CLUB GALAS

Entry in to Galas

Upcoming Gala’s are posted on the bulletin board, WhatsApp and on the website.

Polly Culf is external gala secretary.

Entry Hints and Tips

  • Due to spaces at meets being limited specific details of each of Gala’s often go out many months before the meet is actually held.

  • Check carefully if the meet is an “age on day” or “age at end of year”. Most entries are based on the age that the swimmer will be on the day of the meet, or last day of the meet if it is more than one day, however a few meets still operate on the swimmers age at the 31st December.

  • Check if it is a Long Course (swum in a 50m pool) or Short Course (swum in a 25m pool). Make sure that if you are entering a swimmers personal best times that you have used their correct time.

  • Some meets will set “consideration times”. These are the slowest times that are likely to gain entry to this meet.

  • As a general rule it is recommended that swimmers enter no more than 2 swims per session of an all day or weekend long gala.

  • Some clubs operate on a fastest time entry process. Please don’t be disappointed if you find that a swimmer has not been accepted for a meet that you had hoped to attend.

  • All individual swim costs are the responsibility of the parent/guardian and must be paid for prior to attending the meet.

  • If the meet is operating with entry cards please ensure that you have received these at least 2 weeks prior to the meet date and ensure that you take them with you on the day.

  • If you are in any doubt as to which meets or events your swimmer should be entering please discuss it with your swimmers coach or the competition secretary. Whilst other parents may be happy to give you the benefit of their experience regarding entering gala’s each swimmer is an individual and what may be OK for one will not be right for anotherAs a competitive swimming club all our members are encouraged to compete at the appropriate level.

The club try to give notice of gala dates as early as possible via the notice-boards, club newsletters or on the website.

The galas are run under ASA Laws and Technical rules. These rules can be found on the Swim England website

The exact rules for each Gala will be slightly different but the details will be available in the programme before the event.

CAN YOU HELP AT OUR GALAS? BECOME AN OFFICIAL OR A TEAM MANAGER

Swimming Galas

As a competitive swimming club all our members are encouraged to compete at the appropriate level.

The club try to give notice of gala dates as early as possible via the notice-boards, club newsletters or on the website.

The galas are run under ASA Laws and Technical rules. These rules can be found on the Swim England website

The exact rules for each Gala will be slightly different but the details will be available in the programme before the event.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN OUR SWIMMING CLUB

Internal Galas

Internal galas are held 4 times a year at Huddersfield Leisure Centre. They are licensed meets which bring together all of our swimmers and help them hone their racing skills.

A variety of races are held to accommodate the different ability levels of swimmers in different groups. Internal galas will be the very first time most swimmers formally race.

Swimmers are asked to choose a maximum of 4 events from the list.

Only groups 3-4 (novice) may enter 25m events, but they may also choose to swim longer events if they wish. Coaches should be consulted to help them choose events they are ready to enter.

YD and RD should include 1 x 50m sprint and 3 other events. However, if a 400m event is chosen 2 x 50m sprints may be chosen.

Medals are awarded to the top 3 swimmers in the following age groups:

-10 years and under

-11/12 years

-13/14 years, and

-15 years and over

Junior swimmers must be under 17 on December 31st of that year.

Internal awards are presented at the Awards Event held each January.

External Galas

These types of galas are organised and carried out by Swimming Clubs.

The Clubs invite other Swimming Clubs to come and take part. They could either be for a specific event such as a Christmas Meet, or held in honour of an exchange visit, or maybe just an annual tradition.

These galas are again are usually held in much the same way as internal galas with medals for finalists, however ‘Speeding Tickets’ can also be awarded. Swimmers sometimes are put into either an A, B or C time boundary depending on their entered times. If the swimmer then goes on to break their graded time boundary, they get promoted to the higher boundary and gain a ‘Speeding Ticket’.

County & Regional

Yorkshires

These galas are a huge step up from the local ones. They are usually help at either Ponds Forge in Sheffield, or John Charles pool in Leeds and swum in a 50m pool (long course) although some are 25m (short course). LOTS more swimming clubs and squads take part in them, and electronic timers are used and your name comes up on a big screen for all to see!

You have to meet a time requirement in order to qualify, and the swimmers you will be up against will be faster. Before your race you will go to a call room, or a seated area. There are still heats and finals, although a lot more people enter these galas so qualifying for the finals is harder still.

