Regional Age Group - Notice Board: August 2023

Thursday 31 August 2023

Training Changes - September

Hi All,

Please take note of the following changes to training for the Regional Squads during September due to pool bookings and competitions.

Regional Development

Friday 8th September PM – 18:30 - 19:30

Saturday 9th September AM – No Training (Squad Competing at City of Leeds September Sprints Meet)

Friday 29th September PM – 18:30 - 19:30

Saturday 30th September AM - No Training (Squad Competing at City of Leeds September Meet)

Monday 2nd October AM - No AM Training (Recovery)

Regional Performance

Friday 8th September PM – 18:30 - 19:30

Saturday 9th September AM – No Training (Squad Competing at City of Leeds September Sprints Meet)

Saturday 16th September AM - 06:00 - 07:30 (Underwater Hockey)

Friday 29th September PM – 18:30 - 19:30

Saturday 30th September AM - No Training (Squad Competing at City of Leeds September Meet)

Monday 2nd October AM - No AM Training (Recovery)

The Regional Team

Just a friendly reminder that now we are back into the swing of things after the Summer Break, all members of Regional Development and Regional Performance (Aged 9 years+) should be attending one early morning (Mon/ Thu) as agreed before taking up placement in the squad.

Saturday mornings will start this week. Monday and Thursday mornings will start from next week.

This will hopefully maximise your swimmer's potential and give them the best possible chance of meeting the squad criteria by the end of the January New Year Meet. This competition will be the last chance to qualify for the Long Course Yorkshire Championships 2024.

Squad criteria and membership standards can be found here.

Remember, consistency week in week out is the key to success and swimmers who have to miss a session should try where possible to make up.

The Regional Team

Welcome Back!

Hi All,

Welcome back. I hope you have enjoyed the summer break!

Below is a link to this year's competition calendar, but please note that the dates for January-July are subject to change as not all meets have been confirmed.

Competition Calendar 2023-2024

Any queries regarding meets etc can be found on the meets page of the City of Leeds Swimming Club Website. Any meet specific information i.e. races to enter etc can be found on the Regional Blog or will be communicated through your squad coach.

Upcoming entry dates for your diaries

Barnsley Christmas Meet (RDEV - 10 & Under, age at 9th Dec) - Opens 31st Aug Sept & Closes 11th Sept

Yorkshire SA Winter Meet - Opens 7th Sept & Closes 18th Sept

City of Sheffield Snow Frills Meet - Opens 7th Sept & Closes 198th Sept

City of Leeds Autumn Development Meet (for swimmers too young to compete in the Regional Competition Calendar) - Opens 28th Sept & Closes 9th Oct

ASANER Age Group Championships - Opens 12th Oct & Closes 23rd Oct

City of Leeds Xmas Meet - Opens 26th Oct & Closes 6th Nov

City of Leeds New Year Meet - Opens 9th Nov & Closes 20th Nov

City of Leeds Winter Development Meet (for swimmers too young to compete in the Regional Competition Calendar) - Opens 30th Nov & Closes 11th Dec

Yorkshire Long Course Championships - Opens 23rd Dec & Closes 8th Jan

Equipment

Please can you ensure that your child has the required training equipment. Here's a quick reminder of what is needed:

· Fins

· Snorkel

· Pullbuoy

· Paddles

· Kickboard

· Drinks Bottles

· Appropriate Gym Trainers for Land Training

· Spare Cap & Goggles

Any club kit is available through kit locker here. If you require a replacement STS Cap, you can purchase one from the Aquatics Centre Reception (you will need to keep the receipt and pass it to Sharon Barraclough or your squad coach, so that they can give you the cap).

The Regional Team

Wednesday 30 August 2023

COLSC Needs your help!

Hello all,

Welcome back! We hope you had a wonderful summer break.

We have two home galas coming up; Sprints on Saturday 9th September and Short Course on Saturday 30th September/Sunday 1st October.

We need your help please!

Swim England have updated their rules which means we need additional help on poolside and as it stands we unfortunately do not have enough volunteers for either meet to run. The start of the season is a great time to get involved, those who have been thinking about it, the sprints is one day and you can see whether volunteering is for you.

Please email Anna on anna.darnell79@gmail.com to discuss further and chat about all the volunteering opportunities.

Thanks and see you on poolside soon.

Anna

Anna Darnell

COLSC Gala Director

Borough of Barnsley Christmas Sprints - Entries (Swimmers aged 10 & under at 9th December 2023)

Hi All,

Please note ... the following entries are for Regional Development only (Aged 10yrs and under, age at 9^th December)

Entries for the Barnsley Christmas Meet are now open online.

Saturday 9^th December 2023, Ponds Forge Sheffield

Age at 9^th December 2023 (Open to 9 yrs+)
Events available are 50 & 100m All Events & 200m IM

Swimmers are advised to enter 2 – 3 events per session.

