Team Selection Policy
The swimming club participates in many team galas, including both friendly
and league galas. League galas are an important part of the club and we
currently participate in:
- Junior League
- National Arena League
As a successful club, we compete in Division 1 in both
of the above leagues.
For a smaller town club, these are tremendous achievements and being
selected to represent the club at one of these galas is something to be
very proud of.
Team selection is generally based on rankings; however, coaches’
discretion may be applied to support swimmer development and provide
opportunities where appropriate.
At certain competitions it is necessary to field the strongest possible
team for each event. We try to ensure every swimmer selected has at least
two swims, although in some circumstances swimmers may only be selected
for a single event where it provides a significant advantage to the team.
The holistic development of our swimmers is important. To create a strong
team environment and team spirit, swimmers selected to represent
Leamington Swimming Club at a team gala are expected to remain until the
final race and support their teammates throughout the event.
What Do I Do If I’m Selected and I’m Not Available?
Mark yourself as unavailable on the team sheet
as soon as possible and inform your coach of the reason.
Being unavailable for one of the league galas has a significant impact,
not only on the club but also on every other member of the team.
Swimmers should therefore do their utmost to be available for these
leagues wherever possible.
As league galas are extremely important to the club, failure to be
available may be taken into consideration when making future team
selections, squad movements and allocation of additional training
sessions during the remainder of the swimming season.
Exceptional circumstances are always taken into account, which is why it
is important that swimmers communicate clearly with their coach regarding
the reason for their unavailability.
Regional and National Relay Selection Policy
In all cases, team selection will be based on times listed in the British
Rankings:
- Long Course (LC) times for LC championships
The fastest swimmers will be selected to produce the strongest possible
freestyle and medley relay teams.
Coaches reserve the right to withhold entry for a relay team if it is
considered uncompetitive.
West Midland / Midlands LC Spring Championships
Selection is based on relay age bands of 14–16 years and 17 & over
(age as at 31st December).
Swimmers will be selected using LC times achieved during the qualifying
period, currently from 1st October until the April closing date.
Nationals / British Summer Championships
Teams qualifying through regional competition for national competition
will follow the standard selection criteria.
The fastest swimmers will be selected based on LC rankings at the end of
the regional championships or 31st May, whichever is later.
Swimmers who improve their LC times up to the qualifying cut-off may
therefore gain selection for the team.
In all cases, the coaches reserve the right to withdraw swimmers who
are unable to compete to their potential due to injury, illness,
insufficient training or loss of form.