Swimming NSW State Squads

Athletes who are listed on Swimming Australia’s 2020/21 Olympic Program Categorisation list as Podium or Podium Potential will have access to Swimming NSW resources and may request funding to assist with their training and competition throughout the year.  To be eligible for financial support, coaches in collaboration with their athlete must submit an Individual Athlete Performance Plan (IAPP). Funding may be provided to squad members based on their IAPP and as assessed by the NSW Technical Lead. Athletes will be supported for as long as they are categorised by Swimming Australia.

Identifying and developing extraordinary sporting potential is a tremendously exciting journey. Typically it involves a rare blend of coaching art, science, environment and systematic planning. Sporting potential of this kind is often described as ‘gold dust’ - rare, valuable and requiring skilful handling along the journey to transfer into World and Olympic excellence.

To prepare Australia’s next generation of swimmers for senior performance excellence, Swimming Australia, through the State Technical Directors has thoroughly reviewed the Performance Pathway program. The State and National Talent Program now will be known as Swimming Australia’s ‘Flippers’ program. The program will feature a combination of activities delivered by each State and Nationally with the aim of preparing identified athletes to successfully transition to the pinnacle of swimming in Australia - the Dolphins Swim Team.

The Swimming NSW Performance Squad is designed to support high-performing NSW athletes with the potential for Australian Swim Team selection within the 2024 Olympic cycle.

The Swimming NSW (SNSW) Open Water Performance Squad recognises the best National level Open Water Swimmers in NSW. Support is provided to this group with the aim of selection onto the Australian Open Water Swimming team. The squad provides an opportunity for athletes to come together as a group and train and compete specifically for open water swimming.

The Swimming NSW Sharks Squad is designed to identify and provide support for emerging age group swimmers, transitioning swimmers and their coaches. Swimmers in this squad will have the opportunity to:

• Enhance education, develop skills and gain exposure to varied opportunities away from their daily training environment.
• Create a supportive environment for talented swimmers to develop their skills and swimming knowledge in preparation for National Team and/or Talent Identification (TID) Squad selection.

The Sharks Squad will consist of two age groups:

• Age Squad: Female 13-16 years old, Male 14-17 years old
• Youth Squad: Female 17-19 years old, Male 18-20 years old 

Due to the current COVID-19 landscape and the existing restraints still in place regarding the gathering of large numbers of people, Swimming Australia in consultation with all of our Member Organisations, have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 State Teams Championships competition scheduled for October.

With NSW being a geographically large area, it presents challenges in supporting swimmers and coaches based outside of the Metro area. Swimming NSW (SNSW) has identified that there are many talented swimmers and coaches residing in regional areas. By implementing a Regional Squad Project, support is provided to targeted individuals to enhance skills and technique, whilst providing exposure to a high-performance environment.

The Regional Squad will encompass two age groups:

• Males 14 – 18 years and Females 13 – 17 years

SNSW aims to see progressive performance improvements in this group as the swimmers challenge each other and the coaches impart their learnings onto their home program.

*Athletes categories as Podium, Podium Potential or Podium Ready on Swimming Australia Athlete Categorisation list released February 2020.

Eligibility

To be eligible for selection in the 2020/21 Swimming NSW (SNSW) Flippers Squad, swimmers must be:

• An Australian Citizen
• Permanently residing and training in NSW or ACT
• A current financial member of Swimming NSW

Eligibility and meeting the selection criteria does not guarantee selection into the squad.

Selection Criteria

Only performances in a Final at the Australian Swimming Championships, Australian Age Championships and Australian Swimming Trials will be considered for squad selection:

• Female athletes 20+ years and Male athletes 21+ years who are within 3% of the 8th place qualifier at the 2019 World Championships Final
• Females 19 years & under and Males 20 years & under who are within 5% of the 8th qualifier at the 2019 World Championships Final
• For Timed-Finals, swimmer must swim the squad qualifying time and be placed in the Top 8
• Age as at the first day of the Australian Age Championships (7 April 2020)

Eligibility

To be eligible for selection for the 2020/21 Swimming NSW (SNSW) Performance Squad, swimmers must:

• be an Australian Citizen
• permanently residing and training in NSW or ACT
• be a current financial member of Swimming NSW

Eligibility does not guarantee selection into the squad.

