Surrey County Championships

[GettingFaster]

So how's it going for you so far?

Half way through, my fish has had a mixed bag of PBs and decidedly mediocre, though one of the highlights was a 100 fly pb (by 4 seconds!) at the beginning of a 400m IM. I'll have to persuade her to try a 200 fly in a comp, I reckon she'd be fine if she'd just let me enter her.

Several county records broken this weekend too, some really exciting swims and a good few NQTs as well.

[Spidey]

How are they going for you?

[Pete]

A bit strange not being there. Still; until someone wants me to help with coaching I will take a back seat.

[Toe in Water]

Do you "old-timers" have any advice?

DD aged 9 suddenly speeded up and scraped a small clutch of qualifying times. She is not one of the clubs high-flyers and is pretty much a novice at competitive events let alone at this level. None of the rest of the family know much about swimming, or indeed other competitive individual sports, so we are finding it all rather new.

Priorites are the practical: parking; registration; food (for me and DD); coffee etc. We live some way away. Club coaches will be there, but I would welcome anything else those that have done this before can suggest.

[Pete]

My advice: Let DD enjoy it! Just be pleased with good performances and understanding in swims which don't go so well. Positive signals from parents and sit back and let DD and the coaches do their work.

[GettingFaster]

Well done her for getting some QTs (my own smallest person only got one - 50 free).

parking - not generally a problem, Spectrum's recently extended its parking area.

registration - there will be a room set aside (usually ice box 5 near the entrance to the pool changing area, down towards Burger King) where your swimmer needs to sign her name beside EVERY race she wants to do in the session, not just one. The names of people who have not signed are read out before the computer is finally closed, just to make sure, so listen out for her name, just in case. When it comes to getting ready for the race itself, all the swimmers will be called up to the diving pool area where they are sorted into heats so she'll be fine - great effort is taken to make sure no-one misses their swim!

food - Spectrum's pretty pricey unless you can subject yourself to Burger King so you might want to bring sandwiches for yourself and a separate box of easily digested nibbles for small one. A flask is always handy for coffee (though there is a Costa the queue can sometimes be rather long) but don't forget to bring lots of cold drinks for yourself on the balcony, and make sure DD has plenty to drink on poolside as it gets very warm down there.

etc. - there's always an etc! If you like to write on the programme what times DD does, or even what times others in her agegroup do, make sure you bring a pen. If you're interested in what the others in the team do, bring a highlighter pen as well, so you can mark them on the programme. No need for a stopwatch unless you're seriously obsessive, the scoreboard seems to be working pretty well this year so you'll get times for every 50m.
Wear layers as you'll be very tempted to strip off. The balcony can get very hot, but if you escape to the bar (yes, there is one!) you'll want to have a jumper available as well.
Bring a book or something like that to keep boredom at bay, the warm-up in particular can be tedious as there isn't anything of any interest to watch.
Get DD to bring something for amusement as well, as long as it's not an expensive electronic something that could get damaged by water or broken if someone steps on the bag it's in.
Congratulate DD on qualifying and encourage her to really enjoy the day spent with her team-mates, but make sure she listens to whatever her coach tells her to do.

And come and say hello to the announcer, I'm back on the microphone next weekend.

[Toe in Water]

Will do! And many thanks.

I found this site when I googled BAGCAT after DD had picked up a few. Perhaps unfortunately it led me to a very long and heated SE Region thread.... But I am now a true fan of JL and others, though swimming is still a very different world. (I still have no idea what a "skin" is. Googling gives some very interesting possibilities!)

It is all a big deal when you are 9, especially when like her you are more strength than style or stroke and so some way off a club squad. (I don't know if the announcer is anywhere near the swimmers, but if so put her in a middle lane. She splashes a lot.) I have never been to Guildford before so my aim is simply to ensure that the getting there is without panic and that she knows what to expect. I have been warned that quite a few of the small ones will be disqualified, but have also been told that in some ways she is in an easier position, as the getting to "Surrey" is the achievement and anything beyond is good experience.

Further question. Any suggestions of where I might take DD for lunch once the Spectrum experience is over. Or indeed suggestions for things that appeal to 9 year olds that we might do in the afternoon?

