Bushey Amateur Swimming Club

Bushey Amateur Swimming Club

New Member Assessment Process

Administration

Prior to accepting a new swimming member into the club, he or she is expected to undertake a swimming assessment. Those swimmers held on the club’s waiting list are invited for assessment by the membership secretary by applying the following criteria:-

• Other siblings are already members of the club
• Parent / guardian holds an official post within the club
• Previous membership of another ASA affiliated club
• Time held on the waiting list (longest time first)
• Age and self-assessment of swimming ability
• All other swimmers on the waiting list

Swimming assessment sessions can be arranged at any time. Usually however, they take place once per term immediately prior to the BASC Club Championships event, as we have use of the Bushey Grove pool from 4pm on the Sunday of this event, but it does not start until 6pm.

As a guide, a maximum of 36 swimmers can be assessed in 90 minutes, provided that three assessors are available for this period.

The swimming assessment takes 10 minutes per swimmer, during which time they will be under the responsibility of the assessing teacher. At the teacher’s discretion he/she may assess up to two swimmers simultaneously, depending on ability and pool conditions.

On completion of the assessment, details will be passed from the assessing teacher to the membership secretary to be recorded on the club database. This detail will be an indication of the proposed class into which that swimmer would be admitted. This is not an invitation to join the club, and no commitment to the swimmer (and/or parents) should be made at this time. Other factors must be considered before an invitation is made. Any invitation to join will be communicated separately to the swimmer at a later date.

Depending on the assessment of the teacher, the Assessment matrix will be applied to determine suitability of the swimmer to join the club (see Appendix A).

Documents used during the assessment session to record swimming ability will be retained by the membership secretary (see Appendix B). They will be used for reference when a swimmer is invited to join the club. As there can sometimes be a delay between the assessment and availability of a place, they give useful additional information when selecting whether a swimmer should be invited.

Swimmers will not be offered a place within the club at the time of the assessment. This is because the membership secretary must ensure that spaces are available, and that there are no other pending considerations. The swimmer will be contacted after the assessment, and advised whether or not a place is available, and a starting date where appropriate.

BASC Assessment Matrix

This age Matrix will be applied at the time of assessment to assist the decision on the suitability and potential of swimmers to join the club.

1. The underpinning rational for this matrix is based upon the structure of club classes and supporting swimmers progress in gaining stroke technique and competitive skills in line with expected age group levels.
2. The minimum age for entry is 5 years and these children must be able to swim unaided.
3. The general principal that no children 11 or over will be accepted into the club in Amos classes. The exception to this being in the case of 11 year olds who require single stroke remedial training across shorter distances or ‘skill development’ (e.g. tumble work/Diving work)
4. BASC expects applicant 12 year olds to have reached a competitive standard of length swimming of at least 25 M in all 4 strokes so they can be placed in either Baker, Cook, Dowse or Erica. This can be achieved once Stage 8 has been completed in the ‘British Gas Learn to Swim Pathway’.
5. The BASC poolside manager will have discretion in relation to these general principals in exceptional cases (e.g. Siblings/family member/disability/medical rehabilitation).
6. The offer of a place is dependent upon availability and the immediate take up of the offer.

Expected stroke standard (EST) has been developed by the ASA. It refers to the standard that a swimmer should swim for a particular stroke. Key during Amos Groups

‘Stroke Entry Objectives’ for each of the classes below are a list of outcomes that swimmers should complete before moving into that particular class. It’s not what swimmers have to do in order to move up a class.

AMOS 1 Entry Criteria: -

(No tumbles/diving are learnt in Amos 1. It’s all about getting the front crawl, back crawl and breast stroke to the expected stroke standard across a full length before moving up to Amos 2. Only 15m of full stroke butterfly is required in order to move up to Amos 2)

Average class warm up:

- 4 widths FC (14m widths)

- 2 widths BC

- 2 widths BS

Stroke Entry Objectives:

1. To be able to swim 25m full stroke (FS) front crawl

(To check stamina when multiple 14m sets are delivered in sessions)

1. To swim FS front crawl and back crawl to EST - 14m
2. To swim breast stroke leg kick to EST

(With a kick board) – 14m

1. To show a slight understanding of FS breast stroke – 14m
2. To get propulsion from a dolphin leg kick (undulation)– 14m

Skill Entry Objectives:

1. Perform a mushroom float for 5 seconds
2. Perform a forward roll stationary in the water
3. Push and Glide and hold for 5 seconds
4. To perform a hand stand and hold for a minimum of 3 seconds
5. To perform a horizontal head first scull 10m
6. Tread water for 15 seconds

(If stroke technique is too weak and there is little stamina then swimmers should be advised to carry on with swimming lessons until Stage 5 is completed/Stage 6 is achieved. If objectives are easily achieved then consider Amos 2)

AMOS 2 Entry Criteria: -

(Amos 2 is where all four strokes are developed to an expected stroke standard (EST) lasting for 50m, plus stamina built for 100m swims inc IM before moving up to Transition. Diving is learnt in St Margret’s 1.8m pool and tumble turns must be to a good standard. Use of pace clock also introduced)

Average class warm-up:

- 50m FC, 25m BC, 25m BS

Stroke Entry Objectives:

