Swim build-up for Brisbane

Press, 10 May 1979, Page 30

Swim build-up for Brisbane

New Zealand’s swimming build-up for the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games starts next week with seven camps being held simultaneously throughout the country. Mr Bob Mclntyre, who was recently appointed national director of coaching, said yesterday that the idea of the experimental exchange camps was an endeavour to create motivation and to give the swimmers a psychological lift. “In the past we have seen young swimmers drop out mostly because there has been no external motivation. It is hoped that these camps will keep them in the sport and help maintain their interest.”

“We are trying to provide coaches with a buildup programme and keep in direct touch with them, rather than go through the different centres,” he said.

The camps will be held in the May and August school holidays and over long week-ends. Coaches will remain in their own centres and the swimmers

have been grouped according to their main strokes. There were 32 swimmers and 12 divers in an international squad named after the New Zealand swimming championships in Christchurch in March. Next week, the Wharenui coach, Clive Power, will be in charge of the girls’ breaststroke and men’s butterfly.

The intention is to keep the squads of swimmers togther, but they might be shifted to different coaches for broader instruction on their specialist strokes. “It’s nice to have swimmers like Gary Hurring and Rebecca Perrott but we need a big bunch pushing on their toes. The 32 kids have reached a high level and it is difficult to raise the standard. We want all coaches pulling together,” said Mr Mclntyre. All the swimmers will assemble in Christchurch over Queen’s Birthday week-end and the exchange system will be fully discussed then.