Poolside chat: Calling all parents of competitive swimmers!

[Marypoppins19]

I thought it might be helpful to share our highs/lows/questions/thoughts in one place. Who’s joining me!?

[Helenjohanna]

I feel a bit funny about it because it's my son's first ever competition and he's quite young. He's very capable, but I'd rather be there! Still, it is what it is.

[Eccle80]

I was also going to suggest looking at the period swimwear, or period pants under a legsuit maybe? I have boys so haven’t had to deal with it, but hopefully there is an option that will work for her.

We haven’t had any update on counties in terms of spectators etc. @Helenjohanna are they doing any kind of live stream that might let you watch him at least?

[turkeyboots]

Swim Ireland is planning galas for our LC season and they are all likely to be spector free so they can spread the kids out as much as possible. Hopefully it will all go ahead.
Period advice is to keep trying teen tampons with applicators. It took DD a while to get used to them, but she did. It's a major reason for girls to drop out, so enlist some of the older girls in the club, their advice helped DD.
I don't know how the swim Period pants would be in training, they seem more a hanging round in pool thing to me.

[Madcats]

Late to reply, as usual.

Modibodi now do swimming costumes for teens (and they are much cheaper than they once were):

https://www.modibodi.co.uk/products/red-swimwear-racerback-one-piece-black-light-moderate?variant=31688445820982&redirect=disable&gclid=Cj0KCQiAw9qOBhC-ARIsAG-rdn60bONacz6VDWR8YiECniRfKa6bXOZjMX7n8NPq6qTDen9uJy3zWMaArRZEALww_wcB

We've not tried them, but DD wears their pants.

With immaculate timing, as is her want, DD started her periods just before a swim camp!
I read a few articles saying that there is minimal bleeding when swimming, but I bought her some teen mini tampons (with plastic applicators) and told her that this was the safer option. It probably helped that many of her friends were a bit older.

[Helenjohanna]

It doesn't sound like they'll be streaming it. I emailed the secretary today to ascertain all the details because I'm finding it all rather confusing. She was really lovely. Explained everything to me and said that they know they're throwing DS in at the deep end (so to speak), but that they think it'll be a great experience for him and that he'll be well looked after. He and two other novices from his squad are doing a one hour practice tomorrow morning at the pool at which the competition will happen. His dad and I will be spectating, so at least we'll get a feel for it.

[WidowTwonky]

Is it counties or a L3 gala!

[WidowTwonky]

Sorry that should have been a question mark not !

[Helenjohanna]

Counties. Bedfordshire County Championship. The practice this morning didn't work out. We turned up at 7, along with a few others, and the head coach just did half an hour of exercises with them on the poolside. Then we went home again. It was a half hour drive as well! Apparently, the chemicals in the pool were incorrect. It wasn't a waste because it was good familiarisation for DS, but it was a bit disappointing.

[Teateaandmoretea]

@Familyfallout this is my life at the moment.

My 12 year old managed to start her periods the day before the long course training ahead of the county championships. She actually managed to get a tampon in both days but I’m worried that she really didn’t seem to like using them and we nearly didn’t make the second day.

She said the lillets teen ones that seemingly you can only buy online were better than the tampax compak I had to buy on Friday night, but I only had one as a sample. So I’ve now ordered some more of those and another tip I’ve found is KY jelly so I’ve also ordered that.

I’m not so much worried about training as her club are fairly relaxed and there are quite a few sessions to choose from. It’s the next one arriving the night before the second counties weekend. Or before a team gala 🤦🏻‍♀️. It would be so much better if it happens at a time with no pressure, but that isn’t how life works.

I really don’t get those mobibody swimsuits because surely it would still get wet in the water? Has anyone actually used one?

[Teateaandmoretea]

@Helenjohanna I don’t think anywhere is really saying yet because they don’t know what the situation will be in 2 weeks.

FWIW our district had a team gala on Saturday with spectators that my younger daughter did. I think spectators will be allowed. You can always offer to help then you’ll be allowed in. I’m an official for my sins.

[Helenjohanna]

[quote Teateaandmoretea]@Helenjohanna I don’t think anywhere is really saying yet because they don’t know what the situation will be in 2 weeks.

