Well it's all stations go in January, a very busy time for the Club with our move to our new home at Dudley and a full month of Opens and Team galas every week. 

 

The first gala of the year was for the Diddys at Droitwich - a chance for me to look at some of our new swimmers too.  We have two friendly Galas before the Diddy league begins and it is my intention to swim as many of you as I can at these before I pick the A team for this year.  So please don't worry if your son or daughter have not had a chance yet. 

 

While I have a chance, if there are any swimmers or parents that have not swam for the club yet and wish to, please contact me as soon as possible.  My phone numbers are on this month's News Letter so please call me.  I am particularly looking for as many lads born in 1997 as I can.  We need eight and at the moment I only know of three. 

 

For all the new swimmers and parents of this year's nine year olds (that is anyone born in 1997) the Diddy league fixtures are a very important set of fixtures.  It involves:

9 year olds (1997)

10 year olds (1996)

11 year olds (1995)

12 year olds (1994)

Remember, there are two teams so we need eight boys and eight girls in each age group.  It is good to have too many also.  So if you want to swim you need to speak to me. 

 

Here is the first team sheet:

9 year Girls: Katie Jones, Natalie Dingley, Emma Pay and Eva Cook.  This is a very good age group for the girls and if these four are anything to go by we will have two great teams.  Winning both relay events and a win for Katie and Emma in their individuals.  Eva had a 3rd place and Nat will get her chance at the next gala on the 4th of February. 

9 year boys: George Hammersley, Stephen Cole and Jordan Yates.  Unfortunately James Stephenson was rather ill and called off at the last minute so I had to swim an over-aged swimmer in the relays and declare it to the officials.  This, in effect, cost us points before we started.  Never mind, it was only a friendly(WHAT IS A FRIENDLY?  I ALWAYS WANT TO WIN),  George had a win and a 4th place and Stephen had a 5th and a 6th.  Jordan is actually under-age but just helped out so the others could swim so thank you very much Jordan and hurry up and be a 9. 

 

10 year girls: Kimberley, Phillipa, Emily and Beth.  50m swims for you all now and some good performances. 

10 year boys: Jake,  Tom, Callum and Bradley.  50m too for you guys but the girls beat you overall and we can't have this can we?  Bradley - I'm afraid you got D.Q. in your first swim for the team.  Don't worry, there will be plenty more chances for you to shine so just work on that turn before the next one. 

 

11 year girls: Sophie, Hannah, Phoebe and Beth.  Great team this one well done to you all no wins but quite a few 2nd places. 

11 year boys: Tom, Joe, Sam and Elliot.  Same again - nearly identical results - no wins again but it is early in the season so I will let you off (Just kidding).

 

12 year girls: Fran, Steph, Becky and Hayley.  This is going to be the hardest age group to select there are a lot of great swimmers to select from so we may have to rotate it a little to try to fit everyone in.  No win again but a few 2nds again - not bad - but I know you can all do it when it matters. 

12 year boys: Ant, Matt, Jake and Jake.  A double at last - well done Ant - two fine wins and the best swim I have ever seen Matt do with a fine 2nd.  Great efforts from both Jakes too in the relays. 

 

HERE'S THE FINAL STANDINGS:

1st    Camp Hill                                207 points

2nd   Perry Beeches Triple S             201 points

3rd   Worcester                               199 points

4th   Stourbridge                             170 points

5th   Redditch                                 139 points

6th   Droitwich                                133 points 

Considering we lost a potential 12 points before the start, not a bad result.  But we can do better.  So listen to your coaches and work hard in training and let's see what we can do this year. 

 

Thanks to all the helpers this week and particularly my son Alex who ran the whole gala for me so that I could watch all the new swimmers.