ON THE UP GRADE

Taranaki Daily News, 15 March 1935, Page 9

ON THE UP GRADE

SCHOOLBOY SWIMMERS SOME SPLENDID TIMES IMPROVEMENT MARKED

(By

“Beltman.”)

Although coming at the end of a splendid swimming and life-saving season for Taranaki, the sweeping nature of the improvement in record times at the primary school swimming championships at New Plymouth last Saturday was perhaps the outstanding one of a succession of triumphs. The surf championships aroused public interest in that department to a wonderful degree. The carnival, almost national in scope, held by the New Plymouth combined clubs, and the memorable performances of Taris and Poussard gave Taranaki a standard to aim at. But in the wholesale creation of new primary school records there is definite evidence of that improvement which is the fundamental aim of all swimming activity, and it is coming from the most desirable quarter.

M. Ryan Outstanding. The results in the girls’ events were the most satisfactory because there were five girls who all lowered two or three of the previous records. In M. Ryan,

Stratford Convent, Taranaki has its most promising swimmer for years. Neville and Milne set the ball rolling last year but Ryan, who will still be a junior next season, is definitely a possibility for a Dominion title-holder, an honour the province has been hoping for for years. Ryan has the Jarvis build, and a good deal of the Jarvis style, needing only a little more relaxation. Regular training, not too much competitive swimming, someone to keep him to a definite programme with the junior championships at Hamilton next January as the objective, and an intention to do his best every time he swims, are all that he needs. Praise for Leslie and Gayton.

The intermediates took charge in the Waitara bridge to beach race last weekend. J. Leslie and D. Gayton strengthened the good impressions formed of their distance capabilities and they, too, are Definitely equal to Neville’s performances at the same stage of his development. Gayton wiU be better as his frame fills out, and both have only to remember that a good intermediate must improve to be a good Senior. This can be done better by concentration on body exercises, practice and concentration on style than by a plethora of competition swimming. , . Taranaki training and coaching, has long been aimless. Now that there is definite evidence of a rising standard the movement must be given every help by the adoption of city methods and discipline, by both school and club organisations.