Quick Dip: How Do I Get Picked for the Arena League?

A short read for the car journey

Category: Racing  | Read time: Under 2 minutes

The Arena League is a team competition. Unlike an open meet, coaches choose the team for each round.

Coaches look at official times, recent results and age groups. Speed matters, but they must fill every event and relay. The rules limit how many races each swimmer can enter, so selecting a swimmer for one race can affect other events.

Arena League age groups are based on your age on 31 December. In the youngest age group, swimmers aged 9, 10 and 11 may compete together. This can make selection harder when you are one of the younger swimmers in the group. As you get older within that age group, you may have a greater chance of being selected, but selection is never guaranteed.

Bluefins has an A Team and a B Team. Coaches select both teams at the same time, looking at where each swimmer could help most. Swimmers may move between the A and B Teams in later rounds if the rules allow. This does not mean that you have gone backwards.

Being selected to represent Bluefins in the Arena League is something to be proud of. Some swimmers will race in one or two relays only. Those swims still matter. Your relay can earn team points and give another swimmer more time to rest before their next race.

Official times in different strokes give coaches more ways to select you. Developing all four strokes, starts, turns and finishes can also help. Remember to answer when the club asks whether you are available.

Not being selected for one round does not mean that you are doing badly. Several swimmers may be competing for a small number of places.

Did you know? Arena League points are awarded for finishing places, so every place can help the team total.

Created by Basingstoke Bluefins Coaching Team