Frequently Asked Questions (or what every new parent needs to know!!)

Club committee representatives will be around on training nights and can be identified by their green club shirts.

 

Alternatively, you can speak with the coaches but please ensure this is done either before or after the training session and not during!

Training groups are identified using a colour scheme and are based around age, ability and the number of weekly sessions attended.

 

Details of these can be found elsewhere on the club website under Squad Structure.

 

It is the coaches who select swimmers for each group and who move the swimmers between groups as they improve.

A PB is a Personal Best time and is a better measure of achievement than where a swimmer finishes in a race. Please note heats at Open Meets are based on times and not on age.

Parents should keep a note of their child’s times for future reference and to be able to show the child their progress. As the swimmer gets older they should keep their own times!

 

PB’s are also recorded on the club’s rankings list provided they have been achieved at properly timed events.

This is the official club record of swimmer’s best times. It is usually updated several times a year and is used for gala team selection. A copy can be found on the web site (provided you have arranged access) and on the notice boards.

There is also a National Ranking List, and once your child is over 9 years of age and has competed in the Club Championships or any Open Meet which has been licenced they will appear on it! So check out where your child is in relation to others in their age group, within the County, Region and Nation!

These are open competitions which have been licenced at Level 1, 2, 3 or 4 by the ASA.

 

A Level 1 meet is the highest level of competition and swimmers are able to gain National Times at these. A Level 4 meet is the level we licence our Club Championships at. Each level has different criteria set for it.

 

At an Open Meet a swimmer swims as an individual rather than as part of a team, although at some meets there is a trophy for the Top Club. The Head Coach will recommend several Open Meets during a year which he will attend and these are always advertised on the Noticeboard at both pools.

 

Parents can also find details of other Open Meets in Swimming Magazines and on various swimming and club websites. Parents wishing to enter their child in other Open Meets not supported by the Club should speak to the Head Coach first, they will also need to purchase a Coaches Pass as they will need to be on poolside with their swimmer (they must also be CRB checked to do this) so therefore unless you have the confidence to enter your child and look after them on poolside with warm up etc you should probably just stick to the club supported events.

This is the age of the swimmer on the day of the competition, where a competition spans more than one date it will be the date of the last day’s swimming.

 

These are the qualifying times required to swim in the County Championships – your chance to become the county champion! Qualifying Times change each year and they are sent to the Clubs County Swimming Representative in September, they can also be found on our website and the County website.

 

Times have to be achieved within the 9 months prior to the closing date of the County Championships. County times can be achieved in any club competition or open meet or Club Time Trial.

One step up from County Times and enables the swimmer to swim in the South West Regional Championships in May/June and November.

 

Regional times have to be achieved usually a set time during the 9 months prior to the last date of the competition and can only be achieved in graded meets ie not league events or time trials.

 

Details can be found on the South West ASA website and all entries must go through the Clubs Swimming Representative as they have to be countersigned and verified.

For the very very few!! If you are at this standard you probably won’t need to look at this guide! National Qualifying Times are available from the ASA website and the Head Coach will always have a copy to hand!

 

All entries must go through the Clubs Swimming Representative as they have to be countersigned and verified.

Gloucester City Swimming Club aims to provide its swimmers with the chance to compete in a range of events and competitions suitable for both the “first timer” and the more experienced competitive swimmer:

Four Seasons League – swimmers aged 12/U

This league was introduced to provide junior swimmers with their first taste of competition. It is a “friendly” league with the emphasis placed firmly on providing the swimmer with the opportunity to learn to race in a less pressurised environment.

 

The galas are great fun!

 

There is a total of four teams in this league: Cinderford, Gloucester City, Hereford and Tewkesbury and each club takes a turn to host a gala. The galas are usually held in September, December, April and June.

Nuneaton Junior League – swimmers aged 9-12 years

The “diddy” league has a total of 66 clubs from ten counties, spread over three divisions.
All new clubs start in division III with the aim to gain promotion to division I. There are three rounds held during April – June with the finals held in early September.
Gloucester City joined this competition in 2006 and is currently in division II.
More information can be found on the Fixtures page.

National Swimming League – swimmers aged 9 upwards

The NSL was formally known as the Speedo League and is still often called this.

 

The league is aimed towards the more experienced swimmer and is a National competition so it’s taken more seriously and the competition is tough!

