Welcome
At SMGS Aquatics, we aim for excellence in the sport of swimming, whilst providing a safe and nurturing environment that allows all swimmers to achieve their goals and be the best version of themselves in and out of the pool.
Established in 2019, SMGS Aquatics is a Swimming Club for St Michael’s students and the wider community. The club caters for students in Year 4 and above, with a focus on preparing swimmers for competitions or maintaining fitness throughout the year.
Club Structure
Within SMGS Aquatics, there are four key groups which contribute to the club structure. These include Learn to Race, Development Squad, Senior Squad and SwimFit for Adults.
Learn to Race
The Learn to Race program is for swimmers in Years 4 to 6 and is our introductory squad. This Squad caters for swimmers coming from Learn to Swim lessons. Sessions are designed to complement the Learn to Swim lessons and not replace them. Each term has a specific focus and goals for the swimmers to work towards, with the following term building on the skills taught. At the end of each term, swimmers are expected to compete at the Club Encouragement Meet. This meet provides swimmers with the opportunity to test their new skills and compete in a fun and relaxed setting.
Development and Senior Squads
Our two main groups are the Senior and Development Squads. Senior Squad is for swimmers in Year 8 through to Year 12 while Development Squad is for swimmers in Year 5 through to Year 7. Each group has swimmers that are part of the Competitive pathway and the Fitness pathway. Swimmers train and complete the same sessions, however swimmers in the Competitive pathway are expected to have Swimming Victoria memberships and compete at regular weekend competitions. Swimmers can select which sessions they participate in throughout the week. Once swimmers select their sessions at the start of the term, it is preferred that they maintain the same sessions for the duration of the term. Should swimmers need to change sessions, they can discuss this with their coach.
SwimFit for Adults
Once swimmers graduate from School, they have the option of returning to continue swimming as part of our SwimFit for Adults program. This group is for adults of all abilities who are looking to build and maintain fitness in a social and friendly environment. Swimmers can choose from two sessions a week, Monday and/or Wednesday nights. One of the club's coaches is on deck to deliver 2 sessions of varying levels of difficulty. Swimmers select which one they do and can modify sessions as necessary.
Pool Sessions
Pool sessions take place from Monday to Friday across a mix of morning and evening time slots.
Depending on the squad will dictate when they have access to the pool. Sessions take place in the indoor heated 6 lane 25m pool at St Michael's Grammar School. For swimmers completing gym sessions, the expectation is that they are doing the swimming sessions as well as the gym sessions.
Gym Program
During the 2 gym sessions the club is split into the 2 groups, based on year levels.Each group spends 40minutes in the weights room and 40minutes in the aerobics room. During their time in the weights room, swimmers work through age specific programs designed and overseen by our Head of Athletic Development. Each group has 3 levels of exercises to work through. Years 5 to 7 levels are made up of a mix of body weight exercises aimed at teaching athletes the correct movement patterns used when lifting weights later on when they're older. Swimmers use basic equipment such as resistance bands and wooden dowel. Years 8 to 12 levels include the introduction of weights to the existing body weight programs. Swimmers start with light weights and basic exercises and progress onto heavier weights and more complex movements. Each level is run for 3 weeks before swimmers progress onto the next one.
Swimnastics
To compliment the work being done in the weights room, swimmers complete a range of programs from Swimnastics. Designed by a former gymnast, strength and conditioning coach and swimming coach, Swimnastics is a dryland program incorporating the fundamentals of gymnastics to help swimmers build strength, increase flexibility and develop sound movement patterns.
The Swimnastics program teaches a range of conditioning exercises that increase athleticism of swimmers helping them to improve their starting power and swimming velocity. The program teaches athletes a range of movement patterns and helps them develop better body awareness. This helps them develop essential skills such as forward rolls for tumble turns. Swimmers who are interested, are able to hold their own membership with Swimnastics which gives them access to the programs we use as well as the opportunity to complete online Zoom sessions with Kirsten Norden, the founder of Swimnastics.
For more information, please visit swimnastics.com.au.
Facilities
As part of the Swimming Club, swimmers have access to a range of facilities including our six-lane indoor heated swimming pool, adjustable starting blocks, weights room, indoor gymnasium.
