Reflecting on 2020 The Club Perspective - Swim Ireland
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Reflecting on 2020 The Club Perspective
1
Contents
Introduction 2
Ballina Dolphins SC 3
Bangor ASC 4
Coleraine ASC 5
Cormorant SC 6
Curragh SC 7
Guinness SC 8
Limerick SC 9
NAC SC 10
Nenagh Neptune SC 11
Slaney Sharks SC 12
St. Fiacc's SC 13
Templemore SC 14
Thank you 15
2
Introduction
We wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on
a unique time for our sport and society, through
the lens of our clubs.
Thank you to the clubs who have contributed to
this booklet, sharing their highs and lows in 2020
and hopes for 2021.
We look forward to seeing our clubs, committees,
coaches and athletes very soon.
The Clubs and Community Team
Adam, Aisling, Aveen, Damien, Kinny, Pat, Ruth,
Sarah and Vincent
3
Ballina Dolphins SC
Blue Sky moment of the Grey Sky moment of the
Hope for 2021
year year
Winning the Swim Ireland 21 Day
As a Club the most difficult We look forward to brighter days.
Challenge, was a huge achievement
We hope to see our Swimmers back
for our club. Team work and challenge for us has been the non-
in the pool before Summer.
determination were instrumental in
return of our Learn to Swim We hope to retain our teenage
this achievement. We were
classes. Swimmers and see some of them
overwhelmed by the response of
progress within the club as Swim
our members to this challenge, the We have over 100 swimmers in Teachers.
enthusiasm and motivation
these lessons and we rely on the We would love to see our
displayed by the team of
Competitive Swimmers return to
participants was inspiring. We are so lessons to financially support the competitions. We look forward to
proud of the team work displayed
club. meeting our friends from the other
by everyone throughout the
Connacht Clubs at galas soon. We
challenge. We held our last learn to swim
hope our Division Swimmers will be
We connected with our swimmers
lessons prior to the first lockdown competing at National level again
by sending each family a postcard
next Summer.
telling them how much we were in March 2020 and we have missed
Finally, we dream of the day we get
missing them. The response to the
the smiling faces of young to hear our pool banks full of noise
surprise post was overwhelming.
members since. and laughter as our Learn to Swim
The feedback reinforced what we
Lessons return.
already knew, Ballina Dolphins
Swimming Club will be back.
4
Bangor ASC
Blue Sky moment of the Grey Sky moment of the
Hope for 2021
year year
For us, how our parents and Our grey sky moment was We are most looking forward
guardians supported the club
the difficulty in keeping a to seeing our Bangor
to return to water through
COVID training and parent on large membership engaged swimmers at Tokyo 2021 and
duty rotas, there was a real
while out of the water, Zoom supporting them from home,
sense of camaraderie,
flexibility, and a willingness to calls are no substitute to in watching their races on the
help. person face to face training. television.
The sight and sound of our
swimmers back in the water We hope this will re-inspire
after all the hard work of
COVID regulations and risk our Bangor club swimmers!
management paperwork was
a real highlight.
5
Coleraine ASC
Blue Sky moment of the Grey Sky moment of the
Hope for 2021
year year
Virtual CPD’s kept the Coaches Our main difficulty as a Club was The Covid pandemic has had, and
motivated throughout lockdown. trying to keep our competition continues to have a significant impact
This provided learning opportunities swimmers engaged. on all of our lives, and on our sport.
in the comfort of their own homes. With no ability to time trial or As pools reopen again and clubs and
measure improvements it was a their swimmers safely get back into
This contributed to Coaches to be daunting task. the water, we realise things may
never be the same again.
able to come up with their own Our virtual gala was a godsend - It
But we are prepared for that and we
ideas and initiatives to not only keep caused such excitement within the
strive to return to
the kids involved in swim club Club, among Coaches, Committee
training/competitive swimming
related activities, but also enabled Members and parents alike. Covid-
whatever level of safeguarding we
them to have contact with their 19 restrictions caused many a must put in place. As a Club, we will
team mates and friends which they headache in the planning stages, target particular age groups that have
may otherwise not have had. however, it all proved very dropped out over this time and
worthwhile in the end. encourage them back to the water.
