Based at Harrow Leisure CentreChristchurch Ave, Harrow HA3 5BD
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PARENTS AND SWIMMERS GUIDE TO COMPETITIVE SWIMMING
Introduction
Being involved in competitive swimming will be an unfamiliar process for many families with younger swimmers just starting out.
There are things you need to understand about what is expected; what sort of competitions you should be entering and at what stage; how to enter; the leagues the Club enters, and what you should make sure you have with you on the day of a competition.
Don’t worry if you don’t pick up all of this straight away, some of it will only become more relevant to you as your child progresses through the squads and achieves faster times.
Much of this information is already on the Swim England or the Club website and is also
explained by coaches on poolside or in one of the many emails that we send. This guide will try and pull together a lot of that information together in one place.
The most important thing for swimmers and their families to grasp is that it is vital to meet your training attendance targets and also to compete and get times in a variety of events.
Hopefully the following will explain why.
STARTING OUT
The Borough of Harrow Swimming Club is first and foremost a competitive swimming club. We are proud of our competitive success in swimming, at county, regional and national level.
The Club and its coaches will help guide you and your swimmer about what you should be aiming to compete in and achieve as they develop – it is essential that you understand that swimmers are expected to both regularly meet their minimum training targets and also compete for the Club.
Once you are in the one of the Competitive Squads you are training to achieve competitive success, not just for fitness. If a swimmer does not regularly meet their minimum training targets or compete regularly, then they will jeopardise their place in the squad and be offered a place in Just Swim.
It’s important that swimmers make every effort to enter competitions for several reasons:
Training Kit for all Competitive Swimming Squads
THE CLUB’S COACHING TEAMS
The club is run by coaching team and they deserve to be treated at all times with respect and courtesy.
The Head Coach oversees all of the swimming coaching and decides on the coaching teams.
Parents / Guardians should not come onto poolside, or otherwise interrupt a training session, unless invited to do so by the coach.
The Head Coach also decides the structure of the squads and training schedules; this also includes progression of swimmers.
The Head Coach can be emailed at headcoachdan@harrowswim.com
Please see the club codes of conduct for expected standards of behaviours from all members, parents and volunteers
If you have any concerns or other matters you wish to discuss you may also contact the club welfare officer welfare@harrowswim.com
Please make every effort to arrive 10 minutes before your training sessions starts so that you can be poolside ready to start on time – arriving late is disruptive and interrupts the session for others, and also means your swimmer may not be able to complete the warm up and therefore coaches may refuse you entry to the session.
Arriving on time is also a good habit to form for swimming – arrive late for a swimming
competition and miss the sign-in and they will not let you compete.
THE BASIC STRUCTURE OF THE SWIMMING SEASON
The competitive season is divided for championship purposes into a Short Course (25-
metre pools) phase from September to late December and a Long Course (50-metre pool) phase from January to August.
Short course competitions continue from January onwards but in the second half of the season will tend to be for younger swimmers or those not aiming to qualify for regional and national championships.
In competitive terms the season is structured approximately as in the table below:
|
September to December
|
· Club Championships
· Qualifying for County Age Group Championships · Regional Winter Short Course Championships · British Winter Short Course Championships
|
| January to February | Age Group Championships
|
| January to April | Qualifying for Regional Age Group Championships |
| April to May
|
Regional Age Group Championships
Qualifying for British & English Summer Age Group
|
| July to August | British & English Summer Age Group Championships |
As well as giving general competitive experience, Club Championships and Open Meets are an opportunity to improve Personal Bests (PB’s) or achieve the Qualifying Times (QTs) for County, Regional or National Championships, depending upon the level of the event.
Registering Official Times
Once you are a Swim England registered swimmer and have competed in a licensed event you will have times for each swimming event recorded.
As your swimmer competes in more meets and events and improves their times the record of their Personal Best times will be automatically updated on the Swim England database.
You can check the times and progress of your swimmer on the Swim England website at
https://www.swimmingresults.org/individualbest/
Qualifying times and cut-off times
A qualifying time (QT) is a time that is required in order to enter an event.
A cut-off time is a time that is the fastest a swimmer can be in order to enter an event
The age group/time for your swimmer will be set for each Meet.
For championships the age will be as at the 31st December in the year of competition.
For championships there will also be a qualifying window that the time has to be achieved in, and also the type of event that the time was recorded at.
Use the information on QTs and the eligibility report as a guide to the Meets you should
think about entering your child for.
If in doubt consult with your child’s coach or Competition Secretary.
ENTERING COMPETITIONS
The Head Coach decides the season competition plan in conjunction with the other coaches that will be most appropriate for the swimmers and will be organised so it fits in with the training cycles.
