SWIMMING

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12306, 28 November 1925, Page 17

SWIMMING

With the improvement in the weather swimming is comiug into its own, and although the cold winds have precluded any real enthusiasm among pleasure swiitfmers, the competitive swimmers are in solid training. The programme for the season has not yet been issued, but will be deoided at next meeting of the centre, within the next fortnight. The Worser Bay carnival, eventuates on Anniversary Day, January 22nd. • • * • Mr Phil. Bundle, who has been chosen chairman of the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand 1 A.S.A., is one of the most ardent workers in the Dominion in the interests, of swimming, and has held every administrative position m the centre from) club secretary to secretary of the Dominion Council, . and councillor. e # ■. . # • The finances of the centre are precarious. The assets amount to only 80s, and at the general meeting It was decided to approach all winners of trophies with the exception of centre ohampionships season, asking th6m to forego these in the interests of the centre. This unfortunate state of affairs brought about mainly through-the epidemic last summer affecting the attendance at the various events. • s It is proposed to recognise in a tangible fashion the services of the- late Mr Thomas Shield in the interests of swimming, the idea being that the Wellington A.D.C., the Boyal Life-saving Society, and Wellington Centre New Zealand A.S.A., shall combine to hold a children’s carnival, conducted somewhat on the lines of the School Athletic Association’s meeting. v , The proceeds from this event'are to be used, to. purchase a trophy to be known as the Thomas Shield Manorial Trophy, and which will he competed for among all clubs affiliated 'with the centre. •.• • •

The committee elected to control wa-ter-polo for the local inter-dub water competitions composes Messrs Allen, Beasley, and MoHardy, all of whom are keen players. Water-polo has been practically dead in Wellington for some time,' and it is to be hoped that the new committee will infuse new life into the sport and enable Wellington to make a satisfactory show at, the national championships, to bo held at , Napier on January 23rd. i Should medals/or trophies be presented for athletic events ? The question has been agitating the Wellington Centre, one section of the committee urging the adoption of the American plan of giving the certificate with a small enamel medal instead bf the costly gold medql usually given and which often merely finds its way into the hands of “TJhcie." 'lt was urged that when a swimmer had won even championship medals, thSy represented very little to him after the first one, and that* the, certificate would be’just as good. No finality was reached in the matter, -, it being decided that until other " centres came round to the same way of . thinking, it would be unfair to ask local Swimmers to compete for certificates.

Amongst those from the Worser Bay Club who are putting in good work are Doug. Thomas, L. Ctrimßtone, and C. Young. Hyler Thomfis, a very prominent junior, is also taking his training seriously. Worser Bay has some very useful’ women swimmers; amongst whom may be mentioned Misses Fuller, Grimstone, Lynam, Shilling, Scott, > Brown, and Warring, who could with proper training hold.their own with any of the others in the district. The difficulty experienced by most clubs has been to get their women members to train properly. The material is present, coaches,are willing to assist, and only the co-operation of the swim? mers themselves is necessary. It is open to suggestion that a woinen's committee in the clubs which would have the control of women’s events and direct training operations, would be of advantage. There is always a difficulty, when women's events are controlled by a men e committee, that they are relegated to the background, or ,what is equally dangerous, tha the women themselves will feel that that has been done. . The Boys' Institute Club opened the season on ; Thursday, when three, events—senior, intermediate and junior—were brought off and attracted a good qntry. . A large number of hoys have joined up, and prospects for a successful season are bright. 1