Top visiting club at Portsmouth Northsea distance and junior meets

The weekend of 23-24th January saw Southampton swimmers make the short journey down the M27 to Portsmouth for their distance and junior open meets, both of which were swam long course. The weekend proved to be very successful for all involved with 6 national times and lots of medals.

Dave has his say - Head Coach comments: 'On the Right Track - the programme works’ 

Well done to all of our swimmers I thought you swam well and once again produced some sound swims on which to build on in the future. The statistics are living proof the ‘Programme is working,’ and we are really on the right track with the Long Term Athletic Development of our swimmers here at City of Southampton Swimming Club. Once again I find it hard to single out and mention just a few swimmers when so many of you did so well, which believe me is a nice position to be in. Firstly congratulations:

Emily Ard (14yrs)           National Youth Qualified for 1,500m Freestyle 18:00.01
Tom Diaper-Fox (12yrs)  National Age Group Qualified for 1,500m Freestyle 17:39.37
                                  National Age Group Qualified for 800m Freestyle 9:24.11
Bas Burnel (13yrs)         National Age Group Qualified for 100m Breaststroke 1:16.48
Ben Stevens (11yrs)      National Age Group Qualified for 100m Butterfly 1:08.80
                                  National Age Group Qualifier for 200m Butterfly 2:36.37

Jessica Bishop (11yrs), who scooped 4 Golds, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze medals
Elizabeth Crook (11yrs) 2 Silvers, 2 Bronzes
Hannah Stevens (13yrs), 4 Golds, 2 Silvers
Katie Fryer (13yrs), 2 Silvers, 1 Bronze
India Bosley (13yrs) 1 Silver, 2 Bronze,
Brooke Rumsey (13yrs) 1 Bronze
Ben Stevens (11yrs) 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Tom Diaper-Fox (12yrs) 3 Golds, 1 Silver, 2 Bronzes
Indiana Shanker (13yrs) 3 Golds, 1 Silver
Bas Burnel (13yrs) 1 Gold, 1 Bronze
Jake Fleetwood (13yrs) 1 Silver, 2 Bronze,
Sadie Fleetwood (14yrs) 1 Gold
Isobel Lyon-Maris (14yrs) 1 Bronze
Emily Ard (14yrs) 1 Gold
Ashley Ball (14yrs) 1 Gold
Karl Heather (14yrs) 1 Silver

Indiana Shanker (13yrs) has proved that if you are prepared to get up in the mornings, attend, work damn hard and try in every training session – YOU CAN ACHIEVE! Two years ago Indiana went 1:28.8 for 100m Free and was rejected for 200m Free he was too slow. On Sunday Indiana won Gold in the 100m Free and swam 1:02.37 (bearing in mind this event was long course whereas previously this event was course) and won Gold in the 100m Backstroke. In the 200m Individual Medley Indiana had to overcome the formidable task of beating a 2009 National Age Group Medley medal winner to take Gold, which as you can imagine was not easy, Indiana put together a very good medley and took another Gold. This is an amazing feat for a young boy, who had been a ‘B’ Grade swimmer just over a year ago, without a Hampshire County Qualification. Indiana now has not only qualified for the County Championships, but also the South East Region Championships.

I have coached many swimmers like Indiana, they prove time and time again that if you really apply and believe in the ‘Training Regime & Programme’  they can succeed. Well done Indiana. Talent will only take you so far – you have to put the hard work in to be a successful swimmer.

Results for the Blue Ribbon meet and the Junior open meet are now available.

‘The Reality Check’

Despite the wave of success City of Southampton Swimming Club is currently riding, some of our swimmers remain in the ‘Twilight zone of swimming training’, foolishly believing there are ‘Quick fix solutions to a long term training programme,’ and fail to make the link between training attendance / application and competition success! The reality check is that: There are absolutely NO legal instant successes (….and I. CSSC and British Swimming would not tolerate illegal ones) I am afraid it is all about hard work (Attendance & Application in training).  

Training immediately prior to minor meets IS and WILL BE common practice here at City of Southampton Swimming Club. Young swimmers do not, and should not attempt to self-taper/rest prior to every Open Meet, Gala or Competition, the emphasis at present is on training, many of our young swimmers are at the ‘LEARNING TO TRAIN or TRAINING TO TRAIN’ stage of the Long Term Athletic Development Plan.

As I have said so many times before: ‘If it is the case that we train Mon-Thu, rest on Fri and set personal best times every Sat/Sun. I would do this 52 weeks of the year (I really would) and we would all be Michael Phelps/Rebecca Adlington by next Christmas.’ As ludicrous as this sounds, at times I think some swimmers and parents believe this can happen!

We have made really good progress recently, however we cannot get ahead of ourselves and I have to be candid, we have a long, long way to go. Some swimmers need to make some changes to their mental approach to training and competition – this is a ‘training orientated sport', you will not improve or progress sat on the sofa, lying in your bed or prancing around looking for anyway out of hard work in every training session.’ Each session has to count, the swimmer needs to rate each session as 10 out of 10 for effort.

Far too many swimmers moaned and dripped at me on Friday night, during what I would call a light session, why? It was a light session – fact. Toughen up, because if you don’t someone out there will!

The Harder You Work the Luckier You Get!

David Terry
Head Coach