1. To perform 2x 25m FS front crawl to an EST

(If swimmer seems tired and the stroke is not maintained throughout the whole length then consider ‘Amos 1’

1. To swim 25m FS back stroke to an EST, including a breathing pattern of every; 3 or 5
2. To swim 25m FS breast stroke to an EST
3. To swim 25m Butterfly undulation with arms extended
4. To swim 15m FS Butterfly to an EST

Skill Entry Objectives:

1. Swim front crawl into a forward roll.
2. To perform a head first surface dive.
3. Push and Glide underwater and dolphin leg kick with arms extended

TRANSITION Entry Criteria: -

(Transition begins to take on more of a ‘coaching approach’ as swimmers work at a much harder level compared to Amos 2. Their main swim focus is the 200m IM, including work on all turns to build stamina before moving into ‘Baker’. A test set of 10x 50m can be undertaken to check for stamina (see Baker section).

Average class warm-up:

- 100m FC, 50m BC, 50m BS

Stroke Entry Objectives:

1. Swim a set lasting for 200m (either 4x 50m, 2x 100m or 1x 200m) maintaining an EST w/ tumble turns.
2. Swim 50m on all four strokes to EST
3. Swim 100m FS front crawl
4. Swim a 100m IM

Skill Entry Objectives:

1. Dive competently in deep water (not used in assessments)
2. Perform a front crawl tumble turn at the wall

(Pushing off underwater on back demonstrating BF legs, flipping onto front to the surface and break into FC)

1. To be able to use the pace clock

BAKER Entry Criteria: -

(Baker is classed as ‘early competitive’. All four strokes should be expected stroke standard (EST) and now we can ‘coach’ them to develop their stroke to a more technical level. Main focus is 400m IM before moving up into ‘Cook’.

Average class warm-up:

- 200m FC, 100m BC, 50m BS

Stroke Entry Objectives:

1. Swim a set lasting 400m (either 4x 100m, 2x 200m or 1x 400m) and a session lasting 1200m
2. Swim 100m on FC, BC and BS to EST
3. Swim 2x 50m FS butterfly to EST
4. Swim 200m IM

TEST SET ENTRY (Fulfilled by ‘Transition’, not used in assessment):

- 10x 100mm with 10 seconds rest getting an average sub 3:00 / 100m)

- Achieve 34 lengths in the T20 test set.

Skill Entry Objectives:

1. Perform a racing dive (grab start and track start)
2. Demonstrate all turns (FC tumble, BC tumble, BS and BF turn + all IM turns)
3. To have a more effective understanding of pace clock.

COOK Entry Criteria: -

(Cook is classed as ‘junior competitive’, usually contains swimmers 11+. Stamina really needs to increase so a lot of aerobic activity before moving up to ‘Dowse’)

Average class warm-up:

- 200m FC, 150m BC, 100m BS

Stroke Entry Objectives:

1. Swim a set lasting 800m (either 8x 100m, 4x 200m or 2x 400m) and a session lasting 1800m
2. Swim 200m (100m for BF) on all 4 strokes maintaining EST.
3. Swim 400m IM
4. Have a 50m sprint time of below 36 seconds for boys and 37 for girls

TEST SET ENTRY (Fulfilled by ‘Baker’, not used in assessment):

10x 100m with 10 seconds rest getting an average of sub 2:30 / 100m

To achieve 40 lengths in the T20 test set.

Skill Entry Objectives:

1. Perform a shallow racing dive (grab start and track start)
2. To have a more effective understanding of pace clock
3. Competent at all race starts

DOWSE Entry Criteria: -

(Dowse is classed as ‘senior competitive B’, swimmers 12+. The class is a big jump and has a lot of aerobic + endurance sets before moving up to the top squad ‘Erica’, all stroke technique, skill work and stamina must be fully perfected and consistent before moving up. Swimmers should be regularly taking part in competitive events)

Average class warm-up:

- 300m FC, 200m BC, 150m BS

Stroke Entry Objectives:

1. Swim a set lasting 1600m (either 16x 100m, 8x 200m or 4x 400m) and a session lasting 2,400m
2. Swim 4x 100m on all strokes maintaining expected stroke standard
3. Have a 50m sprint time of below 33 seconds for boys and 35 seconds
4. Swim 800m IM

TEST SET ENTRY (Fulfilled by ‘Cook’, not used in assessments):

10x 100m with 10 seconds rest getting an average of sub 1:50 per 100m

To achieve 46 lengths in the T20 test set

Skill Entry Objectives:

1. Perform a flip turn (Back to Breast)

ERICA Entry Criteria: -

(Erica is classed as ‘senior competitive A’, swimmers 14+. All swimmers should be committed and be competing regularly.

Stroke Entry Objectives:

1. Swim a set lasting 2400m (either 16x 100m then 4x 200m) and a session lasting 3,200m
2. Swim 4x 100m on all four strokes maintaining EST
3. Have a 50m sprint time below 29 seconds for boys and 32 seconds for girls.
4. Swim 800m IM

TEST SET ENTRY (Fulfilled by ‘Dowse’, not used in assessments):

10x 100m with 10 seconds rest getting an average of sub 1:38 per 100m

Achieve 50 lengths in the T20 test set

Skill Entry Objectives:

Be competent at all skills including all types of dive, turns and starts.