Introduction to competitionMaking it all seem simple!

AGENDA

• Team competitions

• Open meets

• Stingrays open meet

• County, regional and nationals

• General

• Any questions

• Surgery

Team competitions

Leagues

We compete in 3 leagues each year:

Wiltshire Winter League

Wiltshire Summer League

National Arena League

Team selection

Teams are selected by the Head Coach,

with help from the Team Manager.

Factors considered in making selections:

• Personal best times for this season

• Attendance at training

• Attitude and commitment

Winter League

• 2 divisions – we are in Division 1

• Different teams at each gala

• 3 rounds of competition, then a Final

• Takes place from November – March

• All events are relays – times matter!

• Final – top 6 teams in the county

• Last year, we finished 4th!

Summer League

• 8 divisions – we are in division 1

• Same 4 teams at each gala

• 4 rounds of competition

• Takes place from April - September

• Relays and individual events

– placings matter

• Last year, we finished 3rd!

Celebrating promotion to Division 1 in 2009

National League• Divisions: Premium, 1, 2 & 3 • We’re in division 2 in the Western region • 3 rounds of competition• Takes place from October - December• Relays and individual events • Could be anywhere in the south west…..• Last year, we finished 6th out of 18

Age groups

• Each league has slightly different age groups and different events

• Age groups usually cover 2-3 year bands• Cut off age is usually the date of the last

gala in the league• Success in selection may vary

each year because of age groupings

Team events - general

• Dates published in advance

• Look on web site and notice board

• Please put these in your calendar and keep free, if possible

• Team selection list on notice board 2-3 weeks before gala - please tick if you are available. Tell us if anything changes.

• Look for details of coach travel

Hosting team galas

• We usually host one gala in Salisbury for each Wiltshire league

• Volunteers required to help on the evening eg selling programmes, making drinks, announcing, recording results, marshalling swimmers

Open Meets

Open Meets

• Individual events, usually run by clubs

• Enter as an individual

• Head Coach selects suitable meets

• Usually, several club swimmers will attend

• Extra cost – charged per event entered

• Usually during weekends

• Build competition experience

• Get feedback from coach

• Get improved times

• Good times mean team selection

• Win medals, have fun – time to chat to other swimmers

• Meet up with friends from other clubs

Open Meets – why enter?

Open Meets

• Licensed meets – these are registered by the ASA. Times are recorded centrally on rankings

• Entry times – look at qualifying and cut off times for each meet

• Session timetable – look at timings of each session. Think about how many sessions you want to attend & number of swims in a session

Licensing

• Level 4 – all swimmers will be able to enter

• Level 3 – cut off and qualifying times apply, typically at about county level

• Level 2 – 25m pool with qualifying times, typically regional and national level

• Level 1 – 50m pool, otherwise as for level 2

Swimming order & results

• Swimmers compete in order of entry times, regardless of age, slowest swimmers going first – this makes for good races

• Times are recorded and used to determine the results by age group

• You will usually be competing for placings against people in different heats

• Usually, results are worked out from heat times with no finals – “heat declared winners” (HDW)

Open Meet entries

• Follow email instructions!

• Check entry requirements

• Look at timetable

• Select events

• Complete entry form, showing PB times

• Return form and cheque before deadline

• Entry confirmation provided later

Stingrays Open Meets

• We host open meets in April and October

• April = level 3 meet, October = level 2

• These are key fund raising events for the club:– We expect all eligible swimmers to enter– We expect parents/guardians to help with the

organisation – before or on the day

County, regional & national competitions

County Competition

• Competition held annually: Jan – March

• Two groups of competition: Youth, Bagcat

• Youth = girls age 14+, boys age 15+

• Bagcat = girls age 9-13, boys age 9-14

• Medals awarded for each event

• Trophies for top 6 BAGCat points scorers in each age group

BAGCAT competition

• British Age Group Categories (BAGCats) – encourages a range of strokes and distances

• Accumulative points system leading to an overall ranking at the end of a Championship.

• Sliding scales of points, dependant on your age and sex.

• Compete in at least one event in each category to be in with a chance of gaining good points.

• If you swim in more than one event in a category, then your best points score is counted.

• Table of events and ages in squad handbook & on noticeboard

County entries

• Instructions will be sent round

• Coaches can provide advice and will vet entries

• If close to qualifying times, ask

Regionals and Nationals

• Qualifying times or consideration times need to be achieved at a licensed meet in current season.

• Qualifying times are on our website

General information

Men in white coats…

• The referee runs the gala – he’s the one who blows the whistle!

• The starter does the starting• Judges keep times, check starts, finishes,

strokes, turns, takeovers and judge placings• One false start means disqualification• Officials are volunteers – mostly Mums and Dads.

Another way to help the club

Well white shirts, and ladies too!

Poolside organisation

• Team manager and coaches are responsible for swimmers on poolside

• Marshalls will ensure they are in the right place at the right time

• Events start with a warm up – helps familiarisation with a new pool too

• Results posted as open meets progress

• Presentations often at the end of sessions

Competition KitSwimming• Club racing swimming cap x 2 • Competition goggles x 2 • Warm up swimming costume • Racing swimming costume • Towel (2 if swimming in more than one session)

Refreshments• Water bottle — with a drink you have in training • Healthy snacks Extra clothes• Teabag t-shirt/Club t-shirt • Shorts/tracksuit bottoms — preferably black • Pool footwear — preferably flip flops

For Club Kit (T-Shirt, Teabag T-Shirt, Hoodies, Racing Hat) please speak with the Head Coach as orders are regularly placed.

Tips for parents

• Keep a notebook of times to track progress

• Encourage swimmers to focus on their times as much as medal placings

• Ask another parent or the coach if you don’t understand something

• Team galas are noisy – be prepared!

• Open meets are long – pass the time by helping, or bring along a distraction

Any questions?

Please ask your coach, Emma Davidson (team manager), Hayley Rutter or Eleanor Evans if you have any questions!Contact email: info@salisburystingrays.co.uk.