We endeavour to provide as many swimmers, across a broad range of abilities, the opportunity to compete if they wish to do so. We enter Galas and Open Meets of different standards to make this possible and enjoyable for the swimmers. Cheam Marlins is also affiliated to the Modern Pentathlon Association to enable members to compete in biathlons (competitions involving both swimming and running)

The club competes in the Rother league.

It also completes against other clubs in various interclub galas throughout the year. We also run several internal galas.

The most important of these is the Club Championships, which are competed for in age groups and are open to any member of the club. This normally take takes place over two Tuesday nights in November.

In May we also organise a smaller championship gala called the Turnball Gala. This is only open to swimmers who did not win a gold medal in the previous year’s Club Championships, or in the previous year’s Turnball Gala. The idea behind this gala is to encourage the younger swimmers in the club as well as to give some of the less competitive swimmers a chance to win medals.

We also hold at least two ‘Pointscore” galas each year.

For these galas we split the club up into four teams of roughly equal age and ability. All events are one length & each swimmer can only enter two events. He or she swims against their personal best time for that event and if they equal or better that time their team is awarded 6 points.

If they are one second slower than their personal best time the team is awarded 5 points and so on until when they are 6 seconds or more slower the team receives no points. Each team is awarded one point for each event entry.

As well as the individual events in this gala we also include some relay races for which points are awarded for first, second & third places.

The team with the most points at the end of the gala is the winner.

The Pointscore galas are designed to encourage all the swimmers to complete and to expose them to a competitive team environment.

It gives the younger swimmers a chance to see the established “stars” of the club in action and allows the coaching staff to update each swimmer's personal best time records

The club trains several nights a week as follows:

Cheam: The Club night is Tuesday and sessions run from 7pm to 10pm depending on squad allocation

The Club also trains at Cheam on Friday night 6.3Opm to 7.30pm for length swimmers

Training also takes place at St John’s School pool, Leatherhead, as follows:

Wednesday nights 7pm to 9pm

These sessions are additional to the main club night and are by invitation

On joining the club each swimmer is allocated to a training squad and is expected to attend that squad’s sessions on a regular basis

At the junior end of the club this would be as follows:

Up to top widths, swimmers are expected to swim once a week, with the option for a second swim if required

All first and second length swimmers must swim twice a week

As a swimmer progresses up the club and joins more advanced squads that train on two or more nights a week they would be expected to increase their training to fit into that squad’s pattern

The club training sessions run through out the year and we charge the normal swim fees for all months irrespective of members’ attendance.

The only exceptions to this is where a member is ill or injured for two weeks or more, in which case we will waive part of that month’s swim fees at our discretion. If you are going to be absent for a long period of time, please let us know in advance so that we can discuss options with you.

Any swimmer absent for more than 6 weeks without notice will be sent a letter asking them to attend regularly or relinquish their place in the Club

It may be necessary to reschedule training sessions at the club’s discretion

The club runs various fund raising events during the year, these might include Race Nights, Discos, Quiz Nights etc.

What ever we run, please try to support us in any way you can, and if you have any ideas please let us know

The club also holds a Christmas dinner in early December and although this is not strictly a fund raising event, all parents are invited. Tickets are approx. £20 and are advertised on the notice board

The club sells various swimming costumes, hats, goggles etc on Tuesday nights, so if you want any swim item, come and have a look and to talk to us.

Any swimmer selected to represent the club in an external gala is expected to wear a Cheam Marlins Swimsuit and a Cheam Marlins swimming hat, these items are available at reasonable prices from the club shop. A plain black swimsuit may be worn if preferred.

Swimmers will also need one or more of the following items, Cheam Marlins T-Bag, polo shirt or tracksuit top. Again all these items are available from the club shop

GENERAL POINTS

Hats must be worn for training

Parents are not allowed on the poolside at any time, as this will distract teachers or coaches during lessons.

Please contact the desk in the first instance so that we can help resolve any queries or arrange for a teacher or coach to speak to you at a convenient time.

Cloths should be deposited in lockers rather than left in cubicles

The club has a notice board situated adjacent to the main swimming pool doors. You should consult this board on a regular basis