Hi there everybody
This year has flown and we are into the summer holidays already.
Water Dragons will close for three weeks starting 7th of August and re-open on 4th September – 2010
I would rather keep the pool session going throughout the year but most parents take the children away on holidays during this month consequently bookings are way down and maintaining the courses throughout August are not cost effective.
Members may have noticed that we have now brought in flippers and masks for the children to practice with during “Free time” and it has been a favourite activity for all the children. The little one are loosing out because we do not have flippers for the smaller sizes. I am sorry but funds will not reach to further purchases at the moment and, if you are a parent of a child wearing the smaller size perhaps you would purchase a set for your child in one of the stores and bring them along to the sessions.?
Regarding the groups advanced improver and beginner–
Firstly- we will not be taking any under 5′s year group from September–Those who are members will remain if they wish but they will join the beginner group.
Improver’s and advanced groups all continue as normal.
New– A recent directive from the ASA has advised all coaches to enforce floating skills as an aid to survival during swimming lessons and that research has shown that this skill is more important than swimming for survival, we will be following that directive throughout our courses.
I am still concerned that parents are talking to the coaches during the classes . I cannot emphasize enough, the dangers this causes to the children in the water- The coach is diverting his/her attention from the children to the parent and a near drowning incident can occur
Please do not hesitate to let me know of any problems / feedback/ ideas you may have which may help in the continual improvement of our club
Thank you all for your enthusistic and continual support.
Kind regards
Jean, Richard , Pat , Gloria, Zoe
HI
On Saturday the 30th January Howell’s school are holding an open day.
Expect a build up of traffic at the entrance, where helpers will be directing drivers to the car park within the grounds.
In past years parking has not been a problem on these occasions but when entering the grounds of the school let the helpers know that you are using the pool and you should be able to travel to your normal parking area.
We may have parents visiting the pool while we are there, so please ensure that any non swimming children are sitting with you, and keep push- chairs and baggage clear of the surrounding area.
Saturday the 30th I hope to bring along some Resusci-Annies to introduce the children to water rescue and resuscitation practice. We will us very brief sessions over the next 10 weeks, this will be as addons to swimming classe s, and by the end of the course, a basic understanding will have started to be established. Awards for these learned skills will be presented when the children have reached the standards set.
We have had a good response from the children who say that they are looking forward to the new activities which they should fnd enjoyable
Kind Regards
Jean
Jan 10
15
Hi There
Thankfully the grounds at Howell’s school are now accessable with all pool booking back on track and will start tomorrow Saturday the 16th January 2012 –Same time same place! Make sure the children are wrapped up warmly as there still seems to be a considerable wind chill factor.
Remember coaches have moved to new groups –
Richard is taking Class four The Improver/ advanced 6 +
Pat is taking Class Three The improvers stage 4/5
Zoe taking class Two Beginner stage 2/3
Gloria taking class One Beginner stage 1/2
Please note there will be vacancies in some of the classes so feel free to pop in between 10.00 and 11.30 if you are looking for classes for your child
We look forward to welcoming all our parent old and new !
See you there :0)
Jean
Howel’s school had been promised a supply of salt for the grounds but this has been utilised elswhere. The school is open and safe supervision for the school children is supplied; This service however cannot be extended to our members and after inspection by the groundsman, a decision has been made to close the pool to bookings as the ice and snow covering the grounds may be too dangerous for us to access .
Hopefully the ice and snow will all be cleared by next Saturday when we can re start the classes
Kind regards
Jean
Happy New year to one and all. I do hope your Christmas and New Year break went as well as mine.
A new 10 week course will start on January 9th 2010
As usual we start our classes at 10.15 and at 11.00. A place in each of the four ability classes will be given on a first come first served basis on the day. Hopefully the snow will have cleared by then, but as there is the possibility that we may be unable to get to the pool and the conditions appear to be poor, it would be best to phone me on 20 253784 to confirm before 9.30 am on Saturday morning.
New for this year: This will see the introduction of Basic Resuscitation- taught to all ability groups with the exception of the beginners, who are a little too young; The introduction and practice of the skill will be short and brief during most sessions. This is not intended to distrupt the main practices of swimming strokes, but help expand their knowledge further; By the end of the ten weeks we should see that the children will have good understanding of the skills of saving a life.
Any adult wishing to learn the Basics and practice of Resuscitation, are welcome to join in, and if I am free will willing lead you through the practice of saving a life instead of just sitting and watching the children doing all the work :0)
Please note that parents must not talk to the teachers during the lesson but must wait until the class has finished.
However all quiries must come through me, when I will do my best to rectify any problems you may encounter.
