WELCOME HIEROGLYPHICS OF SWIMMING THIS SHORT CONCISE PRESENTATION SHOULD HELP NEW PARENTS INTEGRATE INTO SWIMMING JARGON AND PROCESS *GOOD LUCK*
APPROACH TO SWIMMING COMPETITIONS Team Galas take place monthly to provide the opportunity for the swimmer to gain gala experience in a non-threatening environment and is essentially a learning experience. It also provides an opportunity for swimmers to better their times and the opportunity to have these times recorded on the central database. Please note times achieved are either LC (Long course = 50m pool) or SC (Short course 25m pool). These times can be converted between the courses to use as an entry time. Qualifying times are listed in LC and in SC i.e. you can qualify in SC and then enter a LC gala. The difference in equivalent times in LC and SC are due to the additional turns in SC which make it faster. If the time achieved at the Team gala is better than the SLQT or JCQT (see the Provincial handbook in the age group and course i.e. LC or SC. Lists containing results with a SLQT or JC QT next to the time are also distributed) then the fully registered swimmer may enter that particular event at Winter or Summer League gala
Any fully registered swimmer (swimmer must have submitted their SSA/WC form as well as copy of ID/birth certificate) may enter galas for which they achieve the qualifying criteria (qualifying times, age & number of entry events are typically criteria that are applied) At Summer League you may only enter events that you qualify for. Team galas can be swum by any swimmer from SI (Super Intermediate) up. Starting Prov competition too early is not advised but at around the age of 10 or 11 it is an appropriate age to be exposed to the League system.
GALA ENTRIES & ATTENDANCE Gala entries have deadlines, these deadlines are emailed to you by the swim team and follow a specific pattern as outlined in the Matie information document You must enter your name on the paper list upstairs from the 25m pool at Maties, it will reiterate the deadline. You must also make sure you put down an officials (timekeeper) name to work at the particular session the swimmer is participating in otherwise the entry cannot be processed You must take a timekeepers course if you want your child to compete If you do take part in Galas you must swim in a Maties cap and wear Matie clothing (this does not apply to the Matie team galas on Friday afternoons)
Galas are divided into sessions according to age. You must check which session you are part of and arrive 1 hour before the start of the Gala A psych sheet is a summary of all the competitors in the Gala An entry list has each swimmers name with the events that they have been entered for. It is very important to check that the correct events have been listed. If not you need to contact the person who sent out the list immediately. Relays are also swum at some Galas. Provisional teams are circulated but everybody swimming in the sessions automatically make themselves available for selection
DEFINITIONS / ABBREVIATIONS LC Long Course this means a 50 m pool swim SC Short Course this means a 25 m pool swim QT Qualifying time SL Senior league WL Winter league Age Groups e.g. Male 11-11 look at the times for the age you are going to be on the first day of the particular competition. Swimming only uses year of birth at International level Age Groups aim for the times that relate to your age at the time Western Cape Champs will come around or the Regional / National competitions are swum in Mar
DEFINITIONS / ABBREVIATIONS CONTINUED WCA WC which is Western Cape A is Aquatics JC Jack Curry SL Senior League SSA Swimming South Africa (National controlling body for swimming in RSA) FINA World controlling body for Swimming SASCOC Controling body for Olympic Sport in RSA Lev 2 & Lev 3 Regional Competition that you can qualify to participate in by using times achieved at SL, Qualifying Gala, JC, WC Champs or other galas out of district or province that are recognized by SSA. Junior Nationals National Competition that you can qualify to participate in by using times achieved at SL, Qualifying Gala, JC, WC Champs or other SSA recognized galas Senior LC nationals National OPEN competition without age groups SASC SC national OPEN competition without age groups Prov Provincial (Each Province is divided into Districts We are Winelands and all the districts together form the Western Cape Province
READING A GALA PROGRAM Confirms the programme and swimmers with their heat and lane allocation Each Swimmer will receive this via e-mail by the start of the SL gala from the coach or staff member
READING A WARM UP SHEET Shows the warm up sheet for each club
READING A SESSION REPORT Shows the session breakdown
READING A PSYCH SHEET Shows all swimmers entered per race
READING A TEAM ENTRY SHEET Shows team entries by club & RACES entered
TEAM GALAS Shows results and shows improvements
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION You will receive an email about your childs progress and progression to the next level and lists of qualifiers (for various competitions) are regularly circulated League galas are usually swum in mixed gender to encourage competition and shorten the gala. Championship events are usually swum male and female separately. Even though swimmers swim together results usually come out in age groups per gender You will be required to fill in a Prov/SSA Registration form to compete in District or Western Cape competitions The season runs from 1 May 31 April We request the registration to be done in Jan/Feb for the coming season For League you can use times from previous seasons to qualify For Prov Champs / Jack Currie / Regional / National competitions (except SA Short Course) the time must have been achieved at a Gala recognized on the Prov database (Team galas do not count for this) and have been swum in the same season as the competition
MEET MOBILE APP This App allows you to look for upcoming Galas and information about location, start time and swimmers results This App is free for certain info but a yearly subscription is required to receive results (+/- R70 per year) You can download it from PlayStore
WEBSITE INFO The Maties website is available at : http://www0.sun.ac.za/swimming_dev/ The info should be up to date The Train times Timetable is up to date and also emailed to parents when changed are made in the schedule (these changes usually have to do with School holidays as well as Winter season / Summer Season (starts at the end of Aug). The gala dates are included under the time schedule as a reminder of galas, closing dates etc
ENTRY FEES AND PAYMENTS Payment of entry fees for galas occurs on a semester basis as with other fees and not gala by gala. Each gala may have different entry fees. There is usually a basic fee plus a fee per race entered. You can contact the office to find out what the fees are. They will also be listed on the entry sheet on the notice board In January you are invoiced for the previous May-Dec fees and in Aug you are invoiced for Jan-Apr entry fees