This was very important to the club The kids were so eager to Motivating kids to come back and join
to provide a balance of physical participate and it showed in the our swimming community – Our
fitness with mental well-being. fantastic efforts by all involved with Swimming Family.
The workshops and online learning many swimmers recording There’s such a desire within our Club
available from both Swim Ulster and personal bests in their disciplines. to return to the water 2021 and we
Swim Ireland were outstanding. will.
6
Cormorant SC
Blue Sky moment of the Grey Sky moment of the
Hope for 2021
year year
Swimmers could train nearly Highly anticipated trip to Like all clubs we are looking
as normal and achieve PB's at international gala in Stuttgart forward to returning to
(Germany) was cancelled
the club time trials in October, training and competition in
quite close to departure time
great reminder of the buzz in due to Covid. the not too distant future!
the club at the start of 2020.
Would have been such a
memorable experience for all
Great teamwork to pull off
swimmers.
such an event safely and at
short notice, great level of Hopefully the hard work in
participation and so many organising can be used as a
template when we can all
PB's achieved all round.
travel again.
7
Curragh Swim Team
Blue Sky moment of the Grey Sky moment of the
Hope for 2021
year year
Supporting five other Having enjoyed the time Aside from the fervent
wish to return to water,
Swim Clubs with water trials, achieved some
we also hope that some
time as their members fantastic new PB and of the wonderful online
live in Kildare and were seeing joy on swimmers initiatives that Swim
Ireland have
not able to travel out of faces and then not being implemented during
the county due to able to progress the these Covid times will
continue to be used. Also
lockdown restrictions. athletes further due to
hoping that the inter-club
Covid. collaboration continues
as it is better for the Irish
swim family as a group.
8
Guinness SC
Blue Sky moment of the Grey Sky moment of the
Hope for 2021
year year
We learnt the agony and Losing our pool at St Getting our pool back
James Gate for the last
ecstasy of sea swimming and a Guinness weekend
year, the club base for
all year round! A positive decades, central to our away for a race.
outlet, during some tough club’s identity.
times! Warm water, tough Having time together to
training sessions and of swim, chat, laugh, eat,
course the Saturday post
drink…for longer than 90
-training coffee and
banter, we’re looking minutes!
forward to getting back.
9
Limerick SC
Blue Sky moment of the Grey Sky moment of the
Hope for 2021
year year
An opportunity to meet Our local pool, UL, could We hope to get back to
and hear from people only open to elite our home pool in UL and
online we never would athletes due to part of see the 50m pool open
have had the chance to. the campus being used for all our swimmers.
as a hospital setting. We
We got to hear from Nick had to use three We hope to see our
Quinn, Jessie Barr and different pools, including swimmers back on pool
our own Alan & Eoin County Limerick and deck laughing and smiling
Corby. Tipperary. together (while our
Going outside the coaches try and get them
This gave us time to hear borders and our local to do a dry-land warm-up
advice and learn about pool being closed meant and explain the set!).
experiences we wouldn’t we had less pool time
have been able to. than other clubs.10
NAC SC
Blue Sky moment of the Grey Sky moment of the
Hope for 2021
year year
This is definitely our successful The realisation for us as a Club We are simply hoping that, as
S&C training for all Squads at the at end September that, with
restrictions lift, and pools open,
NSC pitches in late 2020, during Covid Restrictions, our Club was
Pool closure Level 5, and just now divided across County we see every familiar face of
after Cross-County Boundary Borders. every single Swimmer of our
Training bans. For the first time in the Covid
The turnout was amazing, Crisis, our Club Unity and sense Club return through the doors
allowing our Swimmers to of ‘We’re all in this together’ was of the NAC, ready to take their
strength train again with their torn apart as we scrambled for
Squads to a structured plan, pool and lane space in Meath place in their Squad, ready to
continuing to work towards and Kildare to allow our train, to engage, to have fun
goals, socially distanced, Swimmers in these Counties to
together, and then to enjoy the
together. Even the rain and cold train in other pools to a
of the morning of Saturday 20th schedule with our Dublin benefits of their training, as they
November did not stop a large Swimmers. Our Swimmers
were all doing prior to Covid.
