.: About Competitions
Nunawading Swimming Club offers a series of competitions designed for people just starting out in competitive swimming, in which the emphasis is on learning and self-improvement in a non-threatening environment.
With appropriate guidance from adults involved, competitions should be lots of fun, an opportunity to meet other young swimmers, and a chance to use the skills, which have been practised for so long, in the pool. Beyond this, swimmers can progress to interclub competitions, and then if satisfactory standards are achieved, to state, national or international level competition.
Swim meets held in 25 metre length pools are known as “short course” meets and are generally the focus of the winter season.
Swim meets held in 50 metre length pools are known as “long course” meets and are generally the focus of the summer season.
WHEN SHOULD WE BECOME INVOLVED IN COMPETITIVE SWIMMING?
Often when swimmers reach mini, development or junior squad level they are keen to participate in some introductory meets. The two indicators of readiness to compete are:
1) The swimmer is keen (even if a little nervous) to participate.
2) The swimmer’s coach feels that the level of skill development is satisfactory and that it would be beneficial for the swimmer to move into this area.
The best place to start is generally the PB Challenge Meets on a Sunday morning.
HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN MEETS ARE SCHEDULED, AND WHICH ONES
ARE MOST SUITABLE?
There are seven main sources of information about competitions:
The coach: Coaches should keep swimmers informed of upcoming meets, either verbally or sometimes in the form of notices. This information is generally given to the swimmers, so parents - make sure you ask!!
The Club Website has a comprehensive event calendar which is updated regularly at http://www.nunawadingswimmingclub.com/competition/eventscalendar.htm. The website often includes links to the meet information.
Noticeboards: There are noticeboards located at Nunawading, Syndal and Tintern. Details of competitions are posted on these. In consideration of others, please do not remove notices from boards.
Club Newsletter: The newsletter is published monthly and available in swimmers pigeon holes and from outside the Club offices at Nunawading and Syndal. Details of all Club meets are published here, as well as details of meets, which are to be strongly supported by our club. Not all interclub competitions are published in the newsletter.
Nuna News – Upcoming Swim meets and entry closing dates are often promoted through Nuna News weekly email service.
Swimming Victoria website www.swimmingvictoria.org.au
Swimming Australia website www.swimming.org.au
SWIM NEWS
Swimming Victoria publish a monthly newsletter ‘Swim News’. This publication is now available electronically and can be downloaded from www.swimmingvictoria.org.au
HOW DO WE ENTER INTO COMPETITIONS?
Some meets, particularly the ones you are likely to start with, will require registration on the day of competition. This means you simply turn up at the prescribed time, and pay a pool entry fee. Attending the PB Challenge Series at Nunawading is a great example of a ‘walk-up’ meet.
A majority of swim meets require you to send off the swimmers entries well before the meet. Each meet will have a closing date for entries and for many meets in Victoria, entries can close early due to a high level of interest in the meet. We strongly recommend that parents submit entries well before the closing date for each event.
Most interclub meets and State level meets as well as a small number of Club meets (like our annual Club Championships) indicate “Entries on SV Entry Form”.
These are standard entry forms that can be downloaded from the top right hand corner of: http://www.nunawadingswimmingclub.com/competition/eventscalendar.htm.
You may need some assistance filling these out for the first time. It is also recommended that swimmers have a practice of filling out these forms, under parental guidance.
HOW DO I FILL OUT THESE CARDS?
- The “SV Entry Form (V2009)” is the standard form, used to enter most competitions in Victoria.
- The “SV Entry Form (V2009)” can be printed from the following website http://www.nunawadingswimmingclub.com/competition/eventscalendar.htm or you can complete the Entry Form in ‘word’ on the computer and then print off to send.
- You will need to consult a program for the competition you wish to enter. The program for each event can be located on the Club’s website at http://www.nunawadingswimmingclub.com/competition/eventscalendar.htm or from your coach or the Club noticeboard.
- Please ensure that you sign the declaration on the SV Entry Form and complete personal details.
- Check the closing date for entries.
- Send the SV Entry Form, with a cheque for the appropriate entry fee, to the address indicated on the program. This will usually be the meet director, and will not necessarily be the NSC Club office, unless Nunawading is hosting the meet.
Example of a completed entry form. ( Word Doc )
NOTES:
‘Name of Meet’ and ‘Date of Meet’ can be found on the competition program. See website or noticeboards.
‘Registration Number’: Registration numbers are made up of the first 3 letters of the swimmer’s surname plus the first 2 letters of their Christian name plus their birthdate in the form of ddmmyy. Eg, Betty Smith born on 12th March 1999 will have a registration code of SMIBE120399. The swimmer has the same registration code for their entire swimming career. ‘Event No.’ can be identified by searching the program of events for the age group, stroke and distance desired. Ensure you check for ‘boys’ or ‘girls’ events.
‘Entry Time’ is the fastest time you have recorded in that event in the preceding year.
For Victorian Championships, times entered must be swum at an ‘Approved Qualifying Meet’ and all details on when and where a time was swum must be included. For all other Intraclub meet conducted in Victoria, times can be swum at any meet. It does not necessarily have to be a qualifying meet.
A majority of meets that Nunawading swimmers enter are qualifying meets so that times can be recognised for higher level competitions and registered for the Junior Excellence Program.