Please use the link below to view the Meet Pack. Please note swimmers must not have swum faster than the cut off times in the meet pack within the last 12 months.

Barnsley Christmas Meet – Meet Pack

As the entries will be first come first serve we have a quick turn around on entries to secure our place. Online entry will close at 23:59 on Sunday 3^rd September (No late entries will be accepted)

To make entry into the competition

- Log into your online account using the link (https://swimleeds.myswimmingclub.uk/)

- On the Menu Bar click Gala's

- Click Enter Gala and follow the instructions

* Please note entries will not be accepted until payment is made, payment should be made on checkout not by BACS to the club bank account.

The Regional Team

Tuesday 8 August 2023

Wales - Day 5

The team didn't disappoint on the last day. Medals were won and many PB's achieved. A fantastic end to a sensational week of swimming in Swansea. The team couldn't be prouder of the swimmers. On the final day, City of Leeds swimmers achieved: 3 Gold's, 5 Silver & 3 Bronze Medals. The swimmers achieved 42 PB's out of 63 Swims, including 13 Final Swims (8 finals where swimmers converted from heat to final).

🏆Gold Medallists (3)

Elkie Foster (12 Yrs 100m Fly), Isabelle Hall (12 Yrs 400m Freestyle), Hayden Lam (13 Yrs 400m Freestyle)

Silver Medallists (5)

Patrick O'Hara (13 Yrs 100m Fly), Connor McCullen (12-13 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay), Ella Jordan (12-13 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay), Mia Travis-Jones (12-13 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay), Hayden Lam (12-13 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay)

Bronze Medallists (3)

Darcey Blacker (15 Yrs 100m Fly), Patrick O'Hara (13 Yrs 400m Freestyle), Ethan Cowell (14 Yrs 100m Fly)

Finalists 4th - 8th Place (21)

Hogan Lam (12 Yrs 400m Freestyle), William Wilson (13 Yrs 400m Freestyle), Connor McCullen (13 Yrs 400m Freestyle), Ethan Cowell (14 Yrs 400m Freestyle, 14-16 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay), Alfie Young (14 Yrs 400m Freestyle), Luke Dyer (16 Yrs 400m Freestyle), Ruby Ellis (15 Yrs 100m Fly, 4x100m Medley Relay), Callum Raven (15 Yrs 100m Fly, 14-16 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay), Oliver Steele (16 Yrs 100m Fly, 14-16 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay), Hazel Blain (14-16 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay), Darcey Blacker (14-16 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay), Millie Walker (14-16 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay), Matthew James (14-16 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay), Elkie Foster (12-13 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay), Jacob O'Donnell (12-13 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay), Owen Carmody (12-13 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay), Isabelle Hall (12-13 Yrs 4x100m Medley Relay)

Well Done Team!

Today's highlight was the amazing team spirit that everyone showed during and after the finals. This made it a very special time for Hazel and Abi, who are sadly leaving us at Leeds. The swimmers are now having fun time in their flats with lots of treats!!

Results from the week can be viewed by clicking the link below:

Swim Wales Summer Open 2023 – Results

Pictures of the team in action can be viewed by clicking the link below:

Wales Summer Open 2023 - Photos

The Welsh Summer Nationals Team

Sunday 6 August 2023

Wales - Day 4

An awesome day at Welsh Summer Nationals today with a huge number of finals and conversions following. After a long day, the swimmers battled it out in the finals going on to bring home another 7 medals. Today the team achieved: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 5 Bronze.

With 9 Final Swims (7 Finals swimmers converted from heat to final) and 17 PB's out of 34 Swims.

🏆Gold Medallists

William Wilson (13 Yrs 800m Freestyle)

Silver Medallists

Hazel Blain (14 Yrs 1500m Freestyle)

Bronze Medallists (5)

Abigail Heald (17 Yrs 1500m Freestyle), Luke Dyer (16 Yrs 800m Freestyle), Ethan Cowell (14 Yrs 200m I.M), Mia Travis-Jones (13 Yrs 200m Backstroke), Millie Walker (14 Yrs 200m Backstroke)

Finalists 4th - 8th Place (7)

William Wilson (13 Yrs 200m I.M, 13 Yrs 200m Backstroke), Ethan Cowell (14 Yrs 200m Backstroke), Jacob O'Donnell (13 Yrs 200m I.M), Hayden Lam (13 Yrs 200m Backstroke), Alfie Young (14 Yrs 200m Backstroke), Oliver Steele (16 Yrs 800m Freestyle)

Well Done! 😃

At this evening's Team Talk, the highlights of the day were:

- Jacob O'Donnell – yet another last minute swim in the 200m I.M final after being SECOND reserve! Great effort!

