A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO SWIMMING GALA'S

Swimming Gala's are events where the coaches will enter a specific team.  First time competitors will be unfamiliar with just how a swim gala operates. Here are a few guidelines as to what happens, and how swimmers are expected to conduct themselves.

1. Swimmers must swim events at the galas that the Coaching Team has entered/selected them for. Each competition is carefully chosen for specific reasons and training adjusted accordingly.

2. It may seem obvious, but before swimmers set out to the gala please check :

  • Where the venue is
  • What time swimmers are supposed to meet
  • What is the time of sign-in/registration 
  • What time the warm-up begins and what time racing starts

3. At all galas it is important to find a representative from your club and let them know that you have arrived.

4. After signing in and getting changed, swimmers will then go to poolside to get ready for the warm-up. This is to prepare for the racing ahead. The coaching team will give advice and help swimmers during the warm up.

All swimmers should get the opportunity to practice turns and then starts from the blocks. Again, the coaching team will support swimmers with these drills.

5. Be part of the team. Stay with the team on poolside. If swimmers leave for any reason they must tell the Coach or Team Manager. Swimmers must make sure that they are keeping warm (wear club kit) and stay hydrated at all times.

6. Listen for the race to be announced. Go to the marshalling/whipping in area and report in to the officials. Swimmers must take a hat, goggles and a drink with them. The team manager should instruct swimmers to do this. Swimmers will then be told which lane they are swimming in, and when the time is right, told to take your position behind the blocks. This is generally done just after the race before has started.

 

The procedure to start a race is as follows:

The Referee will blow the whistle 3 or 4 times. This is to warn everyone that a race is about to start, and that EVERYONE should be quiet and still. If you are a swimmer, this is the time to check your goggles & hat, and take off your tracksuit or other clothing and be ready for the race (if you haven’t already done so!)

The Announcer will introduce the race on the PA system, and then hand back to the Referee.

Next, the Referee will give one long blast on the whistle. This is the signal for you to either stand onto the racing blocks, for Freestyle, Breaststroke and Butterfly races. If it’s a Backstroke race, then you must get into the water. For Backstroke only, the Referee will give another whistle to get swimmers to hold onto the blocks and be ready.

When everyone is on the blocks (or in the water) and the Referee is happy, they then hand over to the starter. Everyone should by now be concentrating on the start of their race, and be still (no fidgeting or adjusting goggles).

The Starter will say “Take your marks” which is the signal to get into your take off position, and then sound the buzzer or horn, which is the signal to start your racing dive.

You must concentrate on your race at the start – and everyone else should respect this by being quiet and still until after the race has started. Once the race is underway then everyone can cheer their swimmers on.

Some swimmers may not be ready for a full ‘Racing Dive’ start, and so you will be allowed to either start from the end of the pool (alongside the blocks) or in the water. Again, your coach or team manager will help you with this.

 

Swimmers should support their team mates. Everyone likes to be supported!

Swimmers must wear club uniform and hats when representing the club.

After the race, swimmers must report to the coach, not to parents. This is where swimmers can receive valuable feedback on their race.

 

After a while all this will become second nature. The main thing for all swimmers and parents to remember is 

 

Have fun and enjoy the swimming!