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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

Our courses are designed to teach survival in water- treading water, sculling and techniques in swimming stroke improvement are some: in addition, new to all classes, a short introduction to basic land- based rescues and the teaching of water safety will be in-coporated into all ability levels,  including beginners. Rope throws, lifebelts and reaching aids will be introduced together with basic resuscitation.

These will be fun based and will take place on the last 8-10 minutes of the class in place of “free time” Parents will be invited to participate in these land based rescue skills – if they wish.
I am pleased to welcome Gloria Dunn as our new level 2 teacher and who has taken over Helen’s class (group 2)  beginner /Improver.

It is possible that a teachers will leave and we try our hardest not to spoil the continuity of teaching by keeping the same teacher throughout the groupings;  You will note that we have been very successful over the years in that aspect.

There are some spaces in the beginner group at 11.00-11.45  Please contact me at 20 253784 if you wish to book, alternatively,  pop into the pool on any Saturday.
If you have any problems you wish to discuss on any aspects of our club in confidence or otherwise, please do not hesitate to see me. I need feed back as our aim is to make the lessons enjoyable interesting and educational.

It is very important that you inform us of any illness your child may suffer in order that we can respond in the most suitable way necessary should a problem occur.

All water dragon s/c staff are fully qualified in lifesaving rescue,  resuscitation and first aid.

Please note that Howels school will close the pool to our club on Saturday  21 March 2008,  but we will resume at the normal time slot therafter.

My thanks to all members for paying for their children’s swimming course  on time, it is greatly appreciated.
Kind regards

Jean.