The Traralgon Swimming Club is a competitive club, which provides a structure for the long-term development of its swimmers. Members are given opportunities to train with swimmers of a similar standard under the supervision of trained Level 1 and 2 swimming coaches.

Our staff of 8 dedicated coaches work together to provide a developmental swimming program where there is avenue for advancement through to higher levels.

Swimmers are encouraged to concentrate on personal achievements along the way and are awarded for milestones reached.

An Annual Presentation celebration is held where members achievements at all levels are awarded.

At the beginning, or 'Development Squad' level, Learn-to-swim teachers Michelle Ford and Lucy vanHooydonk offer 1 - 2 x 1 hour sessions per week at the Traralgon Indoor Sports and Aquatic Centre. 'B Squad' advance to 2 - 1.5 hour sessions with James Timmer-Arends and Jenny Matthews. From there swimmers move to 'A Squad' with Ian Draper where 3 - 1.5 hour sessions are offered each week. Country swimmers train 3 morning sessions per week with Jane Mitchell (Level 2). Mick McNeill (Level 2) coaches the beginning senior/State level where 4 - 5 sessions are offered weekly. Traralgon Head coach, Brian Ford (Level 2 Performance) offers up to 8 sessions per week to dedicated and committed senior/National swimmers. From A Squad through seniors, swimmers are involved in a developmental flexibility/strength program. Senior swimmers attend weekly gym sessions with Club Strength and Fitness coach, Sam Fenton.

General Meetings

Meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of each month in the Traralgon Club Rooms unless otherwise notified. These begin at 7:3OPM and all parents/members are encouraged to attend.

Team Captains 2003/2004: Caitie Mitchell and Ben Smits

Team Vice Captains 2003/2004: Courtney Ford and Brenton Ford

Club Champion  2002/2003: Brenton Ford

Code of Behaviour

It is the goal of the Traralgon Swimming Club Inc. that our members find enjoyment, friendship and a strong sense of team spirit and encouragement in competitive swimming and diving.  Therefore the Club endorses the following code of behaviour adopted by Swimming Victoria.

FOR SWIMMERS

• Be a good sport
• Compete for enjoyment
• Work hard for your team as well as yourself
• Treat all team mates and opponents as you enjoy being treated yourself
• Compete by the rules
• Co-operate with team officials
• Control your behaviour in and out of the pool
• Learn to value honest effort, skilled performance and improvement

FOR PARENTS

• Encourage participation by your children
• Provide a model of good sports behaviour for your child to copy
• Be courteous in your communication with swimmers and officials
• Encourage honest effort, skilled performance, and team loyalty
• Make any new parents welcome on all occasions
• Do not interfere with the conduct of any event

FOR SPECTATORS

• Demonstrate appropriate social behaviour
• Remember children compete for enjoyment. Don't let your behaviour detract from their enjoyment.
• Let officials conduct events without interference
• Support skilled performances and team play with generous applause
• Demonstrate respect for other competitors and their supporters

Information for Members

The Traralgon Swimming Club is an Amateur Swimming Club with members aged 5 years to 55+ years. The club provides training sessions for members with an aim of improving swimming stroke technique, and fitness for the purpose of competitive swimming.

Swim Meet Tips

Food

We recommend that swimmers refrain from eating food that is sugar loaded, fizzy drinks, etc.   It is cheaper and more nutritious to take food items such as:

fruit, bananas ect.
sandwiches - vegemite, jam, salad
drinks: water, cordial, sport drinks
rice or corn cakes
raw vegetables

Larger meals, meat pies, sausage rolls, etc., should not be eaten closer than two hours before swimming as they are not as easily digested.

The host club always provides for sale at meets. Usually reasonably priced, clubs often sell pasta, stuffed baked potatoes, jelly, fruit salad, sandwiches, cakes and BBQ as well as hot and cold drinks. These sales often occur at Club rooms. As well, kiosks operate at most pools.

What to take:
A chair sun shade, sun screen, hats, rug for the kids to sit on. Some families even take a small tent for additional shelter especially in cold or wet weather. The Club provides a large tarp for shelter at outdoor meets which families are encouraged to sit under or near. Some children like the extra warmth of sleeping bags or blankets at cooler summer meets as it is important to stay warm.

When you arrive: 
Plan to arrive at meets one hour before the meet begins (e.g. 1 1:00am for a 12 noon start)

Some pools will charge admission (usually $2 per person).

There will be a table somewhere near the entrance for the purpose of selling raffle tickets and stamping swimmer's cards. Cards may be purchased at this time or taken filled in and ready for stamping. Fifty-cents is charged per event (to pay for the cost of ribbons). Pink and blue cards are available through the club (ask coaches) and we advise that you keep a stockpile at home so they can be filled out prior to the meet. Highlight the swimmer's events in the meet program for easy reference (some swimmers even write the event numbers on their hand). Other members will be only too happy to assist, just ask.

