It Is Not About Winning but About Taking Part

1

30th September, 2002-09-30

Hello Everyone,

Isn’t it great……. Summer has arrived at last and we are all getting back into the swimming mood. I hope you are all well and training hard, aiming for Durban Champs in March 2003.

Thank you all those members who paid up in time. We now have 75 paid up members plus some new members that have joined us. We would like to welcome Timo Pretoruis, Shelly Roberts, Pieter Swanepoel, Colin Steytler, Marijke Kostelijk, Norman Barkley, Kerry-Dale Charlsley, Brian Duguid and Matie Grobler (husband of Vilma). We wish you all the best in your masters swimming career for the future years to come. It is great fun and you meet the nicest people. New motto for the club

“It is not about winning but about taking part”

RECENT EVENTS

The Swem, Sop and Sherry held in Bloemfontein was a great success, Coelacanth team were the winners. The team consisted of David Gray, Ralph Wallach, Melanie Roodt, Angelike Sandri, Kobus du Plooy, Carola van Dam and Marieke Bouwer. Well done team. Here is an insert of them having a great time.

The SAMS Winter Challenge was a great success, some did it on their own and some did it together at Hillcrest, we all had lots of fun. Some people did it a number of times to better their distance and to help others along by encouraging all around the poolside, our very own Ralph Wallach was one of those people. We havn’t heard any results as yet from SAMS but thank you all for participating.

There was a fantastic turnout of Coelacanths at the Northerns Short Course Gala held at Linden Pool on Saturday morning 31st August. Our champ of the day was once again Barbara Pearce who broke two SA records. She was presented with a trophy (donated by Olivia Belcher) from the Northern’s Committee for her great achievement in completing the Robben Island Swim. Well done Barbs. Some fun was had in a relay to end the gala, by Coelacanth No. 1 team consisting of Kobus du Plooy, Kobus Le Roux, Carola, Wilma, Marieke, and Braam Snyman. We expected them to win hands down, but we couldn’t find them! They decided to swim the whole event underwater!! And they did it!!!! We named them “The Team from Atlantis”.

The Pheonix Short Course Champs were held at Ellis Park on 15th September. Well done to Derek Fyfe who broke the SA Record for the 200 Backstroke and with a time which qualified for SAMS colours .

UPCOMING EVENTS

5th October, 2002 Coelacanth 1500 Swim, Hillcrest, 7.30am to 2pm.

13th October, 2002 Gauteng and Northerns Short Course, Ellis Park 8am

19th October, 2002 Sun City Swim 1500. Sun City.

26th October, 2002 Potch Mile. Potchefstroom.

VERY IMPORTANT: We need all the help we can get for the Coelacanth 1500 swim with timekeeping, please offer your services. Some tips on timekeeping follow:

1.  At the start of the race, ask the swimmer his name and check your lane sheet provided to ensure that it is the correct swimmer.

2.  At the start of the race, watches must be on zero.

3.  Watch the strobe light or smoke of the gun to start the stopwatch at the send off.

4.  Immediately after the start of the race check if your watch is running.

5.  If the watch has malfunctioned, immediately put up your hand and report to the chief or assistant chief timekeeper.

6.  Make sure of the distance being swum.

7.  At the end of the race, when the swimmer reaches the false start rope, get up and watch the wall, not the swimmer, when the swimmer touches the wall with any part of the body you stop your watch.

Hope that this helps some people.

KIT

We are looking at kitbags at a selling price of R85.00 with our logo on. Orders will be taken at club night for those who would like one. We still have ladies and mens costumes available and T-Shirts. Orders will be taken for tracksuits and golf shirts. Our committee have decided to give, in the near future, each member a cap with the logo printed on.

BIRTHDAYS:

We had a very special birthday in September. Grieg Kothe turned 80 on the 4th Sept.

Congratulations Grieg!! Hope you had a wonderful day.

2/8 Frans Lotz, 8/8 Tony Cawood, 16/8 Sandy Dorlas, 24/8 Johan Keet,

5/9 Kerry Dale Charlsley, 5/9 Kobus du Plooy,Vie 10/9 Vie Beukes,

11/9 Liz Ledbitter, 14/9 Sabine Verryn, 15/9 Carola Van Dam, 17/9 Nerina MCall

22/9 Roland Pearce, 24/9 Wendy Muir, 3/10 Hugh Cable, 17/10 Deon Slier, 24/10 Paul Mulder and Terrence Fletcher, 31/10 Barbara Pearce.

TECHNIQUE TIPS: (First of many – one per Newsletter)

(Extracts from SSA’s “Teaching Swimming and Water Safety” Course Theory Manual)

Freestyle: There are two standard types of freestyle set apart by the timing of the arms movements relative to each other. In the semi-catch-up freestyle one arm moves through the last half of its pull, its entire recovery, then enters in front while the other arm moves through only the first half of the pull. In the power stroke freestyle there is little or no pause or glide of the hand in front. One arm enters barely in time to take over pulling before the other arm finishes the push.

NATIONALS ACCOMMODATION:

Please we have only got 2 weeks left to make up your minds where you are going to stay in Durban. We still have accommodation left at Umhlanga, as per the information you received with your last newsletter. Contact Joyce to find out which apartments are still available so that you can do your own bookings.

Keep training hard – see you at the pool……………..

Joyce