.: 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 three main sources of information about competitions:
1) 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!!
2) 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.
3) Club Newsletter: The newsletter is published bi-monthly and available from outside the Club offices at Nuna 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.
4) The Club Web site www.nunawadingswimmingclub.com
5) Swimming Victoria web site www.swimmingvictoria.org.au
6) Swimming Australia web site 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.
Most interclub meets and some club meets indicate “Entries on Swimming Victoria Entry Form (SV 2007) .” These are standard entry forms that can be printed off the Swimming Victoria website. You may need some assistance filling these out for the first time. We recommend swimmers have a practice of filling out these forms, under parental guidance.
1.1 HOW DO I FILL OUT THESE CARDS?
· Swimming Victoria Entry Form is a standard form, used to enter most competitions in Victoria.
· Swimming Victoria Entry Form are available from the Swimming Victoria website.
· You will need to consult a program for the competition you wish to enter. These are found at www.nunawadingswimmingclub.com/competition/eventscalendar.htm, on the Club’s notice board or in the club newsletter.
· Sign the declaration on the form.
· Check the closing date for entries.
· Send the entry card, 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 Club office.
NOTES:
1. ‘Swim Meet’ and ‘Date of Meet’ can be found on the competition program. See or event calendar or notice boards.
2. ‘Reg. No.’: Registration codes 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 1988 will have a registration code of SMIBE120388. Thus, the swimmer now has the same registration code for their entire swimming career.
3. ‘Event Numbers’ 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.
4. ‘Entry Time’ is the fastest time you have recorded in that event in the preceding year. You need to provide details of where and when this time was swum (only times from official swimming competitions are acceptable for Victorian and Australian Championship swim meets). If swimming the event for the first time, ask your coach to time the swimmer for the event so that you have a time to enter. Due to the requirement to provide dates, times and where times have been swum, you should keep a book in which you record details of all your races.
5. Don’t forget to fill out the address and contact details on the entry 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 Swimming Victoria 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.
Nunawading coaches have been trained to talk to their swimmers after each race, to provide them with feedback on where they went well and where they can improve. It is important that swimmers speak to their coach as soon as possible after each race.
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 red 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!
All swimmers aged 10 years and over are encouraged to purchase and wear the Club tracksuit to swim meets.
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.
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 notice boards. Only competitions which meet a certain criteria (have the required number of qualified officials) are classified as state 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 meets run at our club - Nunawading. 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. 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 (and parents!!) 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. |
