Regional Age Group - Notice Board: August 2025

Sunday, 31 August 2025

Help Your Club - Easy Fundraising

The City of Leeds Swimming Club are always looking for new ways to raise funds to support our swimmers. The Club is registered with Easy Fundraising.

Easyfundraising.org.uk helps charities, schools, sports clubs, community groups, and other good causes to raise money when their supporters shop online. So far, they have raised over £3 million for causes throughout the UK.

It works in a similar way to many other loyalty shopping sites, but instead of earning points when you shop, you raise a donation for City of Leeds Swimming Club instead. It's as simple as that!

I am sure with Christmas fast approaching most of us will be doing our shopping online, so please register with easy fundraising, it really is a very simple way to boost funds for the club.

For information how to register click on the following link

Help Your Club - Easy Fundraising

If you have any questions, please see a member of the supporters committee.

Happy Shopping

The Supporters Committee

City of Leeds Swimming Club

Saturday, 30 August 2025

Winter Yorkshires - Current Qualifiers & Spectator Tickets

Current qualifiers for the Winter Yorkshires can be viewed by clicking the link below. Any event with a white tick box means you have qualified and can enter this event. Entries will open via your City of Leeds accounts from the 11th September and close for entry at 21:30 on the 22nd September.

Winter Yorkshires 2025 - Current Qualifiers

A limited number spectator tickets for the event will become on sale on the 1st September and are available to purchase using the links below.

Spectator tickets cover one day and are transferable. Ticket numbers are limited and are not available at the venue.

Under 5s entry is free of charge.

13 Yrs+ (11th & 12th October) 2025 Yorkshire Winter Competition (25m), Tickets, Leeds

12 Yrs & Under (18th & 19th October) 2025 Yorkshire Winter Competition (25m), Sheffield Tickets

Kind regards,

Leeds Entries Team

Thursday, 28 August 2025

New Athlete Development Workshops for 2025/26

The Swim England North East Region are please to make available three different Athlete Development Workshops each covering different subject areas which aim to support the development of athletes aged from 11 to 16 years from across all our aquatic disciplines. The workshops have been attended by hundreds of athletes from across the region who have overall rated them as "Excellent" and provided them with lots of practical tips that they can use to help their development.

All virtual classroom workshops will be educational, informative, interactive and delivered by experienced, qualified practitioners. Each workshop will also include a Q&A section. The three separate workshops will cover the following subjects:

Nutrition

Understanding the importance of a heathy balanced diet and hydration for athlete health and good performance

What to eat for training and competition
Ideas for snacks and meals
Portion sizes and the importance of quality and quantity

An Introduction to Sports Psychology and Goal Setting

Outcome, and process goals

Developing useful mental skills
Positive behaviours
Relaxation

Developing a Performance Lifestyle

Time management

Prioritisation and planning
Communication
Recovery

Each of the workshops are scheduled to take place as follows:

Nutrition Workshops take place on:

Tuesday 11th November 2025 6:30pm to 7:30pm or Sunday 25th January 2026 10am to 11am

An Introduction to Sports Psychology and Goal Setting Workshops take place on:

Sunday 7th December 2025 10am to 11am or Tuesday 3rd March 2026 6:30pm to 7:30pm

Developing a Performance Lifestyle Workshops take place on:

Sunday 23rd November 2025 10am to 11am or Thursday 12th February 2026 6:30pm to 7:30pm

The fee to attend each workshop is £5/learner. The workshop joining details will be sent to those who book a place in the week prior to each workshop taking place.

Please note that for those athletes who are selected onto the 2025 – 2026 County Swimming Development Programmes, there will be no additional charge to attend these workshops . These athletes have been provided with a code / coupon to enable you to book on at no cost.

Please book your place promptly to avoid disappointment.

City of Leeds September Meet Entries

Hi all,

Entries for the City of Leeds September Meet held at John Charles on the Saturday 27th September & Sunday 28th September are now open for entry online. Entries for this competition will close to Leeds swimmers at 12:00 on Thursday 4th September. If you wish to discuss entries, please see coaches after the sessions this week.