 

The competition is split into regions and each region has 3/4 divisions. Gloucester City competes in the West Midland region.

Although very young swimmers can compete, it is more often the more experienced swimmers that will be picked for the team. The age bands for this league are: 11/u, 13/14yrs, 15/16yrs and 17 upwards and the rounds take place Oct-Dec.

Gloucester City currently has two teams in this competition, one in Division III and the other in Division I.

 

More information can be found on the Fixtures page.

Individual Galas

Gloucester City SC is often invited to take part in one-off galas, which are held throughout the year. These events are usually held in September and March/April.

Gloucestershire ASA County Championships

To compete in the County Championships you have to reach a certain qualifying time to be able to enter. All events are covered including long- distance. The Championships are held over a series of weekends from Dec – March.

The Head Coach will select the team for each gala, and a Team List will be posted on the Noticeboards.

 

It is very important that you or your swimmer indicates their availability as soon as possible, so that reserved can be called if required.

 

Remember it is an honour to be selected it means that the Coach thinks you have reached a high enough standard to swim for the Club and swimmers should be proud if they are selected.

Generally most gala last between 2.5 and 3 hours and if the gala is some distance away or it is a final the Club will provide a coach (there is a small charge for this).

Directions to galas are usually on the notice board but if in doubt ask one of the coaches or other people that you see on poolside.

 

The Team selection list will also have a warm-up time on it and it is important to be there 15-30 minutes before warm up to get changed and get on poolside. Usually swimmers don’t have to wait in the queue outside a pool – the queue is for spectators and swimmers should push through to the front

Swimmers should bring the following in their swimming bag:

• 2 towels – one for drying, one to sit on
• 2 swimming costumes/trunks
• 2 pairs of goggles (in case on pair gets lost or breaks)
• A T shirt – preferably a Gloucester club T-shirt
• A Gloucester Swimming Hat
• Poolside shoes – flip flops or similar
• Plenty to drink – squash or water (nothing fizzy)
• Snacks – fruit, nuts, pasta, rice (for full day open meets bring packed lunch, spare set of clothes, something to do book, game, magazine)
• Tracksuit/shorts
• Please remember all belongings are the swimmers responsibility so it is a good idea not to send anything valuable particularly with young swimmers.

Ideally swimmers should not have eaten a large meal two hours before they swim but they should have “stocked up” well throughout the day as swimming is hungry business.

Swimmers should do their normal activities throughout the day but try to have a bit of a rest before setting out for the gala.

 

Swimmers under 16 should be accompanied by a responsible adult who has the swimmers parents contact details if they are not the swimmers parent. Please note swimming club officials will not take responsibility for your child’s safety unless it has been agreed in advance.

Before leaving your child at the gala please make sure he/she is aware of:

• Arrangements for getting home and meeting you
• That they know that they should not leave the poolside UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES unless they have asked an adult poolside helper
• That they know to make themselves known to the Gloucester Swimming Club Poolside staff when they arrive so we know they are there
• That they MUST STAY TO THE VERY END OF THE GALA. This is because Gloucester has a very strict team ethic which we want every swimmer to develop. Unlike most clubs we wait for the points and positions to be announced at the end of every gala and we cheer and clap every other club. Any parent wishing to take their child home early must speak to the coach for permission please.

Yes there is a list for you too!

• Wear layers – swimming pools get very hot!
• Bring plenty of drinks and comfort food! Your child will probably want more than you have packed and you will probably get hungry too – it’s all the shouting!
• Pen, paper, highlighter and if you are very enthusiastic a stopwatch!
• Cash – there is always an entrance fee which varies from club to club and depending on the level of meet and whether it is a league event of an Open Meeting. There is also usually a raffle (difficult to say “no”) and sometimes (at open meets) you also have to pay for a programme. You will also end up paying for hot drinks, hot dogs and hot new swimming costumes if the Swim Shop is there!!

and Finally

Many parents operate a “bribe” system for the children and reward them for each PB – there is no standard for this – just to say BEWARE – many a parent has been left nearly bankrupt after a long open meet where their child has had a particularly good day!

 

Remember – it’s the parent’s job to support and encourage – it never looks very good when a parent starts ranting at their child for not doing as well as the parent expects.

 

It is the Coaches job to point out where a swimmer could have done better and to get the maximum learning out of a race.