We aim to please!!
I look forward to seeing you and your children for this new year.
Kind regards
Jean
Nov 09
17
Water Dragons will close on Saturday the 12th of December 2009, and will re-open on
Saturday the 9th of January 2010.
We are running a short course of 5 weeks from November 14th until the 12th December
and we will welcome any parent who’s children wish to join the beginner class. There
are spaces in both the 10.15 session and the 11.00 session, due to all the beginner
group moving up a class. Well done every-one !
I have decided to move the coaches into different classes for future swimming
lessons
The children will now have a different coach and refer to classes as class
One (Gloria) Class Two (Zoe) Class Three (Pat) Class Four (Richard)
This is to make the group grading simpler for you to follow, and also give the
coaches a change taking a higher / lower group with fresh new challenges.
You may have noticed that we are introducing snorkles and flippers into the
lessons which the children are enjoying. However, we need to have more- and if any
parent can help by bringing along any they are not using, we would be eternally
grateful!
I have suggested that we may decide to open another session for adults etc- but so far
there has been little response. Maybe the cold weather is the problem! I am still
considering it for next year, so keep me posted if you are interested. I will need at
least 12 participants for it to be viable
I do hope you will all return in the New Year for the new 10 week course of swimming
lessons.
Thank you all again for helping us make this another successful year.
Kind regards
Jean The Boss :0)
Richard Zoe Gloria and Pat.
Oct 09
9
Hi there once again.
I hope all parents are happy with the results of their children’s progress over the past few weeks.
The advanced group are thrilled to have achieved their ASA Bronze award and for which they have worked very hard.
The award includes a fair amount of distance swimming- of a good standard. I am pleased to see how much they have progressed with the aid of Gloria their coach, very well done every one .
The beginner class now have a few vacancies because four children have been moved “up” to Pats beginner/ improver class – Great excitement! Pat will get them moving along the length of the pool and is a whizz at convincing them that they can swim further .
The shallow water classes tend to be small, and if you know any parent hoping to start their child swimming, that now will be the time to join . We can accommodate any new member who starts mid- session, only the weeks left will need to be paid for @ £3.50 per session: Then if you are happy with our club, book your place onto the next 10 week course.
I am currently looking up some of our longest serving members who, once identified will be presented with a long term award. My thanks to those parents who trundle to classes week on week , I applaude you! You too should have an award for sheer perseverance, but sadly funds cannot stretch to that, so just my thanks will have to do! :0)
I am pleased to say that almost all the children have learned about beach flags and what each coloured flag represents. Now parents can expect their children to be safer near the sea with that knowledge .
I am hoping to include snorkles, masks and flippers into the classes shortly. This will introduce a new skill and help keep the childrens’ interest: We have purchaced a few, but I would welcome donations of flippers snorkles/ masks which you, or your family and friends may have outgrown .
We are considering for the new year:
1) To start up an Adult class at Howells ( all abilities) . This would be 9.00 am – 9.45 on a Saturday.
2) To start an Aquafit class
3) To start a GCSE Lifesaving Club- leading to Bronze Medallion
A Parent and child course was considered, but the pool temperature is too cold.
I will send a form around to see what the take -up will be on any of those proposals , and if there is enough interest we will start up the most poular early in the New year.
Please come to see me and in confidence, if you have any problems or observations to pass on. I would rather you chat with me than talk to your childs’ coach at the poolside: Taking the coach’s attention from the group they are teaching is fraught with dangers.
We welcome a new coach to the club. Her name is Zoe and hopefully she will be staying with us at least until the new year Zoe is a level Two teacher, and is taking the beginner group at the moment. She is the brains of the bunch, being the only one studying for a degree at University. :0) The children love her and are really enjoying her lively classes.
Bye for now.
Jean
Jul 09
26
Hello at last everyone!
Time seems to fly by and I have been so busy over the past year that I have neglected to keep you up- dated. However I hope to rectify that in the coming months and keep you informed on the club and its activities.
We will be having a short break in August: our last swimming session will be on August 8th and we will restart a new 10 week course of swimming classes on Saturday September the 5th 2009.
Pat will return to her Improver classes in September . Pat has been a supporter of the Girl Guide movement and, for her sins, has been camping and attending meetings with the guiders over the past few weeks.
Zoe, kindly offered to cover the classes in her absence and she has done a very good job. The children have enjoyed her varied and fun lessons .
These last few weeks will see us introducing the children to the different colour flags and their significance to look for on beaches during the summer months.
I was very surprised and concerned to discover that all parents sitting in on the sessions today (all bar one ) had no idea what colour the Lifeguard flag was!! The lifeguard flag ( Red over Yellow ) tells you there is/are lifeguards patrolling near the flags and must be called to deal with any emergencies.
