Ramseian Swimming Club

At Ramseian Swimming Club many of our swimmers choose to compete at swimming galas. If you’re new to competitive swimming, don’t worry—this guide is here to help you get started. Not everything will apply right away, and as you continue to improve, more of the information will become useful. The key thing to remember is that competing is a big part of being in a swimming club, and we hope this guide makes it easier for you to join in.

Starting Out

We encourage children to compete as we believe it is one of the key ways to make them swim correctly and faster. There are, however, several other benefits where you can:

• See how much progress you have made
• Put into practice what you have been learning in training
• Stretch yourself
• Improve your personal best times (PB’s)
• Achieve qualifying times for other galas and championships
• Compete
• Learn from watching better swimmers
• Represent Isle of Man Swim Club
• Meet new people
• Have fun

HOW DO WE KNOW WHICH COMPETITIONS TO ENTER?

The competition secretary will ensure that all galas will be advertised on the club website, Facebook page and at the check in desk. If you are unsure whether you can enter or not please do not hesitate to ask

TYPES OF COMPETITION

SPLASH GALAS

These are an introduction into competitive swimming and are really informal. They are aimed at age 11 and under and are not for those that are competing on a regular basis with the Isle of Man Swimming Club (SQUAD)

CLUB GALAS

Ramseian Swimming Club hold their club galas usually around March and July time; again your coaches will be able to advise which gala is the suitable one for you / your swimmer.

OPEN MEETS

Open meets are competitions run by a club or organisation and often take place over a whole day or weekend. They are often Licensed. If they are, specific Aquatics GB guidelines must be followed. Licensed meets are graded Level 1- 4 and often have entry qualifying times which you need to be either faster or slower than, depending on the level of meet. At Levels 1-3 electronic timing equipment must be used. Results from any licensed meet are submitted to Swim England for inclusion on the National Rankings Database.

To enter an open meet, there is a charge per event entered; these fees can vary from meet to meet. Swimmers can enter an open meet from the age of 9, however, some competitions have alternative age groups, so you need to check before you enter. Also, some events run as ‘AGE AS OF DATE OF COMPETITION’ whereas others are ‘AGE AS OF 31st DECEMBER’ so again, you need to check the small print.

Level 1 Meet

These events are high-level competitions they will have minimum entry times apply, and times must be registered on the Swim England Database to enable to swimmer to enter. Pools must be 50m long.

Level 2 Meet

These are also high-level competitions and again there will be qualifying times to compete. Usually, you will need to have a registered time to enter for this level of competition. Pools must be 25m long.

Level 3 Meet (THESE ARE USUALLY HELD AT THE NSC)

Swimmers can usually enter competitions at this level without a recorded time. Coaches must be sure the swimmer is capable of competing in events entered. On Island this is the level of meet that we try to run.

Level 4 Meet

These events are usually club level events if there are enough qualified officials available. They enable those swimmers just beginning to enter individual open competitions the chance to record times on the Swim England Database. Pools must be at least 25m long.

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS

The County Championships is the first big step in a swimmers competitive swimming career. Just competing in them is a real achievement as you need to have achieved a certain qualifying time for each event entered at a competition level 4 upwards during the previous 12 months to take part. Swimmers from Ramseian Swimming Club usually have joined the Isle of Man Swim Club by this stage and they are represent IOMSC when swimming at the Lancashire County Swimming Championships. This event takes place over 2 or 3 weekends during January or February each year. Ages at this level of competition are AGE AS OF 31ST DECEMBER and age categories are 10-Open. See www.swimlancashire.org.uk for further information.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Regional Championships are the second big step in a swimmer’s competitive swimming career. IOMSC compete at the North West Regional Championships. This event takes place over 3 weekends during April/May each year. To compete at these championships, swimmers must achieve qualification times in each event entered at a competition level 3 upwards during the previous 12 months. Ages eligible to compete at this competition are from 11-Open and are AGE AS OF 31ST DECEMBER. See www.swimming.org/NorthWest/ for further information.

BRITISH SUMMER CHAMPIONSHIPS

To gain entry to the British Summer Championships, swimmers have a qualifying window of approximately 2 months running between March-May. Swimmers can achieve eligible times at any Level 1 competition in a 50m Pool between the two dates. After the window closes, approx. the fastest 20 swimmers in each age group category in each event will be ‘invited’ to compete at the British Summer Championships which usually take place at the end of July, beginning of August in Sheffield for approximately 1 week. The next fastest 20/16 swimmers (depending on event) in each event in each age category will be ‘invited’ to compete at their ‘Home Nations’ Summer Nationals (English/Scottish/Welsh/Irish).

Swimmers will NOT be allowed to swim at the Home Nations Summer Nationals in the same event as the British Summer Championships. The Home Nations Summer Nationals are held around the same time as the British Summer Championships and last for approximately 1 week. Swimmers from the IOMSC will be automatically considered for the English National Home nation. However, swimmers that are born in a different home nation or have a parent born in that home nation could be eligible for entry to alternative meets.

BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS

The British Championships are an event held usually around April each year at a different venue each time, and last approximately 1 week. These championships are used as qualification trials for specific events, ie; Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Youth Games, European Juniors, World Championships etc. To gain entry to this event, you must achieve specific qualification times in a Level 1 Competition during the previous 12 months. These times must have been achieved in a 50m pool.

