Poolside Chat: parents of competitive swimmers

[2ducksandI]

Seems I managed to fill the other thread with talk of taking fridges to away galas! And I didnt even mean a fridge I meant an electric cool box So I've started another thread. Hope you all find it.

@itsgettingweird look into Worksop area as well, we have family there and stay with them when we go to Ponds Forge its about 25 minutes away when the roads are quiet in the morning.

How's everyone's Easter weekend shaping up?

We've had a day off training today because the Easter meet is Thursday - Sunday and ds is only swimming sat pm and all day Sunday!

Then Easter Monday off.

And we've made the most of the nice weather and day off by doing literally nothing except 6 loads of washing and loads of housework!!!

That's the one thing I find with swimming taking so much time. When you get time off you don't want to do anything except chill and catch up!

We are also at JC for NER. See you all there!

Ds been accepted for all his regionals races

Didn't count on the Saturday needing to be there at 7.30am 🤣 glad we're use to early morning starts!

He's had a good weekend of racing.

He actually really wasn't feeling too good today and said he couldn't get his body in gear. (I dismissed him a little because his times were still good - and small pbs) Came home and his stomach exploded - so maybe he genuinely wasn't quite right

Well done Mini Weird! I think we are all guilty of thinking kids aren't really as poorly as they seem to think they are only to be proved wrong by a stream of vomit! I know I certainly have!

Any one with Leeds John Charles knowledge are we going to mange to get parked at the pool? Do we need to pay? Of the pool car park is likely to be full whats the next best alternative?

@Hellocatshome

Well done Mini Weird! I think we are all guilty of thinking kids aren't really as poorly as they seem to think they are only to be proved wrong by a stream of vomit! I know I certainly have!

Any one with Leeds John Charles knowledge are we going to mange to get parked at the pool? Do we need to pay? Of the pool car park is likely to be full whats the next best alternative?

There’s a huge free carpark across the road from the centre. There is one attached to the centre but you have to pay.

@WidowTwonky this great thanks, that will be the one we head for then anything to save a few pennies as turning into a very expensive two weekends away and no doubt I shall have to buy a hoodie as well 🙈

Almost everyone parks in the free carpark so you’ll see all the swimmers and parents trekking across the road! 😂

It's really bad but the one thing I always feel relaxed about at meets is parking - because ds has a blue badge!.

I don't care we have to pay because he also can't be walking too far with races (his pip also covers these extra costs) but so many leisure centres do free parking with BB anyway!

Grrrrr.

I want a moan!

For weeks now the British and English nationals have had their rankings out.

Scotland and wales have finally caught up.

Yet when you click British paras it still says to be confirmed.

It closes the 11th May - they need to decide rather quickly what the qualification standard actually is!

I've had to book accommodation (can be amended or cancelled) for both weeks for all days 'just in case'.

Previously it's been 600 para points to qualify which means British for ds for freestyle and then we have to decide if it's worth him doing his other events at nationals dependent on factors - not least the cost

Hello again @itsgettingweird from another thread!

Didn't realise para swimming was so far behind on releasing nationals quals. We got the first email for DS being on the list for nationals this week. Fingers crossed he remains on it but he hasn't swum regionals yet.

@itsgettingweird That is very frustrating and presumably for some of the para swimmers finding suitable accommodation isn't as easy as it is for others so even more reason to be more organised. I'm annoyed on your behalf.

@Hellocatshome

@itsgettingweird That is very frustrating and presumably for some of the para swimmers finding suitable accommodation isn't as easy as it is for others so even more reason to be more organised. I'm annoyed on your behalf.

I've managed to reserve the days inn Sheffield south for all days for both weeks with free cancellation or amendment. (They haven't even released any schedule for the British champs for any swimmer yet!)

They've acknowledged my request for ground floor if no lift!

But yes you're right - for those needing adaptive accessible rooms it's even more of a nightmare. The only requirement we have is disabled parking which is why we go for these hotels as apartments very rarely have private parking and those that do charge a premium!

@Glittertwins

Hello again @itsgettingweird from another thread!

Didn't realise para swimming was so far behind on releasing nationals quals. We got the first email for DS being on the list for nationals this week. Fingers crossed he remains on it but he hasn't swum regionals yet.

Well done mini glitter on getting on the list! Best of luck at regionals and fingers crossed you stay there or move up

Can I ask a potentially very silly question. I know the Welsh Winter Nationals can be entered by people who aren't Welsh as our club goes and the kids are not Welsh. So the Summer Nationals that the current rankings tables are for presumably you only qualify for your home country?

@Hellocatshome

Can I ask a potentially very silly question. I know the Welsh Winter Nationals can be entered by people who aren't Welsh as our club goes and the kids are not Welsh. So the Summer Nationals that the current rankings tables are for presumably you only qualify for your home country?

Yes that's correct.

So British champs is everyone from SE, SS and SW clubs. Each event has an accepted number of entries and the top ranked British swimmers get invited to that.

Then each home nation has their own event and you swim for the county your registered in.

So, for example, we have a swimmer registered as Scottish with SS (1 parent is Scottish - but don't ask me how it works!) and she swims in our counties, our regionals but their nationals. (again - don't ask me what the rules are!)

You can register for SW or SS if you are a member of a SE club (again - I have no idea why or how!)

And I'm not sure if that makes it clearer or more confusing

@itsgettingweird : para listing for nationals now online

Although it doesn't give selection conditions- is this what you meant? Last time I looked, there was only British and English up.

@Glittertwins

Although it doesn't give selection conditions- is this what you meant? Last time I looked, there was only British and English up.

I got excited then.

But no - that's as far as we'd got before 🤣🤣🤣🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️

At least it's showing progress that we may find out at some point soon!

Damn! Hope they get it sorted soon

Got an email to say that DD12 was on the Scottish list. Can’t see her and no indication that I can see of what the times will actually be. She was so close to snags and swan qualification time after qualifying closed. Was ill for a couple of months in the lead up which suppered practise. Not telling her about the home national summer meets as I don’t want her hopes dashes again!

She swam them not swan them😂

We have a number of "ringers" in our club. They live abroad but are registered here at Granny's address so can swim at our nationals. Club is small and coaches grew up with their parents, so agreed to have them on the books. There's always a way round!

Thats great @Iwantthesummersun FIngers crossed for her

@Iwantthesummersun : not too long to wait for final confirmation, hope she makes it