HSC Events Calendar
Fri, 05 JulHalstead Leisure Centre05 Jul 2024, 18:00Halstead Leisure Centre, Colne Rd, Halstead CO9 2HR, UK
Sun, 07 JulHalstead Leisure Centre07 Jul 2024, 14:30Halstead Leisure Centre, Colne Rd, Halstead CO9 2HR, UK
Sat, 13 JulSS5 4LN13 Jul 2024, 17:00 – 21:00SS5 4LN, Hawkwell, Hockley SS5 4LN, UK
Sun, 21 JulHalstead Leisure Centre21 Jul 2024, 14:30Halstead Leisure Centre, Colne Rd, Halstead CO9 2HR, UK
Sat, 17 AugMersea Boating Lake17 Aug 2024, 15:15Mersea Boating Lake, Rewsalls Lane, Colchester CO5 8SX, UK
Sat, 07 SeptBraintree Swimming & Fitness07 Sept 2024, 15:30 – 19:30Braintree Swimming & Fitness, Charter Way, Braintree CM77 8YJ, UK
Sat, 12 OctLocation is TBD12 Oct 2024, 19:00 – 13 Oct 2024, 23:00Location is TBD
Fri, 18 OctSouthend-on-Sea18 Oct 2024, 19:00 – 20 Oct 2024, 23:00Southend-on-Sea, Garon Park Cricket Ground, Eastern Ave, Southend-on-Sea SS2 4FA, UK- Sat, 09 NovLocation is TBD09 Nov 2024, 19:00 – 10 Nov 2024, 23:00Location is TBD
- Sat, 14 DecLocation is TBD14 Dec 2024, 19:00 – 15 Dec 2024, 23:00Location is TBD
Fri, 10 JanLondon10 Jan 2025, 19:00 – 12 Jan 2025, 23:00London, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20 2ZQ, UK
Sat, 29 JunBasildon29 Jun 2024, 15:00 – 18:30Basildon, Cranes Farm Rd, Basildon SS14 3GR, UK
Sun, 23 JunSouthbury Leisure Centre23 Jun 2024, 15:00Southbury Leisure Centre, 192 Southbury Rd, Enfield EN1 1YP, UK- Sat, 15 JunBecontree Heath Leisure Centre15 Jun 2024, 18:30 – 21:00Becontree Heath Leisure Centre, Althorne Wy., Dagenham RM10 7FH, UK
- Sat, 08 JunBraintree Swimming & Fitness08 Jun 2024, 18:00 – 22:00Braintree Swimming & Fitness, Charter Way, Braintree CM77 8YJ, UK
- Sun, 26 MaySouthbury Leisure Centre26 May 2024, 17:00Southbury Leisure Centre, 192 Southbury Rd, Enfield EN1 1YP, UK
Opportunities to Compete
When you join Halstead Swimming Club you will be introduced to the complexity of the sport SLOWLY, there is A LOT to learn
To be fair, you will probably learn most of it from the coaches, parents and other swimmers around as you develop, but here's a short guide:
Halstead Swimming Club members will be offered the opportunity to compete in a both licensed and unlicensed events.
Licensed Events
When you join any competitive swimming club you are allocated a Swim England membership number, this will enable you to join the centralised database where all your licensed events will be recorded: What you swam, where you swam, the time, etc... There are even graphs of your progress!
Link: Swimming Results Website
Swim England ensures that the standards of the sport are upheld; any organisation wishing to offer a licensed event must provide Swim England with the details of each programme and they must meet the criteria for whichever license they are applying for - All stipulated in the terms and conditions of each event.
License Levels (simplified.........kind of)
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Level 4 Licensed Meets -
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These are considered entry level meets, perfect for inexperienced swimmers to gain experience, before progressing to Level 3 meets.
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It is usually the license that our Club Champs is held under. While they are held within the club, they still require officials who have met the required standards.
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It is rare, but sometimes clubs might host a development meet, where 8 year olds can compete under license, these are invitational only meets (where the host invites a limited number of other clubs to attend)
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Level 3 Licensed Meets -
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These are the most common meet license that the majority of swimmers attend.
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Once a swimmer has achieved their Competitive Start certificate (Coach confirms that they can safely dive from the blocks) AND the swimmer is 9 years old or over, they can enter any open meets the swimming club has stated that they will support.
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There is a publicly available Meet Calendar on the Swimmingresults.org website, which amalgamates British Swimming, Swim England, Swim Wales and Scottish Swimming. Link: Meet Calendar
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The Coaches and Halstead Committee pulls together a selection of meets that our club are able to support (Coaches/Team Leaders available on the day, for safeguarding, guidance and support, plus we have to offer host clubs Officials to help run the event)
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Members can choose when and how often they would like to attend Open Meets. It is a personal choice.
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Level 3 meets are used to qualify for County and Regional championships.
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There is one League that Halstead takes part, whose events are Licenced - The National Arena League. This is a Halstead Swimming Club Team event. The coaches will make a team selection based on swimmers performances at Open Meets, Club Champs and Training commitment. Link: National Arena League
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Level 2 (Short course/25m pool) and Level 1 (Long Course/50m pool) Licensed Meets -
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These are the Championships and Open Meets where swimmers have to have reached minimum times. The standards of entry vary depending on the level of the Championship, either being entered, or the qualification being attempted:
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Essex County Championships - Essex holds 2 championships a year; usually held between the London Aquatics Centre and Basildon venues.
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Winter Championships (Level 2, short course) in October. Qualifying times for the female and Open categories are released in June (one time per event, competing age is not separated out). Qualification is from Level 3, 2 & 1 licenses.
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The Age Group Championships (should be Level 1, long course, but in recent years has been reduced to Level 2 short course, due to problems with the Basildon venue) held in Jan/Feb. Qualifying times are released in September. Qualification for this event is accepted from Level 4 licensed events and higher. The QTs are broken down by age and classification Female/Open
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East Region Championships - 2 Championships a year. Usually Held across EAU Norwich and Inspire Luton venues. Qualification for these events is accepted from Level 3, 2 & 1 licensed swims.
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Winter Championships (Level 2, short course) in November. Qualifying times for the female and Open categories are released in August (one time per event, competing age is not separated out).
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Long Course Championships (Level 1, long course), held in May. Qualifying times are released in January. The QTs are broken down by age and classification Female/Open
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British and National Championships - Swim against Britain and your Nations best, there are 2 championships a year.
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Summer Championships (Level 1 Long Course). Summer Championships, both British and National (England, Welsh, Scottish) have a strict qualifying season. The qualifying open meets are held between March and May. These are invitation only, age group events and the qualification window is very small. When the season opens, there will be a number of Level 1 open meets on offer for swimmers striving for times. A spreadsheet of shortlisted swimmers is launched on swimmingresults.org's home page, it is updated twice a week until the closing date in May (usually after all the Regions have completed their Long Course Champs). British Summer Championships is held in July and Nationals is at the beginning of August.
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Winter British and National Short Course Championships - Qualification times are issued in the Autumn. The event is held mid December.
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Unlicensed Events
Some events are unlicensed, which allows for voluntary run opportunities to compete.
The fundamental rules of competing are maintained, but there is a flexibility in the levels of qualification that the officials need to have in terms of referee, time keeping, judging etc..
Halstead swimmers routinely take part in two unlicensed team events:
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The M11 Junior league
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and the Essex Mini League
The coaches select swimmers to represent Halstead and send out invitations.
The Essex Masters event is one of the most enjoyable events to take part in for the +18 years swimmers, but it is unlicensed.