Gala Tips

If it is your first gala – don’t worry or panic. The coaches and chaperones will be there to guide you through the day and help you all they can – if you have any problems.... JUST ASK. It is a good idea to have packed your bag the night before, with everything you might need. Here e is a checklist, which should be useful to you (NO GLASS BOTTLES or ANY OTHER BREAKABLE ITEMS).

• Minimum of 2 swimming costumes (warm up costumes and racing costumes for each session)
• Minimum of 2 pairs of goggles
• Minimum of 2 Swimming Caps
• Minimum of 2 towels
• Pair of Poolside shoes to wear
• T shirt / hoodie to ensure you are kept warm enough on poolside
• Food of sufficient quantity to last the day
• Money in case of an emergency
• Drink in a suitable container (not glass)– at least 2 litres for a whole day
• Snack food
• Something to keep you entertained on poolside – music & headphones, book, homework for example
• Plenty of DETERMINATION!

Arrival at a Swimming Gala When you arrive at a swimming pool for a gala, make sure you do so in plenty of time. Report to the coach, that you have arrived, as it is important that your coach knows that you have arrived when you have been told to attend. Swimmers deciding not to attend must notify the coach so that they can be withdrawn from the event or competition. Check Out Check out the pool complex layout and familiarise yourself with the important places you will need to go during the day, for example, toilets, reporting area, marshalling area, changing rooms, cafe etc. Warm Ups Check which warm up is yours and be on time for it. The warm up takes from between half an hour to an hour with the swimmers taking part, split into older/younger boys and girls. The competition will tend to start 10 minutes after the warm up is completed. When you warm up make sure you get the most out of it. Do not stop and talk to your friends as you will have plenty of time to do this throughout the day. Your coach will have shown you what warm up to do. You must keep going and warm up your muscles properly to avoid injury.

The Meet

Most open galas are split into 2 or more sessions with a separate warm up for each session. At most open galas each event is ranked in the order of the swimmer’s entry time (their PB may have changed since the entry was made). The event is then swum in heats starting with the slowest times irrespective of age. As a result it is unlikely that a swimmer will be completely outclassed (or completely out class the other swimmers) in their particular heat. Once the event is complete the recorded times are sorted out and the swimmers sorted into their age groups and the results posted. Trophies/medals may be awarded for anywhere between the top 3 and top six in each of the age groups. It varies with the gala as do the age groups. Cheering for others Do not expect others to cheer for you if you do not cheer for them. There is nothing better to improve your performance than seeing others do well, do not just sit down and stare into space..... ENJOY YOURSELF!

Don’t go outside

When you are at a swimming gala with an appointed coach/chaperone, they are responsible for you and you must NOT leave the building without permission. If your parents are there, please ask the coach for permission to leave the building with them. After your last race it is a good thing to cheer other swimmers from your Club who are still swimming.

Good Behaviour

When you are representing Ramseian Swimming Club or IOMSC, or training at your appointed session, you are expected to behave properly. Swimmers are expected to sit with their team and NOT with parents in the spectator area.

Swimmer Etiquette at Competitions

Swimmers must remain with the team throughout the event, unless permission is given to go to another area, this includes seeing parents/guardians. Parents/guardians are not allowed in the swimmers seating section or on poolside and should sit in the designated area.

Coaching staff and team managers (based on required ratios as determined by Swim England) will be on poolside to cater for the swimmers needs, therefore parents are requested to sit back, relax and cheer on their swimmers, allowing the coaches/poolside team to look after welfare of the team. Parents are NOT allowed on poolside at ANY time during a competition If you wish to be part of the poolside team, we are always keen for volunteers. Please get in touch with the committee and we will ensure that you are aware of how to qualify to do this. Racing costumes should only be worn for the race, training costumes must be worn for the warm up and swimmers are to change after the warm up. All parents should keep a record of their child’s personal best times for entry to open meets, personal best times can be found at www.swimmingresults.org/biogs/ entering your child’s ASA Membership Number or Surname in the box.

ABBREVIATIONS YOU MAY COME ACROSS AT COMPETITIONS

LC = Long Course (50m Pool)

SC = Short Course (25m Pool)

HDW = Heat Declared Winner (the event has no finals, the winners are determined from the heats)

NT = No Time entered

BK = Backstroke

BR = Breaststroke

FR = Freestyle (meaning ANY stroke, except in relays)

FC = Frontcrawl

FLY = Butterfly

IM = Individual Medley (swum in the following order; Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle)

DOB = Date of Birth

DQ = Disqualified

DNF = Did not finish (swimmer started the race but did not finish)

DNS = Did not start (swimmer did not start the race)

PB = Personal Best

QT = Qualifying Time; meets may require a swimmer to be able to swim a certain time to gain entry, there can be Upper and Lower QT’s

CT = Consideration Time; a set minimum time that must be met to gain entry. No guaranteed entry

Age at = The age a swimmer will be on a set date (can be last date of gala or 31st December)

L1 = Level 1 Licensed Meet (aimed at swimmers wanting to qualify for National events)

L2 = Level 2 Licensed Meet (aimed at swimmers wanting Regional Qualifying Times)

L3 = Level 3 Licensed Meet (aimed at swimmers wanting County/Regional Qualifying Times)

L4 = Level 4 Licensed Meet (aimed at new swimmers trying to achieve a registered time)

W/U = Warm Up