| Parents
and Swimmers Swimming Gala Survival Tips |
Swimming galas come in many shapes and sizes. They are all great
fun, but depending on the type of event and the number of entrants,
they have differing durations of anything from an hour or two
to several days,. If a swimmer competes throughout a weekend-long
meet it can be a very tiring experience! On every occasion it
makes sense to be prepared, so that swimmers produce their best
performances and parents and swimmers alike really enjoy the
experience.
Here are a few tips for Swimmers:
• Take plenty to drink. Pools are usually very warm
places, so don’t get dehydrated! It makes you feel tired
and you won’t swim well!
• Take along enough food to last the whole day.
• Take poolside clothes, Tee-bags, shorts and pool shoes.
• Don’t forget your towels!
• Take something along for entertainment; A PSP, Nintendo,
MP3 player, (or even a book!) for example. (However, look
after it carefully when you are there, because things do sometimes
get mislaid, even if you take your bag poolside.)
• Even if you bring your own food and drink, it is also
a good idea to take along a bit of change for goodies from
the vending machines.
• Be prepared and take spare costumes and goggles. A
change of costume is a good idea if you are there all day.
• At long events don’t spend all day on your feet.
Chill-out between races, otherwise you will quickly run out
of steam!
And for Parents:
• For an Open Meet, The Team Manager will issue a summary
of events entered. Check to make sure you know what time the
sessions and warm-ups start!
• Talk to other mums & dads before you go, you may
be able to share lifts.
• The spectator galleries at galas are often hot and
can be quite crowded at the start of a session, so wear cool
clothes. Lightweight trousers (or shorts) and tee shirts are
the norm.
• Take plenty to drink, although you will usually be
able to buy a cup of tea or coffee, etc..
• As for the swimmers, take enough to eat.
• You will have to pay to enter the spectator galleries
at the galas. The amount varies depending on the venue and
the occasion.
• We recommend that you buy a copy of the event program
for the session when you enter the gallery. You will be able
to keep up with how the competition is progressing and check
when our swimmers are due to race.
• If you plan to keep track of the progress of the races
and how the swimmers performances compare with their entry
times, etc., take along a pen or pencil.
• As your enthusiasm grows you may well want to take
along a stop watch.
• Please note: Mobile phones are not allowed to be used
during a meet.
• Cameras can only be used if you register your intention
to use one at the time of entering the spectator gallery.
Galas are great fun and exciting! Good Luck and Enjoy!
| Swimming
Galas, Open Meets and Championships. |
The club training sessions are enjoyed by everyone, but apart
from learning to be great swimmers some of the our newer members
may wonder what is the ultimate aim of all this hard work.
Similar to many other sports clubs, the goal is to take part
in competitions. We are not a Learn-to-Swim club. The time
and dedication of the coaching team is solely aimed at preparing
swimmers for success in swimming races. Tenby Dolphins members
have the opportunity to take part in a variety of events,
some being team based and others for individuals. The following
is a summary of the possibilities:
Pembrokeshire Junior League & Interclub
Friendlies.
These are team events, and often the Pembrokeshire Junior
League is the first taste of competition for our youngest
swimmers. The galas take place at pools in Pembrokeshire,
and the team is selected in advance by the Team Manager. (Junior
swimmers are expected to wear their club hats, club jammers/club
costumes for these events – available to purchase from
club swim shop).
Open Meets & Sprint Meets
As the name suggests these are open events for individuals
which are held all over the country. They take place at various
times throughout the year. Details are published well in advance,
and those relevant to our local area (e.g. Llanelli, Swansea,
Neath, etc.) are listed on our web site, the notice board
and in the press reports. There are usually race categories
for all ages for different strokes over various distances.
Long Course (LC) events are held in a 50m pool, and Short
Course (SC) events in a 25m pool. (If you have aspirations
to join the Welsh Regional Squads you will have to start competing
in Long Course events).
Sprint Meets are good starting place for those venturing
out of Pembrokeshire for the first time. The races are short,
fast & furious and a lot of fun!
To repay the effort put in by our dedicated volunteer coaches,
our squad swimmers are ALL expected to enter as many Open
Meets and Sprint Meets as possible.
In our area most of the Long Course Open events are held
at the Welsh National Pool in Swansea. There are often minimum
qualifying standards for these events. If you are not sure
whether you should go check with the Team Manager, or the
PB listing on the club website, to see if you have the necessary
times. If you have a qualifying time you are good enough to
enter, so have a go!
Remember, you can attend an open gala and enter as many or
as few events as you like. If the duration of the galas seems
daunting, choose the events carefully and it will be cheaper,
and you will only have to attend one or two sessions over
a weekend.
Entry procedure is such that those choosing to enter events
in our region should read the meet information on the web
site or notice board, and then fill in the entry slip. Together
with the entry fee this should be handed to the Competitions
Manager well in advance of the closing date.
Schools Events
Each year representatives of Tenby & District Swimming
Club enter several competitions via their schools, and have
over the years enjoyed much success. There are the annual
Urdd swimming galas for individuals and teams, the Sladen
Relays and National Schools events. Entries are dealt with
by the individual schools.
Club Championships
We have our own annual club championships which take place
in December each year. This is a competition for individuals,
and ALL club members should enter this, even those just starting
out!
Pembrokeshire Championships
The annual county swimming championships, normally held in
Haverfordwest. It is a small step up from the Tenby Club Championships
and is also a competition for individuals rather than a team
event. We expect ALL squad members to enter.
West Wales Championships
The West Wales regional swimming championships are held in
February each year. They are hosted at the at the 8 lane 25m
pools in Penlan, Swansea, or in Haverfordwest, and are an
opportunity to measure your skills against the best in the
region. It is normally very well attended by all the regional
clubs, and for most younger members is the highlight of the
swimming calendar in our area. Entry is for individuals, and
there is also a very exciting team relay competition where
competitors are selected by the Team Manager.
Other Championships
The next stage are the Age Group and Youth Nationals where
our strongest swimmers can measure their abilities at national
level. If successful here, the sky is the limit!
As you can see, there are numerous possibilities to become
involved in competitive swimming. There is something for everyone,
and after being selected for the first junior gala there are
plenty of opportunities to move on to the next level.
We appreciate that it can seem a bit daunting at first, but
our swimmers always have a huge amount of fun at the various
galas they attend. The children gain confidence, make many
new friends from across the region, and often come home with
medals and trophies. Even if they don’t win, it is an
opportunity to set a new personal best time and a new level
of personal achievement.
If you are unsure about ANYTHING, our coaches are always
on hand, and will happily advise which events are suitable.
If you haven’t been tempted to enter anything yet, please
take the plunge and have a go!
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