Tips from Our Team
All of our Swim Teachers and Squad Coaches wish all of our students the best of luck in their upcoming School Swimming Carnivals! Whether it’s your first carnival or you're a seasoned competitor, the experience is always a great opportunity to challenge yourself, improve your skills, and have fun with your friends.
To help you get the most out of your race day, here are our top five tips from our swim teachers:
1. Goggles: Get the Right Fit
- • Your goggles are your most important piece of equipment when it comes to racing. Make sure they fit securely on your face, with no leaks around the edges. To test the fit, place them gently on your eyes and tighten the strap – they should create a light suction without hurting.
- • If your goggles do happen to come off during the race, don’t panic! Keep swimming and focus on completing your stroke. You can adjust them later, but in the meantime, it’s all about staying focused and continuing to swim your best.
2. Diving: Confidence is Key
- • Diving off the start block can be intimidating for some swimmers, and that’s completely okay! If you’re not confident with your dive or feel more comfortable starting from the side of the pool, go ahead and start next to the block. Diving isn’t mandatory, and your goal is to swim your best, not to worry about how you start.
- • If you do dive, remember to streamline your body and keep your head aligned with your body to reduce drag as you enter the water.
3. Racing: Stay Relaxed and Breathe
- • A 50-metre race can feel like a long distance, but remember, staying relaxed is key to performing well.
- • Keep your strokes long and smooth, and make sure you’re breathing regularly to avoid tiring yourself out too quickly.
- • Focus on your technique: kick from your hips (not your knees), keep your core engaged, and blow bubbles to ensure you don’t hold your breath.
- • Trust all the skills you’ve learned – they’ll carry you through to the end of the race. The more relaxed you stay, the more efficient your strokes will be, helping you swim faster and conserve energy.
4. Finishing: Always Swim Through to the Wall
The finish line is just as important as the race itself. Always swim all the way to the wall – don’t stop short or slow down early. To ensure a strong finish, touch the wall properly:
- • Freestyle & Backstroke: Use one hand to touch the wall. For backstroke, you can even rotate your body slightly to get a better reach.
- • Breaststroke & Butterfly: Both hands must touch the wall at the same time. Don’t let your body momentum carry you past the wall, as you need to ensure a clear touch to officially finish the race.
It’s easy to get excited and try to reach the wall quickly, but focusing on a clean, proper touch is essential to a successful finish.
5. Have Fun: Enjoy the Day
- • At the end of the day, swimming carnivals are about having fun and doing your best. Everyone is cheering for you, and every race is an opportunity to improve and show how far you’ve come.
- • Take a deep breath, smile, and enjoy the experience. Win or lose, it’s all about challenging yourself, supporting your teammates, and celebrating your hard work in the pool.
Good luck to all of our swimmers – we know you’re going to do an amazing job at your school swimming carnival! Stay confident, stay focused, and most importantly, have fun! 🏊♀️🏊♂️