FWIW our district had a team gala on Saturday with spectators that my younger daughter did. I think spectators will be allowed. You can always offer to help then you’ll be allowed in. I’m an official for my sins.[/quote]
I'm a bit neurodivergent and I'm not sure if I'd be able to do the jobs that they want.

They announced no spectators a while ago and don't seem to be invisaging a change.

[Teateaandmoretea]

That’s quite odd - round here we have only had a couple of spectator-less galas.

We have had more limited tickets than usual, but that’s been it. I must admit I was reasonably surprised about the one at the weekend but the pool just asked for covid passes as per the rules for any large gathering.

We are awaiting info re the counties. So maybe that will be different but it’s at the same pool so if nothing changes I can’t see why it would be different. Fingers crossed

[Eccle80]

We still haven’t heard anything about spectators for our counties, despite them starting this weekend (though my two aren’t swimming in the first one). I can see the logic of not having spectators to be able to spread the swimmers out more, apart from anything else as the two main weekends of ours are consecutive, a Covid outbreak after one weekend could result in hardly any swimmers at the following one.

[Madcats]

We've not had a "spectators allowed" gala since September. For one, the whole meet had to relocate to a new venue because the original host venue wasn't happy about the number of swimmers. Teams are assigned "zones" of seating either poolside or in the spectator galleries, but at least they have the changing rooms open. I know some of the swimmers volunteered to record each other in races if they weren't competing.

Somerset's Counties were clear from the outset that parents wouldn't be permitted (unless they officiate or spectate).

Thank goodness for Meet Mobile, heat sheets and Meet Mobile!

[WidowTwonky]

Our counties aren’t until Feb so not heard yet, but assume that we’ll be allowing spectators using the same formula as winter counties and regionals 🤞🏼

[Familyfallout]

Thanks to all the advice re period pants and tampons, it is very helpful to know how everyone else is coping with it. I think when I was at school I was quite happy to miss swimming lessons and it was an all girls school so that was just what everyone did, but it would be different for DD if she missed regular sessions for periods it would look odd and she loves swimming so much. I think we will have to try a combination of the 2 approaches! thanks again to all who responded

[Hellocatshome]

So I was just having a play around on th swimming results website as it's time for us to submit our applications for Counties. My son is 5th in our county for a particular event but hasn't got the qualifying time, only 2 swimmers have got the qualifying time. Do you think after the entries are in and they notice this they will adjust the qualifying times? Seems a bit daft to have a heats and finals format where the final will consist of 2 swimmers.

[Madcats]

Hellocatshome Somerset has a couple of events where fewer than 8 swimmers have entered in each age group; the county has switched them to Heat Declared Winners rather than having Heats, then Finals. 200 Fly never has many takers!

It must have been hard to arrive at QT's this year, but I doubt that a county would tweak one or two a matter of days/weeks before the Championships.

[Hellocatshome]

@Madcats ah thats probably what they will do then, it might have been better using consideration times than qualifying times as like you say it was hard to gauge where to set them.

[WidowTwonky]

We had our winter counties QT adjusted after the closing date due to low numbers of entries…so you never know!

[Fourmagpies]

Our Counties times have already been adjusted so doubt they'll adjust them again. Ours are at the end of the month so don't know yet about spectators, but our club had time trials at the same venue last weekend and asked for proof of negative LFTs for swimmers and spectators. I'd be quite happy not to stay! Though do like to see DS swim but Counties is so drawn out. He's competing in 9 races over 6 different half days (he still hasn't managed to get updated times for all strokes, I think he could have achieved a few more). It's a lot of hanging around.

[Eccle80]

Similar here, the times were already relaxed from what they normally are, but the majority of the 10/11 age group events have 8 or fewer entries (I think the other age groups generally have more). They haven’t changed them again and assume they won’t now.

[2ducksandI]

Any of you super organised swim mums who take a fridge with you when you have to stay in hotels can you tell me which sort you have please? They all seem quite expensive and I dont want one that's going to be so noisy we can't sleep or too tiny inside to be of any use.

[turkeyboots]

A fridge? That's a new one on me. I tend to swing through a shop for food on day 2 of overnight galas. DD is usually thrilled to get something more exotic than tuna pasta for a change.