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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

Poolside chat: Calling all parents of competitive swimmers!

999 replies

Marypoppins19 · 06/04/2018 08:13

I thought it might be helpful to share our highs/lows/questions/thoughts in one place. Who’s joining me!?

OP posts:
estherfrewen · 27/09/2020 09:31

@turkeyboots - was v surprised he tested positive to be honest. It is the same as any other virus so far. No-one else affected in the pool thankfully as he was swimming day before symptoms. DH and I seem fine

WidowTwonky · 27/09/2020 10:43

Oh no esther Wishing him a full and speedy recovery

Still limited pool time here and no timed swims yet

estherfrewen · 27/09/2020 11:29

Thanks @WidowTwonky- he seems okay now but dont want to jinx it! Hopefully school Thursday and training week after. Just lots of rest and school on Teams until then

ealingwestmum · 27/09/2020 12:24

Wishing your son a speedy recovery Esther, and that the rest of you continue to remain virus free.

All good here; they did some team time trials this morning which DD forfeited a birthday lie in (17 today) for, which was encouraging. Everyone in club trying to remain as positive as possible about what can be done, in the coming 6 months or so absence of any competitive swimming.

estherfrewen · 27/09/2020 13:02

Happy birthday to mini @ealingwestmum - am impressed by swimming TT instead of lying in!

ealingwestmum · 27/09/2020 15:12

Thank you Esther. I guess they only realise they actually miss something like racing when it’s taken away?

Madcats · 28/09/2020 19:56

Firstly, I need to wish Esther's son a speedy recovery (and I hope the rest of you, and his club, stay well). I've heard of so many instances where only part of a family became unwell, so fingers crossed for you.

I hope mini @ealingwestmum had a successful time trial and managed to enjoy her birthday (poor kids, being limited to just 4 or 5 friends).

Good luck to @turkeyboots too. Time trials are unlikely to happen for us any time soon.

DD is swimming indoors 2 1/2 hours per week (down from 9), but is about to get an extra hour in a small pool.

This summer DD discovered open water swimming and did some paddle boarding (AND it was normally sunny). It was a bit of a trek and I am forever having to mend her wetsuit (she has pointy fingers and is careless), but she has LOVED it. We have had spate of chilly mornings, so she might be packing the wetsuit away this week.

Stay sane and safe everybody!

ealingwestmum · 28/09/2020 20:30

Thank you Madcats. The gathering of 5 was fine; I keep reminding her of the freshers’ misery right now for perspective.

Lovely to hear your DD has taken so well to open water swimming. Huge admiration for any of the DC here that have; given our less than Mediterranean water climate!

Helenjohanna · 08/10/2020 13:19

My son (turns eight next month) has a trial at Biggleswade Swimming Club on the 30th. He has to go into the centre with the adults in charge and I can't go in at all. He has to wear a mask as well, which will be new for him. I'm hoping it isn't all too daunting for him. I think he'll enjoy the swimming itself. I checked details, and apparently he has to do 50 metres of each stroke and tumble turns. I don't think he's learnt tumble turns, so I've sent a message to his swimming instructor about that.

I did chat in here some time ago about swimming clubs and others were very helpful. I'm really hoping that, should he be offered a place, we can make the class. We don't want a clash with football!

Madcats · 08/10/2020 14:54

Pulls up a chair for Helenjohanna.

Good luck to DS with his trial.

I think we used to pay for lessons in advance per term so we carried on doing both for a few weeks. With social distanced swimming (restricted numbers anyway) it probably isn't essential to be able to turn well in junior squad.

Helenjohanna · 08/10/2020 16:49

@Madcats

Pulls up a chair for Helenjohanna.

Good luck to DS with his trial.

I think we used to pay for lessons in advance per term so we carried on doing both for a few weeks. With social distanced swimming (restricted numbers anyway) it probably isn't essential to be able to turn well in junior squad.

I checked with DS when I collected him from school and he said he's done lots of tumble turns (I've never noticed myself...), but the swimming lessons manager got back to me and has offered us lessons between now and the trial to practise tumble turns and dives, so we'll try to squeeze in a couple of those.

He actually seems really excited. I explained that I will be dropping him off in the car park, not inside the centre, and that he will need to wear a mask (I've already ordered him a Minecraft one! Haha), and he wasn't fazed at all.

If he gets into the squad, he will only be training on Friday evenings initially, so there are no clashes. Phew.