The Yorkshires are held in a Summer and Winter series and there are multiple galas in each series. They go on all weekend in four sessions – Saturday morning and afternoon, and the same on Sunday. If you are in the morning session, prepare for an early start. Warm up starts at 8am!

North Eastern Regions 

The North Eastern’s are very similar to the Yorkshires whereby they go on over whole weekends with four sessions, and they are also usually held at Ponds Forge, Leeds or Sunderland over 50m lengths.

Exactly the same set up as the Yorkshires, however, the qualifying times are again decreased making qualifying much harder.

Nationals

As the qualifying times for galas decrease and become increasingly more difficult to obtain, fewer and fewer swimmers from clubs attend these galas, but we want as many people from Halifax there as possible.

Nationals are a very prestigious event in the swimming calendar and only the best of the best, and the fastest of the fast are able to make

These types of galas are organised and carried out by Swimming Clubs.

The Clubs invite other Swimming Clubs to come and take part. They could either be for a specific event such as a Christmas Meet, or held in honour of an exchange visit, or maybe just an annual tradition.

These galas are again are usually held in much the same way as internal galas with medals for finalists, however ‘Speeding Tickets’ can also be awarded. Swimmers sometimes are put into either an A, B or C time boundary depending on their entered times. If the swimmer then goes on to break their graded time boundary, they get promoted to the higher boundary and gain a ‘Speeding Ticket’.

Questions & Answers

  • We encourage swimmers to enter the Internal Club Galas as soon as they join the club.  Coaches do not put you forward – it’s up to you to enter. These are very relaxed, friendly and sociable galas that will start again once the club restarts training at the new Halifax Swimming Pool. 

  • If you’re in group 4 – 6, or new to Yorkshire Development Group, you can enter the District Galas.  The Kirklees and District galas are held at Huddersfield Sports Centre on a Sunday afternoon.  

  • Swimmers in Yorkshire and Regional Development groups are required to compete in graded galas and open meets. These are outlined on the club’s gala calendar.

  • ·         Emphasizing and rewarding effort rather than outcome.

    ·         Understanding that your child may need a break from sports occasionally.

    ·         Encouraging and guiding your child, not forcing or pressuring them to compete.

    ·         Emphasizing the importance of learning and transferring life skills such as hard work,

    ·         Self-discipline, teamwork, and commitment.

    ·         Emphasizing the importance of having fun, learning new skills, and developing skills.

    ·         Showing interest in their participation in sports, asking questions.

    ·         Giving your child some space when needed. Allow children to figure things out for themselves.

    ·         Keeping a sense of humour. If you are having fun, so will your child.

    ·         Giving unconditional love and support to your child, regardless of the outcome of the day’s competition.

    ·         Enjoying yourself at competitions. Make friends with other parents, socialize, and have fun.

    ·         Looking relaxed, calm, and positive when watching your child compete.

    ·         Realizing that your attitude and behaviours influences your child’s performance.

    ·         Having a balanced life of your own outside sports.

  • ·         Provide guidance for your children, but do not force or pressure them.

    ·         Assist them in setting realistic goals for participation.

    ·         Emphasize fun, skill development and other benefits of sports participation, e.g., cooperation, competition, self-discipline, commitment.

    ·         Show interest in their participation: help them get to practice, attend competitions, and ask questions.

    ·         Provide a healthy perspective to help children understand success and failure.

    ·         Emphasize and reward effort rather than results.

    ·         Intervene if your child’s behaviour is unacceptable during practice or competitions.

    ·         Understand that your child may need a break from sports occasionally.

    ·         Give your child some space when need. Part of sports participation involves them figuring things out for themselves.

    ·         Keep a sense of humour. If you are having fun and laughing, so will your child

    ·         Provide regular encouragement.

    ·         Be a healthy role model for your child by being positive and relaxed at competitions and by having balance in your life.

    ·         GIVE THEM UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: SHOW THEM YOU LOVE THEM WHETHER THEY
    WIN OR LOSE!!!

  • You can regularly communicate with the coaches about your child, all our coaches are personable and approachable. Indeed you can learn about your child from each other. Also its wise to keep them in the loop so do inform them of relevant issues at home that might affect your child at practice.

  • ·         have 2-3 pairs of goggles

    ·         have 2-3 sets of costumes

    ·         warm up and swim down properly

    ·         follow nutrition guidelines

    ·         keep warm after swim

    ·         hydrate all the time

    ·         be aware of your swim times

    ·         keep your equipment with you and safe

    ·         listen to advise given by your coach

    ·         rest in-between races