As a competitive club, we encourage all swimmers to take part in a range of competitions and aim to prepare them for these through our coaching programme.
Some of these competitions will be internal (time trials and club champs) and some will be external galas or open meets. Some will be ‘licensed’, and some won’t be (more on licensed events later). This is just a short introduction for those who are new to the swimming world.
The club runs regular internal events to give newer swimmers the opportunity to compete in a familiar environment and enable them to understand the rules and regulations involved. Also. to enable the older swimmers to improve their times.
There are two types:
Time Trials: swimmers (usually) choose three events from a wide range on offer with the aim of obtaining or improving recorded times (‘personal bests’).
Club Champs: swimmers must race defined events (usually two) and obtain/improve times but also to be awarded medals for placings within age categories (also, points which are added up over the year and count towards the age group trophies).
In both time trials and club champs, swimmers swim in heats based on expected times. These generally run at Bushey Grove on Sunday evenings– although the next club champs is at Habs Boys School on 29th November (Sat) 4-8pm. They are usually licensed.
Open Meets: other swimming clubs may run licensed events, where they invite fellow clubs/swimmers to take part. There are a range of these from beginner level upwards. Swimmers choose their events and are charged a fee per event. These usually take place over a weekend; are raced in seeded heats and usually involve age-group medals. The club sends a team to manage the swimmers.
Team events: galas such as ‘Peanuts League’ and ‘Herts Major League’ where the club takes a selection of swimmers to compete as a team with one swimmer in each event, relays, and points awarded for placings in each race. These events tend to take place in an evening. They may not be licensed but they are great fun. Again, the club will send a team to manage the swimmers.
The club will email parents when entries are open for an event or if a swimmer has been selected to swim in a gala etc. Once an email is received, if swimmers want to take part, parents will need to log on to Swim Manager and sign their swimmers up there. (Taking care to follow the instructions as each event varies slightly)
“Licensed” events are simply events with a Swim England licence. They are important because all ‘licensed’ times are uploaded onto the Swim England website (where each swimmer has a page – search: individual best times and then fill in the swimmer’s name or membership number and follow the instructions). They will also be available in Swim Manager.
Licensed times are needed for entering certain competitions (certain open meets or gaining entry into the County Championships etc).
Once swimmers gain experience they may wish to gain ‘County Times’ so they may race at the County Champs in January. The current County required times are available at the website: https://www.swimherts.org). These times must be recorded within the ‘County Window’ (July to December).
After Counties there are Regionals and then Nationals and there is more to say about licensing and officiating… but we hope this is a useful introduction to how it works.
Any questions ask the Coaches at training.
Good luck and best wishes
The Coaches