Annual General Meeting – 20th October 2014
Report from Head Coach Eamon O Hara
The 2013 / 2014 season had some ups and downs. The ups included great performances at the Ulster Championships, Division 2 Championships and the Leinster Galas, Ulster and Irish Schools galas, Community Games National Final and the Aqua sprint series and Final.
The downs were the retirement of a few swimmers, the loss of a few swimmers due to moving on to 3rd level and a few below par performances at the National Championships. Seeing swimmers move on due to College, work is natural, but when a swimmer decides to ‘retire’ at 15 or 16 I feel a disappointment and sense of failure for I believe they are too young to make such a decision. Of course if they are choosing between swimming and another sport at a high level they have my blessing. The door is always open if they choose to return.
Success in swimming is all about technique, hard work, patience, a willingness to learn, to experiment, maxing out on the natural God given talent and honesty. Honesty is important in the communication between coach and swimmer. Both must challenge themselves in order to be the best they can be. I would like to focus on technique for a moment. From what I see at galas, at training, in the teaching pool, on my tutor trips to other venues and talking to experienced coaches, I have come to the conclusion, that unless we produce technically competent swimmers, we will always struggle to produce competent swimmers who can be the best they genetically can be. Consequently I have asked Ita and her teaching team at Development squad level to go back to basics and teach sculling, buoyancy, threading water, balance, streamlining etc before they stress strokes and distance. At Junior, Inter and Senior squad level we are also asking swimmers in these squads to do some strength training in their own time. A programme has been issued and I hope they are doing it. The Aqua Squad have also been given a programme and they too should be doing the exercises at least 3 time a week in their own time as well as Sunday morning, just like the senior squads.
Our squads train between 3 and 6 times a week. This is necessary if we want to compete. Our opponents are on far higher training frequencies. That is fine. What we need I believe, is to be the best we can be at the highest level, without making it a total slog. We can do it if we are technically very good and train effectively when we are training. The coaching team has also been increased. We now have Noel McGahon who is the Inter squad coach. Ita is the Junior Squad coach. Dana the Aqua sprint coach and Linda the Junior Aqua coach. In addition we have Tomasz who looks after the Sunday sessions at present (due to work commitments) and Marcin Tobias (new to the scene who is getting his feet with the Senior squad on Tuesday and Inter squad on Sunday).
Finally I would like to thank everyone in the club for their support, thrust, encouragement to all the coaching team. I would especially like to thank Claire Sheridan, who must be the most ‘on the ball’ secretary in every area from AM opening to late night facebook ‘likes’ challenges Also Tommie Collins who does a lot of behind the scene wonders with the figures, keep all the monies in order. Finally Ian Young who has performed wonders at all times of the day and night, under extreme pressure and deadlines, to get our ever increasing entries to the various gala operators, almost without question.
Election Of Officers
- Chairperson: Sinead Madden (newly elected)
- Secretary: Claire Sheridan (current)
- Treasurer: Tommie Collins (current)
- PRO: Geraldine Gorman ( current)
- Child Welfare Officer: Martin mc Manus, Kirsten Roberts (newly elected)
- Designated Person: Beth Shields ( current)
- Gala Sectetary: Deirdre Comiskey (newly elected)
- Club Merchandise: Alicia Campbell, Geraldine Gorman (newly elected)
- First Aid: Martin Mc Manus (current)
- Team Manager: Beth Shields (newly elected)
Aqua Sprint Coordinators
Deirdre Comiskey and Geraldine Gorman are stepping down as Aqua Sprint coordinators due to taking up other roles within the club. Two new coordinators will be needed, they should come from parents of the Aqua Sprint squad. Please contact Claire if you are interested.
Swim Ireland Child Protection Guidelines
New child protection guidelines will be in place in the club from 1st of November. This will involve a parents rota for pool and land training. Parents/guardians should check the club notice board and the web-site for their responsibilities in this rota.
Dublin City Marathon
Congratulations to the Mums and dads of our swimmers who took part in the Dublin City Marathon over the Bank Holiday Weekend. Veteran runners Aidan Cambbell and Frankie Gorman and first timers Tommie Collins, Emer Mc Kenna, Brenda Barry and Martina Larmer. Well done everyone!
Deepest Sympathy
The club exec,committee and club members deeply regret to learn of the death Mrs Una Kilpatrick, grandmother of Rhiona Kilpatrick. Deepest sympathy is extended to her family at this sad time. May she rest in peace.