Launched in 2021

The National Arena Junior Swimming League

Sponsored by
Solo Sports the GB agents for arena

Special Rules and Conditions for Virtual League 2024

1.               General conditions        

1.1. The conditions shall not be considered as part of the rules of The National Arena Swimming Junior League, hereinafter known as the League. 

1.2. The Executive Committee shall have the power to make, repeal and amend such conditions as they may consider necessary for the wellbeing of the League. New conditions, repeals and amendments shall have effect until set aside by the Executive Committee, or at a General Meeting. 

1.3. Any changes, repeals or amendments to the conditions shall be notified to all the teams not later than 1st May 2024 and shall take effect from the date of the first round of galas.

2.               Competition arrangements

2.1. The League competition shall consist of three rounds, As a guide the rounds shall be held within the appointed dates, but outside of these dates may be permitted so long as there are three separate rounds, The end dates should be adhered to;

Round 1 –  between 11^th  and 19^th  May,

Round 2 – between 8^th and 16^th June.

Round 3 – between 6^th and 14^th July.

1. Each team is responsible for competing in each round.
   1. The team can decide on which day, or days, they wish to run the events, either in one go or piecemeal over a number of days within the period.
   1. If more than one club wish to join other local clubs to form a gala, then that can be self-organised, including organising licensing with their local region for the round if wanted.
   1. Options:
      1. Swimming as a sole club
      1. Swimming a dual meet with another club
      1. Swimming in a multi-club event of up to the number of lanes available

2.2. Any competitor having swum for one team in the League shall be ineligible to swim for another team in the current year.

2.3. Each swimmer participating in the League shall have joined the club he/she represents before 1st May in the year of competition and have registered their membership of that club with their National Governing Body (NGB) prior to that date.

2.4. All competitors must be a competitive member of their NGB (eg. Club Compete, Swim England membership)    

 2.5. All teams that qualify for the national final can only comprise of athletes that have represented that team in at least one of the three rounds in the virtual league. The only exception to this being if an athlete was injured for the three months of the rounds. In that case, a medical certificate confirming the injury and its timescale will be required.

 2.6. Requirements to participate in the Virtual League

2.6.1. The gala shall be held in a 25m facility.

2.6.2. Automatic Officiating Equipment is not necessary, unless required by Licensing.

2.6.3. The same gala programme, as below, must be completed in each round to qualify for the Virtual League.

2.6.4. Honesty and fairness is paramount.

2.6.5. The time-recording form supplied by the League must be completed and returned to the League Secretary, electronically, within 48 hours of the closing date for each round. Failure to comply will mean that any times achieved will not be included in the League results.

2.6.6. All those involved on the poolside delivering the event, must be members of their NGB.

2.6.7 If the galas are licensed then the Licensing requirements currently in force at the time shall decide the requirement for officials.

2.6.8   Where the gala is not licensed then two technical officials, one qualified at a minimum of British Swimming Judge Level 2JS, the other British Swimming Judge level 1 and members of the NGB, shall be appointed for the control of the session.

2.6.9. These technical officials shall be responsible for starting the race in accordance with Swim England Technical Rules. The minimum requirement for a starting device is a whistle. Assistance shall be provided at the start for hearing-impaired swimmers who request it, in accordance with the Swim England Para Swimming Return to Training Guidance.

2.6.10. Sufficient NGB members, qualified to a minimum of Timekeeper, shall be appointed to act as timekeepers.

2.6.11. Starting blocks and backstroke starting devices are not required but can be used if available.

2.7. The top eight clubs may be invited to participate in the national final/s, subject only to 2.7.1.

2.7.1. Only one team from a club will be invited to take part in the national final/s.  

• Programme of events 

The competition for all three rounds shall be:-

Event	Age	Distance	Stroke	Event	Age	Distance	Stroke
1/2	12	100m	Individual Medley	18	9/10	4 x 50m	Mixed med. relay
3	9/10	4 x 50m	Mixed free relay	19	11	4 x 50m	Mixed free relay
4	11	4 x 50m	Mixed med. relay	20	12	4 x 50m	Mixed med. relay
5	12	4 x 50m	Mixed free relay	21/22	9/10	50m	Freestyle
6/7	9/10	50m	Butterfly	23/24	11	50m	Breaststroke
8/9	11	50m	Backstroke	25/26	12	50m	Butterfly
10/11	12	50m	Freestyle	27/28	9/10	50m	Backstroke
12/13	9/10	50m	Breaststroke	29/30	11	50m	Freestyle
14/15	11	50m	Butterfly	31/32	12	50m	Breaststroke
16/17	12	50m	Backstroke
33 Squadron freestyle relay 6 x 50m one boy & one girl from each age-group

• Individual events are females first then followed by the open/boys.
• Swimmers in the relays:-
  • Mixed relays must consist of two females and two open/boys from their age-group.
  • Mixed Medley relays – swimmers of either gender swimming in any order, but in accordance with the rules for medley relays.
  • Mixed Freestyle relays – swimmers of either category swimming in any order.
  • Squadron relay – one female and one open/boy from each of the three age-groups, 9/10; 11; 12, swimming in any order.

• All teams shall swim the programme of events as listed above, in a 25m pool, recording times for each event, in accordance with Swim England Regulations and Technical Rules.

• Competitors may swim two individual events in their own age-group, and one individual event in an older age group and may only swim relays in their own age-group but may swim in a relay in an age above their age group.

• The age-groups are as at the 31st December 2024. In accordance with Swim England Regulations all swimmers must have achieved their 9^th birthday prior to swimming in any round.

• Where a club enters more than one team,

1. the fastest swimmers should swim in what is considered the ‘A’ team, then the ‘B’ team etc.
   1. Athletes may change teams within their club, subject to 9a between rounds, (not in the same round).

These rules and conditions are specific to the 2024 competition and in some respects they differ from the League Rules and Conditions shown on the website.