Age Group Development Squad 1 & 2

Monday, 25 November 2019

National Junior League Hat-Trick

Well done to all the swimmers who took part in the Junior Swim League 2019. After 3 rounds of swimming Leeds came out the strongest in all 3 rounds and were crowned the National Junior League champions for the third year running. It certainly was an exciting afternoon with lots of fast racing and fun. It was great to see you all supporting each other and working together as a team. City of Leeds came out on top with 19 first place finishes. An excellent team effort, WELL DONE!

A big thank you to all the supporters amongst others who provided all the hats and flags etc. Parents, thank you for all the effort that went in to supporting the team, you were all excellent, you looked great and it really helped motivate the swimmers.

There were too many amazing swims to mention them all individually but a special well done to Jacob O'Donnell (9yrs), Valeria Pinera-Levita (10yrs) and Daniel Ransom (11yrs) who achieved awards for top Boy and top Girl in their age groups.

The final results were

1st: City of Leeds = 337

2nd: Guildford City = 294

3rd: Camden Swiss Cottage = 232

4th: City of Coventry = 199

5th: Norwich = 187

6th: Stockport = 184

7th: Leamington Spa = 183

8th: Southport = 138

City of Leeds victory was the product of an excellent team performance and outstanding support, with our colourful and vocal supporters cheering the team all the way.

Well done to swimmers, coaches, team managers and supporters for a fantastic event and an outstanding victory.

City of Leeds Junior League History

2019 - 1st = 337

2018 - 1st = 337

2017 - 1st = 330

2016 - 2nd = 282

2015 - 3rd = 254

2014 - 6th = 192

2013 - 1st = 301

2012 - 1st = 321

2011 - 1st = 321

2010 - 1st = 322

"A Team Above All. And Above All A TEAM."

Photos can be viewed by clicking the link below:

Junior League 2019

Results can be viewed online soon by clicking the link below:

Junior League Grand Final Results 2019

Images from the event can be viewed at www.mrcphoto.co.uk. Click on the Arena Junior Inter-League Final icon. When requested to enter a password type in: RUGBYGF2019

The Regional Team

Thursday, 21 November 2019

Regional Training Changes - December 2019

Hi All,

Please make note of the following training changes for December.

Regional Development

Thursday 28^th November - No AM Land Training (Starts, Turns, Finishes 6:30-6:45)

Friday 29^th November - 19:00 - 20:00 (No Land Training)

Saturday 30^th November - No Training (Group Competing at Snow Frills)

Monday 2^nd December - No AM Training (Recovery after Snow Frills)

Thursday 19^th December - No AM Land Training (Starts, Turns, Finishes 6:30-6:45)

Friday 20^th December - 19:00 - 20:00 (No Land Training)

Saturday 21^st December - No Training (Group Competing at Xmas Cracker)

Monday 23^rd December - No AM Training (Recovery after Xmas Cracker)

Regional Performance

Thursday 28^th November - No AM Land Training (Starts, Turns, Finishes 6:30-6:45)

Friday 29^th November - 19:00 - 20:00

Saturday 30^th November - No Training (Group Competing at Snow Frills)

Monday 2^nd December - No AM Training (Recovery after Snow Frills)

Saturday 7^th December - 06:00 - 07:30 (York City Baths Booking)

Thursday 19^th December - No AM Land Training (Starts, Turns, Finishes 6:30-6:45)

Friday 20^th December - 19:00 - 20:00 (No Land Training)

Saturday 21^st December - No Training (Group Competing at Xmas Cracker)

Monday 23^rd December - No AM Training (Recovery after Xmas Cracker)

The Regional Team

'Snow Frills' Meet 2019

Hi All,

Details of next weekends competition can be found by clicking the links below;

Meet Information Pack

Draft Programme

Am Sessions

Arrive: 07:30

Warm Up: 08:00

Start: 09:00

Pm Sessions

Arrive: 12:30

Warm Up: 13:00

Start: 14:00

Good Luck to everyone competing, get chasing those long course Yorkshire times!

"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 the other swimmers think about me, not me about them."

Amanda Beard

"If you want to win.....throw your excuses in the bin!"

SMASH IT!!!

The Regional Team

Wednesday, 20 November 2019

November Training Changes Reminder

Hi All,

Just a reminder of the November training changes below for the Regional Squads.

