HOW TO JOIN Basingstoke Bluefins Swimming Club
Updated: Sep 30
Parent Guide Series - Updated September 2026
Joining a swimming club can feel unfamiliar, particularly if your swimmer is moving on from lessons or your family has never been part of a club before.
At Bluefins, you do not need to know which squad is right before getting in touch.
The process is straightforward:
Get in touch → Attend a trial → Receive a recommendation → Decide whether you would like to join
This guide explains what happens at each stage.
Step 1: Find the Right Starting Point
Swimmers join Bluefins at different ages, with different experiences and for different reasons.
Some are moving on from swimming lessons. Others join later because they want to improve their swimming or fitness. Some are already competitive swimmers looking for a new training environment.
Adults can also join through Masters Swimming.
Our Start Here page gives a simple overview of the different ways to join Bluefins.
You do not need to choose a squad yourself. Our coaches will help with that after seeing you or your swimmer in the water.
Step 2: Contact Ali
Contact Ali, our Membership Secretary, with:
the swimmer’s age
their current swimming experience
what they are looking for
This gives us enough information to arrange an appropriate trial.
If you are unsure whether your swimmer is ready for club swimming, that is fine. The trial helps us establish the most appropriate starting point.
Step 3: Attend a Trial
A trial gives our coaches an opportunity to see the swimmer in the water and understand their current skills, confidence and experience.
It is not a pass or fail test.
Depending on the swimmer’s age and experience, coaches may look at:
confidence and independence in the water
current stroke development
body position and streamlining
kicking and coordination
starts, turns and push-offs where appropriate
ability to listen and respond to coaching
age, experience and readiness for the training environment
The purpose is to identify the coaching environment where the swimmer is most likely to benefit.
Step 4: Our Recommendation
Following the trial, we will recommend the most appropriate starting point.
Moving On from Swimming Lessons?
Our Skills Academy provides the bridge between swimming lessons and structured club swimming.
Typically for swimmers aged 7–12, Skills Academy continues the development of all four strokes, starts, turns and underwater skills while swimmers learn how to train within a squad.
Want to Keep Swimming Without Competition Being the Main Focus?
Our Club Pathway provides coached swimming for young people who want to continue developing their technique, improve their fitness and enjoy being part of a club without competitive progression being expected.
Club Development supports swimmers aged 10–13, while Club Fitness provides flexible coached swimming for ages 13–17.
Interested in Competitive Swimming?
Competitive swimmers may be recommended a Development, Age Group, County or Performance environment depending on their age, experience, skills and readiness.
Our coaches consider the swimmer as a whole rather than using speed or race times alone.
Adult Swimming
Our Masters programme brings together adults with a wide range of abilities and goals.
Some swim for fitness and friendship. Others return to the sport after many years away. Some train and compete at national and international level.
Step 5: Joining Bluefins
Once a place has been offered and accepted, Ali will guide you through the joining process.
You will receive the information you need to get started, including:
your recommended coaching environment
training times and venues
membership and squad fees
Swim England registration where required
equipment and training kit
club communication
safeguarding and welfare information
relevant competition information
your agreed start date
You do not need to work all of this out before the trial.
Your First Sessions
Club swimming can feel quite different from swimming lessons.
There may be more swimmers in a lane, longer periods of continuous swimming and new routines to learn.
Swimmers begin to understand:
how their lane operates
how to follow a coached set
where and when to leave the wall
how to use training equipment
how to listen to and apply feedback
how to train safely alongside other swimmers
Nobody is expected to understand everything immediately.
Confidence and independence develop with experience.
Does My Swimmer Have to Compete?
No.
Competition is available across Bluefins but it is not the reason every swimmer joins.
For some younger swimmers, racing begins through supportive Home Development Galas. Others progress into licensed Open Meets and may later work towards County, Regional or National competition.
For swimmers who want to continue developing without competition being the main focus, the Club Pathway provides another route through the club.
The right environment depends on the swimmer.
More Ways to Join Bluefins
Swimming squads are not the only way to become part of Bluefins.
Water Polo
Water Polo combines swimming with ball skills, movement, teamwork and game play.
Our Water Polo Academy and Juniors provide opportunities for young players to learn and develop within the sport.
Disability & Inclusive Swimming
Our Disability & Inclusion programme provides a supportive coaching environment with coaching adapted around the individual.
Swimmers can develop skills, confidence and fitness with opportunities to progress within the wider club where appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child need to have finished swimming lessons?
Not necessarily.
Skills Academy swimmers commonly join from around Learn to Swim Stage 6 or an equivalent standard.
Age, confidence, physical development and previous swimming experience are also considered.
Does my swimmer need to be fast?
No.
Speed alone does not determine whether someone is ready to join or which coaching environment will suit them.
Is the trial an assessment?
Yes. It allows our coaches to understand the swimmer’s current ability, confidence and experience and recommend the most appropriate starting point.
Can my child join without competing?
Yes.
Our Club Pathway provides structured, coached swimming for swimmers who want to continue developing their skills and fitness without competition being the main focus.
Can adults join?
Yes.
Masters welcomes adults with different levels of swimming experience and different goals.
Who do I contact?
Contact Ali, admin@bbfsc.org, our Membership Secretary, to discuss the swimmer and arrange a trial.
Ready to Start?
You do not need to know which squad to choose.
Tell us the swimmer’s age, current swimming experience and what they are looking for.
We can then advise on the most appropriate starting point and, where suitable, arrange a trial.
Developing Swimmers. Developing People.