Swimmers are advised to enter 2 – 3 races per session. Swimmers should enter races they have not already achieved Short Course Yorkshire Qualifying times in. This meet is also a great opportunity to try any races you have not competed in before to get a time posted on the British Rankings. Those swimmers that attend Thursday mornings can have a go at the 400m races.

Held on 27th & 28th September at John Charles (Short Course)

Age at 28th September 2025 (open to swimmers aged 9yrs +)

ALL Heat Declared Winners

ALL Mixed Events

50m/100m/200m all strokes
400m Freestyle

100m/ 200m IM/ 400m IM

City of Leeds September Meet Pack

For those swimmers trying events for the first time please use the Standard times formula in the link below to work out an appropriate entry time.
Standard Times Formula

Please use the link below to access a copy of your best times.

Regional Development Lifetime Bests

R egional Performance Lifetime Bests

Below is a link to the Short Course Yorkshire Times

Yorkshire Short Course Championships 2025 (Lower Age Group – 12 & Under)

Yorkshire Short Course Championships 202 5 (Lower Age Group – 13 & Over)

To make entry into the competition

- Log into your online account using the link (https://swimleeds.myswimmingclub.uk/)

- On the Menu Bar click Gala's

- Click Enter Gala and follow the instructions

* Please note entries will not be accepted until payment is made.

The Regional Team

Training Changes - September

Hi all,

Please take note of the following changes to training for the Regional Squads during September due to pool bookings and competitions.

Regional Development

Monday 1st September - No AM Training

Thursday 4th September - No AM Training

Friday 5th September PM – 18:30 - 19:30

Saturday 6th September AM – No Training (Squad Competing at City of Leeds Club Championships)

Monday 8th September - No AM Training

Thursday 11th September - No Am Training

Monday 15th September - No Am Training

Thursday 18th September - No Am Training

Friday 26th September PM – 18:30 - 19:30

Saturday 27th September AM - No Training (Squad Competing at City of Leeds September Meet)

Monday 29th September AM - No AM Training (Recovery)

Regional Performance

Monday 1st September - No AM Training

Thursday 4th September - No AM Training

Saturday 6th September AM – No Training (Squad Competing at City of Leeds Club Championships)

Monday 8th September - No AM Training

Thursday 11th September - No Am Training

Monday 15th September - No Am Training

Thursday 18th September - No Am Training

Friday 26th September PM – 18:15 - 19:15

Saturday 27th September AM - No Training (Squad Competing at City of Leeds September Meet)

Monday 29th September AM - No AM Training (Recovery)

The Regional Team

Regional Squad - Attendance

Hi all,

Just a friendly reminder that as we get back into the swing of things after the Summer Break, all members of Regional Development and Regional Performance (aged 9 years+) should be attending one early morning (Mon/ Thu) as agreed before taking up placement in the squad.

Saturday mornings will start this week. Monday and Thursday mornings will start from week commencing 22nd September (this is later than planned, to let swimmers get settled back into their routine with school after the long summer break).

This will hopefully maximise your swimmer's potential and give them the best possible chance of meeting the squad criteria by the end of the January New Year Meet 2026. This competition will be the last chance to qualify for the Long Course Yorkshire Championships 2026.

Squad criteria and membership standards can be found here.

Remember, consistency week in week out is the key to success and swimmers who have to miss a session should try where possible to make up.

The Regional Team

COLSC Needs your help!

Hello all,

Welcome back! We hope you had a wonderful summer break.

We have two home galas coming up; City of Leeds Club Championships on the 6th September and the City of Leeds September Meet on Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th September.

We need your help please!

Swim England have updated their rules which means we need additional help on poolside and as it stands we unfortunately do not have enough volunteers for either meet to run. The start of the season is a great time to get involved, those who have been thinking about it, the Club Champs is one day and you can see whether volunteering is for you.

Please email Anna on anna.darnell79@gmail.com to discuss further and chat about all the volunteering opportunities.