Swimmers and their families are expected to adhere to the Head Coach’s season plan as part of their commitment to the training programme and The Borough of Harrow Swimming Club – they are expected to compete at as many events as they are eligible for as possible.
Individual entry into meets/competitions that the Head Coach has not authorised is prohibited.
Doing so could jeopardise a swimmer’s place on the squad and also result in exclusion from the club.
If you wish to enter a meet / competition that the Club is not, then you will need send an
email starting your reasons for wishing to do and obtain the Head Coaches prior agreement. If this exception is agreed then please note that you will also need to make your own arrangements that a qualified Coach from another club, who are attending the event, take responsibility for your swimmer whilst they are poolside – this is per Swim England Wavepower requirements.
All competitions that have been approved by the club coaches will be on the Competitive Swimming section of the Club website, along with information on qualifying times and eligibility of individual swimmers.
It is up to you and your swimmer to make sure you complete the entries for Open Meets
and Championships. The Coaches and Competition Secretary may send out general
reminders but ultimately the responsibility to enter by the closing date is yours.
If you are serious about competing it is a good idea to spot the dates of competitions as early as possible and put those dates in your family calendar so that you make sure you do not get double booked. Of course, there will occasionally be weekends when family commitments mean your child cannot compete but if you are serious about your child progressing in competitive swimming then you need to prioritise swimming competitions as much as possible.
THE DIFFERENT COMPETITIONS (What you should be aiming to compete in)
Club Championships:
Our annual Club Championships are usually held in September /October and all fully paid-up members of the Club can usually compete.
They are ideal for less experienced swimmers to get used to competing and also registering official times.
Medals are awarded in each age group and Club Championship trophies are presented at the annual club awards evening.
Club Championships is a level licensed 4 meet and swimmers should aim compete in all the races that they are able to swim in to get times in a wide variety of strokes and distances.
If you are in any doubt as to what races to enter seek advice from your swimmers’ coach.
Licensed Open Meets
Each Open Meet the Club enters will be posted on the Competitive Swimming page of the Club website.
Details of the programme that the organisers have put together will be published; including Qualifying times (QTs) and Upper Qualifying or Cut Off times by event, age group and gender; and an eligibility report may also be provided which tells you what events at that Meet your child has the times to compete in.
There are four different levels of open meet:
Middlesex County Age Group Championships
Once your swimmer is at least 9 years old they will be able to aim to achieve qualifying times to compete at the Middlesex Age Group Championships, usually held over several weekends in January / February each year.
Each year the Club sends a large group of swimmers who have achieved at least one QT in their age group for the Middlesex Age Group Championships.
This is the first main competitive goal your child should have once they have got used to competing at Club Championships and a few Open Meets.
NB the age group/time for your swimmer is always as at the 31st December for the following year, not the year the time is achieved in.
London Region Age Group Championships
Held in late April and May, the London Region Age Group Championships are for swimmers aged 11 upwards.
Times need to be achieved Short Course and this is normally between September and the closing date.
NB the age group/time for your swimmer is always as at the 31st December for the year of competition, and not necessarily the year the time is achieved in.
Each year swimmers from the Club achieve regional times and compete in the championships.
London Region also hold a winter championship in November each year for swimmers age 12 and over. The entry times are the same for all age groups.
National Championships
These are held 3 times a year, Winter, Spring and Summer and are at an even higher standard than regionals and a swimmer will need to be ranked in the top 44 or so in the country in any event to qualify for National events.
Each year The Borough of Harrow Swimming club has swimmers who qualify for various National events.
Disqualifications
Inevitably, sooner or later, all swimmers will come across disqualifications (DQ).
Like all sports, competitive swimming is governed by strict technical rules which are there to make sure that races are run fairly.
All officials at a Meet, such as referees and judges, have passed examinations (both theoretical and practical) and would prefer not to disqualify, however they have to maintain standards without which some swimmers could gain an unfair advantage.
When this happens neither you or your swimmer should approach any official and interrupt the event, instead your swimmer should find out from their coach why they were disqualified.
Any concerns or complaints should be directed to the referee only by the coach, and only after the gala has finished. The referee’s decision is always final.
Please remember that all of these officials are there as volunteers, so remember to be polite and respectful at all times otherwise you will be asked to leave the event.
When a disqualification occurs, this is normally announced along with the reason when the result of the race is announced. Some of the main reasons for disqualifications are:
We do understand it is upsetting when DQs happen, but swimmers do have to get used to the concept from the start and being disqualified should be looked on as a learning
experience; it is not the end of the world and is something to work on in training. It happens to everyone and even experienced swimmers are disqualified occasionally.
