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

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

Hopefully the ice and snow will all be cleared by next Saturday when we can re start the classes

Kind regards

Jean

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

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