The major difference is that a swimmer will turn more often in SC competitions and can therefore create more momentum from powering off the wall of the pool generally resulting in a faster swim time.

There are range of events in the swimming programme. Typically this will be 50m, 100m and 200m races in each of the strokes (breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly and freestyle). With freestyle there is also the 400m, 800m and 1,500 freestyle.

There are also 200m and 400m individual medley races, where competitors will complete lengths using butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle strokes in that order.  Plus there are a range of relays withy the most common being: 4x50m and 4x100m Freestyle and Medley relays with the order being backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle and a 4x200m freestyle relay.

The ASA Technical Swimming Committee has produced a document entitled 'Succees is Long Term (2010 edition): Long Term Athlete Development related to the journey through swimming' to help parents understand the principles behind training and competition for young swimmers. To access this document click here.

The ASA govern the minimum age at which a swimmer may compete in various types of competition and is determined the age age of the swimmer at midnight on the day of the event or the final day of a series of events forming part of one competition, whichever is later. Full details can be accessed here.

It is important to appreciate that not all competitions are suitable for all swimmers. RTW Monson provide a range of competitive opportunities to suit individual abilities andthese are briefly summarised below:

Internal competitions

• Time trials
• Club Championships

Team competitions

• Trophy Gala's
• National Arena Swimming League
• Kent Junior League
• National Junior Swimming League (M11)

Championship competitions

• Kent Count ASA Championships
• South East Region Championships
• ASA National Championships
• British Swimming Championships

Licenced open competition

There are four tiers of structured competition. Open Meets are licensed according to the
purpose of their competition as Level 1, 2, 3 or 4.

• Level 1 is aimed at national qualifiers and those swimmers close to achieving national
  qualifying times.
• Level 2 is also aimed at national and regional qualifiers and swimmers close to
  regional qualification.
• Level 3 is for club swimmers who are seeking regional and county qualifying times.
• Level 4 is for club swimmers and those beginning to enter individual open competition
  and county qualifying times.