Friday nights

Friday nights

Friday night club fixtures

Club fixtures are held on Friday nights during Term 4 and Term 1.

• Gates open at 5:30pm
• Racing starts at 6:00pm
• Swimmers must be financial members, except on Come & Try nights

Swimmers race against their own times, not against each other. This helps everyone focus on improvement and effort.

A BBQ and the Shark Shack canteen operate each club night.

Friday nights

Nominations

The club uses the Swim Club Connect Meet Manager app. Nominations must be in before 5:30pm on club night.

How to nominate

1. Download the app on iOS or Android
2. Create an account, select Everton Park Sharks Amateur Swim Club as your club, enter the club password, and create a swimmer for each registered family member
3. Select the relevant meet from the Meets tab at the bottom of the app
4. Nominate your swimmer in each race before 5:30pm on club night

If a distance won't let you nominate

Every race shows in the app, so you can see the whole program. If your swimmer hasn't qualified for a distance yet, the app says Unable to Nominate and tells you the time they need. That's the app doing its job, not a fault. Pick a distance they have qualified for, and see distances and progression for how to earn the next one.

On the Come & Try nights, 12.5m and 25m are open to every swimmer.

Parents and swimmers should check nominations carefully. Any last-minute changes, after nominations have closed, must be discussed with the Announcer before racing begins.

Friday nights

Events & distances

Each club night usually includes:

• 12.5m, 25m and 50m races for three of the four strokes, alternating each week
• Two 100m events, alternating each week
• Special events such as relays, Top Gun relays (which parents can enter) or "Race the Parents" on selected nights

Boys and girls swim together, and heats are seeded on each swimmer's own times, so the quickest swimmers race in the final heat.

See the full fixtures program for what's on each week.

Friday nights

Distances & progression

Every swimmer earns their distances. You start at 12.5m or 25m, whatever your age, and move up by swimming the qualifying time at the distance you are racing now.

Starting distances

• 12.5m and 25m are open to every swimmer, at any age
• Younger swimmers, and anyone not yet sure of 25m, are encouraged to start at 12.5m
• Older and more confident swimmers can start at 25m
• 50m must be qualified for. Swim the 25m qualifying time for that stroke and you have earned it
• Returning swimmers: the distances you qualified for last season carry over, including 50m. Points start fresh each season, so your first swim of each event sets your season best
• A swimmer's first swim of each event in the season is treated as a time trial and earns 4 points

Moving up a distance

Swimmers may move to a longer distance when they have swum the qualifying time and their stroke technique is safe and correct. Once a swimmer moves up:

• They stay at that distance for the season
• They don't move back to shorter distances — the exception is the 100m events, where swimmers may also swim 50m of the same stroke

Swimming 100m events

To race a 100m event, swimmers first need the 50m time below, so we know they can finish the distance safely and confidently.

Friday nights

Points system

Points reward effort, attendance and personal improvement. They are not about winning races.

Points are earned for each race a swimmer completes on a Friday club night, based on how they go against their own best time this season, not their finishing place. Points from every race are added together across the season and don't reset each week.

Two points tallies

• Season Points count every 12.5m, 25m and 50m race. Each night has three strokes, so every swimmer has the same three point-scoring swims. Age division trophies and Overall Club Champion trophies are decided on Season Points.
• Distance Points count the 100m races only. They are scored the same way and have their own Distance Champion trophies.
• Relays and novelty events don't earn points.

One distance per stroke

Swimmers race one sprint distance (12.5m, 25m or 50m) in each stroke each night, so nominate for 25m Freestyle or 50m Freestyle, not both. Please check your nominations before 5:30pm. If a swimmer races more than one distance in the same stroke, only the longest distance they have qualified for earns points. Swimmers in a 100m event may still swim the 50m of the same stroke.

Points against your personal best

• If your swimmer can't swim an event they've nominated for, please withdraw in the app before 5:30pm so heats run smoothly
• If a night is cancelled after racing starts, races already swum earn points as normal, and the night counts as attended for every swimmer who nominated

Friday nights

Club night rules

These rules help Friday nights run fairly, safely and smoothly for everyone.

Nominations & missed swims

• If your swimmer can't swim an event they've nominated for, please withdraw in the app before 5:30pm so heats run smoothly

School or other swimming carnivals

If a swimmer misses a club night because they are representing their school in swimming, or competing at another swimming carnival, they may receive an attendance acknowledgement for that club night.

• Written notification and proof of the commitment must be emailed to evertonparksharks@gmail.com before the missed club night

Graduation & time trials

When a swimmer moves up to a longer distance (12.5m → 25m, or 25m → 50m), all points already earned during the season are kept, and their first swim at the new distance is treated as a time trial, earning 4 points and setting their season best for that event.

Warm-up

• Warm-up runs between 5:30pm and 6:00pm, before racing begins
• Lanes 1 and 2 are for diving off the blocks only during warm-up

Marshalling & race conduct

• Swimmers must listen for their events and report to marshalling when called
• 12.5m events marshal at the grass area near the canteen, at the shallow end
• 25m, 50m and 100m events marshal near the Announcer's Office, at the deep end
• Races will not be delayed for missing swimmers

Quiet for starts

• When the referee's whistle sounds, everyone must be quiet
• Silence is required until the starter's signal is given
• Quiet is also needed during announcements, so swimmers and officials can hear instructions

Heats & racing

• Events are made up of multiple heats, created on the night based on nominations
• Swimmers race against their own personal best times, not against each other
• Points are awarded on personal improvement

Disqualifications

• Swimmers may be disqualified if their stroke or actions don't meet the required swimming rules. The referee or assistant referee will explain the reason to the swimmer
• Disqualified swims don't earn points, but the night still counts towards attendance

Starts & false starts

• A false start is signalled by the referee or starter, and their decision is final
• Under the one-start rule:
  • Swimmers starting before the signal may be disqualified
  • If the signal has already sounded, the race continues and the disqualification is applied afterwards
  • If the disqualification is declared before the signal, the race is restarted

Behaviour & discipline

• Swimmers must always follow instructions from officials
• The decisions of club officials are final
• Unsafe behaviour, repeated disobedience or poor conduct may result in suspension
• The Club Referee is responsible for procedures and discipline on Friday nights

Friday nights

Weather cancellations

Swimming may be cancelled due to adverse weather, including storms, at the discretion of the Executive Committee. This decision is final.

The club follows a Storm and Lightning Safety Policy to guide decisions in rain, thunder and lightning, with the safety of swimmers, families and volunteers as the priority. You can read the full Storm & Lightning Safety Plan, including the 30/30 rule, safe zones and who makes the cancellation call.