Question 1

How do I join Halesowen Swimming Club?

Accepted Answer

We’d love to welcome you! The first step is usually a free trial or an assessment so we can see which squad or lesson stage is the best fit. Please get in touch with us via our Contact Page to arrange a time to come down.

Question 2

What is 'Swim Manager' and why do I need it?

Accepted Answer

Swim Manager is our online club management system - think of it as your personal dashboard. Once you join, we’ll create an account for you. You will log in here to:
 • Set up and manage your monthly payments.
 • Enter competitions (Galas and Open Meets).
 • View your swimmer's Personal Best (PB) times.
 • See club news and upcoming events.

Question 3

Why are there two different membership fees?

Accepted Answer

You will see two types of fees.

• Club Fees: These are your monthly training fees that cover pool hire, coaching and club equipment.
 • Swim England Fees: This is an annual fee paid once a year. It covers your insurance and officially registers you as a competitive swimmer with the national governing body. Without this, you cannot race!

Question 4

Can I watch training sessions?

Accepted Answer

Can I watch training sessions? A: Yes, Halesowen Leisure Centre has a viewing gallery. You are welcome to watch but we ask that you do not distract the swimmers or coaches during the session.

Question 5

Do I need to be a member as a parent?

Accepted Answer

We recommend that at least one parent joins as a 'Club Support' member. This is a very low annual cost (paid to Swim England) that covers you for insurance if you ever help out on poolside, timekeep at a gala, or volunteer.

Question 6

I keep hearing 'Cat 1' and 'Cat 2' membership. What does that mean?

Accepted Answer

These are Swim England registration categories:
 • Club Train (Cat 1): This is for swimmers who are training but not yet competing in open meets or regional championships. It covers your insurance to train.
 • Club Compete (Cat 2): This is for swimmers who are racing in Open Meets, Counties, or Regionals. It costs slightly more per year because it licenses you to compete officially.
 • Don't worry: We will tell you which one you need when you join or when you move up groups.

Question 7

Is the club just about swimming lengths?

Accepted Answer

Definitely not! We are a friendly community, and we love to have fun out of the pool too. We organise regular team days out - recent trips have included tackling the water inflatables at Cliff Lakes and visiting Ninja Warrior!
The highlight of our social calendar is our Annual Awards Celebration Evening. It’s a fantastic night with food, a disco, and a photo booth, where we come together to celebrate everyone’s achievements with medals, trophies, and prizes. It’s a great way for swimmers to make lifelong friends outside of the pool lanes.