OVERSEAS SWIMMING COACH

Evening Star, Issue 23099, 27 October 1938, Page 5

OVERSEAS SWIMMING COACH

IMPORTANT PROPOSALS DISCUSSED ATTRACTIONS FOR CENTENNIAL YEAR OTAGO CENTRE AFFAIRS Important matters discussed at the annual conference of centres of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, which was held in "Wellington over the week-end, included proposals to bring an overseas coach to the Dominion and to conduct an examination for diving judges. An assurance was given delegates that all centres would bo a H orded the opportunity of having appearances from swimmers who would be competing in the Pan-Pacific Games at Auckland in 1940. A report on the conference doliberrations was made by the president (Mr W. A. Jenkins), who presided at last night’s meeting of the Otago Centre, which was attended by Messrs D. C. Bannatyne, S. Brown, G. Laing, F. Marett, J. Hogg, W'. S. M'Ewan, W. H. Matthews, E. Sonntag, A. 11. Baker, C. J. Leeden, W. Warren, B. Kerr, D. Watson, J. M‘Taggart, G. H. Peat, C. W. Ingram, and E. C. Isaacs (hon. secretary).

Deporting on the annual conference of centres, Mr Jenkins said that it had been agreed that a coach or coaches should be brought from overseas. This would be a very costly matter, and it had to be realised that the New Zealand Council had no money. Its total revenue did not amount to £IOO a year for genera] purposes, and it was now being suggested that all swimming clubs should charge a minimum subscription for senior swimmers of 10s a year or for those who would reap benefit from coaching. Part of that would be diverted to the council, and the centres which were in a bad financial position generally would receive a share, which would assist them in financing their championship teams and tours to country districts. DIVING JUDGING. Important proposals were made _in connection with the panel of diving judges, Mr Jenkins explained. It was agreed by every centre that the home of diving in New Zealand was Otago, and that this was the only centre with good coaching and diving judges up to standard. With a view to improving the position throughout New Zealand it was intended to have an examination for those who aspired to he added to the present panel of judges, and this would comprise a theoretical examination, written and oral, and an examination in a practical demonstration of jpdging a dive. ' Fifty questions foi candidates had been prepared, and Otago had been done'the honour of supplying the answers to these questions. It was decided that all those in the diving panel at present should remain on the panel, but oh notice being given they could be required to undergo a re-examination. It had been decided that the W. E. D. Bishop Memorial should be awarded for the 500yds interprovincial flying squadron relay, and Mr Jenkins said that centres were being recommended to adopt the transfer rule now in operation in Otago. EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE. ! Mr D. O. Bannatyne reported on the educational officers’ conference which had been held at Wellington, describing it as one of the best he had ever attended. He stated that in addition to the school children’s certificates now issued it was intended to add a learners’ certificate of 25 yards. A recomniehdation had also been made that an effort be made to get the Government to agree to a reduction in fares for school children in country districts where there were no swimming facilities who desired to come to centres where there were baths for the purpos of receiving instruction. Mr Jenkins and Mr Bannatyne were accorded a vote of thanks for their reports. CENTENNIAL ATTRACTIONS. Mr Jenkins said that Mr J. B. Miller, secretary of the Auckland Centre, who was organising the Pan-Pacific Games, had assured delegates at the annual conference that they desired every centre in New Zealand to have the chance of receiving visits from swimmers who would be competing at the games. Auckland was showing a fine spirit of co-operation. Already replies had been received from Australia and Peru concerning representation at the meeting. OTAGO CHAMPIONSHIPS. The programmes submitted for the Otago senior, intermediate, and junior championships on Tuesday, December (3, and Thursday, December 8, were as follows; December 6.—soyds junior girls’ free style, junior girls’ diving, 50yds junior girls’ breast stroke, 220yds men’s free style, XOOycJs men’s back stroke, 220yds ladies’ breast stroke, men’s diving (first section), ladies’ diving (first section), 100yds ladies’ free style, 100yds intermediate boys’ free style, 100yds intermediate boys’ back stroke, intermediate boys’ diving (first section), intermediate girls’ diving (first section), junior boys’ diving, 100yds junior boys’ free style, 75yds junior boys’ breast stroke, 100yds intermediate girls’ free style, 100yds intermediate girls’ back stroke, 100yds men’s breast stroke.