Regional Development

Thursday 21st November - No PM Training (RLSS Commonwealths) (AM Training as Normal)

Friday 22nd November - No Training (RLSS Commonwealths at JCCS)

Saturday 23rd November - No Training (RLSS Commonwealths at JCCS)

Monday 25th November - No AM Training for swimmers who have competed at Junior League Grand Final

Regional Performance

Thursday 21st November - No PM Training (RLSS Commonwealths) (AM Training as Normal)

Friday 22nd November - No Training (RLSS Commonwealths at JCCS)

Saturday 23rd November - No Training (RLSS Commonwealths at JCCS)

Monday 25th November - No AM Training for swimmers who have competed at Junior League Grand Final

Junior League Grand Final Squad (Team TBC)

Thursday 21st November - 18:30 - 20:00 at Armley LC

Friday 22nd November - 19:30 - 20:30 at JCCS

Monday 25th November - No AM Training for swimmers who have competed at Junior League Grand Final

The Regional Team

Junior League National Final (Sunday 24th November)

The gala will take place at:

Corby International Pool,

Parkland Gateway,

Corby,

Northampton,

NN17 1QB

All swimmers will need to arrive at John Charles no later than 8:15 am ready for the coach to depart at 8:30 am sharp. We will not be allowed in to the building until 12:30 so we strongly advise that children bring a warm/waterproof jacket with them as we could be eating on arrival outside. Warm-up starts at 12:50 pm with the parade of teams at approximately 13:30 pm. We hope to be back at JCC for 7:30 pm. All swimmers will be required to travel to and from the meet on the team coach.

If your child has a team track suit they should travel to and from the event in it. Each swimmer must wear their Junior League Final 2019 whilst the event is taking place and for all team photographs. Junior League Final 2019 T Shirts will be handed out on Sunday. Please also ensure your child has another Leeds t-shirt to wear on the way home. An official team photo will be taken at 12:05 on poolside by the event photographer.

Obviously this will be a long day, so the children will need enough food and drinks to last the day. They should not be given all of their food for the day straight away, as they tend to eat too much on the journey down to Corby. Swimmers will not be allowed to leave our teams marshalling area to collect drinks from parents etc during the meet. Therefore please ensure they are adequately supplied with nutritious snacks and enough hydration on arrival at the pool.

Swimmers please remember everything you have practiced. This will be a very tough competition, every millisecond counts in an event like this so remember shallow dives, kick hard, get up and race hard and don't slow down into finishes. BE CAREFUL ON THE TAKEOVERS!!!! It is better to go late than early. We need to grab every point we can, getting disqualified can cause the team to loose 8 points, this we don't want.

Parents please wear team colours!!! Remember the louder you shout the faster the swimmers will go, nobody should have a voice left by the end of the competition. We look forward to seeing you all dressed up in your hats, wigs, face paints etc. Make as much noise as you can! Drums, horns, flags, floating sharks, chants we want to see you go all out! We do not just want the best swimmers on the day, we want the best supporters on the balcony too. We are all part of the same team, please make sure you get behind every swimmer.

Dane Whittleston will be selling shark tattoos for the Junior League Grand Final. You can purchase 2 tattoos for £1 from him during the week.

I hope you will appreciate that the day will be slightly extended for the presentations. There is to be no use of photography or video equipment during the gala. This includes the use of mobile phones and other recording equipment. The Leagues official photographer will take photographs during the event.

TIMELINE & PROGRAMME FOR THE DAY

12:30 – Balcony & changing room access – due to lack of locker space please keep your kit with your team poolside (in a tidy manner)
12.50 Safety announcement and warm-up to 13.20
13:20 – End of warm-up ONLY 10 mins to get ready for the parade and line up in the changing village – IT WILL BE BUSY – please listen to the stewards, they are trying to help the parade go smoothly
13:25 – OFFICIALS to line up along flume barrier
13.30 - Team parade from changing village (– teams to be to lead by a ref/starter)
13.55 - Officials parade from 'flume line-up', introduction of Referees and Starter
13.57 - National Anthem – please stand still for this and if you feel appropriate, cheer at the end. Tribute to Alan Doyle who passed away suddenly last November, followed by a minutes clapping. (Alan tweeted live from the event, ran the websute and the Junior League social media links)
13.58 - Safety announcement revisited - first and second race competitors to go to start ready behind blocks
14.00 - Racing begins

Hope you all have a fun and exciting day.

Lane 1 - City of Norwich SC

Lane 2 - Stockport Metro SC

Lane 3 - Camden Swiss Cottage SC

Lane 4 - City of Leeds SC

Lane 5 - Guildford City SC

Lane 6 - Leamington Spa SC

Lane 7 - City of Coventry SC

Lane 8 - Southport SC

Good Luck Everyone! 😃 👍

The Regional 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).

"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."

Age Group Development Squad 1 & 2 - Notice Board

Monday, 25 November 2019

National Junior League Hat-Trick

Thursday, 21 November 2019

Regional Training Changes - December 2019

'Snow Frills' Meet 2019

Wednesday, 20 November 2019

November Training Changes Reminder

Junior League National Final (Sunday 24th November)