turnout, camaraderie, banter & missed their swimming
fun. We are so proud of our colleagues, friends, Squads, and
amazing, resilient Swimmers. routines.11
Nenagh Neptune SC
Blue Sky moment of the Grey Sky moment of the
Hope for 2021
year year
Nenagh Neptune SC had two blue The change in lane occupancy from We hope to see swimmers being
sky moments in 2020. six to five swimmers due to the
able to attend a consistent run of
The club hosted a successful Level 1 increased Covid 19 restrictions at
meet on 15th February at which the end of October resulted in training so that they can get back to
everything ran smoothly and most each squad having one less their previous levels of fitness and
importantly, the eight attending training session per week.
clubs and their swimmers together motivation.
with swimmers from our own club It disrupted what had been a great
enjoyed a great day of swimming. start to a new season.The
swimmers adapted well but some We saw our swimmers smiling in
Our next blue sky moment was on momentum was lost. 2020 and we hope to see them
7th September when our swimmers
beaming in 2021.
returned to club training, very eager Added to that, senior swimmers
to get back into the water. were understandably deflated by
their drop in swimming times and
The smiles on their faces energised by the realisation that there would
the whole club and focused all of us be a lack of opportunities to
in our efforts to run safe and improve those times.
successful training sessions.12
Slaney Sharks SC
Blue Sky moment of the Grey Sky moment of the
Hope for 2021
year year
The most positive experience A challenging experience for the Our club is most looking forward
that has occurred this season is club was making a decision as to getting back into competition
the movement of dryland to how the club could proceed despite the long intervals of
training to online to train last summer once pools being out of the water.
classes.Previously, we could only reopened with cost and
offer training once per week to availability of pool time being Swimmers need motivation for
our A Squad members due to factors to consider. the hard work and many hours
hire costs of a room and Fortunately, the club were of practice required in
limitation on room size. offered the use of Bunclody competitive swimming.
Movement to zoom has had Pool which was a new
great advantages such as experience for the swimmers as Our first goal will be working
allowing the full club to be it’s an outside pool. towards the first meet of the
involved in the comfort of their Despite, the unpredictable season and allowing swimmers
own home. The coach is able to weather, the swimmers really to remember why they are
post a session during the week enjoyed the experience and swimming and to set their
that swimmers can do at their were delighted to be back targets for the end of the year.
leisure and we then hold a live training.
class each Saturday morning.13
St. Fiacc's SC
Blue Sky moment of the Grey Sky moment of the
Hope for 2021
year year
During the restrictions, when A difficult moment for our club Our hope for 2021 is to get all of
allowed, we established outdoor from the past year was when our
our squads including our masters
land training for 3 of our squads. swimmers were segregated by only
being permitted to train in their back into the water and to restart
This allowed the swimmers to keep own county. our lessons for the junior
their fitness up and also to see each
other in a socially distanced way. Our main pool in on county swimmers. We hope that we will be
boarders and we have swimmers able to get back to some level of
We feel this was great for the from 4 counties in our club.
swimmers mental health as well as regular training over the summer
their physical health. Being prohibited from travelling to months.
the club for training had a big
This training moved onto zoom impact on our swimmers.
during the last level of restrictions
but we hope to be able to return to We were fortunate that clubs in
outdoor training again when those counties allowed some of
allowed. our swimmers to train with them
while they were unable to travel to
training with us and we are very
thankful for that.14
Templemore ASC
Blue Sky moment of the Grey Sky moment of the
Hope for 2021
year year
We’ve learnt that our swimmers Like most clubs and swimmers, We are looking forward to
are keen on staying fit, even if
it was the anticipation of pools seeing our squads in the pool
they have to attend Zoom land
training sessions. The majority of re-opening and then the again, training together,
our swimmers offered this land disappointment when due to attending galas, going on
training attend and take part
with great enthusiasm. Some of COVID-safe procedures, limited training trips, shared bus rides
our swimmers challenged lanes and pool sessions, we to Aquasprints.
themselves and overcame their
fear of Open Water swimming in were unable to get all our
the summer. swimmers into the pool,
One of our squads do a Secret
followed by the closure again of
Santa gift exchange which
couldn’t take place this year so pools and gyms again in
our head coach dressed as
December.