[GettingFaster]

There's a new Frankie & Bennies not far away, might be worth a try. And the announcer does just that - announce. The computer system does all the working out of who goes in what lane. And if you want splashing, you just wait until you see the final heats of any of the races, particularly when the boys get in there on their freestyle. FlyingBean and H2O will tell you they near enough drown people they splash so much.

I reckon mummy's a lot more phased by the whole experience than baby, ;) but don't worry you'll enjoy the experience and so will your wee one. You're quite right, getting a qualifying time is a real achievement, particularly at that age, so she deserves masses of congratulations and I'm sure you're doing that already. As long as you make sure you have plenty to keep you occupied you'll be fine, and if you enjoy watching good swimming you'll have loads to keep you going, some of the older boys and girls are just awesome.

[Pete]

Where's Frankie and Benny's in Guildford GF? I've been to the one in Ilford and it's great food reasonably priced and service brilliant. If the one in Guildford is the same I shall be there. Having lost touch with dates, are Surreys on all weekend?

[Toe in Water]

Surrey's sem to be all weekend every weekend for the forseeable future. A good reason to be relieved that that DD is no prodigy.

[GettingFaster]

1-2 March and 8-9 March, and that's the lot. Weekend off this weekend, for half-term.

F&Bs is where the new Travelodge is, by the rail bridge near Dennis's roundabout. I've been there twice and the service is incredibly slow, but food tasty.

[Toe in Water]

Never found F&Bs. Instead drove three times round Guilford town centre, twice exiting a car park by mistake when I thought I was heading for an upper level. Daughter delighted by TGIFs and the fact that Guilford has a dedicated Krispy Kreme outlet. I cheered up when we reached the A3 heading back to town.

The Spectrum in contrast was easy to find with lots of parking. (Though it was petty chokka before the relay session.) A few niggles. Eating was a problem, with people occupying Costa Coffee tables all day. The warm up was an amazing sight; a bit like the M25 in rush hour complete with hold ups and collisions. And the gallery was hot and uncomfortable.

But DD did fine. No DQs - which was her main fear, and PBs in all her events. The squad swimmers from her club were really kind to her and she genuinely enjoyed being part of it all.

The organisation was amazing. Hundreds of kids swam in each event, yet it stayed more or less on time. Getting Faster's announcements were clear and continuous. (Nursing a sore throat now?) Loads of volunteers who all seemed to know what they were doing. I assume it could be made easier by setting faster qualifying times, but I for one am grateful that my daughter was able to squeak into what will be, for her, a memorable experience.

Now she wants to qualify for next year....

Thanks to all involved.

[GettingFaster]

Never found F&Bs. Instead drove three times round Guilford town centre, twice exiting a car park by mistake when I thought I was heading for an upper level. Daughter delighted by TGIFs and the fact that Guilford has a dedicated Krispy Kreme outlet. I cheered up when we reached the A3 heading back to town.

The Spectrum in contrast was easy to find with lots of parking. (Though it was petty chokka before the relay session.) A few niggles. Eating was a problem, with people occupying Costa Coffee tables all day. The warm up was an amazing sight; a bit like the M25 in rush hour complete with hold ups and collisions. And the gallery was hot and uncomfortable.

But DD did fine. No DQs - which was her main fear, and PBs in all her events. The squad swimmers from her club were really kind to her and she genuinely enjoyed being part of it all.

The organisation was amazing. Hundreds of kids swam in each event, yet it stayed more or less on time. Getting Faster's announcements were clear and continuous. (Nursing a sore throat now?) Loads of volunteers who all seemed to know what they were doing. I assume it could be made easier by setting faster qualifying times, but I for one am grateful that my daughter was able to squeak into what will be, for her, a memorable experience.

Now she wants to qualify for next year....

Thanks to all involved.

Very good description, and the crowding wasn't helped by Guildford Flames playing at home on Saturday evening.

I likened the gallery to a Sardine Sauna, so despite the fact that we were totally mobbed on poolside, we had a lot more room than spectators. I did suggest that people might want to investigate taking officials' qualifications if only to get down on poolside occasionally where it's not quite so sticky!