It is much better to be disqualified early at a club event and learn from that disqualification, than to be disqualified at a County Championship or National event, later in a swimmer’s career when it really matters.
Volunteers – Officials
The club is run by volunteers and all club entries to galas/meets/events require that we send officials and other volunteers to assist poolside and also help behind the scenes.
If we do not have enough volunteers put themselves forward for an event then the Club cannot enter so it is important that you as parents get involved from the start and volunteer your time generously. Full training will be given.
Going to a Gala / Competition
Here are some tips to help you prepare and have what you need for an event.
Always read the event terms and conditions beforehand to know what is expected of you and your swimmer as different events and pools will have their own terms and conditions.
Travelling and arrival
Ensure your swimmer gets an early night the night before and arrives at the gala on time.
Plan your journey/parking to ensure you arrive with plenty of time to sign in for your races. Late arrivals will not be permitted to swim if sign in has closed.
Swimmers will be expected to do some stretching exercises on poolside before the warm up so it is advisable to be changed and be on poolside around 20 minutes before the scheduled start of warm up.
Sign In / Registration / Withdrawal
On arrival some galas have a signing in or registration process for swimmers, others have a withdrawal process – it is important that you check the events terms and conditions so that you are aware of these.
It is a swimmer’s responsibility to sign in / highlight their names on arrival to ensure that they are entered in the events on the day.
If you are late and/or miss sign in you will not be able to compete. The organisers will assume that those who do not sign in for a competition are not competing and they will not allocate them a heat.
If your child is unable to attend a competition they have entered please email the competition secretary ASAP. This ensures that the coaches know who is turning up at events and they can also let the competition organisers know, if you have not already
withdrawn them.
Competition organisers have the right to fine a club if a swimmer is not withdrawn from an event – please remember that this fine will then be passed back to you if you have not informed the Club in plenty of time that you will not be competing.
Medication: Please ensure that you have with you any medication you may require through the day.
Clothing for poolside – Remember to name everything!
No Jewellery, watches, racing aids or adhesive tape may be worn whilst competing as it will earn you a DQ.
Competitive Swimming Costumes
Both boys and girls need to take separate warm up and racing costumes.
It is also advisable to have a spare costume in case one rips .
Racing Costumes
Racing costumes should fit like a second skin.
A rave costume must be compliant with the rules of the competition you are entering otherwise a swimmer will not be allowed to compete. If in doubt check the current FINA rules before you purchase.
Swim England also provide some guidance which can be found on their website.
Technical Racing suits
Sooner or later your swimmer will inevitably ask you to buy one of the very expensive technical racing suits!
These suits are made with advanced materials to reduce drag in the water and provide compression helping swimmers glide, as well as reducing water absorption.
There are no proven performance benefits for young swimmers and those who have not yet reached puberty.
It is also worth noting that they only benefit the elite swimmers by fractions of a second and this benefit only lasts for very few races (possibly not even one competition) so please consider carefully before purchasing them.
Club Hoodies and polo shirts
Details of club kit and where to purchase it from can be found on the club website Club
Kit| The Borough of Harrow Swimming Club Swimming Club
Club kit must be worn poolside
Please bring a couple of Club tops as they will get wet and it is important to stay warm when at a gala all day.
Harrow Swimming Club hats
Club swimming hats should be worn at all galas, by both boys and girls. Remember these hats show that you are representing The Borough of Harrow Swimming Club and it tells everyone you are proud to be part of the same team.
It is useful to have a several spares as well as they do rip.
Details on where and how to order these hats can be found on the club website
Poolside shoes
Most poolside floors can be very cold and you lose valuable heat through your feet,
therefore it is sensible to wear poolside shoes… always make sure they are clean and have not been worn outdoors!
Goggles
A minimum of two pairs of goggles must be with you on poolside.
Ensure your goggles fit properly during warm up and do not be tempted to fiddle with them between races – or during a race (you could be DQ’d).
Poolside
We would advise against any electronic items being brought onto poolside. You run the risk of these being damaged or unfortunately stolen.
Some pools permit the use of mobile phones and other image capturing devices and some do not – please check the terms and conditions of each event for more information. This also applies to spectators.
No image capturing device is permitted to be used in any changing room at any venue.
The Borough of Harrow Swimming club swimmers sit together with coaches/team managers on poolside.
Swimmers must remain poolside at all times and not wander off.
If a swimmer needs to leave poolside for any reason, they should report first to the person in charge from the Borough of Harrow Swimming Club.
If you do not intend to stay at the gala whilst your swimmer is competing that’s fine but please ensure that your swimmer is happy with your decision and also please let the clubs Team Manager on the day know.
