Competitive kids make a splash
MOST of us feel smug if we can manage to fit a brisk walk into our busy day. But some teenagers in a town near Peterborough think nothing of pushing themselves to their physical limits for 15 hours or more a week.
MOST of us feel smug if we can manage to fit a brisk walk into our busy day. But some teenagers in a town near Peterborough think nothing of pushing themselves to their physical limits for 15 hours or more a week.Members of Deeping Swimming Club regularly take part in national and international swimming competitions, and so need to keep themselves at the peak of physical fitness, as well as practising their back stroke and crawl skills.
"We will help any young person from Peterborough, Deeping, Bourne or wherever to achieve whatever they want to achieve," said the club's chairman Martyn Reynolds.
The club has been helping young people to achieve for the past 31 years, and while it won't teach anyone how to swim, it will take competent swimmers and help them to compete at the highest levels.
The club is always on the lookout for new members, and currently has about 150 kids and young adults on the books, but is always willing to take more.
The majority of these are able-bodied. Some have disabilities, but all regularly take part in competitions.
Jane Jeffries is mum to 14-year-old Luke, who has Down's syndrome, and she said swimming competitively had helped her son to become stronger, more confident and more outgoing.
Luke entered the recent East Disability Regional Swimming Championships, in Biggleswade, and came away with two personal best times.
His mum said: "We are really grateful to the club for giving him the opportunity to do this, especially because we live in Deeping St James, and there isn't too much for disabled kids to do around here."
Luke's 10-year-old sister Phoebe, who watches her brother but doesn't fancy swimming herself, added: "We are all really proud of him – he tries very hard and always does very well."
Mr Reynolds said: "We have taken on a full time coach, Lynn Chapman, who is wonderful with the kids and really knows how to get them to achieve their full potential.
"Swimming is good for anyone's cardiovascular system, and is one of the best activities anyone can do.
"And one thing it will really do for a child is develop their time management skills.
"When they want to compete they have to train intensively, sometimes in the morning and at night, and they have to get their act together to make sure that happens.
"As any adult know, skills like that are invaluable in life."
William Holland Leavens (17) is the boys' captain of the club, and knows all about time management as he is one of the club's most experienced and high achieving swimmers.
At the regional swimming championship in Biggleswade he went home with two golds, a silver and a bronze medal, and in the past he has held two world records for relay.
He said: "I have a form of cerebral palsy, but I have never let that stop me from doing what I want to do. If I can do something I will do it, and if I can't I can't, it's as simple as that.
"But I push myself to do as much as possible.
"I enjoy swimming because of the buzz it gives me. Ideally, I’d like a career as a swimming coach so I can help young people to get as much out of it as I have.”
Jordan Clark (15) also has cerebral palsy, which affects his arms and legs, and said that swimming also gives him a buzz that he can’t get anywhere else.
He said: “When you’re competing you get nervous just before you get in the pool, but as soon as you start swimming all that disappears.
“Unlike other sports, with swimming you can go at your own pace, but alongside friends.”
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Friday 03 September 2010
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