Parent Guide & FAQs

Traditional swim lessons focus primarily on basic water safety and fundamental stroke mechanics. Club swimming transitions young athletes into structured, continuous lane training. Swimmers learn to read pace clocks, execute legal turns and starts, build aerobic stamina, and refine all four competitive strokes under professional coaching guidance.

Trials last 30 to 45 minutes. A coach will observe your child swimming standard strokes to evaluate technique, stamina, and ability to follow poolside instructions. Swimmers need a well-fitting swimsuit (jammers/trunks for boys, one-piece for girls), swimming goggles, a silicone cap, and a full water bottle.

While Swim Bournemouth is a competitive club affiliated with Swim England, our entry-level development squads focus on skill development and enjoying the sport. We encourage all swimmers to participate in low-pressure internal club time trials or local development meets when ready, but coaches introduce competitions gradually without pressure.

We train across primary venues in the area, including the Littledown Centre and Canford School Sports Centre, as well as Ferndown Leisure Centre. Your swimmer's specific schedule depends on their squad allocation.

Expectations scale with the squad level:

• Development Squads (e.g., Reef / Whitewater): 1–2 sessions per week.
• Junior Competitive Squads (e.g., Vortex / Riptide): 2–4 sessions per week.
• Performance Squads (e.g., Tsunami): 4+ sessions per week, including dryland/S&C training.

Target attendance criteria are outlined in your squad pathway guide upon joining.

Viewing options depend on the pool venue rules (e.g., dedicated spectator galleries at Littledown). Parents are welcome to watch quietly from designated spectator zones. To ensure swimmer focus and safety, parents must never enter the poolside deck or approach coaches during active training sessions.

If your swimmer will miss consecutive sessions, please log the absence via your GoMotion parent account or email your squad coach. Missed training sessions cannot be refunded or swapped for alternative slots due to strict lane capacity limits.

The head coach and squad coaches publish a seasonal Fixture List detailing designated "Target Meets" for each squad. Entry details, qualifying times, and deadlines are published inside GoMotion, where parents can enter and pay for race events directly.

In competitive swimming, official Swim England judges enforce strict stroke regulations. A Disqualification (DQ) occurs if a swimmer makes a technical error (e.g., an illegal kick in breaststroke or breaking stroke on a turn). DQs are a normal, valuable part of a young swimmer's learning curve, and coaches review them constructively after the race.

Warm-Up Routine:

• Arrive in your warm-up suit and be completely ready to swim.
• Be part of the Team Talk to start the day.
• Complete the RMAP Land Warm-Up (Raise, Mobility, Activate, Prime).
• Pool Warm-Up.
• Get dry and put on your club kit right away. STAY WARM! Warm muscles are fast muscles—don't let them get cold!
• Represent and be proud of our Club in Dorset. All competitors must wear their SB hats to race!

Race Mode:

• Put on your race suit (if you own race skins) after warm-up so you are ready for the session. Performance Squad swimmers should time suit changes carefully to avoid sitting in compressed suits for long periods.
• Coach Briefing: Always talk to your coach before racing to set your tactics and execution.
• Execute an RMAP land warm-up prior to racing (unless you have only just raced).
• RACE FAST!
• Post-Race: Cool down, get dry, stay warm, and re-fuel/re-hydrate.
• Debrief: Talk to your coach for constructive race feedback and performance reflection.
• Support your teammates and make some noise!

Eating on race day should be kept as close as possible to your normal daily diet. Race day is not the time to suddenly change food intake and expect benefits.

• Complex Carbohydrates: Maintain a baseline of complex carbs such as pasta or oats to ensure a steady drip-feed of energy throughout the day.
• Simple Sugars: Keep simple sugars to a minimum. Fruit is your best option. High-sugar sweets (like Haribo) should be used sparingly, if at all. Sugar spikes energy, but the body compensates by crashing to a lower level afterwards—creating a negative cycle of needing more sugar to pick back up.
• Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Always bring a full water bottle poolside.

Pack the following essentials for all targeted meets:

• Warm-Up Suit: Standard training costume.
• Race Suit: Tight, race-tech costume (optional for those new to competition).
• Goggles: 2x pairs (primary + spare).
• Hats: 2x hats (at least 1x official SB Club hat).
• Towels: 2x towels (1x for post-race drying, 1x for changing at the end).
• Club Kit: Official SB T-shirt and hoodie to represent the club and stay warm poolside.
• Poolside Footwear: Poolside shoes/flip-flops and socks (don't lose heat through your feet!).
• Nutrition & Drinks: Full water bottle and a carbohydrate-rich packed lunch with fruit and nutritious snacks.

Equipment requirements vary by squad, but standard gear bags generally include:

• Short training fins
• Kickboard & Pull Buoy
• Snorkel (Junior & Senior competitive squads)
• Mesh kit bag to store gear on the pool deck

Check your squad welcome pack for exact equipment requirements.

Official club t-shirts, hoodies, and silicone swim caps can be ordered via the Club Shop link inside your GoMotion parent portal. Training hardware (kickboards, fins) can be purchased from any reputable swim specialist retailer.