SWIMMING

Southland Times, Issue 19395, 8 November 1924, Page 19 (Supplement)

SWIMMING

LOCAL NEWS AND NOTES. (By “Truilgeon Crawl”). The Avenal Swimming Club was officially opened on Tuesday evening at 6 o'clock, when there was a good tide, but a rather eold westerly. It was consideted inadvisable to go on with the programtne of •vents, but a boys’ flatty race was rowed, which caused a good deal of interest. This race was won by Masters J. Aeprey and S. Yates, with Masters H. Dunlop and E. Buckingham at second place. Mr Harry Ashley, President of the Club, said he was pleased to officially open the season as far as Avenal was concerned. The Weather was certainly unfortunate, but it was necessary to get the season open and then anybody could get down to work. Avenal had a name for hard work, and it had a splendid tradition, k would be necessary for the Club to live up to its tradition, and he was sure that the officials and members recognised their responsibility. He would like to see those who could join up, rally round the Club, and help in every way as there was some real hard-slogging ahead of them. The clubs along the waterfront were catering to the swimming interests of the town, •nd they had to recognise their importance •nd go ahead for all they were worth. He was pleased to declare the Avenal Swimming Club open for the 1924-25 season. (Applausel. The fine new pennant of the A.S.C., which was hoisted at the opening, is a gift from Mr E. Smith, a consistent supporter of the Club. Floating defiantly from its elevated pole, it seemed to fling a challenge to the swimming clubs of Southland. It is not the flag that braved the battle and the breeze for a thousand years, but it floats bravely over the most historic swimming Club in the province. Present at the opening was that sturdy pillar of the A.S.C., Mr Huntly Dunlop whom we would like to see write a history of this oldest of local clubs. He was very busy at the opening and offered a great treat to the little girls and boys by taking them out for trips in his boat. A person of Mr Dunlop’s enthusiasm and experience would be an acquisition to any club, and Avenal should be proud of him. “Skip*’ Dunlop was also there, helping the business along in his usual lively manner. Then there was Mr Norman McKenzie, who also cannot let the grass grow under his feet. Norman’s a live wire; and he proved his worth oh opening day. Further details are unnecessary, hut now that the A-S.C. is “open,” it behoves those resident near this fine

resort to get in touch with the secretary, or any member of Committee, pay in the nominal subscription, and get right to work in any capacity. Take the water whenever you can to set a good example, join up with rhe Working Bee, teach the small fry the noble aquatic art. but if you can’t swim ask someone who can to teach you. No dub member has a right to refuse instruction to a non-swimmer. By watching those little details, the A.S.C. will be enabled to renew its worth and add to the ancient lustre of its fame.

The Life-saving Class carried on by the Invercargill Swimming Club at the Y.M.C.A. Rooms on Thursday evening, at 7.30 o’clock, is doing exceedingly good work. The class, which is under the able tuition of Mrs Thelma Turner and Mr James Fyfe, is not exclusively for I.S.C. members, anybody, man, woman, or child, who wishes to learn will be heartily welcomed.

The Pleasure Bayites have good neighbours, and, indeed, what is the use of being neighbourly if you don’t borrow. The Working Bee have to thank Mr Peterson, who lent crow-bar. shovel and a horse, and Mr Hodge for leading chains. Imagine the dignified Bayites up to their eyes in shovel work, and one of them working a full-power draught horse in the shifting of heavy material. At both gravel depots the etaff, clerical and outside, have gone out of their way to oblige the Pleasure BayBees. They are real people. A Working Bee is a wonderful institution at Pleasure Bay, a job being carried out that was said to be impossible by experts. The I.S.C. lost no time on Wednesday afternoon, when a thorough overhaul of the ladies’ shed was commenced. So critical ladies and superstitious girls who hold the opinion that the sheds grew up overnight like Jonah’s gourd are mistaken. There's money in these sheds, there is hard work in them, there’s no little due consideration of difficult problems. There’s all that and more. Well, there’s been a revolution—a smallest one, perhaps, bu. still, not inconsequential. Now the entran?e will face due north, right out of the weather, and much easier of access. The old door at the west side will be completely boarded up, and this will enable the ladies to profit to the extent of four new Cubicules. If you saw the timber arrive you’d imagine the Club was about to build a new house. But they’ll use every stick of it, for Messrs Levi Foster, H. R. Campbell. Cecil Price and Audrey Thompson are “some’ carpenters.