Timetable
The timetable for the Swimming Club follows the school calendar. Prior to the start of each term, the Aquatics Coordinator puts together the training schedule. The aim is to keep the training schedule the same from term to term but there may be the need to make slight changes.
During the school holidays, a modified training schedule will run. The holiday-specific training schedule will be published towards the end of each term and will outline any breaks the club will be having.
Equipment
While all training equipment is provided, it can be beneficial for swimmers to have their own pair of fins. These can be stored at the School but need to be clearly named and kept in a mesh bag. It is recommended that when purchasing fins, swimmers go through DMC Fins
Competitive Swimming
Competitions
The purpose of competitive swimming is to compete and that means attending swimming competitions. Members of the competitive pathway are part of a competitive team and therefore must be willing to accept the responsibility of membership and participate in competitions. There are a number of different competitions held throughout the year, with events designed so that swimmers can compete at a range of levels.
The Swimming Year
The Swimming year runs from 1 July to 30 June the following year and is broken up into 2 seasons – the Short Course season and the Long Course season. During the Short Course season, competitions take place in 25m pools and the season generally runs from May through to the end of September. During the Long Course season, competitions are held in 50m pools and the season generally runs from October to the end of April.
Swimming Victoria Membership
Swimmers who choose to register for competitions need to have an additional membership with Swimming Victoria. This allows them to compete at Swimming Victoria meets and other club run competitions. Memberships can be purchased online through Swim Central from 1 July at the start of each Swimming Year.
Swim Central
Swim Central is the national database developed for Swimming Australia and is used by the State Swimming Associations to manage memberships, meet entries, results, and other membership related functions.
In Swim Central every member aged 17 years and under is linked to a parent member through a family group. The parent must purchase a Dry Membership to be able to do this. There are various promotions for swimmers and Dry Members through Swimming Victoria such as discounted bathers and early access to tickets for international competitions.
Competition Calendar
Prior to the start of the season, the coaches will go through the Swimming Victoria competition calendar and select competitions. Once the club competition calendar has been finalised, it will be distributed to all club members. While the coaches encourage swimmers to select their own events for each competition, coaches should be included in conversations around which events swimmers will compete in at each competition. It is important that swimmers not only swim their main events a few times over the course of the season, but they should select some events that challenge and push them outside their comfort zone.
Competitions are held on the weekends, with a mix of Saturday and Sunday meets selected to allow swimmers the opportunity to complete other activities over the weekend. Most competitions are split into half day sessions by age group and generally, swimmers aged 12 and under will compete in the morning and swimmers aged 13 and over will compete in the afternoon. This may change slightly depending on who is running the competition.
Competitions are not compulsory however the more swimmers are able to do, the easier it will become for them. Where a competition has been prescribed on the calendar, coaches will be in attendance to support swimmers throughout the day. Swimmers may enter other competitions that are not prescribed by the club, but it should be noted that club coaches may not be in attendance. If swimmers choose to do this, we ask that the coach is made aware so that they can check availability and, where possible, be in attendance.
Qualifying Times
Swimmers need to have achieved particular qualifying times to be eligible to enter State and National Championships and certain Swimming Victoria hosted competitions. These times will be provided as they become available. Qualifying times are sometimes also imposed for specific events (generally for the longer distance events) at Club and District hosted competitions.
Club Championship Series
Held at the 25m pool at St Michael's Grammar School, the Club Championships Series is comprised of four meets usually at the end of every term. This competition is for all swimmers, regardless of whether they are Competitive members or Fitness members. Swimmers are split into teams and compete in their age groups for points for themselves as well as for their team. At the end of each meet medals are presented to the champion and runner up of each age group. Once the series has concluded, trophies are presented to the male and female champions and the winning team is added to the honour board. There are a separate set of club records for this specific series.
Swimmers select which events they compete in from the list below:
• Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly – 50m, 100m, 200m
• Individual Medley – 100m, 200m
Freestyle Skins Race
There are three rounds of 50m Freestyle. There are six swimmers in the first round with the last two eliminated. After a two minute break the top four swimmers race another 50m freestyle race with the last two eliminated. Finally, after another 1.5 minute break, the remaining two swimmers will battle it out for the overall win. Points will be awarded for each round.