Other flags to look for are Green flags- safe to swim- Yellow flags,- Dangerous under currents and very rough water. Red/over Yellow- Lifeguards patrolling , Red flags – do not swim, black and white chequered flags – jet skis and water-sports in action, do not swim in the area .
I will be bringing along more flags on Saturday for the children to recognise and parents are welcome to join in the subject of safety on the beaches.
Our advanced group of children are training towards their Bronze Swimming challenge and they have all worked very hard under Gloria’s direction. Gloria is sure that they will all have achieved their award by the end of this course and we look forward to presenting them with their certificate and badges
The beginner group have been very brave the past two weeks by going to the other end of the pool where they cannot touch the bottom.
There were a few “trembles” but they are now smiling and happily jumping in with shouts of “abandon ship” as they leapt fearlessly in!
I will be one of the instructors teaching at a “Rookies” work shop in Splott Park on Monday 27th. If you would like some basic instruction on Resuscitation and choking on all age groups, come along to the free session in the park, look for the Lifeguard flags and we will be there.
Included will be bouncy castles, Police on horseback, police dogs, fire Service , face painting and lots of community groups. Keeping fingers crossed for fine weather
I am soon to become a Granny at long last! Our little Grandson is due to arrive on Monday the 27th. I am so excited – His wet suit is ready as is his Welsh Rugby shirt!
Thank you all for supporting the club through the year I do hope you continue doing so.
I am sure you share with me my thanks to the swimming teachers for all their hard work over the year.
Kind Regards
Jean
Hello to all swimming club members.
We will be taking payment for the next 10 week swimming courses on or before Saturday the 22nd of November 2008, and, as usual your place is secured on a first come first served basis.
I am pleased to say that we are managing to maintain our charges for the 10 week courses at £35.00 per child.
The projected dates willl be 5 weeks commencing the 22nd November until the 20th December, after which the pool closes for Christmas. Classes will re start on Saturday January 9th for a further 5 weeks until the 7th February 2009
You may have noted that we are now in the process of teaching all our groups water safety and rescue to Royal lifesaving standards. These skills, when obtained are awarded with a presentation of a Royal lifesaving certificate. We are introducing these skills as part of the overall swimming development programme: These will take longer than the avarage swimming awards to obtain and when this skill has been achieved, the coach will notify you.
As a qualified Lifesaving teacher and NRSTC trainer/advisor ( National rescue test for swimming teachers and coaches) I will be able to offer a course to obtain this qualification for those teaching in school pools and around swimming pools. Please telephone me for further Information. I can also give details on any RLSS Bronze Medallion lifesaving courses and GCSE Lifesaving courses in the Cardiff area.
New:
I am considering starting up second water dragons swimming club in the new year at a different pool in Cardiff, as the demand for swimming classes exceed pool space. I am hopeful that I may be able to book pool space during a weekday and after school hours.
Consideration has to be taken that parents can get too and from the chosen pool with reasonable ease therefore, a time must be chosen when traffic flow has eased and parking spaces freed up.
I feel that those times could be between 6. 00pmand 7.30pm. It would be helful therefore if any parent could let me know a time that would fit best into the average parents school routine day.
I would welcome any trainee swimming teacher/s who would like to observe and learn about teaching practice at our pool side session. Swimming coaches with a level 2 certification are needed at intervals and If you are looking for casual work please contact me on 02920 253784 for further info.
Awards for your childs’ swimming skills are now being assessed. Please pay our club membership secretary Eileen £2.00 in advance for the award your child may have achieved. The ASA award will be given the following week. If you are not sure whether your child has been awarded a badge and certificate please ask his/her coach for confirmation.
I look forward to seeing a full membership again at the new 10 week course.
We have had a very successful year thanks to the continued support of all parents and swimming coaches. and we all look forward to another, in the coming New Year.
With kind regards
Jean and all the coaches.
Jun 08
13
Dear parents
In the past we have closed for the month of August, however, this year I have decided to keep the pool sessions running throughout the year with a closure only at Christmas.
Renewal for the next 10 week course will commence on the 5th July and run to the 6th of September 2008. Please try to pay on time as I have to pay for pool bookings well in advance. Those renewing and paying on time are guaranteed a place in the next block of lessons.
New parents interested in joining us are welcome to pop in on any Saturday. The sessions run between 10.15 11.00 and 11.00 -11.45. If you are interested, just contact me at the pool or telephone 02920 253784.
Thank you all for your continued support.
Kind Regards
Jean. Pat. Gloria and Richard.