SWIM WALES NATIONAL SQUAD PROGRAMME Selection Policy: 2018/19 season SWIMMING & PARA SWIMMING 1. INTRODUCTION AND SELECTION PROCESS 1.1. This document outlines the selection policy for the Swim Wales National Squad Programme 2018/19. This includes selection to the Swim Wales National Senior Elite, National Elite Development, National Youth Development and National Skills Academy squads. 1.2. Selection to each tier of the Swim Wales National Squad programme will be based on eligibility to and achievement of the respective criteria for each squad as laid out in sections 3 to 6 of this document. 1.3. Final selection to the National Squad Programme will be made by the Swim Wales National Performance Director in line with this policy. The National Performance Director does however reserve the right not to select an athlete if there is significant evidence of: 1.3.1. A lack of adherence to their home training programme, including unsatisfactory attendance (unless due to injury or illness or other reasonable circumstances) or an unsatisfactory disciplinary record as evidenced by the home club head coach and club committee. 1.3.2. A lack of adherence to the Swim Wales National Squad programme during the 2017/18 season, including unsatisfactory attendance (unless due to injury or illness or other reasonable circumstances) or an unsatisfactory disciplinary record as evidenced by the Swim Wales disciplinary procedure. 2. DISCRETIONARY SELECTIONS The delivery of success at international level is both a difficult and highly complex process. Swim Wales has therefore taken the view that it is important that all swimmers who demonstrate the capability to achieve this receive the support they require. It is recognised that some circumstances will inevitably arise whereby it is necessary for the National Performance Director to place a swimmer within the appropriate level of the National Programme according to their developmental need, not necessarily their chronological age or current performance level. This may include swimmers being offered National Squad positions which are either above or below that of which they have achieved performance criteria. It may also include swimmers being selected for squads without achieving the performance criteria. This is designed to allow a V1 28th Feb 2018 Registered in England & Wales No. 4692354; Registered address: Wales National Pool Swansea, Sketty Lane, Swansea, SA2 8QG measure of professional judgement towards assessing swimmer potential. When acting in these discretionary situations, the following will be reviewed: Past, current and planned level of training, including the daily training environment and injury/illness Performance profile Current level of support verses the required level of support Percentage away from performance criteria Chronological, developmental and training age of the swimmer Commitment, attitude and work ethic 3. SWIM WALES NATIONAL SENIOR ELITE SQUAD 3.1. Introduction The National Senior Elite squad aims to support athletes possessing genuine potential to: Graduate (or re-graduate) onto the British Swimming WCP within a 2-3 year period Represent GB at the Olympic/Paralympic Games, World or European Championships Win a Commonwealth Games Medal in 2022 Athletes selected for this squad will be eligible (but not entitled) to receive coaching support, financial assistance for training and competition costs, access to international competition and training opportunities, and sports science and medicine support either at the Wales National Pool in Swansea or the Cardiff International Pool. 3.2. Selection Criteria Swimmers must equal or better the published performance criteria (see table 1 for swimming and Appendix A for Para Swimming) in at least 1 Olympic / Paralympic event to be considered for selection. Please note, new individual Olympic events, including the male 800m Freestyle and Female 1500m freestyle, will not be considered in the selection process for the 2018/19 season. Swimmers must exhibit a rising performance profile (or at the very least a stable performance profile at sufficient standard) to be eligible for selection. Selections will be made from performances at all accredited long course meets from January 1st to August 10th 2018. Overseas Long Course Meets over the same period may be considered at the discretion of the National Performance Director. Selections will be announced before the 10th September 2018. Split times from relays will not be considered for selection. Only swimmers eligible and committing to represent Wales will be considered for selection. V1 28th Feb 2018 Registered in England & Wales No. 4692354; Registered address: Wales National Pool Swansea, Sketty Lane, Swansea, SA2 8QG Table 1: Swimming performance criteria: National Senior Elite Squad 2018/19 Event Male Female 00:22.50 00:25.40 50m Freestyle 00:49.60 00:55.30 100m Freestyle 01:49.50 1:59.90 200m Freestyle 03:52.80 04:14.10 400m