Warming Up
Swimmers are strongly urged to get in the pool prior to the commencement of the meet. A Traralgon Swimming Coach, identifiable by a Traralgon T shirt or jacket will be on pool deck to assist with warm up which usually consists of stretches, slow laps, and short sprints. Practising starting dives on unfamiliar blocks, turning and finishing on the wall are all good things to try out before the meet begins.

Marshalling for events
Announcements are usually made to let swimmers know when they must take their entry card! goggles, caps, etc. to the marshalling area. It is advisable to marshal 4 events prior to your swim. The Team Managers, Michelle Ford and Julie Doran will assist beginners with marshalling. Entry cards are given to the Marshalls who will assign lanes and heats to swimmers. Cards are returned to the swimmers who then proceed to their lane where they give their card to the time keeper.

The first four events marshal immediately when the meet commences.

Results are posted at the meet and can also be found on the internet under www.gippslandswimming.org.au

Note: Always walk behind the judges, referees and timekeepers and give the timekeepers your card when they are sitting down. If you would like to be told your time at the end of your race ask politely and always say 'thank you.

Parent Involvement:
There are many ways parents can help out at swim meets in fact, the Traralgon Club has a responsibility to supply officials at every swim meet and we are fined if our obligation is not met. By acting in an official capacity, e.g. time keeping, recording, or marshalling, parents get a better idea of the big picture in Gippsland Swimming. You become familiar with names and faces outside our club and develop an interest in Gippsland swimmers and their progress. At the beginning of each meet time keepers, etc. are called for. You will be supplied with a watch and put on a lane with someone who show you what to do. It helps to pass the time, it helps our club. Have a go!

Time keepers:
Work at the end of the pool where the swimmers finish. There are generally three timekeepers on each lane. Watches are supplied and tuition is given if needed. Timekeepers can work for the whole meet or for half of the meet. The Gippsland District is now using new timing device that consists of a plunger-style button on a lead. This device will relay the swimmer's time directly to the computer. It does not require starting, only stopping at the end of a race.

Marshalls:

Marshalls seed swimmers according to entry times and assign lanes and heats. They return the cards to the swimmers once the lane and heat allocation has been made.

Recorders:

Recorders work in an area adjacent to the pool - often the club rooms. The recorders task is becoming more and more computerised, so some computer knowledge or keyboard skill is helpful.

All officials are given drinks and snacks periodically and lunch is provided by the host club at the break.

Relay Teams:
At meets where there are pair and relay events, the teams are chosen by the Relay Team Selectors who are elected at the AGM. Teams are selected based on this criteria adopted by our Club in 1996. In general, all swimmers are given an opportunity to swim in relays and pairs, except at Open Meets, Gippsland Championships, Country and State meets where our fastest teams are entered. The criteria is available to anyone who would like to read it through Tony Kershaw, our Secretary.

Team Sheets

Team sheets hang on the notice board at each pool prior to each meet with each swimmer's name listed. Swimmers who intend to attend must indicate the numbers of the events they wish to swim. These sheets are transferred to computer disk and given to the District Recorder at meets.

Swimming and Training

The Traralgon Swimming Club is a Competitive Swimming Club. Through membership with the club swimmers can enjoy the excitement, team spirit and fulfillment of improving, of trying their hardest, and competing as a member of the club.

At this point we do not have a squad who simply train but do not compete - all of our swimmers are either competing or are working up to competition. In the first year of training, members are not required to compete, but are encouraged to 'have a go' especially at the indoor meets and meets designed for younger swimmers (Churchill's 10 & Under, and Morwell's 13 & Under meet). In the second and subsequent years of membership, Development Squad members are expected to compete in 3 meets, B Squad members in 5 meets, A Squad members in 8 meets and Senior Squad members in 10 meets. All meets where swimmers represent the Traralgon Club are counted in this tally.

There are several indoor swim meets at the beginning of the season held in 25m pools which are ideal for beginners. We urge parents of new members to become familiar with the Fixture Guide when it is available and choose swim meets to attend.

Trophies/Championships

All swimmers who compete in 5 swimming carnivals during the season (including the winter season) will receive a club trophy at the end of the summer season. Swimmers must compete in 3 summer swimming carnivals to qualify for entry to the Gippsland Championships. Note: Meets held prior to the GSI summer season are not counted toward Gippsland Championship qualification.

Swimming Club Clothing

The Club sells several articles of clothing and swimming accessories at very reasonable prices. The Clothing Officer, Sharon McLean is in charge of the sale of these items. Items for sale include:

Club Jackets, Club tee-shirts, bathers and swim caps. Prices are available from the Clothing Officer.

Fin Swap

As children out-grow their flippers we sell them on your behalf through the newsletter. Tell the Secretary if you have fins to sell and they will be advertised.

Club Chant

After warming up at swim meets and before the first event begins, our Club gathers for our Club Chant -led by the Club Captains. Swimmers will be called together for this spirited 'war cry' which is a great way to build 'team spirit'