Participating in Galas

If you have been invited to a gala, may we remind you to familiarise yourself with the below. We will try and help as much as possible. It is a learning curve. 

Swim Club Manager - this is our membership software. There is a desktop version and an app. You will have all used this software to fill in membership details such as address and medical details. This app has a calendar, tells you what squad you belong to, swim times, pb's etc We do try to remind our members to use this app as it is helpful. You also need to update any change of address or medical details on this software so that we have correct details. 

 Gala Invites - Most swim meets we are invited to, the meet provider will send us a file which we load onto our system (swim club manager) On the whole this works well, occasionally it doesn't, so if links etc are broken or don't work, please do email us. Normally on the Thursday night before a weekend swim meet, the meet provider will send us a warm up times and a printable sheet of the heats. This will be emailed to you and put on the Gala WhatsApp Group.

Meet Packs - We cannot stress this one enough - With nearly all meets, you will be sent a Meet Pack. Please read it. Go to the very bottom. Lots of meets are over several days and weekends. Most meets have 2 sessions a day. They mostly start at lunch time but check first. Check the dates, check the sessions, try and choose races that are not hours apart, this is your responsibility but we will help and advise. Please be very aware that some meets go on for hours, plan this properly to avoid surprises and having to remove your child because you need to go. Seek advice before entering your child to a gala. Sometimes the Name of the meet with relation to the location can be confusing. So a Swimming Club from Dawlish may put on a gala but the location might be Plymouth Life. 

 Meet Mobile - this is a payable app showing live swim meet programs and results. It is nothing to do with the club but a lot of swim meets are on this app and most members entering galas use the app. Sometimes the swim meet won't show up on the app til a couple of days before. Sometimes the app updates immediately, sometimes it can be slow.  (Can be found on App Store or wherever you get your apps)

Expectations - Sometimes juniors want medals which we understand, but actually it's about individual times and having a good experience. It is not about being first in the their heat. There can be several heats and they are not in age order but the results are. 

Invites - If your child has not been invited to a swim meet, don't be disheartened. They are ready when they are ready. Their hard work in the pool and doing multiple sessions will give them the confidence in their ability. The way their body and mind develops is individual to them. 

Kit - Swim caps are for sale £8. All competitors must have a DSC swim cap and we would like our team to arrive in a club shirt. The Swimzi shop opens at certain times during the year. The Kit Secretary tries to open and close the shop pre gala. If you have missed that opportunity we do have a few shirts being delivered for stock. I will let you know when they arrive. We also have a few quick drying towels with our logo for sale. More details to follow when they arrive. These are ideal for galas. Swimmers poolside must keep warm to prevent injury. Shivering also uses up essential energy. Normal towels used once will stay wet all day and become useless. Therefore we recommend these quick drying towels and the shirts which are also moisture wicking. Please bring waterproof bags. All bags are kept on the floor. 

Poolside - We have team managers and Coaches. These are the only people allowed poolside. Parents are not permitted poolside. Swimmers must meet the team managers at a pre agreed location and time (normally the changing rooms). Everyone will then go poolside together in plenty of time for warm ups. Any swimmer late will not be allowed poolside until the next session. The warm up is an essential part of the gala and prevents injury. Swimmers are reminded to stay with their team on poolside and must not leave the area without permission from the Team Manager. Please respect the Team Managers, do not send them instructions or attempt to come poolside. Bring water and healthy snacks. We have two club captains, Robin Tompson and Jesse Geen. They are at quite a few meets and help and support their peers as do all our members at galas. They are all great team members cheering on their team. Your code of conduct can be found on swim club manager - you would have signed this on joining the club. We encourage our swimmers to bring games and they are allowed their phones poolside but not in the changing room. We do encourage them to support each other when swimming and be part of the team. If they spend too long on their phones, they tend to stop supporting each other and become isolated during the gala.

Payment - Please pay for your gala entries as soon as you enter. We have to pay the meet provider and we do not make any profit. 

Menstruation - Attending swimming and galas during menstruation. Please refer to swimming.org for 'Training and competition when having your period' which has new guidance. We also recommend you talk to other parents who will happily help. Ask us and we will point you in the right direction.

https://www.swimming.org/sport/training-competition-period/

3 of our Juniors attended the below in 2025 and as parents we wrote this following our experience of the day:-

Key Lessons from the Adam Peaty AP Race Clinic

Better Than Yesterday

Attending an Adam Peaty AP Race Clinic offers a unique insight into what it takes to excel in swimming—not just in terms of physical performance but also in mindset, resilience, and long-term success. Here are some key takeaways:

1. Biggest Performance Gain? Sleep.

One of the most underrated aspects of peak performance is sleep. Recovery plays a massive role in training adaptation, and prioritising rest can lead to significant improvements in the pool.

2. The Power of Participation & Freedom

At age 18, participation in sports often spikes when athletes are given the freedom to choose their own path. This highlights the importance of keeping young swimmers engaged and ensuring they develop a love for the sport rather than feeling trapped in a rigid system.

3. Building Skills & Resilience

Swimming isn't just about times and medals—it's about developing skills, resilience, and a mindset that prepares athletes for challenges in and out of the water. By encouraging multi-sport participation, swimmers gain transferable skills that can benefit them in different disciplines.

4. Opening Doors Through Sport

Involvement in multiple sports doesn't just reduce the risk of burnout; it opens different doors. Swimmers who try other activities build well-rounded athleticism and adaptability. Understanding what other sports complement swimming can help clubs offer more opportunities to their members.

5. A Healthier Ecosystem for Athletes

The current model of athlete development may need to evolve. Collaboration between different clubs and sports could create a healthier ecosystem where young athletes don’t feel pressured to specialise too soon, reducing the risk of injury and dropout.

6. Fitter Swimmers, Greater Success

A well-rounded, fit athlete tends to find success beyond their primary sport. Fitness isn’t just about being fast in the water—it builds confidence, discipline, and habits that transfer into other areas of life.

7. The Risks of Specialisation

Focusing too intensely on one sport from an early age increases the risk of burnout. Variation keeps training fresh, engaging, and enjoyable. Happiness is a crucial factor in long-term athlete retention and performance.

8. Happiness: The Only Way to Succeed

The most important ingredient in success—whether in sport or life—is happiness. If you’re not happy, your motivation and performance will suffer. Your aspirations should be as high as you can imagine, but alongside them must have joy and passion for what you do. If you find yourself unhappy, remember that you have the power to change things. Whether that means adjusting your goals, your training environment, or your mindset, taking control of your own happiness is essential for long-term success.

9. The Importance of Coaching & Employability

A strong coaching environment fosters not just elite swimmers but also future coaches and leaders. Adam Peaty’s philosophy suggests that those who are "uncoachable" may struggle with employability later in life—highlighting the role of sports in teaching discipline, communication, and teamwork.

10. Plateauing PBs: A natural part of progression. It's common for swimmers to experience periods where personal bests plateau, sometimes lasting months or even years. Even Olympic swimmers can go long stretches without a PB, but this doesn’t mean progress has stopped. Improvements in technique, strength, and endurance may still be happening beneath the surface, setting the foundation for future breakthroughs. Trusting the process and maintaining consistency is key to long-term success.
11. "Better Than Yesterday"

The AP Race motto, "Better Than Yesterday," is a mindset that applies to all aspects of life, not just swimming. Every day presents a new opportunity to improve—whether that’s in training, recovery, mental approach, or personal growth. Success isn’t about overnight transformation; it’s about consistently striving to be a little bit better than you were the day before.