Poolside-Chat-parents-of-competitive-swimmers

[Glittertwins]

Hopefully this will work as we’re at 999 on the other!

I think for level 3 first come first served is normal. The distance meet sounds a nightmare though as the range in each heat will be enormous and trying to estimate the overall timings omg 🤦🏻‍♀️

The meets we've done that have 800m and 1500m are limited by the number of heats permitted. If there are only 16 swimmers then they generally get in, even with no time because everyone has to start somewhere. If there are too many, they are done by time and then first come, first served for no time entries. A waiting list is then published and people moved should others withdraw

I like that approach.

I think I'll suggest it for next meet!

Today we scratched over 50% of swimmers for an 800. Many with NT. so it's also catch 22 that they can't get a time because they are so heavily oversubscribed.

Shamelessly stolen from 2 local clubs there 😆

Honestly trying to get an 800 or 1500m time when you dont already have one is a minefield. My DS has an open water 1600m time which would qualify him for some galas based on the QT for 1500m but because its not on the official online results he cant use it.

Why can’t your meets allow non-accredited times, eg from club time trials? Our mid level District meets often allow swimmers to enter with a non-accredited time.

They can actually get accredited times.

Nothing to stop clubs doing LD in their club champs etc but many don't. Or they don't run distance evenings and apply for a level 4 license.

It's a 2 way street that often isn't used. Clubs rely on those doing it to meet their swimmers needs - get annoyed when they can't accept 100 swimmers for an 800m in one night but don't actually arrange their own.

I wish I knew what the answer was.

And we know it's an issue because our region is offering bursary's for clubs to hold distance events.

Our District just doesn’t accept NT entries. Clubs generally did their own time trials to be able to get times - no need to get a license as only one club involved hence non-accredited times (appreciate that licensing may be different in England).

I can see why clubs don’t have distance events in Club Champs - we only had time for a couple of heats of 400 Free at ours.

Anything for county champs has to be a minimum level 4 licence in England. Any time trial or club champs must be licensed in order for it to go on the database used for competition entry.
Gone are the days that time trials could be done in training time as long as two qualified timekeepers took a time per lane.

That’s the difference then - Scotland doesn’t rely on using a database that only accepts licensed meet results for meet entries. You only need a licence for meets involving more than one club in Scotland (so you wouldn’t get a license for club time trials).

We did used to get a higher level licence for our Club Champs to enable our older/faster swimmers to get an accredited time for events like 100 IM so they could enter the National SC. They rarely got to swim 100 IM otherwise.

Our club does do distance as part of club champs, but with limited heats due to time. I don’t get the impression our county are particularly keen to encourage distance though, the times are pretty fast and from what I have seen generally most who qualify get medals, at least until the open age group. Then struggle for officials at the distance session!

Our county includes the Channel Islands.

They are unbelievably good at LD usually! Plus they didn't have lockdowns which I do think helped!

@itsgettingweird - I agree, there's a swimmer in DS's age group who was incredible at nationals. It does cost them a fortune though, one official I was chatting with had an older child who was very good and he said how much it costs getting to the main land for meets on an annual basis. He's now going through the costs with the younger swimmer.

My old district includes Orkney, Shetland and some of the Western Isles. Quite a few swimmers came across several times a year. Ferry cost plus Aberdeen accommodation (or extra drive to Inverness) must have been huge.

We also include IoW. They get some council support to attend training and a few really good swimmers dual club with us now.

The attend college on the mainland and come swimming on their way home. They are bloody impressive with their resilience of travelling across daily and home again - especially this time of year when it's cold and dark.

Anyone at a meet this weekend - good luck. Especially those chasing winter nationals times.

We are at a meet - L2 SC. For ds this is just another chance to go for some good SC times and judge his fitness!

Para swimming programme is all LC now he's too old for junior nationals in summer and although winter regionals now accepts para swimmers and is SC it's a one off event not a qualifying one iyswim because nationals for para's and ABs is separate and the pastas winters is LC! (And we aren't going 🤣)

Hope everyone had successful weekends. My two did well but a lot of frustrating near misses on the county times they were chasing!
I saw this on Twitter, as an official I think this is a great move and hope other clubs and counties follow, I hate wearing white trousers

I can't see our county adopting such sensible guidelines as that. I could be surprised....

Yes we are same region as Crawley so have had this from the region.

I agree it's a good idea.

But also one of the reasons I didn't do my official training for years was my severe issues with gynae problems (I had a hysterectomy in June!).

I never felt comfortable in white due to this and I expect many woman were also put off for the same reasons.

I know women without gynae issues be uncomfortable about officiating when period is imminent or heavy and they understandably don't volunteer.

Agree.

And also white bottoms when they get wet make you feel uncomfortable too!

Well so does the top but it's easier to keep dry!

I like when you watch bigger meets that they wear a kit and look really smart and it's not a white one!

Yes. The European champs officials were not wearing white.
Pretty sure British Summer Nationals we're not white bottoms either - it was a weird patterned black and white top.

I agree too, it’s really stressful as a female official when you have just started your period, have to wear white trousers all day and can’t easily just pop to the toilet either.

Can’t see our county changing any time soon though, but hope this may start a gradual change.

I noticed at the Commonwealth games they weren’t in white, think it was blue there

I really hope they roll this out to all counties, regions etc. There is no need for the white so no harm in getting rid of it and therefore encouraging more women to volunteer.