Event Info

The Maryville-Alcoa Flying Dolphins started out as the John Sevier Flying Dolphins back in 1973. The following summer, the Dolphins invited other teams to join them for the very first Smoky Mountain Invitational. Nine teams showed up in 1974. These days, as many as thirty-one GKAISA teams come out for the weekend.

The meet is held at Springbrook Pool in Alcoa, Tennessee. It is an outdoor facility with six competition lanes (25 yards) and electronic touchpad timing on each end. Other than the GKAISA City Finals, SMI is the only Tennessee summer meet using electronic timing, so swimmers who need official times for later events can get them here.

SMI is also the only meet in Tennessee with public Spectator Swim time. You can buy wristbands for recreational swimming right at the pool.

Getting There

Parking is limited at the Springbrook Pool lot. Arrive early to walk from one of the other designated parking areas in time to see your child swim. Vehicles parked on streets or blocking driveways anywhere in the neighborhood will be towed. You may drop off people or supplies at the pool entrance, but no unattended vehicles are allowed in the drop-off area.

What to Bring

Sunscreen, bug spray, drinking water, swimsuits for spectators, cash or credit for purchases, and rain gear. It is an outdoor meet in July, so plan for heat. Make sure your swimmers are drinking plenty of water throughout the day. No glass containers on the premises.

At the Pool

Events are announced over the speakers and on the SwimTopia mobile app. Your team will have a designated tent somewhere on the grounds. The Team Tent Location Map is posted online and available at the Information Tent near the main entrance.

The bleachers near the finish side are for watching current races. Please do not set up camp there. Parents are not allowed on the deck at either end of the swim lanes or in the Clerk of Course tent area.

Volunteers

Each team is required to provide parent volunteer workers. All workers receive complimentary spectator swim wristbands which can be picked up at the Info Tent. If you would like to transfer your wristband to another person, you may accompany them for pickup. Contact your team rep for information about available volunteer positions. Additional information can be found on the Volunteer page.

Food & Concessions

Breakfast is available at the main gate before 9:00 AM, and you are welcome to bring your own food. Blount County Parks and Recreation runs the concession stand from mid-morning on. Other vendors are around the facility throughout the weekend.

Facilities

There is one restroom in the main building, plus porta-johns at several spots around the grounds (see the Springbrook Pool Facility Map). First aid is at the Lifeguard Office on the southwest side of the pool building. Lost and found is at the Information Tent.

Results & Awards

Final times are posted on the bulletin board near the main entrance once officials finish each event. The Medal Award Ceremony happens near the main entrance after the last event each day.

Springbrook Pool is an outdoor recreational pool with six competition lanes, 25 yards long, with touchpad timing boards on each end. It is in Alcoa, Tennessee, just north of Maryville in the Knoxville metro area.

Driving Directions

Parking

Pool Rules

• No smoking or vaping at the facility; go outside the fenced area to smoke.
• No pets allowed inside the fenced area.
• No glass containers, alcoholic beverages, or drugs.
• Stay out of the creek area (sharp rocks and slippery surfaces).
• No vehicles parked on the street; your vehicle is subject to towing.
• No RVs in the grassy areas between the pool and duck pond.
• First aid is at the lifeguard station, left of the main entrance.
• Baby pool area is off limits at all times.
• No electrical cords, plug-in fans, or charging devices on the grounds (limited facility power is reserved for timing equipment).
• Place trash in the proper receptacle; ask a lifeguard if you need a bin near your tent.

Refer to Blount County Parks and Recreation for a complete list of rules. Management reserves the right to enforce all facility rules.

Awards

There is a minimum 30-minute break after the meet ends so scores can be finalized and posted. Awards are presented at the platforms near the information tent. Please stay behind the line and do not crowd the platform.

Official Rules & Entry Info

Entry fee is $18 per swimmer (competitive and exhibition). Entries are due by Friday, June 26. Each swimmer can enter up to four events: 4 individual; 3 individual and 1 relay; or 2 individual and 2 relays. Age group eligibility goes by the swimmer's age as of midnight, May 31. Full rules are in the document below.

Competition entry is open to:

• Any swimmer who has not been in a USA Swimming sanctioned meet since August 1, 2025.
• This restriction also applies to any swimmer from any comparable swimming governing body from other countries or organizations around the world ("comparable governing body" will be determined by majority vote of the SMI Board).

Exhibition entry is available to:

• GKAISA swimmers needing a second league meet time to enter the GKAISA City Championship meet.
• Summer league swimmers who are personally invited by the SMI Board of Directors.
• Current USA swimmers needing entry times. Note: SMI is NOT a Sanctioned USA meet. All exhibition USA swimmers will be seeded in the first heat(s) of their event(s).

SMI is run by a volunteer board from the Maryville-Alcoa Flying Dolphins. During the meet, board members are the ones in bright orange SMI shirts. If you have questions, grab one of them.

Questions or concerns during the meet? Contact a board member (orange shirt) or visit the Information Tent near the main entrance.