December B.—22oyds six-a-side relay, 220yds intermediate girls’ free style, 100yds men’s free style, 220yds men’s breast stroke, men’s diving (second section), ladies’ diving (second _ section), intermediate boys’ diving (second section), intermediate girls’ diving (second section), 75yds intermediate girls’ breast stroke, 75yds junior boys’ back stroke, 100yds junior girls’ free style (Nawi Kira Shield race), 100yds ladies’ back stroke, 220yds ladies’ free style, 100yds life saving, 220vds intermediate boys’ free style, 100yds intermediate hoys’ breast stroke, 100yds ladies’ breast stroke.

Other events were allotted as follows :

Monday, December 5 (St. Clair Club hour, at 7). —880yds men’s" free style, 440yds ladies’ free style; 220yds junior boys’ free style. Wednesday, December 7 (Dunedin Club hour, at G). —200 metres ladies’ back stroke, 440yds intermediate free style, 50yds junior girls’ back stroke, 400 metres men’s back stroke.

Monday, December 12 (St. Clair Club hour). —440yds men’s free_ style. Tuesday, December 13 (Kiwi Club hour). —One mile men’s free style championship. Wednesday, November 23.—Four-a-side 133 l-3yds relay championship (Kiwi carnival).

Wednesday, February I.—;sooyds flying squadron relay championship (i)unodin carnival). The programmes were approved.

MAORI CHAMPIONSHIPS. The Secretary reported that he had prepared a circular for distribution to all centres, to Maori organisations, and prominent Maori sportsmen concerning the Maori championships to be held at Dunedin on February 21 and 22, and centres had also been asked if they would bo prepared to permit members of their representative team competing at the national championships at Invercargill to stay at Dunedin on their wav home for the purpose of competing in 'invitation events to bo run in conjunction with the Maori championships Mr Jenkins said that at the annual conference of centres the delegates had promised to advise their centres of the arrangements being made for the Maori meeting with a view to letting Otago know what support was likely to be forthcoming. In previous years the Auckland Centre had not permitted any of its swimmers to stop off on their way home from a championship meeting, hut he had received an assurance from Mr J. R. Miller, secretary of the Auckland Centre, that in the event of the Maori championships taking place members of the Auckland team would be permitted to compete in the invitation events being decided in conjunction with that meeting. WATER POLO. Mr Watson reported that the application to hold water polo carnivals at the Municipal Baths on Tuesday nights had now been granted, and the draw for the first carnival next Tuesday night had been arranged as follows: A grade: Kiwi A v. Dunedin A (referee, Mr D. Watson); B grade: Zenith v. Kiwi (Mr D. C. Bannatyne) Kaikorai v, St. Clair (Mr B. Kerr) ; St. Kilda v. Dunedin B (Mr W. Buckland). i Mr Watson was accorded a vote of thanks for the work he had done in connection with the arranging of this carnival. DIVING PANEL. The Diving Committee submitted the names of last year’s panel of diving judges—Messrs W. H. Matthews, R. C. Calder, W. A. Jenkins, E. H. James, H. E. Walker, and Mrs E. C. Isaacs — together with Messrs R. Geddes, A. Williams, and C. Eekhold, to constitute the local diving panel. The Chairman said - that before the new members’ names were submitted to the council as championship diving judges they would he required to sit the examination that would be set for diving judges.—The list was approved. GENERAL. It was decided to send a letter _of sympathy to Mr L., Newell (Christchurch), the New Zealand distance champion, wishing him a speedy recovery from his illness. • It was agreed to grant the request of the Collegiate Amateur Swimming Club (Invercargill) for permission for A. Thomas and another Otago swimmer to compete at its carnival on November 12, subject to the invitation coming through the Southland Centre. Arrangements were completed for the Centre’s opening carnival on November 9, and it was decided to invite the St. Clair Surf Life Saving Club to stage a novelty demonstration. The educational officer (Mr D. C. Bannatyne) was appointed to convene a meeting of instructors in connection with the Centre’s “ Learn to Swim Week ” from November 28 to December 3. _ The Otago University Club was granted permission to hold its annual interfactulty carnival on March 8, and the New Zealand University championships on April 12, and the Centre agreed to take control of the carnival arrangements.