consolation for the guy that is terrible at all of the games.

Whether you keep it simple or plan a tournament that is over the top, your guests are sure to have a great time. You won’t want to wait until the next Olympic games to plan another tournament.