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What is Bottisham Swimming Club?
Bottisham Swimming Club is a volunteer-run, family-oriented competitive swimming club based to the north and east of Cambridge, England. It has around 120 members aged roughly 8 to 19 and combines regular training with an active competition calendar. It describes itself as welcoming both highly talented swimmers and those who simply want to push themselves to improve.
Who it suits
- Children from about age 8 who have reached roughly Level 7 or 8 in their swimming lessons.
- Older competent junior club swimmers, up to age 18, who can slot into the B or A squads if space allows.
- Families looking for a club with a strong community feel: some current members are children of former club swimmers.
How the squads work
New young swimmers typically enter the Academy Squad, then progress through C, B and A squads over several years. Many stay until they leave college or go to university. The A squad is for fully committed swimmers aged about 12 to 19 who compete regularly.
Training and competition
Training takes place at Bottisham Swimming Pool on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at Impington Sports Centre on Sunday afternoons, with the A squad also training at Impington on Monday evenings. The club emphasises hard work, commitment and good behaviour in the pool, and expects members to compete.
Joining
Trials run three times a year for swimmers aged 8 and above. Interested families complete a trial request form, and the Membership Secretary or Head Coach makes contact when a trial space becomes available. The club is run by a parent volunteer committee, and safeguarding follows WavePower, Swim England's welfare framework, with a designated Club Welfare Officer. For a broader view of the governing body's welfare guidance, see Swim England.
Next step: if your child is around Level 7–8 or already swimming competitively, submit a trial request rather than waiting for a general open day, since entry is handled through scheduled trials.
How do I request a trial to join Bottisham Swimming Club?
To request a trial at Bottisham Swimming Club, complete the trial request form on the club's website. The Membership Secretary or Head Coach will then contact you when a trial space becomes available.
What to expect
- Trials run three times a year for swimmers aged 8 and above.
- Entry normally starts from around Level 7 or 8 in swimming lessons.
- New swimmers usually begin in the Academy Squad, then progress through C, B and A squads over several years.
- The club has about 120 members aged 8 to 19 and trains at Bottisham Swimming Pool (Wednesdays and Thursdays) and Impington Sports Centre (Sunday afternoons, with A squad also on Monday evenings).
Before you apply
- Check your swimmer meets the age and lesson-level guidance above.
- Have basic details ready — swimmer's age, current club or lesson level, and preferred contact information.
- Submit the trial request form via Bottisham Swimming Club.
- Wait for a reply; places depend on squad capacity, so timing may vary.
If your child is already a competent junior club swimmer aged up to 18, the club says it can take them into B or A squads where space allows — mention this in your request. For questions about safeguarding or welfare, the club lists a Club Welfare Officer and follows WavePower guidance.
What swimming ability level does my child need to join the club?
Your child should generally be able to swim at around Level 7 or 8 of the standard swimming lesson framework before joining Bottisham Swimming Club. The club says it trains young swimmers from about age 8 once they have reached that stage, with most starting in the Academy Squad and progressing through C, B and A squads over several years. Older competent junior club swimmers, up to age 18, may be accepted directly into the B or A squads if space allows.
What this means in practice
Level 7–8 typically indicates a child can swim several lengths of a recognised stroke with reasonable technique, is comfortable in deep water, and can follow lane instructions. That is a different benchmark from "can swim a bit" or "has finished a term of lessons". If your child is still building water confidence or cannot yet complete multiple lengths unaided, a local lesson programme is usually the better next step.
Trials and timing
The club runs trials for swimmers aged 8 and above three times a year. Entry is not automatic: you submit a trial request form, and the Membership Secretary or Head Coach responds when a trial space becomes available. Places depend on squad capacity, so ability alone does not guarantee a spot.
A useful way to judge readiness
- Can your child swim multiple lengths of at least one stroke without stopping?
- Do they cope with deep water and lane swimming?
- Are they ready for regular training plus competition, since the club expects commitment and good behaviour in the pool?
- Are you able to manage the training locations — Bottisham Swimming Pool on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and Impington Sports Centre on Sundays, with A squad also on Monday evenings?
If most answers are yes, request a trial through the club site at Bottisham Swimming Club. If not, ask the club whether your child's current lesson level is close enough, or check whether a less competitive local club better matches their stage.
What are the training times and locations for each squad?
The page does not list a separate timetable per squad. It names the pools and the days, and describes the squad pathway, but it does not state session start and finish times or assign specific days to each of the Academy, C, B and A squads.
What the page does confirm
| Detail | What is stated |
|---|---|
| Bottisham Swimming Pool | Wednesdays and Thursdays |
| Impington Sports Centre | Sunday afternoon |
| A squad at Impington | Monday evening |
| Age range | About 8 to 19 |
| Entry point | Around Level 7 or 8 in swimming lessons, usually starting in the Academy Squad |
| Progression | Academy → C → B → A over a number of years |
| Trials | Three times a year, for swimmers aged 8 and above |
So the practical answer for a parent is: expect midweek training at Bottisham and weekend training at Impington, with the Monday evening session reserved for the top A squad. Younger swimmers in the Academy and C squads are most likely to be on the Wednesday/Thursday and Sunday sessions, but the page does not confirm this.
