Gala Guide

Pathways

There is 2 pathways within the club some members come for fun, friendships and fitness. The 2nd pathway is still the goal of fun friendships and fitness but that we are competitive club. We encourage members to compete. We have swimmers of all levels swimming in local development meets up to National Level Galas.

You and your child will decide what pathway is the right one for you in your club journey.

Type of Galas

KASC is a competitive swimming club and swimmers are encouraged to attend Galas. 

The Head coach will decide which galas the club will attend throughout the year.

Age groups for galas vary.  They may be ‘Age on the day’ or ‘Age at the end of the year’.

Team Meets (Meets which are free)

Mini League

A team event to introduce swimmers aged 12 years and under to competitive swimming.  The team swims against other clubs and wins points according to their placing.  Three rounds (galas) are swum and the top six teams then compete in the Mini League Final at Ayr in June. There is usually 1 gala at home and 2 galas away at hosting clubs.

National League Gala

A team event similar to the Mini League but includes older swimmers.

Invitation Gala

It is a ‘friendly’ team event where the host club invites other clubs to swim in a one-off competition.

Annual fun relay gala

held on the last Sunday of summer school holidays, social event with fun games and dress up races.

Individual Meets (Meets which are free of charge )

Club Championships

Held in June (Summer Sprints) and December (Winter Champs) and is the accumulation of the years work.  Swimmers have the chance to win a medal, trophy or even a club record. It is a big event for the club. It is compulsory for all swimmers to compete in the Club Championships.

Individual Meets (Meets which cost per swim)

Graded Meets

This meet is for improving swimmers.  Swimmers need to meet the time requirements and be ‘slower than’ the consideration time.  Times are set by the organising club.  These galas can sometimes be heavily oversubscribed with a large number of entries rejected. There can be different levels of Graded meet, Level 3’s being slightly slower and less strict and Level 2’s being slightly faster. ( Cost varies £5-£7 per race)

Open Meets

This is a meet for faster swimmers.  Swimmers must be ‘faster than’ the consideration time. (£6-£8 per race)

West District Championships

This is where the best swimmers in the district compete.  There are 7 groups to this event ranging from a long course to a distance and a sprint meet.  There are also Age Group and Open meets. Swimmers must be ‘faster than’ the consideration time. ( £8 per race )

Scottish National Championships

This is where the best swimmers in the country compete.  There are 3 meets for these championships – Short Course, Age Groups and Open.  There is a consideration and a qualifying time.  Times must have been obtained at an accredited meet. ( £10 per race )

 

How to enter Galas

Guides to entering Gala’s

1.  You will receive an email alerting you that your child has been invited to a Gala.

2. Follow the link within your email to declare if you wish to attend.  Please also indicate if NOT attending.

3. if you choose to attend, you can then click your swimmers name below, then you will next be shown events. Select events using tick boxes, examples below. All events will show for your childs age.  Times in black are eligible swims only these you can enter. Times that are red are ineligible events. These are highlighting that your swimmers time may be out with the set consideration times.  See example below,

4. Save changes. 

Term 1 is session 1  ie morning session 

Term 2 is session 2 ie afternoon session 

If gala over 2 day session 3 and 4 would be Sunday am and pm.

All club entries are then sent to the host club. Unfortunately host clubs do not give refunds on withdrawls/non attendance after their closing date and accepted entries posted.

 You will be notified by email/ whats app group as soon as host club inform us of accepted entries. Usually 10-14 days before the meet.  Some galas are oversubscribed with entries and therefore the host club has no choice but to reject some entries to allow the gala to run to time. In swim Jargon these are called scratched events (SCR). Some events may have ALT (reserve) and your swimmer could get a swim if someone in the event withdraws prior to the day.

Clubs galas displayed on the events notice board on team unify dashboard, This Acts like a calendar for the club, this is not personal to your swimmer. So please only enter Galas that you have an invitation email too. 

All galas will have closing dates set, please accept as soon as you are aware if you can attend. There is no pressure to attend galas but it is important to DECLINE the invitation to let me know that all invites have been received and process the entries in a timely manner.

Payment for the individual meet galas will be automatically deducted from your bank account that you pay your fees from on team unify.

 

On day of Gala

Arrive at least 15 mins prior to warm up time to register with coach and do land warm up/stretches

If you can not attend or running late on the day please let the coaches know asap by messaging into whats app group meet day coms

Suggested kit – 2 towels, club tshirts or any tshirt you have to cover swimwear, sliders/flipflops for poolside, Cap, goggles Extra swim wear and googles,

Water bottle and health snacks/ pack lunch if staying all day. (further info on  nutritional snack ideas can be found on facebook page and website or can see head coach for ideas).

 

Due to potential child protection issues in sport, no parents/family members are allowed in changing areas or poolside on the day of competition within the venues.

 

After an individual swim, swimmers can exit the meet. All team events, swimmers must wait till end.

When the time comes for your child to be invited to galas (competitions), It can be a confusing process at the start of being a swim parent, swim jargon can sound like a foreign language at times. You can view the jargon by clicking HERE

If there is anything the club can assist you send an email anytime to [email protected]. We also have supportive coaches, committee members and parents that you will get to know, who will also help in any way. 

 

Hope you and your swimmer enjoy your swimming journey!