The I.S.C. will welcome the cash to be received from Mr Z. Mathews’ Committee, although it is sorry to find the project for which the money was collected go by the board. Anyhow, the I.S.C. Will certainly hope that the people interested will reap as much benefit at the Bay as possible by way of compensation. The money will all be spent in necessary improvements, so that the gift will be one of public import. Motto for Swimming Club doors: “Pay out, or stay out!” Undoubtedly the most commendable, and for that matter the most important, work that the swimming centres in the Dominion have taken up is the encouragement of the pastime among school children, from whose ranks, naturally, we will find our future champions, says “Neptune” in the Otago Daily Times. Certificates of merit have been issued for distances ranging from 50 yards into miles, and Otago, indeed, has probably the biggest return in the Dominion. The Government also has taken a hand by increasing the subsidy for educational swimming, and in many centres the children are taught at the municipal baths. This system has been very satisfactory, and has developed quite a number of good swimmers, some of outstanding ability'. Carnivals are held, and they win a number of events, and the best swimmer becomes the school champion, and later the provincial champion. And so swimming is mastered up to a point; yet other countries produce the world champions, simply because each centre has a trained coach. No sjxjrt can develop on perfect lines unless there are perfect training facilities. A cricketer, if he is not also coached, will find that all the practice he likes to put in at the nets will be of do avail. A large measure of the success of the Australians is due to expert coaching, and so in swimming one will find that those who carry off the international championship* have been trained on proper lines. Weaknesses in their style have been pointed out to them; they have been shown how that extra kick they give is a deterrent to speed rather than a means of increasing their pace. An official coach for each centre should meet all requirements in this respect, and he could be assigned the task of refecting and training one of two of the most promising swimmers in the various carnivals or at club practices. The Canterbury controllers of swimming have been advocating the importation of a professional coach to teach speedy swimming with the idea of producing sprinters to break the minute, but the question of cost ever looms up in such a proposal. Tim of course, is the one big handicap just now to any such scheme, but the importance of such tuition is none the less apparent.

A writer in the Observer states that in the past five years little or no improvement has been shown over the hundred with, perhaps, the exception of Kronfeld, who has been timed to do 59secs in the Auckland tepid baths, but the national championship 100 yards has never reached this standard. It has always been done in three to four seconds over this. The holder, Jack En wright. is a swimmer that should be able, with proper training, to break 60 secs. There seems to be any amount of swimming material in New Zealand to work upon, but there does not appear to be anyone capable of properly developing it. The swimmers of the past themselves have only beep able to reach a certain standard but

have gone no further, consequently their coaching values have been limited. If a crack American coach were introduced for a season he should be able to make a big difference in the speed of our smart youngsters. From an educational point of view this would lie the best thing that ever hapjiened to New Zealand swimmers. If each club in the big centres undertook to subscribe proportionately to the salary and expenses of such a coach the visit would be easily arranged. A carnival in each centre alone would go a long way to meet expenses.

At the annual meeting of the Auckland Centre of the N.Z.AS.A. las* week, the necessity for ehcouraging swimming among children was stressed by the chairman (Mr A. J. Fernandez I, who mentioned that during the last 10 years there had been 1500 drowning fatalities in New Zealand. The Ponsonby Club had done good work in encouraging swimming during the past season. Over 550 beginners had qualified for certificates. In this respect the club had performed a work of national importance. He regretted that, with the exception of the Parnell and Poiisonby Clubs, and a number of country clubs, little had been done in that direction. Viscount Jellicoe and Sir James Gunson were elected patrons of the Centre, and Mr E. H. Potter was elected President.

The Wellington City Council is at present constructing a bath in the Domain at Khandallah, where a pool is being made by utilising the flow of a stream that trickles tiown from the mountains, and wanders through the Domain. A hole some 60ft. in length has been shaped out from the banks, and the sides are now being roughcasted with concrete, on top of walls sufficiently strong to ensure that the banks will not fall in. It is estimated that the work will be completed within three weeks. For some time past the New Zealand Council has been considering the appointment of a permanent handicapper for the Kellerman Cup race of three miles. It is understood that the choice has fallen on Mr P. Covia, of Wellington, whose appointment should meet with general approval. Besides being fully capable, he is certain to give the varying conditions of this annual competition the close attention required. A gift of £5OOO has been made by the Messrs Riddiford Brothers to the Hutt Borough for the purposes of erecting an up-to-date swimming bath. This (says “Header” in the Evening Post) will mark a new dawn on the horizon of the sport in that district. The public-spiritedness of these gentlemen is one that calls for the highest commendation. There are very few towns who have benefited to the extent that the people of the Hutt will do through the generosity of the donors, and he object for which the money was given is proof conclusive that the Messrs Riddiford’s recognise the value of swimming as a means of welfare to the future generation. With baths erected as defined in the plan, there wall be every encouragement for the swimming authorities to advance their work amongst the children, and much good will result thereform The actual pool itself will be 33 1-3 yards in length, so that the water space available will be plenty, and already there are signs that the actual erection of the baths will be eagerly looked for. When their erection is completed, there will, no doubt, be a club formed, and by this means a great deal of interest in the sport can be created, and the game should receive a decided boost in the district. Unfortunately, gifts of this description are all too scarce, but the donors of the gift have earned the gratitude of a whole town of people (and many others also) by their act. At the annual meeting of the Wellington Centre special reference was made to the generosity of Messrs Riddiford, and a letter of appreciation for their gift was forwarded to them, with an offer to assist in every way with any suggestions that may be required. In accepting the honorary secretaryship of the Canterbury Centre, Mr Griff Rich has shouldered the responsibility of the 1924-25 New Zealand championships. It would be difficult indeed to name an individual better versed in swimming than the chief executive officer of the Canterbury' Centre. In February' next he will be able to claim the establishment of a fresh record on the administrative side, having been the secretary of two separate championship meetings. As far back as 1912 he conducted the championships on behalf of his centre. It is a compliment to the “old hands” that he has been brought back, practically from retirement, to fill this important office. If the Rivertonian prophet proves to be a true son of the clan of Jeremiah and others, good weather is likely to be a feature of the next few weeks or more. Already the winds are moderating and there is a desirable calm at the seaside resort. A little more steady sunshine, and the call of the “deep-end” will be irresistible.