- Ethan Cowell and Alfie Young – both converted by a huge chunk in their respective finals – excellent racing boys!

- Luke Dyer – seeded 7^th in the 800m freestyle – knocked 16 seconds off his P.B and took the bronze medal! Super swimming!

- Millie Walker and Mia Travis-Jones – confident final swims to take home bronze medals in their respective races. Gutsy swims!

- Connor McCullen – didn't have any swims today however still chose to come down to the pool and cheer on his team mates in the heats – great sportsmanship!

- Helen Ellis – made two lots of trips to the beach today with the swimmers to have a bit of down time – big thanks to Helen!

The swimmers have enjoyed some down time at the beach today and a visit to the park. Tomorrow night there will be a sleepover treat for such an immense week of performances and for their behaviour as a whole!

Results from the week can be viewed by clicking the link below:

Swim Wales Summer Open 2023 – Results

Pictures of the team in action can be viewed by clicking the link below:

Wales Summer Open 2023 - Photos

The Welsh Summer Nationals Team

Saturday 5 August 2023

Wales - Day 3

Another good day of performances in the pool culminated in 5 Medallists & 23 Final Swims (21 Finals where swimmers converted from heat to final)

37 PB's out of 64 Swims

Gold Medallists

Owen Carmody (13 Yrs 200m Fly)

Silver Medallists (2)

Isabelle Hall (12 Yrs 200m Fly), Ethan Cowell (14 Yrs 100m Breaststroke)

Bronze Medallists (2)

Hazel Blain (14 Yrs 200m I.M), William Wilson (13 Yrs 200m Fly)

Finalists 4th - 8th Place (18)

Mia Travis-Jones (13 Yrs 200m I.M), Jacob O'Donnell (13 Yrs 200m Fly, 13 Yrs 100m Breaststroke), Connor McCullen (13 Yrs 200m Fly), Reuben Harrison (13 Yrs 200m Fly), Jamie Thomson (14 Yrs 200m Fly), Matthew James (15 Yrs 200m Fly), George Carry (15 Yrs 200m Fly), Oliver Steele (16 Yrs 200m Fly), Luke Dyer (16 Yrs 200m Fly), Millie Walker (), Millie Walker (14 Yrs 200m Fly), Ruby Ellis (15 Yrs 200m Fly), Abigail Heald (17 Yrs 200m Fly), Hayden Lam (13 Yrs 100m Breaststroke), Isabelle Hall (12 Yrs 100m Breaststroke), Amit Maltz (13 Yrs 100m Breaststroke), Hazel Blain (14 Yrs 100m Breaststroke), Darcey Blacker (15 Yrs 100m Breaststroke)

Well Done! 😃

At this evenings Team Talk, the highlight's the coaches raised were:

- Lots of conversions from heats to final swims – excellent racing!

- Reuben Harrison and George Carry – most impressive conversions from heat to final in the 200m Fly – gutsy swims!

- Ruby Ellis – first PB in months and then converted from heat to final in the 200m Fly – brilliant perseverance!

- Hazel Blain – leading younger swimmers and giving them advice when the coaches were occupied – nice leadership skills!

- Aira Wilkinson – dealing with her injury like a saint and still brings the team spirit where ever she goes!

- Jacob O'Donnell – last minute reserve entry into the 200m Fly final – and converted! Smashed it!

We are...... LEEDS.

We're halfway through our time at the Welsh Summer Open! Plenty more to come from Leeds.

Results from the week can be viewed by clicking the link below:

Swim Wales Summer Open 2023 – Results

Pictures of the team in action can be viewed by clicking the link below:

Wales Summer Open 2023 - Photos

The Welsh Summer Nationals Team

Quote Bank!

"Kevin!, On the whole I think C Central have swum absolutely fantastic this year". Jacob Butterfield - C Central.

"Winners are not people who never fail, but people who never quit"

"I wouldn't say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the work and time into it". Michael Phelps.

"Train insane, or remain the same".

"Dream. Believe. Achieve".

"You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get". Michael Phelps.

"I can definitely take more off my world record - a lot more. I have no doubt about that. I'm by no means putting pressure on myself, it's just the belief I have in myself ..... I'm not going to limit myself by nominating times or anything like that. I never thought I'd do 14:34 and I did. I thought I'd maybe do 14:38 or 14:39 that day, and I went nearly five seconds quicker so I don't want to limit the possibilities". Grant Hackett.

"In training everyone focuses on 90% physical and 10% mental, but in the races it's 90% mental because there's very little that seperates us physically at the elite level". Elka Graham.

"The hardest thing about climbing the ladder of success is getting through the crowd at the bottom".

"We need to create a way of working, and that's why I felt the need to set some rules. For example, we will all eat together, leave the table together - it is all about respecting each other. And being punctual is key". Fabio Capello.

"Unleash the Inner Beast!".

