Sutton and Cheam Swimming Club is a competitive club so our aim is to get all members competing at a level that suits their ability.

The club competes in a number of interclub, league, open meets, borough and club events held throughout the year. We also run our own Club Championships together with impromptu 'Splash' Galas for our younger swimmers. Qualifying swimmers are also entered in the Surrey Age Group Championships held each year during February and March, the London Region Championships (June) and the National Championships held in July.

A fixture list is produced each year and is made available as early as possible to enable swimmers to arrange social lives around swimming commitments. Swimmers are asked to inform the Competition Secretary of any non-availability as early as possible to enable substitutes to be arranged. Gala Results are posted on the club website immediately after each gala. Click here to view this year's fixtures

Selection

The Coaches and Competition Secretary select gala teams according to age, ability and the level of each competition, to ensure the best available team is selected to represent the club on each occasion. Swimmers are usually informed of selection 2-3 weeks before each gala with time, venue and travel arrangements. We try our best to ensure as many members as possible have the opportunity to compete at some time during the year.

Success depends largely on the commitment of swimmers (and parents!) and swimmers are expected to swim if selected. Please support the club by being available to swim when asked.

'Splash' Galas

Several times each year, we run mini 'Splash' Galas which are short impromptu time trial galas held on a Wednesday night (club night) for the younger swimmers. Events are held for each stroke over 1 length and swimmers are encouraged to swim in as many events as they wish. All you have to do to enter these galas is turn up! We use these galas to give our younger swimmers valuable experience of competition, and to help us identify swimmers for fast tracking between squads.

Club Championships

Our Club Championships are held during October, November and December and dates are published well in advance. The Championships are licensed and times achieved can be used to qualify for other competitions. The Championships are open to all club members of all ages and abilities and we encourage everyone to take part. The chmpionships are compulsory for all squad members and coaches, as with open meets, will give guidance as to which events squad members should enter.

Medals are awarded to the first three swimmers in each final together with a trophy to be held by the winner for one year. In addition, annually awarded trophies are also awarded to the overall winners of each age group, determined on a points basis.

Interclub and League Galas

The club takes part in various galas throughout the year; the dates for these are published on the clubs website as soon as they are known. If your child is in a squad you should note these dates as your child may be picked. All galas have different age groups some on the date of the gala and some at other dates or even on year of birth and this will affect which age group swimmers are entitled to compete in.

We participate in two leagues namely the Rother League and the National Arena League. These competitions are major events with galas held all over the South of England. Competition is fierce as promotion and relegation depends upon performance at these galas. In all these galas we will field our fastest/strongest possible team. The coaches select the teams and will consider not just PB's but current performance and many other factors after much discussion.

Borough and Inter Borough Galas

The club has close links with the London Borough of Sutton through the London Borough of Sutton Swimming Association (LBSSA) who run several events throughout the year for children attending primary and secondary schools, or clubs within the borough. Results are used to select teams for Inter Borough competitions such as the London Heathrow Youth Games and Mini Games held at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre each July.

Key Championships and Open Meets

There are three key championships each year which all swimmers should aim to compete in namely the Counties, Regionals and Nationals.

Surrey Age Group Championships

The Surrey County Age Group Championships are held each year over a period of 4-5 weekends during Feb and March. To enter swimmers must have achieved the qualifying time in a licensed meet (a competition registered with the ASA). The club is usually well represented at the County Championships.

London Region Championships

The London Regional Championships cover the whole of the London area and are split into two groups, Youth and Junior. The Youth Championships are held in May over a single weekend; the Junior Championships take place in June over two weekends. Like the Surrey Championships, entries are based on qualifying times which must be achieved in a licenced event. To enter, swimmers must achieve a higher standard qualifying time than for the County Championships.

National Championships

The National Championships are what every swimmer aspires to. Like the Regional Championships, they are split into Youth and Junior and are normally held over a 7-day period in July. Qualifying times must be achieved at a licenced level 1 or 2 meet between 1st October and 31st May (in the year of competition) or at an ASA District Competition such as the London Region Championships. To enter the Nationals, swimmers must achieve a much higher standard than for the Regional Championships.

Open Meets

For swimmers to be given a fair chance of qualifying for Championship events, we must give them race practice which takes the form of open meets, which are normally run over a complete weekend. Entries are usually based on achieving qualifying times though qualifying times can be different depending on the standard of the event. Some meetings are very popular and can turn down slower swimmers to limit entries.

At open meets, swimmers are usually required to sign in for each session by a set time. If you have not signed in you will not be able to swim! Also, spectator space is often limited so it is in your best interests to arrive in plenty of time.

Open meets are specifically chosen by the Head Coach and take place throughout the year. They are chosen for various reasons, including attaining qualifying times, race experience and long course pool familiarisation. The club may choose a meet which may be a great deal further away on a date when another event is being held locally but events are selected specifically to provide better competition for the swimmer ( i.e. the standard of competition is much higher) or because there is a better selection of events at that particular meet.

The club feels it provides enough open meets for all swimmers. Unless there are exceptional circumstances swimmers should not attend open meets on their own. If a parent feels their child needs to attend a meet the club is not supporting it should only be entered after consulting the squad coach and with their guidance on event selection and entry times.

Throughout the year the club tries to enter galas and meets to suit all standard of swimmers. Although they are not always available, 'A', 'B' and 'C' graded competitions set maximum and minimum times for each event and swimmers should not enter the event if their times are not within these limits. Most of these graded galas issue 'speeding tickets' to swimmers if they swim faster than the advertised cut-off times.

A designated Open Meet is a competition that is designated by the District to enable achieved times to be used to qualify for the National Championships, held during August.

Your squad coach will give you advice as to which individual events your child should be swimming in.