Thanks and see you on poolside soon.

Anna

Anna Darnell

COLSC Gala Director

Welcome Back!

Hi all,

Welcome back. I hope you have enjoyed the summer break!

Below is a link to this year's competition calendar, but please note that the dates for January-July are subject to change as not all meets have been confirmed.

Competition Calendar 2025-2026

Any queries regarding meets etc can be found on the meets page of the City of Leeds Swimming Club Website here. Any meet specific information i.e. races to enter etc can be found on the Regional Blog here or will be communicated through your squad coach.

Upcoming entry dates for your diaries

City of Leeds September Meet - Opens 26th Aug & Closes 4th Sept

City of Sheffield Snow Frills Meet - Opens 11th Sept & Closes 22nd Sept

Yorkshire SA Winter Meet - Opens 11th Sept & Closes 22nd Sept

City of Leeds Autumn Development Meet (for swimmers too young to compete in the Regional Competition Calendar) - Opens 26th Sept & Closes 6th Oct

ASANER Age Group Championships - Opens 9th Oct & Closes 20th Oct

City of Leeds Xmas Meet - Opens 30th Oct & Closes 10th Nov

City of Leeds New Year Meet - Opens 6th Nov & Closes 17th Nov

City of Leeds Winter Development Meet (for swimmers too young to compete in the Regional Competition Calendar) - Opens 27th Nov & Closes 8th Dec

Yorkshire Long Course Championships - Opens 5th Jan & Closes 12th Jan

Equipment

Please can you ensure that your child has the required training equipment. Here's a quick reminder of what is needed:

· Fins

· Snorkel

· Pullbuoy

· Paddles

· Kickboard

· Drinks Bottles

· Appropriate Gym Trainers for Land Training

· Spare Cap & Goggles

Any club kit is available through kit locker here. If you require a replacement STS Cap, you can purchase one from the Aquatics Centre Reception (you will need to keep the receipt and pass it to Sharon Barraclough or your squad coach, so that they can give you the cap).

The Regional Team

Quote Bank!

"Kevin!, On the whole I think C Central have swum absolutely fantastic this year". Jacob Butterfield - C Central.

"Winners are not people who never fail, but people who never quit"

"I wouldn't say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the work and time into it". Michael Phelps.

"Train insane, or remain the same".

"Dream. Believe. Achieve".

"You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get". Michael Phelps.

"I can definitely take more off my world record - a lot more. I have no doubt about that. I'm by no means putting pressure on myself, it's just the belief I have in myself ..... I'm not going to limit myself by nominating times or anything like that. I never thought I'd do 14:34 and I did. I thought I'd maybe do 14:38 or 14:39 that day, and I went nearly five seconds quicker so I don't want to limit the possibilities". Grant Hackett.

"In training everyone focuses on 90% physical and 10% mental, but in the races it's 90% mental because there's very little that seperates us physically at the elite level". Elka Graham.

"The hardest thing about climbing the ladder of success is getting through the crowd at the bottom".

"We need to create a way of working, and that's why I felt the need to set some rules. For example, we will all eat together, leave the table together - it is all about respecting each other. And being punctual is key". Fabio Capello.

"Unleash the Inner Beast!".

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing". Muhammad Ali.

"Many people say you are as only good as your last race, but we know we are only as good as our next race!".

"It was not the 10 work outs I did every week for four years that allowed me to overcome my competitors, it was the ones that they missed". Graeme Smith (1996).

"It's how you prepare months before in the training pool that will determine your performance at the main event. Your ruthless attendance, quality and consistency of your training will serge you forward to a result you will be happy with!"

"Winning the Gold Medal was undoubtedly the biggest day of my career, mostly because I won the way I had prepared to run it. It was a totally satisfying experience". Frank Shorter (American Athlete, Olympic Gold Medalist) (Munich 1972).

"Go into the sport because you have fun doing it, not because of 'what if's' and dreams of gold medals. That way, no matter what happens, you win". Shannon Miller (American Gymnast, two time Olympic Gold Medalist) (Atlanta 1996).

