When I join the club what am I expected to pay and when?
Payment is made by Direct Debit to Newport Live for your sessions with the club – (cost will vary depending on squads, see payment structure).
Swim Wales (WASA) Fees are paid when joining and paid yearly.
Our club secretary will gladly explain all of the above when you come along to the club.
What is a WASA or Swim Wales number, where do I get one from?
When you join the club you will have a number of forms to complete, one of which is a Swim Wales form. Once this form has been processed you will be allocated a Swim Wales (WASA) number. You will need this number to enter your child into competitions. You pay a yearly subscription for WASA membership and it is also your insurance to swim with the club.
How do I know what to buy for training?
It depends what squad your child is in:-
Academy Squads 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3 – costume, goggles and a hat
Regional Performance Squads – costume, goggles, hat, kick board, pull buoy, training fins, skipping rope
National & Performance Squads – costume, goggles, hat, kick board, pull buoy, hand paddles, training fins, parachute, skipping rope
Its always advisable to have a spare pair of goggles and hat – Hats are compulsory for girls.
Where can I buy the kit needed for training?
There are lots of sports shops and websites that you can purchase sports items from.
Does my child need a skin?
Unless your child is a member of our Regional Performance 1 & 2, National Potential or National Performance squads we suggest that skins are not essential.
What's the difference between hand paddles and finger paddles?
Both paddles have their physical benefits, hand paddles specifically are great for longer distance sets and can make a tougher work out due to them recruiting more muscle groups, increasing strength. Gains can come in any form and both of these aids could be really helpful in securing vital seconds in your next race. Finger paddles are smaller and especially useful for technique drills.
Do you have a second hand shop?
We do not have a second hand shop at this moment.
Who decides what squad my child is placed with and who decides when my child can move?
The coaches will decide when the time is right for your child to move squads.
The coaches set the performance criteria for each squad and review the squad members to ensure that they are placed in the most appropriate squad.
The coaches will decide when the time is right for your child to move squads subject to relevant stroke development and attendance.
Can I meet or get in touch with my child’s coach?
You can contact your child’s coach via email, the Contact page has details for each coach.
We ask that you do not approach our coaches while they are coaching. It is essential that the coaches spend time coaching.
Who do I inform when my child is not able to attend a training session?
Please contact your child’s coach via email, the Contact page has details for each coach.
Where do I get entry forms for competitions?
No forms are required. All competition entries are now done through our online Active Swim Portal.
Notification of competitions will appear on this web site and via an automated email from the Active Swim Portall.
What does U.C.T, Q.T, C.T, SCR and ALT mean?
Upper Cut off Time (U.C.T) means your entry time must be slower than the times published in the meet pack.
Qualifying Time (Q.T) means your entry time must be faster than the times published in the meet pack (a place is usually guaranteed if you achieve this time).
Consideration Time (C.T.) means if your entry time is faster than the times published in the meet pack your entry will be considered, if there are spaces left after all swimmers with Q.T.s have been entered. (a place is offered subject to availability)
If a meet is oversubscribed some swimmers will need to be Scratched (SCR) from the meet. These swimmers will be the ones only achieving the C.T.s unless in exceptional circumstances. Any swimmer who is SCR will receive a refund after the event.
In order to prevent empty lanes in a gala, some meets will use Alternates (ALT). An ALT is a swimmer who has just missed out on a place, they are required to attend the event and present themselves for marshalling. If another swimmer has dropped out they will be given a swim. If not, a refund will be issued after the gala. Any ALT who fails to present themselves at marshalling will not receive a refund.
Different level meets have different entry requirements such as Qualifying Times (Q.T), Qualifying and Consideration Times (Q.T. & C.T.), or Upper Cut Off Times (U.C.T)
Can I enter competitions without times?
Some Level 3 competitions (Meets) will allow your child to enter without times but this will be stated in the meet pack.
What races should my child enter?
In our lower squads you will be told what to enter. Initially and wherever possible it is a good idea to enter as many races as possible, this will enable your child to enter further galas because you cannot enter races unless specified without a time.
Entries for swimmers in higher squads are usually decided in consultation with the coaches.
What does S.C. and L.C. mean?
S.C. means Short course – 25 metre pool.
L.C. means Long course – 50 metre pool.
The club trains in 25m pools.
What time do I arrive for a competition?
Please refer to your first competition.
What do I bring for a competition?
Please refer to your first competition.
What is a SKINS event?
Some meets will include a SKINS event. This is a set of back-to-back races which operate on a knockout basis. Starting with 8 swimmers, a stroke is drawn from a hat and the swimmers race that stroke over 50m. The two swimmers that finish last are eliminated. The process is repeated until two swimmers remain in a head-to-head final race.
Entry to the SKINS event is by qualification during an earlier event in the meet, for example the top 8 swimmers in the 200 IM will qualify. Qualification details should be stated in the Meet Pack for the event.
SKINS are swum in age categories, with separate races for boys and girls, and there is usually a prize for the winner.
Why is my age listed differently for some competitions?
It depends on the date at which an event organiser calculates age. For some meets the age is taken as ‘age on the first day of the meet’. For others, the age is based on ‘age at 31st December’. As an example this can mean a swimmer is listed as 12 years old for one meet and 13 years old for another. The date that’s used should always be stated in the Meet Pack for the event.
What is a speeding ticket and why did I get one?
Most meets have qualifying times that you must have achieved in order to take part. Sometimes there are faster times listed in the Meet Pack and if a swimmer swims faster than one of these times they are awarded a speeding ticket and aren’t eligible for a medal. The time still counts as an official time. The idea behind this is to give more swimmers a chance to win medals. So getting a speeding ticket means you swam faster than the gold medal winner - it’s not a bad thing.
Speeding tickets aren’t issued at all meets - details will be in the Meet Pack.
What happens if the pool closes due to adverse weather?
If there are adverse weather conditions affecting the pool we will endeavour to ensure that a message is put on this website and is also sent by email through the Active Swim Portal.
Can I volunteer to help within the club?
We openly encourage all of our parents to help with the running of our club.
Without our volunteers we would not have a club.
You can email our Secretary secretary.newportswimming@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering.
If you are willing to volunteer to help at the galas we run you can select a role in the volunteer section of your Swim Portal.