Next step
The club publishes a weekly news item, "BSC WEEKLY NEWS", described as covering weekly news, training times, pool updates and gala events. That is the place to look for the current timetable, since pool bookings and session times change. If it is not visible, use the club contact page or submit a trial request form and ask the Membership Secretary or Head Coach directly for the squad-by-squad schedule, including which sessions your child's level would attend.
A useful way to judge fit
If your child is around Level 7 or 8 and aged 8 or over, the Academy Squad is the normal entry point, so ask which sessions that group swims before committing to the travel. If your child is already a competent junior club swimmer up to age 18, the club says it can take them into the B or A squads where space allows, so ask specifically about A squad Monday evenings at Impington as well as the shared sessions. Also confirm that the days suit your family, because training at two different sites across the week is the main practical commitment here.
How are the club's squads structured and how does a swimmer progress between them?
Squads are organised as a long-term pathway rather than a set of fixed ability groups. The club describes a progression from Academy Squad through C, B and A squads over a number of years, with many swimmers staying until they leave college or go to university. Entry typically starts around age 8, once a swimmer has reached roughly Level 7 or 8 in their swimming lessons. The A squad is described as fully committed swimmers aged about 12 to 19 who compete regularly, and competent junior club swimmers up to 18 can be taken into the B and A squads when space allows.
What each stage tends to mean
- Academy Squad — the entry point for young swimmers who have the lesson background but are new to club training.
- C squad — an intermediate step where training habits and attendance are established.
- B squad — a more committed training group; suitable for competent junior club swimmers joining from elsewhere.
- A squad — the top competitive group, training more often and competing regularly.
Training locations give a clue to commitment
Bottisham Swimming Pool hosts Wednesday and Thursday sessions, while Impington Sports Centre covers Sunday afternoons. The A squad adds a Monday evening session at Impington. More sessions per week generally signal a higher squad, so a family weighing up the time commitment can use the weekly schedule as a practical guide.
How progression actually happens
Movement between squads is a coaching decision based on development over years, not a single test. The club states it expects hard work, commitment and good behaviour in the pool. In practice, a swimmer who attends consistently, improves technically and competes when asked is the one a coach will consider moving up. Because squad sizes are limited, a swimmer may be ready but still wait for a place.
A realistic example
A nine-year-old at Level 8 joins the Academy Squad, trains once or twice a week and learns club etiquette. After a season or two of regular attendance and a few galas, a coach may move them to C squad. By their early teens, if they are training several times a week and competing regularly, B squad becomes realistic; A squad follows for those who keep improving and commit to the full schedule.
Next step
If you are considering the club for a child, request a trial and ask the Head Coach two specific questions: which squad the swimmer would start in, and what would need to change for them to move up. Trials run for swimmers aged 8 and above three times a year, so timing your request around those windows avoids a long wait.
What is expected of swimmers and parents in terms of commitment and volunteering?
Bottisham Swimming Club sets out its expectations plainly: swimmers are expected to show hard work, commitment and good behaviour in the pool, and the club encourages them to carry those principles into other areas of their lives. That matters most once a swimmer reaches the competitive squads. The club describes its A squad as fully committed swimmers aged roughly 12 to 19 who compete regularly, so training attendance and gala availability are part of the deal rather than optional extras.
For parents, the key expectation is volunteering. The club is run by parent volunteers who sit on the Committee, so families are effectively the club's workforce. In practice that usually means helping at galas (timekeeping, marshalling, officiating), supporting club events, or taking on a committee or administrative role. If you are considering joining, ask at the trial stage what the typical volunteering rota looks like for your squad, and how many officials or helpers each gala needs.
What this means for a typical family
- Swimmer: regular attendance at the assigned sessions, listening to coaches, behaving well poolside, and entering competitions when selected.
- Parent: paying fees on time, responding to club communications, and covering a share of gala duties or club roles.
- Both: treating the club as a multi-year commitment. Many members stay from around age 8 until they leave college or go to university.
A practical way to decide
Before requesting a trial, look at the training schedule and ask yourself whether your family can sustain it for several years. Training takes place at Bottisham Swimming Pool on Wednesdays and Thursdays, at Impington Sports Centre on Sunday afternoons, and A squad also trains at Impington on Monday evenings. If the travel and the volunteering requirement fit your week, the club's family-oriented culture is likely to suit you; if not, be honest about it early rather than after joining.
The club runs trials for swimmers aged 8 and above three times a year, and entry to the B and A squads is possible for competent junior club swimmers up to age 18, subject to space. Start by submitting a trial request; the Membership Secretary or Head Coach will then make contact when a trial space opens. You can read more at Bottisham Swimming Club.
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