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing". Muhammad Ali.

"Many people say you are as only good as your last race, but we know we are only as good as our next race!".

"It was not the 10 work outs I did every week for four years that allowed me to overcome my competitors, it was the ones that they missed". Graeme Smith (1996).

"It's how you prepare months before in the training pool that will determine your performance at the main event. Your ruthless attendance, quality and consistency of your training will serge you forward to a result you will be happy with!"

"Winning the Gold Medal was undoubtedly the biggest day of my career, mostly because I won the way I had prepared to run it. It was a totally satisfying experience". Frank Shorter (American Athlete, Olympic Gold Medalist) (Munich 1972).

"Go into the sport because you have fun doing it, not because of 'what if's' and dreams of gold medals. That way, no matter what happens, you win". Shannon Miller (American Gymnast, two time Olympic Gold Medalist) (Atlanta 1996).

"As the years go by I train physically harder and I am always trying to go faster, further and higher. I train seven days a week and at the end of the day, I'm pretty tired but I never wish I was anyone else. If I miss a days training I feel guilty and I know I should have done it. I'm conscientious and unless I have a very good reason to, I never miss a session. It seems unfair to train for years and miss days just for the hell of it, and if I ever start to skip days, I would realise my attitude was not right and it was time for me to finish". Olympic Champion.

"Have a clear goal in your head of where you want to be and never give up!".

"Remember what doesn't challenge you, doesn't change you!"

"Not a day goes past where I don't go to bed with aching limbs ..... I have lost friends over it ..... I have lost girlfriends because of it ..... My family hates it ..... The only person that understands it wants to beat me ..... But I love it more than anything in the world!"

"Don't let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning". Robert Kiyosaki.

'Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday'. William Rudolph (American Athlete, three-time Olympic Gold medalist) (Rome 1960).

"It's been told that swimming is a wimp sport, but I don't see it. We don't get timeouts in the middle of a race; we can's stop and catch our breath; and we can't ask for a substitution".

"We can accomplish almost anything within our ability if we but think we can".

"In 2004 , I won a bronze. This is a silver. Maybe in 2012, it will be a gold. Slowly, slowly". Eliud Kipchoge (Kenyan Athelete, Olympic silver medalist) (Beijing 2008).

"I came out here to beat everybody in sight and that is exactly what I'm going to do. Sure, I can do anything". Mildred 'Babe' Didrikson (American Athlete, two-time Olympic gold medalist) (Los Angeles 1932).

"Before the (Olympic) trials I was doing a lot of relaxing exercises and visualisation. And I think that that helped me to get a feel of what it was going to be like when I got there. I knew that I had done everything that I could to get ready for that meet, both physically and mentally". Michael Phelps. (6 Gold Medals, 2004 Olympic Games).

"Success comes with determination to get up the morning after the hardest practice of your life and do it all over again!"

"There is nothing like the smell of chlorine in the morning, and nothing like the smell of victory in the evening"

"Enjoy the journey, enjoy every moment and quit worrying bout winning and losing". Matt Biondi. (American Swimmer, eight-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992).

"You only get one shot, go out there and do your best". Chad le Clos (200m Butterfly Champion).

"No negative thoughts cross my mind on race day. When I look into their eyes, I know I'm going to beat them". Danny Harris. (American Athlete, Olympic Silver Medallist. Los Angeles 1984).

"When I go out and race, I'm not trying to beat opponents, I'm trying to beat what I have done ... to beat myself, basically. People find that hard to believe because we've had such a bias to always strive to win things. If you win something and you haven't put everything into it, you haven't actually achieved anything at all. When you've had to work hard for something and you've got the best you can out of yourself on that given day, that's where you get satisfaction from". Ian Thorpe.

"I concentrate on preparing to swim my race and let other swimmers think about me, not me about them". Amanda Beard.

"An athlete cannot race with money in his pockets. He must race with hope in his heart and dreams in his head". Emil Zatopek. (Four Time Olympic Gold Medallist).

"If you win something and you haven't put everything into it, you haven't actually achieved anything at all. When you've had to work for something and you've got the best you can out of yourself on that given day, that's where you get satisfaction from". Ian Thorpe. (Australian swimmer, five-time Olympic gold medallist. Sydney 2000, Athens 2004).

"No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up and never give up!".

"Push harder than yesterday if you want a different tomorrow".

"Champions train, losers complain".

"Success isn't overnight. It's when everyday you get a little better than the day before. It all adds up." Dwayne Johnson.

"Life is full of disappointments, failures and setbacks. None of those things can permanently stop you. You have the power to overcome anything that life throws at you. There is nothing as powerful as a made up mind. Surround yourself with people who remind you that you matter, and support you in the ways that matter most to you. No person, situation, or circumstance can define who you are. Don't give up. cave in, or stop believing that it's possible. It's not over until you win."