SWIMMING LEAGUES
Whilst not all individual swimmers can by definition win gold medals we strongly believe in the benefits that are derived from being part of a winning team. It is therefore important that we put out as strong a team as possible at these league galas - so if you are selected to represent the club please do your best to attend – it affects the whole team if you can’t swim. Remember - the “one relay” swimmer is as important to the final tally of points as the “individual event” swimmer.
The age qualifications for these leagues are as at a fixed date. For example the Crusader League age is that attained at 31st December of that year. Therefore a swimmer who is 10 in January, when the first gala is held, but will be 11 in say October, will be 11 at the end of the year and so must swim in the 11-12 year age group.
The swimming leagues work in a similar fashion to those of football. We are currently in the equivalent of the GM Conference with a stated mission of achieving Premier League status within 5 years. All the leagues consist of a series of galas (matches), with members of each division hosting their own gala against other members of that division (i.e. home & away matches). Home advantage to the sponsoring club always plays a big part in the outcome so we encourage as much away support as possible…Come and cheer on the mighty Wasps!!!! All the leagues adopt a system of promotion and relegation between the divisions accordingly (there are however no play offs!).
Speedo League
The Speedo League is the most important league in which we compete - being a national competition leading to a final held in April each year. The country is split into a number of different regions: East Midlands; South; London; North-East; Western; West Midlands; and the North West of which we belong. There are four divisions in the North West: Premier; First; Second and Minor. The Whitchurch Wasps are currently in the Second Division. In 2005 we finished in twelfth position out of eighteen.
Each league consists of three rounds which are held in October, November and December of each year with a system of promotion and relegation between the Premier, First, and Second Division. There are currently no automatic promotions or relegations to the Minor League (Not that this is relevant since we’re on the way up not on the way down!). The age groups are 10/11, 12/13, 14/15 and Open.
Our competition in this years second division are the Barrow Beavers, Biddulph (this time they’ve done us the courtesy of fielding their A team), Bootle & North Liverpool, Buckley, Chadderton, City of Bangor, the Clitheroe Dolphins, those mighty blues Everton, Fleetwood, Hoylake, the Liverpool Penguins, the Oswestry Otters (the second best swimming club in North Shropshire!), Prescot, the Sandbach Sharks, St Helens, Stretford, and Swinton.
Our 2006 Speedo campaign commences on Saturday 8th October with a Gala at Horwich. Next up on the 12th November we will be travelling to Broughton. Lastly on the 10th December we’ll be doing our stuff at Europa. I just hope the coach driver knows where he’s going – because I haven’t a clue! Anyway the journey is less important than the destination and this year we’re going to swim away with the league.
Deva League
The Deva League consists of five divisions each with five teams. Finals are held between September and December of each year and are mainly centred in Cheshire and the surrounding area.
Whitchurch Wasps are currently in the fifth division and use this league primarily to give inexperienced swimmers an introduction to competition (Well we would say that wouldn’t we – Frankly there are no excuses).
The age groups are 10/11, 12/13, 14/15 and Open. Ages are as at 31st December of that year.
Crusader League
The Crusader League consists of teams in and around the potteries area, with teams partaking from afar afield as Buxton in the East to Newport in the West. Galas are within the first few months of each year.
The Whitchurch Wasps are currently in the third division having come last in the second division in 2005. The age groups are 10 and under, 11/12, 13/14 and Open.
The Crusader League “third” division (sounds painful just saying it – but we won’t be there for long!!) season swims off on the 21st January with a visit to the mighty Danes, at their Valley pool. The Danes missed out on promotion by one spot last season and should therefore represent stiff competition (but nothing we can’t handle!) Next up on the 1st April we’ve got home advantage at Whitchurch.
On the 6th May we will be travelling to Newport who came 3rd in the Division last season and should be up for a good drubbing. Lastly but by no means least we will be travelling on the 24th June to Biddulph, who are fielding their second tier team in this division this season. They came last in the division last season and should therefore be no match for the mighty Wasps.