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A sport to enjoy.
A team to belong to.
Competitive swimming brings together learning, friendship and the excitement of racing. Swimmers develop their skills in coached training sessions, then put them into practice at competitions — with teammates to cheer them on.
If you are exploring swimming for yourself or your child, this guide explains the basics. You do not need to understand the sport before getting in touch. There is much more to it than winning medals: growing in confidence, learning a new skill and improving a personal time are achievements too.
Find your way
Different ways to race
A swimming competition is often called a gala or a meet. It includes races over different distances and swimming strokes. In an individual race, each swimmer records their own time. In a relay, teammates take turns swimming part of the race.
Club championships
Swimmers from the same club race against one another. These competitions bring the club together, giving swimmers the chance to put their skills into practice, record times and support familiar faces.
Open meets
Competitions that bring together swimmers from different clubs. Swimmers enter individual events suited to their experience and stage of development. There are meets for developing swimmers as well as more experienced competitors.
At Ilkeston, we identify open meets, send the details to our members and process entries through our club management software.
Team galas and leagues
Clubs select teams to race against other clubs. Individual races and relays earn points towards a combined team score. Every swim contributes, and cheering for teammates is a big part of the experience.
Same distance. A different number of turns.
Short course means a 25-metre pool. Long course means a 50-metre pool. Both are part of competitive swimming, but the number of lengths and turns changes.
25m
Short course
100m = 4 lengths
Four lengths of a 25m pool, with three turns.
50m
Long course
100m = 2 lengths
Two lengths of a 50m pool, with one turn.
More turns can affect a race time, so short-course and long-course results are recorded separately. Swimmers may compete in both pool lengths as they develop.
Understanding the programme
A competition programme is the running order for the day. These are some of the words a new swimmer or parent will come across.
Event, heat and session
An event is a particular race distance, stroke and category, such as 100m backstroke. A heat is one race within that event. A session is a block of racing, often with its own warm-up and start time.
Finals and results
Some events have a further race called a final. Others use heat-declared winners: times from all the heats decide the results for each age group or category. This means the winner of one heat is not necessarily the overall winner.
What do the stroke names mean?
You will see freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. In freestyle races, swimmers usually choose front crawl. An individual medley combines all four strokes in one race. The event programme tells you the distance and stroke.
What is a personal best?
A personal best, or PB, is a swimmer’s fastest time for a particular event and pool length. Beating a previous time is one way to see progress, whatever the finishing position. Better skills, confidence and enjoying the experience matter too.
How swimmers get involved
Ahead of each new year, we plan the club’s annual competition and events calendar. It includes open meets, team galas, planned training breaks and social and team-building activities, such as bowling or visits to Spring Lakes Aqua Park.
We share the calendar with all members. It is also available in the events calendar in Swim Club Manager, our club management software, which all members can access.
New families are not expected to work out the competition calendar on their own. At Ilkeston, the club identifies open meets and shares them with members. Entries are processed through our club management software, and our coaches can help explain which events suit a swimmer’s experience and goals.
Different meets cater for different swimmers. Some offer an introduction to racing; others require swimmers to have achieved particular times. This helps swimmers take part in competitions appropriate to their stage of development.
What do entry times and qualifying times mean?
An entry time is a swimmer’s recorded time submitted when entering an event. Some meets set qualifying or consideration times — standards swimmers need to meet to be considered for a place. Others set upper limits to keep the competition suitable for developing swimmers. Meeting a consideration time does not always guarantee a place if an event is oversubscribed. Each meet also has its own age rules and entry deadline.
What are licensed-meet levels?
Licensed meets must meet standards set by Swim England, the national governing body for swimming in England. Level 1 is long course; Level 2 is short course; Level 3 can use either pool length. Level 4 includes introductory competition. These describe types of meet, not grades that every swimmer must pass in order. The club can help families understand the events available. Read Swim England’s licensed-meet guide.
Why is swimming membership mentioned?
As well as joining a club, swimmers are registered with Swim England. Its Club Train and Club Compete categories cover different kinds of participation, with exemptions for some events. We explain the appropriate membership as part of joining, so new families do not need to work this out alone. See Swim England’s membership guidance.
What does a competition day look like?
Every venue and event is a little different, but this is the general shape of the day. There is time spent with the team between races as well as time in the water.
01
Arriving with the team
Swimmers meet up with their club and get ready for the session. A warm-up in the pool helps them prepare and become familiar with the surroundings before racing begins.
02
Taking a turn to race
Events run in a set order. When it is their turn, swimmers go to the starting area, take their place in a lane and race. A swimmer might take part in several events across the day.
03
Learning and cheering
After races at meets, swimmers discuss their swim with their coaches and receive detailed feedback on what went well and what to work on next. Between events, there are teammates to support and achievements to celebrate together.
For families, it is a chance to see skills and confidence grow. Encouragement and pride in a swimmer’s effort matter just as much on a difficult day as on a day of personal bests.
A few questions you might have
Does my child need to have raced before?
Previous racing experience is not needed to enquire about joining. Tell us about their swimming so far and we can discuss a suitable starting point. Swimmers learn racing skills through training, with the coaching team helping them prepare for appropriate competitions.
Is specialist racing kit something to buy straight away?
There is no need to choose specialist equipment before talking to us. The club can explain what is appropriate for a swimmer’s training and stage of competition, so families can make informed choices.
What does a disqualification mean?
A disqualification, often shown as DQ, means a race rule was not met — for example, a rule about how a stroke or turn is performed. Coaches help swimmers understand what happened and practise the skill. Learning the rules is part of learning the sport.
Is competition the only reason to join?
No. Masters & Fitness welcomes swimmers training for fitness as well as those interested in Masters competition. Tell us what you enjoy and what you want from your swimming. Explore our squads.
Your goals can grow with you
First races, suitable open meets and championship opportunities can all be part of a swimmer’s development. There is no single timetable for progress. Our coaches can help you understand the next step that fits your swimming and ambitions.
Further reading
Official guidance if you would like to explore a little more.
Could club swimming be for you?
Whether you are a parent exploring the next step for your child or a swimmer looking for a club, we would love to hear from you. Tell us about your swimming and what you hope to get from it — we can help with the rest.