We recommend that you enter all details into an entry form including where and when a time has been completed. This ensures that you keep a record of times swum.
No Nunawading swimmer should be entering “No Time” or “N/T” for a swim meet. You can also use PB Challenge meets to get times on events and if you are trialling a new stroke or distance, do it at PB Challenge first to get a time. Alternatively, please speak to your coach who will be able to organise a time trial so that you can at least estimate an accurate time. This will ensure that the swimmer competes in a heat with comparable swimmers.
Declaration Don’t forget to fill out the address and contact details on the bottom of the form so that the people running the meet can contact you regarding your entries if they need to. Also, make sure you sign the declaration.
WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE GET TO THE MEET?
Most meets for which you register on the day do not have programs. You will be alerted to your approaching swim by an announcement, i.e., you sit in the stand until you, your age group or your race is ‘called’.
Most competitions for which you sent in a SV Entry Form have programs available for purchase. It is your responsibility to get to your races on time. The following tips should help with this:
- Purchase a program, and look up the event numbers of your swims. Do this as soon as you get to the pool.
- Watch the ‘event board’. Usually you are required to report to the “Marshall” three events before your race. Speak to any of the coaching staff if you can’t identify the event board or marshalling area.
- When your coach is present, see him/her before going for your race, in case there are any special instructions for you.
- After your race, ask the time keeper (person standing behind your lane with a stop watch) for your time.
- Let your coach know your time, then record this time for yourself.
TEAM MANAGERS
Each year, Nunawading Swimming Club elects team managers to manage the male and female club teams. The team managers are primarily responsible for assisting the male and female swimming members both at competitions and when away on team trips. The team managers are present at all the major National and State meets during the season, all team trips which involve staying away from home, Metro East meets and any other meets at the discretion of the Swim Committee and coaches, particularly those with relay events.
The team managers are also responsible for assisting the coaches in the selection of all relay teams and ensuring that all swimmers are aware of their relay events.
The team managers are always available to assist any swimmers (or parents) who may have questions or problems at a swim meet – please, just ask! Should any swimmers be involved in drug testing at a meet, the team managers will remain with the swimmer as long as is necessary in order to provide support and also to act a witness to the proceedings.
WHAT TO WEAR?
When representing Nunawading at competitions (i.e. competing against other clubs) swimmers should wear Club uniform. As this can be quite an expense, the first items to purchase should be a Club cap, and T- shirt. These can be worn with plain navy track pants, until you decide to purchase a tracksuit. Any bathers that are black, navy blue or royal blue are acceptable, however, specialist competition suits (eg, Fastskins) can be worn in any colour. Sunday morning club meets do not usually involve other clubs, so while club uniform looks great, it is not necessary to have all the gear at this stage.
In between races it is very important to KEEP WARM by wearing a T-shirt/jacket, and shoes. Cold bodies don’t work as well as warm ones!
PERSONAL BEST TIMES (P.B.’s)
Once you start competitions, you need to have a book to record your times. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, it is easy to see if you are improving or not. Hopefully this will be motivating. Secondly, to enter future competitions you will be asked for your personal best time. You need to know your fastest time for that event, where you did it, and the date of this swim. Nunawading offers these books for sale at $5.00 each from the front reception.
QUALIFYING TIMES
Some swim meets apply qualifying times to events to restrict the standard of swimming. Where qualifying times apply, you need to have officially swum at least as fast as the qualifying time for each event you wish to enter. Training times, or parent recorded times are not acceptable as qualifying times. State qualifying times indicate the minimum standard you need to achieve before being eligible to enter and compete at State Championships. A copy of these times is posted on the noticeboards and Swimming Victoria website each year. Only competitions which meet a certain criteria (have the required number of qualified officials) are classified as approved qualifying meets, and only times swum at these competitions are acceptable as state qualifying times.
WHAT DO PARENTS DO AT SWIM MEETS?
All parents should consider volunteering to help run a swim meet, especially ones run at our club. Every person who is running the meet is a volunteer; many don’t even have children swimming any more. Most parents find it much more interesting to time keep while watching the meet, rather than sitting in the stands (don’t be scared of the stopwatch, you won’t be lynched for making a mistake). You could also help out in the kitchen with morning tea on every 3rd PB Challenge. You will meet other parents, and will help make the competition possible, as without officials, your children cannot compete.
NUTRITION FOR COMPETITIONS
Should swimmers eat breakfast before a competition? Yes, if they feel comfortable with it. A light breakfast can help supply young athletes with the energy they need, but if they feel uncomfortable or sick with a full stomach, a glass or two of fruit juice may be more suitable. While at a swim meet swimmers should ensure they drink plenty of fluids, and may eat small snacks such as fruit or ‘carbo snacks’ - bananas, tinned fruit, rice cakes or bread are ideal. Lollies can be eaten in very small amounts, and high fat snacks such as chocolate or chips should be avoided. When competing at meets that last more than a few hours, swimmers should pack a sandwich or some other nutritious meal (some swimmers enjoy pasta in a thermos), as food available at many swimming venues is far from ideal for active athletes.>
FINAL NOTE
Take care not to participate in too many competitions. There are competitions run nearly every weekend, and when young swimmers are keen it can be easy to enter into everything. Keep the long-term development of swimmers in mind, and be careful not to do too much too early. Speak to your coach regarding the optimal amount of competitions you should be entering. |
