Dear swimmers and families,

I hope you’ve all had a great summer break and are feeling refreshed, rested, and ready to dive back into training. Whether you’ve been racing, swimming socially, staying active in other sports, or enjoying some well-earned downtime, it’s wonderful to welcome everyone back to the pool for the start of the new season.

Northcote Swim Club exists first and foremost as a community – one that values effort, improvement, friendship, and enjoyment of the sport. At the same time, we are proudly a competition swimming club. Racing is how swimmers test themselves, build confidence, learn resilience, and turn training into meaningful experience. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a swimmer’s first ever race or their hundredth – standing behind the blocks is a core part of what we do together.

With that in mind, we would like to see a lot more of our swimmers in the competition pool, and strongly encourage all eligible squad swimmers to take part in one of our two upcoming target meets on the 14th and 15th of March listed on the attached flyer. These meets have been chosen to provide families with flexibility, and specifically because they provide a supportive, well-run environment that suits both newer competitors. Coaches will be using these competitions to help swimmers set goals, practice race skills, and build momentum for the season ahead.

It’s also important to note that competition participation matters for Club Awards and Trophies. To be eligible for the major performance awards – including Age Group Champions and the Nippers, Junior, and Senior Club Champions – swimmers must meet the participation and performance requirements.

These awards are designed to recognise consistent effort and all-round engagement across the long and short-course seasons, not just a single standout swim. I'll send out a separate email shortly detailing exactly what's expected of swimmers to qualify for an award.

If you have any questions about competitions, eligibility, or which events are most appropriate, please speak with your coach – they are always happy to help guide swimmers and parents alike.

Thank you for being part of our club community. We’re looking forward to a positive, energetic season of training, racing, and supporting one another – in and out of the water.
Welcome back, and see you poolside.

Warm regards,
Crispin Butteriss
Club President