"As the years go by I train physically harder and I am always trying to go faster, further and higher. I train seven days a week and at the end of the day, I'm pretty tired but I never wish I was anyone else. If I miss a days training I feel guilty and I know I should have done it. I'm conscientious and unless I have a very good reason to, I never miss a session. It seems unfair to train for years and miss days just for the hell of it, and if I ever start to skip days, I would realise my attitude was not right and it was time for me to finish". Olympic Champion.

"Have a clear goal in your head of where you want to be and never give up!".

"Remember what doesn't challenge you, doesn't change you!"

"Not a day goes past where I don't go to bed with aching limbs ..... I have lost friends over it ..... I have lost girlfriends because of it ..... My family hates it ..... The only person that understands it wants to beat me ..... But I love it more than anything in the world!"

"Don't let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning". Robert Kiyosaki.

'Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday'. William Rudolph (American Athlete, three-time Olympic Gold medalist) (Rome 1960).

"It's been told that swimming is a wimp sport, but I don't see it. We don't get timeouts in the middle of a race; we can's stop and catch our breath; and we can't ask for a substitution".

"We can accomplish almost anything within our ability if we but think we can".

"In 2004 , I won a bronze. This is a silver. Maybe in 2012, it will be a gold. Slowly, slowly". Eliud Kipchoge (Kenyan Athelete, Olympic silver medalist) (Beijing 2008).

"I came out here to beat everybody in sight and that is exactly what I'm going to do. Sure, I can do anything". Mildred 'Babe' Didrikson (American Athlete, two-time Olympic gold medalist) (Los Angeles 1932).

"Before the (Olympic) trials I was doing a lot of relaxing exercises and visualisation. And I think that that helped me to get a feel of what it was going to be like when I got there. I knew that I had done everything that I could to get ready for that meet, both physically and mentally". Michael Phelps. (6 Gold Medals, 2004 Olympic Games).

"Success comes with determination to get up the morning after the hardest practice of your life and do it all over again!"

"There is nothing like the smell of chlorine in the morning, and nothing like the smell of victory in the evening"

"Enjoy the journey, enjoy every moment and quit worrying bout winning and losing". Matt Biondi. (American Swimmer, eight-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992).

"You only get one shot, go out there and do your best". Chad le Clos (200m Butterfly Champion).

"No negative thoughts cross my mind on race day. When I look into their eyes, I know I'm going to beat them". Danny Harris. (American Athlete, Olympic Silver Medallist. Los Angeles 1984).

"When I go out and race, I'm not trying to beat opponents, I'm trying to beat what I have done ... to beat myself, basically. People find that hard to believe because we've had such a bias to always strive to win things. If you win something and you haven't put everything into it, you haven't actually achieved anything at all. When you've had to work hard for something and you've got the best you can out of yourself on that given day, that's where you get satisfaction from". Ian Thorpe.

"I concentrate on preparing to swim my race and let other swimmers think about me, not me about them". Amanda Beard.

"An athlete cannot race with money in his pockets. He must race with hope in his heart and dreams in his head". Emil Zatopek. (Four Time Olympic Gold Medallist).

"If you win something and you haven't put everything into it, you haven't actually achieved anything at all. When you've had to work for something and you've got the best you can out of yourself on that given day, that's where you get satisfaction from". Ian Thorpe. (Australian swimmer, five-time Olympic gold medallist. Sydney 2000, Athens 2004).

"No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up and never give up!".

"Push harder than yesterday if you want a different tomorrow".

"Champions train, losers complain".

"Success isn't overnight. It's when everyday you get a little better than the day before. It all adds up." Dwayne Johnson.

"Life is full of disappointments, failures and setbacks. None of those things can permanently stop you. You have the power to overcome anything that life throws at you. There is nothing as powerful as a made up mind. Surround yourself with people who remind you that you matter, and support you in the ways that matter most to you. No person, situation, or circumstance can define who you are. Don't give up. cave in, or stop believing that it's possible. It's not over until you win."