Helenjohanna · 09/10/2020 12:55

Okay, he's been booked onto Aqua Challenge for the next two Mondays, in which he will apparently practise tumble turns and diving. I've asked the manager if she has any idea how many children will be at this trial. I have no idea at all as to what his chances are of getting into a squad!

Eccle80 · 09/10/2020 14:13

I hope he gets on ok and enjoys it. I don’t know about other clubs, but ours rarely reject someone after a trial, and the main thing is really to make sure they enjoy it before joining (they do have to at least have stage 7 swimming to do it). Diving and turns are taught by the club.

How is everyone else getting on? Assume everyone has seen the news about counties being moved to summer. I wonder how they will work it in terms of qualifying? It seems sensible though as January and February looks unlikely

Helenjohanna · 09/10/2020 14:53

He very much enjoys swimming and has just passed Stage 7, so he is eligible. If he doesn't get in, it's fine. I have warned him that they might say he's not quite ready yet. He's fine with that.

rainbow121 · 09/10/2020 20:50

Good luck to your boy Helenjohanna! My son has just started with a swim club and has just turned 8 too. The process of going in without you, with face mask on etc was the same for him. He was fine with it and all of the others at the trial seemed fine too. The trial really was nothing to worry about at all. Our club was more interested in putting them into the correct squad than rejecting anyone. My son is really enjoying it!

Madcats · 09/10/2020 22:21

Good News!

The BBC is going to screen some of the International Swimming League (it starts quite soon):
swimswam.com/bbc-will-air-all-london-roar-matches-of-isl-regular-season-live-in-the-uk/

I didn't catch much of it last year but it is considerably more exciting that the average Open Meet or County Champs.

Helenjohanna · 10/10/2020 08:16

@rainbow121

Good luck to your boy Helenjohanna! My son has just started with a swim club and has just turned 8 too. The process of going in without you, with face mask on etc was the same for him. He was fine with it and all of the others at the trial seemed fine too. The trial really was nothing to worry about at all. Our club was more interested in putting them into the correct squad than rejecting anyone. My son is really enjoying it!
Thank you. I kind of got that impression. I would assume that he will go into the beginner squad.

Does your son do Aqua Challenge alongside the squad training? I'm beginning to think that that would make more sense than Rookie Lifeguard.

Fourmagpies · 10/10/2020 10:00

We're doing okay. DS has an excellent coach this year, he's young and keen, and the swimmers love him.

I did see about the Counties, it makes sense to delay it and hopefully it'll give the swimmers a chance to regain their fitness too. We're lucky that we get a lot of pool time but I know that's not the case for eery club. Our club are planning some virtual time trials with another club to add a bit of competition.

I loved the ISL last year madcats. It certainly makes the usual comps look lame!! I was hoping to take DS this year. Hopefully next year!

Fourmagpies · 10/10/2020 10:05

Good luck to the new swimmers too! It tends to be fairly relaxed in the younger squads and they build up slowly to the multiple sessions a week. Hope they enjoy it. My DS1 loves it, DS2 is also a good swimmer but refuses to do it competitively.

Helenjohanna · 10/10/2020 15:51

@Fourmagpies

Good luck to the new swimmers too! It tends to be fairly relaxed in the younger squads and they build up slowly to the multiple sessions a week. Hope they enjoy it. My DS1 loves it, DS2 is also a good swimmer but refuses to do it competitively.
Thank you :-)
rainbow121 · 11/10/2020 21:20

I’m not sure what Aqua challenge is? I don’t think they have that in our area. My son is swimming twice a week with his club so just doing that for now.

Helenjohanna · 12/10/2020 10:29

It has the same online set-up as stages 1-7, with a list of skills to pass. It is titled "Competitive swim" and is clearly designed to prepare children for competitive swimming. My DS's first session is this afternoon. We'll see if it suits him. It's possible that he'll be with much faster children and that might put him off. He seems happy to give it a try.

WidowTwonky · 12/10/2020 12:01

Waiting with trepidation at the announcement coming later. Can imagine if they close pools again Sad

WidowTwonky · 12/10/2020 12:02

Although fully aware that not all pools have reopened. Such as ours Ponds Forge

Madcats · 12/10/2020 13:43

Helenjohanna please reassure your DS that he is very likely to be slower than most of the squad when he joins, but he will quickly get faster.

Take a snack for afterwards Grin

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