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Swim England’s membership categories are being given new names to make them more ‘meaningful and relevant’. The changes, which will come into effect in 2022, are being introduced following feedback from members, clubs and stakeholders. Club Train, Club Compete and Club Support will replace Category One, Category Two and Category Three respectively but it is a change in name only – all other existing conditions of those categories remain the same as follows.

Club Train is for members who are either learning to swim, or training in any discipline. As a Club Train member you will be able to compete in Low Level Competitions or an event that has an exemption under Swim England regulations. Club compete is for members of a club and looking to compete in any discipline in open competitions.  This membership offers the benefit of structured competitive pathway at all levels in every discipline. And finally, Club Support is support anyone involved in a club who volunteers or is employed by the club, including committee members, officers, Teachers and Coaches as well as any parent members. The changes are now being communicated to all Swim England affiliated clubs and toolkits and templates to help support clubs to communicate these changes for the 2022 membership year will also be supplied by Swim England.

The national reporting deadlines for both SwimMark and Stronger Affiliation are changing with submission dates being deferred until later in the year. Clubs with a current deadline of 8 December 2021 now have an extra few weeks until 31 January 2022.

For 2022 deadline dates, clubs required to submit reports by 23 March now have until 30 April, those due to submit by 22 June until  31 July, and clubs with a 21 September submission date until 31 October.

Regional deadlines for evidence submission are generally one week prior to the national date and, in line with the national change, the regional deadline for December 2021 submissions will be rescheduled from 3 December 2021 to 24 January 2022; dates for 2022 submissions are to be confirmed.

Following the reintroduction of a level of competition across the home nations, the British Swimming SOG has agreed deadlines for candidates to complete Judge 1 training as follows.

Candidates who commenced their Judge 1 training under the old face to face/classroom system will have until 31 March 2022 to complete their practical training.

Candidates who completes their Judge 1 online theory training by the 31 August 2021 deadline with have until 31 July 2022 to complete their practical training.

Finally, candidates who completes their Judge 1 online theory training from 1 September 2021 onwards will have 11 months to complete their practical training.

The BSSOG has emphasised that the date of completion of theory training is the date on their certificate and not the date it is uploaded. It is therefore important that candidates enter the correct date when uploading their certificate otherwise the date will default to 1 January 2021, which may reduce the time available to complete the practical elements. However passes under the “old” system should be processed as such, and NOT via the online upload system.

Any practical training that has already been completed since the date on their certificate can be used, provided it meets the criteria for mentoring as laid down in the log book. Also there is no longer a requirement for any Judge 1 candidates to undergo a final assessment, and once the candidate is considered competent on all required elements they may be awarded the qualification. Requests for extension of any of the published deadlines will be considered on an exceptional, case by case basis, and requests must be submitted by the candidate to swimmingofficials@swimming.org for consideration by the BSSOG.

Log books are now being issued on a regular basis so if they are not being received, candidates should email swimmingofficials@swimming.org  with their membership number if waiting more than two weeks from uploading their certificate.

Swim England CEO Jane Nickerson has congratulated Team GB’s aquatic athletes and hopes the success will spark inspiration in the next generation. The rearranged Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will go down in the history books, and not only because of the year-long postponement. It was the most successful Olympic swimming campaign ever for Team GB, producing eight swimming medals, three diving medals and many outstanding performances.

Kick started by Adam Peaty becoming the first British swimmer to successfully defend an Olympic title, the GB quartet set a new world record in a sensational Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay while Tom Dean became a double Olympic Champion in the 200m Freestyle and Men’s 4 x 200m Freestyle events.

Duncan Scott also made GB history after winning four medals at a single Olympic Games with gold and silver in the Mens’ 4 x 200m Freestyle and Men’s 4 x 100m Medley events, and individual silvers in the 200m Freestyle and 200m Individual Medley events.

In the diving, we saw how much it meant to Tom Daley after winning his first ever Olympic gold medal alongside Matty Lee, to which he then added a bronze in his individual event. Jack Laugher also recovered from a tough year to battle his way to a well-deserved bronze.

Olympic debutants Alice Dearing and Hector Pardoe in the marathon swimming and the artistic swimming duet of Kate Shortman and Isabelle Thorpe did the nation proud with their performances, setting them on their path towards Paris, while the efforts of 16-year-old’s Jacob Whittle and Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, fresh off the Swim England talent pathways, showed that all dreams are possible.

Jane Nickerson commented ” It’s not just about the medals though. Every single British athlete, coach, volunteer and member of the support staff are now role models for the next generation. This includes all of those involved from Learn to Swim, club level and beyond. Our athletes had to start somewhere. We also appreciate the role families and parents have played in the success of this great team. The support network, including the parental taxi service at all hours of the morning, cannot be underestimated. From everyone at Swim England, we would like to say a huge congratulations. You were all part of this Olympic success. We hope that is this success will inspire more and more to get involved with our wonderful disciplines.”

The start of the Paralympic Games is just a few weeks away – here’s hoping it will be as exciting and successful.