Q How do I get an entry form for a meet?

A You can apply using our online form on the website (please remember to retain a copy of your entry). This form is sent automatically to our gala entry secretary who will then submit your entry for you. Acceptance & rejections for every gala are posted on the club noticeboard and on the website. It is the responsibility of the parent to check the acceptance/rejection list to ensure that all details are correct. Corrections cannot be made on the day of the gala. Payment must be made to the gala entry secretary prior to every gala as the club must pay for entries in advance of the competition. The entry fees cannot be refunded. All meets, meet information and closing dates are posted on the notice board and on the website.

Q How do you progress from one squad to the next?

A Movement into a new squad is decided by the coach/s. There is a criteria for swimmers to achieve (this included meeting an attendance criteria) for each squad which can be found on the squad page of the website. Discussion with individual swimmers and parents will be held with the coach prior to squad moves.


Q Can we enter any meet we want to or is it the coach's decision?

A At the beginning of every season the Coaches have a meeting and decisions are made over which competitions each squad is going to compete in and target.
Any extra competitions done can upset this plan and may have a detrimental effect on performances at the main targeted competitions. Any extra competitions that swimmers would like to enter should be done after discussions with the squad coach. Competitive swimming is about partnerships (Swimmer/Coach, Coach/Parent etc) to achieve the best potential of any swimmer.


Q Can I stay in the same squad or do I have to move up?

A Swimmers can have the option to remain in the squad they are in as long as there is room and they are still the right age for that squad. The swimmer would not be able to remain in one squad if that meant taking up the place of someone else and preventing them from moving up. Also, the swimmer would not be able to remain in the group if the session commitment was less than expected for that group.


Q What are Diddy League Galas?

A.The Diddy league galas are a series of three meets usually held during March & April each year. The competition is open to all competitive clubs in the Northumberland and Durham Region. The teams are ranked on the previous seasons performance and are spilt into divisions. Each division comprises of approximately eight teams (Division 1 been the top division). Swimmers must be aged between the ages of 8 and 12 years of age (depending on their birth date) and can compete in individual and team races. Swimmers for the competitions are selected on the basis of times. Time trails are held throughout the season. If your child has been selected to swim as part of the Diddy Team his/her name will be posted on the club notice board in the foyer a couple of weeks prior to the first gala in the series. If your child is selected for the Diddy team one year it does not necessarily mean that they will be automatically selected the following year - each year time trials results will be used to select the squad.


Q Where can I get my ASA Registration number from?

A The ASA provide the club with membership cards (ID numbers). The membership secretary will provide these on an annual basis. The new numbers are all numeric instead of the old code which featured the surname & dates of birth. Until the new numbers are available the old membership numbers can be worked out by using the first four letters of the surname, followed by the first two initials of first & middle names (if no middle name then an X is put in), followed by two 0 and then the date of birth. For example, for Joe Bloggs born 01/01/01 his ASA Registration number would currently be BLOGJX00010101


Q How do I convert 25M times to a 50M time?

A Please contact the gala entry secretary for more information.


Q How are BAGCAT points used?

A BAGCAT Points are used for two purposes, firstly within the club to allocate swimmers to a squad. They are also used to determine overall winners at County, District and National Age Group events. For more information about BAGCAT points please visit the links page or visit >> www.britishswimming.org for more details.

Further information & club documentation including the club constitution and club codes of conduct can be found on the members page of the website.