Santa and brought along his elf
helper and delivered the Secret
Santa gifts in a Covid-safe way.15
Thank you to all of our
clubs.....
Aer Lingus Masters, Aer Lingus SC, Alliance ASC, ALSAA SC, Ards ASC, Armagh SC,
Asgard Masters, Asgard SC, Askeaton SC, Athlone SC, AURA Dundalk SC, Ballina
Dolphins SC, Ballina SC, Ballinasloe SC, Ballymena ASC, Ballymoney ASC, Banbridge
ASC, Bangor ASC, Bangor Barracuda AWPC, Blackrock SC, Bluefin SC, Carrick
Dippers SC, Carrick Fins SC, Castlebar SC, Cathal Brugha AWPC, Celtic Waves SC,
City of Belfast ASC, City of Derry ASC, Claremorris SC, Clonard WPC, Clonmel SC,
Clontarf SC, Coleraine ASC, Comans SC, Cookstown ASC, Coolmine SC, Cork
Masters SC, Cormorant SC, Corrib WPC, Courtown SC, Crosshaven Tri Club, Cú
Chulainn AWPC, Curragh Swim Team, David Lloyd SC, Diamonds AWPC, Dolphin SC,
Donegall ASC, Drogheda SC, Drogheda WPC, Dublin SC, Dungannon ASC,
Dungarvan Barracudas SC, East Cavan ASC, Eastern Bay Masters, Ennis SC,
Enniscorthy SC, Enniskillen Lakelanders ASC, ESB SC, Fermoy SC, Fortunestown SC,
Galway SC, Glenalbyn Masters SC, Glenalbyn SC, Guinness SC/WPC, Half Moon
WPC, Infinity Swim Academy, Kells SC, Kenmare Bay SC, Kilkeel ASC, Kilkenny SC,
Killarney SC, Kingdom Masters SC, Kingdom SC, Kingfisher SC Thurles, Lahinch SC,
Laois Marlins SC, Larne ASC, Laser SC, Leander ASC, Lecale ASC, Leinster Open Sea,
Limavady ASC, Limerick Masters SC, Limerick SC, Lir SC, Lisburn City ASC, Longford
SC, Lurgan ASC, Lurgan Masters , Mallow Masters, Mallow Swans SC, Markievicz
Masters, Marlins ASC, Mid Ulster ASC, Mullingar Jets SC, NAC Masters SC, NAC SC,
Nenagh Neptune SC, New Ross SC, Newry & Mourne ASC, North Dublin WPC,
Olympia ASC, Otter SC, Phoenix Masters, Piranha SC, Portadown ASC,
Portmarnock SC, Riversdale Otters ASC, Sandycove Island Masters, Sandycove
WPC, Shamrock Diving Club, Shannon Masters, Shark SC, Sliabh Beagh ASC, Sligo
Masters, Sligo SC, Splashworld Sharks SC, St Fiacc's SC, St Vincents WPC,
Streamline SC, Strule Dolphins ASC, Sundays Well SC, Swan Leisure SC, Swilly Seals
ASC, Swim Plus SC, Swim West Masters, Tallaght Masters SC, Tallaght SC,
Templemore ASC, Templeogue SC, Terenure SC, Tipperary Tiger Sharks, Titans SC,
Tribes WPC, Trident SC, Trojan SC, Tuam SC, Tullamore SC, UCD SC & WPC, Viking
SC, Waterford Crystal SC, West Cork Orcas Dunmanway, Westport SC, Wexford
Masters , Wexford SC, Wicklow SCYou can also read