Points are awarded as below:
1st 12 2nd 10 3rd 8 4th 6 5th 4 6th 2
1
2
3
Skins Race points are awarded as above.
This competition provides all swimmers with the opportunity to track their progress over the course of the year.
Swimmers in the Learn to Race program compete at this competition in a different section – the Encouragement Meet. This allows us to track their progress and readiness for the Swimming Club.
Uniform
The club tracksuit is the same as what is used as the St Michael's PE Uniform (with the exception of the top). Swimmers can purchase the optional shorts, tracksuit pants and hoodie from Bob Stewart.
Club Cap
All swimmers that sign up for the club are given an Aquatics swimming cap. Swimmers who compete at competitions throughout the year are expected to be wearing the club cap at each competition. Competitive members are given 2 caps with their surname printed on each cap. These can only be used at club competitions.
Club Long Sleeve Top
Competitive members of the club will receive a long sleeve top. The expectation is that swimmers wear this top to all competitions. This helps create a team atmosphere and enables coaches and spectators to easily identify our swimmers at competitions.
Deck Coats
The club has a navy deck coat made from durable waterproof material with a fleece lining. Available for Swimmers, Coaches and Parents, it has the club logo on the front and back. To order email aquatics@stmichaels.vic. edu.au
Swimming Australia Junior Excellence Awards
Swimming Australia’s Junior Excellence (JX) program sponsored by the Pho3nix Foundation, encourages and
inspires the next generation of competitive swimmers by recognising the performances of swimmers aged 9 to 13.
Delivered in conjunction with all states and territories, this program provides junior swimmers with access to a host of elite role models, including the program’s national ambassador – Dolphin Jack McLoughlin – along with receiving live recognition of achievements via Swim Central and program merchandise.
Within the JX program, junior swimmers strive to achieve gold, silver, bronze or blue standard times when they compete throughout the year. Swimming clinics are offered throughout the year in every state and territory for swimmers in the program.
For more information about the program, please visit the JX website: swimming.org.au/get-involved/programs/jx
Club Records
Our club keeps track of records in the following age groups for boys and girls:
• 9 and 10 year olds
• 11 and 12 year olds
• 13 and 14 year olds
• 15 and 16 year olds
• 17 and 18 year olds
Records are kept for the Short Course (racing in a 25m pool) and Long Course (racing in a 50m pool) Seasons as well as the Club Championship Series. For Short Course and Long Course club records, swimmers must have participated in a competition where an electronic timing system is being used. These meets will be marked clearly on the competition calendar.
Our people
Hamish Meacham
Aqautics Coordinator and Head Coach
Hamish has a passion for swimming, having worked with swimmers of all ages for the past 16 years. He currently holds a Develop coaching accreditation and is working to complete the Advanced coaching course. Hamish has a wealth of knowledge and experiences having coached State and National level athletes.
Michael
Wassertheil
Dietitian and Nutritionist
Michael Wassertheil (OM 2006) is an accredited practicing dietitian and nutritionist with a passion for optimising health and performance through nutrition. He has a particular interest in working with young athletes as well as within the high-performance space. Michael has a Bachelor of Exercise Science and a Master of Dietetics and is well qualified through both his studies and experience. During his career Michael has worked closely with the Melbourne City FC and the Sydney Swans.
Jackson Bennett Athletic Head Coach
Jackson has a Bachelor of Exercise Science and post graduate degree in Business Strategy. He has competed at State and National level in Athletics winning multiple medals and setting many club and state records. During his time competing at the top level, Jackson was the State Champion for the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. He has represented Australia at World Championships and Oceania Championships in the 100m and the 4x100m relay. Jackson brings a considerable breadth of experience having previously worked with the Greater Western Sydney Giants, as well as expertise in personal training and strength and conditioning.
For any enquiries contact:
Hamish Meacham
+61 3 8530 3930
aquatics@stmichaels.vic.edu.au stmichaels.vic.edu.au/aquatics
