Why timing matters more than early success. As swimmers move through the early stages of competitive swimming, parents naturally begin to notice differences in progress. Some children appear to move ahead quickly, producing fast times, qualifying earlier than peers, or standing out physically within their age group. Many parents recognise the moment when a swimmer starts winning early and the question quietly shifts from “Are they enjoying this?” to “Should they be doing more

Goal setting becomes increasingly important as swimmers move into the Age Group Performance stage. Training volume increases, competition standards rise, and swimmers begin to experience the pressure of expectations — both internal and external. At this stage, goals are no longer just about what swimmers want to achieve, but how they approach their training, racing, and daily habits. This guide explains how Outcome, Performance, and Process Goals work together

"Swimmers’ Journals capture the moments, memories, and turning points that shape a Bluefins swimmer — from races and PBs to confidence, setbacks, comebacks, friendships, and insights away from the pool." I joined Bluefins over the summer break, not really knowing what to expect from a new club where I didn’t know anyone. I was small, skinny, and hardly looked like a swimmer. My parents only put me in lessons because they couldn’t swim themselves.

Every Autumn, as the race calendar builds and we head towards Christmas, one question comes up again and again from parents: “How does County Qualification actually work?”

If your swimmer has started competing, you’ve probably heard the term “Licensed Meet.” You might even have seen codes like “Level 3 – LC” on a meet notice and wondered what it all means.