Competitions
As a Neons competitor, your coach will encourage you to compete in various competitions when you are ready. Competitions can be lots of fun, a great opportunity to meet other swimmers and a chance to use the skills which have been practiced in training. Beyond this, swimmers can progress to, if the satisfactory standards are achieved, state, national and international competition.
Swim Meet Protocol
- Arrive at the pool 20 minutes prior to the scheduled warm up time.
- Purchase a program and be aware of what events you are swimming and where these events fall in the meet program. Note that for Metro North meets you need to print your own program from the Metro North website.
- Report to the coach before and after each race in case your coach has any specific instructions for you.
- Swimmers are to sit with the team.
- Ivanhoe Neons team uniform is to be worn for the duration of the meet.
- Swimmers must maintain energy stores by constant hydration and snacking on appropriate foods.
- Appropriate warm-downs are to be completed, where possible.
- Club uniform must be worn on the dais when receiving medals.
Metro North District Competitions
Ivanhoe Neons Swimming Club is in the Metro North District and thoughout the year the Metro North District organise various swim meets for swimmers. You will be notified by your coach which swim meets are appropriate for you to attend. Metro North records can be achieved when times are broken at the Metro North Championships or when a swimmer represents the club at an aggregate or open meet. Records can also be achieved when swimmers are representing Metro North 7 - 10 year old Inter-district, Encouragement and Intra-district competitions.
Metro North Aggregate
During the year District Aggregates are held in winter, usually on a Sunday evening. The races are usually relays with some individual swims. You will be notified during the season of the dates and your coach or the Aggregate Coordinator will also notify you if you have been selected to swim. Once a commitment has been made you are expected to attend.
Approved Meets
Approved swim meets are competitions that Swimming Victoria has recognised as having been conducted in a way, with appropriate official, so that the accuracy of the times recorded at the meet have been assured. These times are recorded for qualifying for State and Australian Championships and are held in the Swimming Victoria database.
Australian Championships
These are held in April each year in a different capital city. Only those who have qualified are eligible to compete. Qualifying times can be found on the Swimming Australia website.
Keeping your PBs up to Date
Remember to always keep a record of your times swum at swimming competitions as a quick reference guide for completing swimming entry forms. Your best times are referred to as Personal Best (PB) times.
Timekeeping
It is standard practice to have three time-keepers at all times on each lane at most swimming competitions. Every person involved in the running of a swim meet is a volunteer. All parents should consider volunteering to time keep at our club time trials and swimming competitions. You will meet other parents and help make the competitions run successfully. Rosters will be made available for certain meets where clubs are required to field timekeepers.