Freestyle 08:40.90 800m Freestyle 15:25.30 1500m Freestyle 00:55.10 01:01.50 100m Backstroke 02:00.00 02:12.60 200m Backstroke 01:01.50 01:08.70 100m Breaststroke 02:13.80 02:28.30 200m Breaststroke 00:53.20 00:59.50 100m Butterfly 01:59.70 02:11.60 200m Butterfly 02:02.30 02:15.20 200m IM 04:21.50 04:45.70 400m IM 3.3 Selection conditions Non-British Swimming WCP swimmers will be required to attend all scheduled National Senior Elite Squad training camps and competitions. British Swimming WCP swimmers will be invited to all National Senior Elite training and competition camps, however attendance requirement will be determined through communication with British Swimming and the relevant home coach. Selected swimmers must undergo an annual review with their home coach prior to acceptance onto the National Senior Elite squad; and submit agreed outcome goals, competition goals and process goals with a training and competition programme to support the achievement of these. Swimmers will be expected to sign an athlete agreement that includes their adherence to a code of conduct and outlines the expectation of them as an athlete on a support programme. V1 28th Feb 2018 Registered in England & Wales No. 4692354; Registered address: Wales National Pool Swansea, Sketty Lane, Swansea, SA2 8QG 4. SWIM WALES ELITE DEVELOPMENT SQUADS 1 AND 2 4.1 Introduction The National Elite Development squads aim to support athletes whose performances indicate that they have realistic capabilities of progressing to the National Senior Elite squad or British Swimming Podium Potential programme within 1-3 years. Athletes selected for these squads will be eligible (but not entitled) to receive coaching support, financial assistance for training and competition costs, access to international competition and training opportunities, and sports science and medicine support either at the Wales National Pool in Swansea or the Cardiff International Pool. 4.2 Selection Criteria Males aged 15-20 years and Females aged 14-19 years (age as of 31st December 2018) will be eligible for selection. Swimmers must equal or better the published performance criteria (see table 2 for swimming and Appendix A for Para Swimming) in at least 1 Olympic/Paralympic event to be considered for selection. Please note, new individual Olympic events, including the male 800m Freestyle and Female 1500m freestyle, will not be considered in the selection process for the 2018/19 season. Swimmers must exhibit a rising performance profile (or at the very least a stable performance profile at sufficient standard) to be eligible for selection. Selections will be made from performances at all accredited long course meets from January 1st to August 10th 2018. Overseas Long Course Meets over the same period may be considered at the discretion of the National Performance Director. Selections will be announced before the 10th September 2017. Split times from relays will not be considered for selection. Only swimmers eligible and committing to represent Wales will be considered for selection. 4.3 Selection Conditions Selected swimmers will be required to attend all scheduled National Elite Development Squad training camps and competitions. Selected swimmers must undergo an annual review with their coach prior to acceptance onto the National Elite Development squad; and submit agreed outcome goals, competition goals and process goals with a training and competition programme to support the achievement of these. Swimmers will be expected to sign an athlete agreement that includes their adherence to a code of conduct and outlines the expectation of them as an athlete on a support programme. V1 28th Feb 2018 Registered in England & Wales No. 4692354; Registered address: Wales National Pool Swansea, Sketty Lane, Swansea, SA2 8QG Table 2: Swimming performance criteria: National Elite Development Squads 2018/19 Elite Development 1 Elite Development 2 Male Female Male Female Male Female (15-18 (14-17 (19 years) (18 years) (20 years) (19 years) Event years) years) 00:23.15 00:26.08 00:22.93 00:25.83 00:22.71 00:25.58 50m Freestyle 00:51.01 00:56.90 00:50.53 00:56.36 00:50.04 00:55.83 100m Freestyle 01:52.69 02:03.46 01:51.63 02:02.29 01:50.56 02:01.13 200m Freestyle 03:59.56 04:21.46 03:57.30 04:18.99 03:55.04 04:16.53 400m Freestyle 08:56.02 08:50.96 08:45.91 800m Freestyle 15:43.26 15:34.27 1500m Freestyle 15:52.24 00:56.68 01:03.27 00:56.14 01:02.67 00:55.61 01:02.08 100m Backstroke 02:03.49 02:16.39 02:02.32 02:15.10 02:01.16 02:13.82 200m Backstroke 01:03.21 01:10.63 01:02.61 01:09.96 01:02.02 01:09.30 100m Breaststroke 200m 02:17.69 02:32.59 02:16.40 02:31.15 02:15.10 02:29.71 Breaststroke 00:54.74 01:01.16 00:54.22 01:00.59 00:53.71 01:00.01 100m Butterfly 02:03.10 02:15.34 02:01.94 02:14.06 02:00.78 02:12.79 200m Butterfly 02:05.84 02:19.11 02:04.66 02:17.80 02:03.47 02:16.49 200m IM 04:29.04 04:53.97 04:26.50 04:51.20 04:23.96 04:48.42 400m IM 5.