As a member of Cygnets 1, 2 or 3 Squads, swimmers are expected to participate in Club Championships which take place over a series of weekends once a year. These events are an opportunity for swimmers to put into practice the skills they have learnt in training, to get accustomed to racing in a relaxed environment and to allow the Club to monitor their progress for possible future gala selection.
At Club Championships swimmers can choose which events they enter and are encouraged to swim as much as possible. Awards are given to the winner of each event as well as overall age group winners.
Swimmers are also strongly encouraged to enter open meets designed for younger swimmers where they can choose which events they would like to do and compete for medals and trophies. Emails will be circulated about open meets swimmers may be eligible to enter. Please speak to the coach if you have any questions. This is a competitive club and swimmers are therefore, actively encouraged to attend open meets and galas appropriate for their age and skill.
All swimmers who are chosen to represent the club at a team gala MUST endeavour to make themselves available for these competitions. The Head Coach and club committee will not guarantee the squad place of a swimmer who consistently does not participate in open meets and/or club galas. If you have been selected to compete on behalf of the club, the Gala administrator should be informed by email / in writing if a swimmer is unable to attend as soon as it is clear that they will not be able to attend.
Please click on the Timetable tab under 'Training' for further information on current timetables.
Coach – Ellen Scholes ([email protected])
Entry Requirements;
Swim 25m legal butterfly
Swim 66m Frontcrawl with bi-lateral breathing
Swim 66m legal breaststroke
Swim 66m legal backstroke
All strokes should include streamlining and swimmers should be working towards legal starts and turns. All swimmers must adhere to correct lane discipline.
Entry commitments: Cygnets 1 swimmers should arrive 5 minutes before the session starts with hats and goggles on ready to start on time. All swimmers are expected to compete for the club when asked and to take part in club championships and attend time trials. Swimmers should attend a minimum of 2 sessions per week.
CYGNETS 2
Coach - Joe Dobb ([email protected])
Entry requirements:
– Efficiently swim 200m frontcrawl, backstroke and breaststroke
– Maintain legal butterfly for 33m
– Understand and swim timed 1.00 minute and 1.30 minute repeats using the pace clock
– Perform the correct turn and streamline as a matter of course during every training session
– Understand and adhere to correct lane discipline
– Target Times 100 kick – 2.45, 100 f/c – 2.20
Entry Commitments:
– Attend 3 training sessions a week
– Compete for the club if selected and compete in club championships
– Attend all Time Trials and an Open Meet and attempt at least one 100m/200m event (when events are available).
- Demonstrate an interest in competing.
Swimming Equipment Required
Hat (plus spare)
Goggles (plus spare)
Kickboard
Pull buoy
Drinks bottle (Full)
Fins (not flippers as used by scuba divers, for advice speak to coach)
Competition Requirements
Club Hat (plus spare) – compulsory to wear
Club Polo Shirt
Goggles (plus spare)
Club Shorts – optional
Club Hoodie – optional
CYGNETS 3
Coach – Joe Dobb ([email protected])
Total training hours available per week – 5.5 hours water time.
Entry Requirements:
– be competent and legal in all 4 strokes up to 200m
– be comfortable working to simple timed repeats using the pace clock
– have knowledge of and adhere to good lane discipline at all times
– swimmers must have demonstrated a commitment to competitive swimming by attending club championships and time trials on a regular basis across a range of distances and strokes
– swimmers must have entered at least one Open Meet
– swimmers must have a good track record of attendance to training sessions.
Entry Commitments: C3 swimmers are expected to attend at least 3 sessions each week. C3 swimmers are expected to be self-motivated and keen to compete. C3 swimmers are also expected to represent the team when selected and are expected to enter as a minimum all of the level 3 and 4 open meets/competitions that the club attends. Cygnets 3 swimmers are expected to be either achieving or getting very close to achieving County qualification times. This is unlikely to happen without good open meet attendance.
Swimming Equipment required
Hat (plus spare)
Goggles (plus spare)
Kickboard
Pull buoy
Drinks bottle (Full)
Short fins (Optional)
Hand paddles (Optional)
Competition Requirements
Club Hat (plus spare) – compulsory to wear
Club Polo Shirt
Goggles (plus spare)
Club Shorts – optional
Club Hoodie – optional
Cygnets 3 swimmers may also be selected for the following league galas:
Whitehorse League: This league comprises of six galas throughout the year. We compete against other London clubs and face tough competition. The selection process is based on effort and discipline during training as well as speed. The last three galas are often used to trial swimmers for our National Arena League Team.
Kent Junior League. This league comprises of three galas throughout the year. The league is divided into 5 divisions, Division 1 being the best teams in Kent. We compete against five other Kent teams in each gala and at the end of the third gala the winning team is promoted and the lower is demoted from each division. These galas are for swimmers aged 9-13 and are a chance for our junior swimmers to put the Club on the map. The selection process is based on performance as we aim to put out our best team out in order to be promoted.
