Swim Ulster Skills Meets in April 2018

Six club swimmers entered this innovative and evolving Swim Skills Test for developing swimmers. This is the stepping stone to qualifying to enter Development Galas in Ulster. The aim of this skills test, is to focus attention on subtle, but very important swim skills, such as streamlining, Stroke rate v stroke count, kicking, tumble turns and diving and gliding.

A scoring system has been developed that rewards skill and ensures the swimmer progresses to the Development Gala level, or has to return and improve their existing skills to a higher level.

The scoring system in essence is designed that the person who scores less than 300 points, is ready to progress to open competition at Development Gala Level.  The Scoring is as follows;

• Gold – under 300pts
• Silver – between 300-340pts
• Bronze – between 340-390pts

The results of the swimmers from our club who participated are listed here; Brion Sherry 287 points. Gold. Aisling Duffy 300 points. Silver. Georgina Walker 317 points. Silver. Annie Carroll 323 points. Silver. Tadgh Lennon 341 points. Bronze. Cormac McMahon 382 points. Bronze.

The following observations are key to swimmer development.

• Balancing speed with distance per stroke – can the swimmers swim as fast or faster with less strokes?  For example, 25m freestyle in 18 seconds holding 18 strokes per length or 25m Breaststroke in 26 seconds holding 10 strokes per length
• Kicking – can the swimmers kick 25m under 25 seconds and 10m underwater under 8.5 seconds?  This is a good benchmark for this age group of swimmer.
• Push-offs – can the swimmer submerge and push off in streamline on both their front and back?
• Turns – can the swimmer turn both directions and can they follow the black line?

So well done to you all and keep up the good work.

AquaSprint Team Win against Mid Ulster

Sliabh Beagh Aquasprint team travelled to Magherafelt on the 28th April to compete against Mid Ulster Forest Feast Aquasprint team.  This was a great gala, again Sliabh Beagh had some young children competing for the first time and they performed very well.

The races were very exciting and competitive with all the children really getting behind their team.  Sliabh Beagh were delighted with our first win of the season when the final score revealed that Sliabh Beagh had 219 points while Mid Ulster had 181 points.

All the parents who travelled were very supportive and willing to take on roles such as time-keeping, recording and marshalling.  Thanks to Gemma and Mid Ulster for making it a very well-run event.  We all enjoyed a lovely reception afterwards provided by Mid Ulster swim team. Thank you to Forest Feast for sponsoring the competition and tee-shirts.

We have now completed our 4 galas.  Based on results it would appear we will compete against mid ulster again in the final on June 8th.  We ask that a venue for that final would be chosen that is less than an hour’s travel by both clubs, eg Armagh or Dungannon as many parents will be working until at least 5pm that evening.

Good luck in the final!

Community Games

Good luck to all our swimmers who travel to limerick this weekend to compete in the National Finals.

Club Fundraising

Thanks you to everyone who helped at our cake sale last weekend in Monaghan Shopping centre. It was a very successful fundraiser. Many thanks to Anna, Geraldine and Helen Hughes from Flowers and Things for the fabulous flower arranging evening in Teach Na Daoine. A very relaxed and informative evening. Well done to all out raffle winners who took home some amazing flower arrangements.