Selection Criteria

Athletes who swim a 2020/21 SNSW Performance Squad qualifying time in a Final at one of the following selection meets:

• 2020 Australian Age Championships, 2020 Australian Swimming Championships and 2020 Australian Swimming Trials
• For Timed-Finals, swimmer must swim the squad qualifying time and be placed in the Top 8
• Age as at the first day of the 2020 Australian Age Swimming Championships (7 April 2020)

Eligibility

To be eligible for selection for the 2020/21 Swimming NSW (SNSW) Open Water Performance Squad, swimmers must:

• be an Australian Citizen
• permanently residing and training in NSW or ACT
• be a current financial member of Swimming NSW

Eligibility does not guarantee selection into the squad.
 

Selection Criteria

Athletes aged 16 years and over who swim at the 2020 Australian Open Water Championships and attain the following results (excluding visitors):

Priority 1:

• Top 10 placing in 10km Open event at the Australian Open Water Championships
• Top 5 placing in 5km Open event at the Australian Open Water Championships
• Male and female 18-19-year-old: 1st – 5th placing in the 10km in the combined Age group
• Male and female 16-17-year-old: 1st – 5th placing in the 7.5km in the combined Age group

Priority 2:

• Male and female 18-19-year-old: 1st – 5th placing in the 5km in the combined Age group
• Male and female 16-17-year-old: 1st – 5th placing in the 5km in the combined Age group

Eligibility

To be eligible for selection in the 2020/21 Swimming NSW (SNSW) Sharks Squad, swimmers must be:

• An Australian Citizen, permanently residing and training in NSW or ACT
• A current financial member of Swimming NSW

Eligibility and meeting the selection criteria does not guarantee selection into the squad. 

Selection Criteria

Pool

Male swimmers who are 14-20 years and Female swimmers who are 13-19 years who swim a 2020/21 SNSW Sharks Squad qualifying time in a Final at one of the following selection meets:

• 2020 Australian Age Championships or 2020 Australian Swimming Championships
• For Timed-Finals, swimmer must swim the squad qualifying time and be placed in the Top 8
• Age as at the first day of the 2020 Australian Age Swimming Championships (7 April 2020)

Open Water

Females & Males aged 14-15yrs: Medallist in the 5km Age events at the Australian Open Water Championships (excluding visitors).

Eligibility

• An Australian Citizen, permanently residing and training in Regional NSW or ACT
• A current financial member of Swimming NSW
• Males 14 – 18 years and Females 13 – 17 years

Selection

Swimmers will be selected using talent identification processes. Selection will be made by the SNSW Coaching Director, Regional Coaching Director and ACT Performance Hub Head Coach. All home coaches of selected athletes are invited to Regional Squad activities. 

The Swimming NSW Paralympic Pathway provides encouragement and support to para swimmers with the potential to make the Australian Paralympic Team. There are three tiers to this pathway: Swimming Australia Podium Categorised Para Athletes, Para Potential Squad and Para Development Squad.

Para athletes who are categorised from Podium to Podium Potential on Swimming Australia’s 2020/21 Paralympic Program Categorisation list will have access to SNSW resources and may request funding to assist with their training and competition throughout the year. 

Athletes and their coaches must submit an Individual Athlete Performance Plan (IAPP) to be eligible for any financial support. Funding may be provided to squad members based on their IAPP as assessed by the SNSW Coaching Director together with the Swimming Australia Para Head Coach. Athletes will be supported for as long as they are categorised.

To provide Para Potential swimmers with opportunities to enhance their training and competition development. Activities would provide greater exposure to a performance training environment that would improve performances to achieve selection onto a National Team or Squad. The SNSW Para Potential Squad would undertake the SAL Testing Protocols (where applicable).

Eligibility

To be eligible for selection in the 2020/21 Swimming NSW (SNSW) Para Potential Squad, swimmers must be:

• A current financial member of Swimming NSW
• An Australian resident permanently training in NSW or ACT
• Aged 12 years and over

Eligibility does not guarantee selection into the squad.

Selection Criteria

Swimmers must achieve one (1) SNSW Para Performance Squad qualifying time in a Final at one of the following long course Championships (Paralympic events only):

• 2020 Hancock Prospecting Australian Age Swimming Championships (incorporates both age and open multi-class swimmers – Sunday 12th – Tuesday 14th April)

In addition:

• Swimmers selected on the SNSW Para Potential Squad are ineligible for selection in Area Development Squads.
• Swimmers selected on a Swimming Australia Team or Squad will not be eligible to continue with the SNSW Para Performance Squad.