HALF-TERM SWIM CAMP

 Fifteen swimmers from the Dolphins and Sharks squads attended a 3-day swim camp at the Aldershot Garrison  during the February half-term break.  This was designed to improve stroke techniques, starts and turns and speed. The swimmers were coached by Rosa Gallop from Bracknell and Wokingham Swimming Club, who is well know in the swimming world and ‘famous’ for coaching Sharon Davies and Sarah Hardcastle, amongst others.

 The swimmers worked very hard in the pool and during land training sessions.  The first day began with a 1½ hour swim session, working on stroke technique for back and front crawl, then rest and land training and a further 1 ½ hour swim session after lunch and a final land training exercise.  All went home tired but showing signs of developing the ‘S’ pull backstroke arms and improved  body positioning. (Let’s stop that over-reaching/deep arm pull on the front crawl.)

 Who thought day 2 would be easier?  Today the swimmers were filmed during starts and turns and timed on starts into 15 metre swims on all 4 stokes.  This proved to be a real eye-opener when the swimmers saw themselves on film the next day.  They spent approximately 4 ½ hours in the water with short 15 minute breaks throughout the day.  All went home absolutely shattered!

 The third and final day (phew!) was breast stroke and butterfly techniques.  The breast stroke drills were very informative for swimmers and teachers alike, using the sculling action at full arm stretch to be built into narrow arm pull and squeeze action.  The ‘fly arms were different in that the arms never reached as low as the thighs, but were ‘sliced’ outwards into the over-water stretch.   Later in the day we watched the ‘film show’ and eagerly await the edited version to show Dirk, swimmers and parents. 

 A superb 3 days!