You will need to ensure that you have your phone with you at all times in case of emergencies and will also need to arrange for your swimmer to have the break times away from the pool with another suitable adult as our volunteers need a break from poolside too and there will be nobody available to supervise your child.
Please note that some galas will not permit swimmers on the balcony, and those that do will require your swimmer to be dry first.
Swimmers and Parents need to behave appropriately at all times, respecting coaches and volunteers, all Swim England officials, gala rules i.e., remaining silent at the start of the races and also be respectful of other clubs and your team members at all times.
Swimmers are responsible for their own belongings’ poolside at events – naming everything will help them – but they need to look after everything. The poolside team have enough to do without having to help find mislaid goggles, hats, tops, lunch boxes, drinks etc.
We also strongly recommend that you check your swimmer has everything before you leave an event. We know that swimming kit is expensive so the Clubs poolside team will pick up any named items left at the end of the event and try to reunite it with their owner.
Alternatively, you can phone the pool you were at, although please note that many will not keep lost property and your items may well have been disposed of at the end of the event.
WHAT TO EAT
Swimmers get hungry, very hungry, especially during heavy training weeks and competition, so it’s vital that they replenish all the calories and fluids lost during this time. Swimmers also sweat just like any other athlete.
It is up to each individual to choose wisely, both in the lead up to and also at an event.
For other suggestions try https://www.eastswimming.org/swimming/parent-information/.
Some pools do not permit any food poolside so it is important to ensure that you check the rules of the event before the competition
NOT PERMITTED POOLSIDE AT ANYTIME: Sweets / Chocolate / Fizzy drinks
These can have an adverse effect on a swimmer’s performance in their races.
Take plenty of water and fruit squashes (plastic bottles only – no glass ones).
The night before competition
Stick to high carbohydrate; low fat meals with plenty of liquids (fruit juice, cordial, water – not fizzy high sugar content drinks or drinks containing caffeine as they need good night’s sleep).
Do not try to stock up and over eat to the point of discomfort. Just stick to a normal size meal, avoid any spicy foods or anything unfamiliar that may cause bloating or aggravate the stomach.
Some suggestions are:
Bring enough food to last all day at a competition and keep in a small cool bag poolside.
Any food containing high levels of fat should not be eaten.
Do not eat a large meal too close to the start of the gala or heavily in between races.
Suggested Snacks for during competition (and after training):
Some suggestions for post-competition meals:
Check List (Name Everything!):
COMMON TERMS
Age Group – Swimmer or competition for under 16’s
Blocks – The starting platforms behind each lane
Consideration or Qualification time (QT) – the slowest entry time that will be considered
Converted Time – if a swimmer does not have a Long Course time for certain events it is
acceptable to convert a swimmers Short Course time
DQ’d and disq. – disqualified
DNC – Did not compete
DNF – Did not finish
DNS – Did not start
Entry time – The time submitted for a swimmer being entered in a gala. If entries are made well in advance of the day, the entry time may not be the swimmers current PB
Heat Declared Winner (HDW) – used when only heats are swum and there is no final to decide the overall winner. The swimmer with the fastest time in the Age Group will be declared, regardless of heat swum in
Individual Medley (IM) – The competitor swims all four strokes in the following order: –
butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle
Licensed Meets – These are the only meets at which you can qualify for County, Regional
and National competitions (see section on Licensed Meets)
Long Course (LC) – Events held in a 50-metre pool
Lower Qualification Time (LQT) – The slowest entry time for a particular event that the organisers of a gala will consider
Marshalling Area –the area of the pool where swimmers are held just before their race
Medley Relay – Four swimmers each swim one leg of a different stroke. The order is always
backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle
Personal Best (PB) – A swimmer’s personal best time for a given event
Relay – when 4 swimmers compete as a team
Upper Qualification Time (UQT). The fastest entry time for a particular event that the organisers of a gala will consider.
Short Course (SC) – Events held in a 25-metre pool
Skins – an exciting event whereby the swimmers are involved in a knockout style race, over a series of races
Splits – The times from each race broken down into 25 metre or 50 metre segments
Squadron Relay – Usually the last race of a gala. A freestyle relay consisting of one swimmer from each age group or one swimmer of each sex from each age group
Swim Down – period at the end of training or after an event to allow swimmers to relax and stretch their muscles
Swim England – the governing body of swimming in England (formerly known as the ASA)
Team Manager – responsible for ensuring the smooth running of aquatic activities away from the Clubs home pool, such as galas and open meets
Warm Up – period of swimming at the start of a session or competition designed to loosen up the swimmer’s body and prepare for intense work out or race
We hope this guide helps you navigate the exciting world of competitive swimming with The Borough of Harrow Swimming Club. Welcome to the team!
