Direct from the North Pole Santa came to visit Abbotsleigh on the last club night of 2014. One of his helpers snapped plenty of photos for us to enjoy.
Santa visits Abbotsleigh
Book NOW for State Qualifiers’ week
ABBOTSLEIGH SWIM CLUB
STATE QUALIFIERS WEEK
Jan 5th – Jan 11st, 2015
Hi all State Qualifiers (and those who are still looking to qualify) and families,
Thank you for your replies to attend the State Qualifiers Week in January. We are looking forward to a special week of specific training, race education and team and club bonding.
The next step is to complete the Club’s booking form and make payment!
You can do this here.
Couple of things to note:
· Bookings close by end of day, Monday, December 15th, 2014.
· We are piloting a new payment system and for this booking, we are only accepting payments via Credit Card or EFT bank transfers only.
· If you are intending to pay by EFT, please make payment into the Abbotsleigh Swim Club account at http://abbotsleighswimclub.org.au/pay/ and reference your purpose as SQW + Swimmer Name
· If you/your swimmer has any specific dietary needs or concerns, please advise the Club via abbswimclub@gmail.com immediately or as part of the booking form.
· In respect of medical forms – We have most of these forms on file, and we will be looking to follow up any exceptions over the next week. However with some of our new members, if you have not already completed these, please let the Club or I know.
If you have any questions, please let me know on timothyaong@optusnet.com.au
Have a great camp!
Regards,
Tim
Pre-Xmas BBQ photos
Many thanks to Jo Cox for these fantastic photos. Great work by Jo, Rose and Chris on the BBQ. Awesome costumes everyone. I hope the santa swimwear is FINA approved!
Katie Junior Sports Star Finalist
Katie Strachan has today been selected as a finalist for the prestigious News Local, Junior Sports Star award. She joins the best from each area and sport at a gala dinner at Homebush next February where the winner will be announced. This is Katie’s second time as a finalist in three years.
The gala dinner will be themed “Decade of Stars” and will include entertainment, dinner and the presentation of the 2014 awards. Host for the evening will be Fox Sports presenter Adam Peacock.
Go Katie!
Fancy dress 2: Wolverine at Knox
Waterproof face paint and Hugh Jackman look-a-likes were mandatory features on Sunday when Abbotsleigh enjoyed the SMNE Fancy Dress meet at Knox on Sunday. Photos courtesy of Jo Cox.
Fancy dress 1: Skins meet
Abbotsleigh competed at North Sydney Pool, home to 86 world records through the 50s, 60s and 70s, at the SMNE Skins meet on Saturday night. With $3,000 in prize money to be won, a free BBQ, DJ Mint Dealers, and 100m World Champion James Magnussen, there was plenty to entertain.
Abbotsleigh Head Coach Awarded Gold Licence
We are proud to announce that our very own head coach, Leanne Speechley, has just been awarded her Gold Licence in coaching from the Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association (ASCTA).
In order to achieve this elite coaching standard you must first coach a swimmer or swimmers to an international level. Leanne coached an athlete to the World Championships LC in 2011, World Championships SC 2010, Junior Commonwealth Games in 2011 and Junior Pan Pacific Championships 2010 &2012. As well as 4 athletes to the Youth Olympics in 2012.
Following this you must apply to Swimming Australia and ASCTA to undertake the process of earning your Gold Licence. Australia only take on 8 coaches per year and often only ½ graduate.
The gruelling process includes completing the following 6 units:
- Personal and Professional welfare and management
- Race modelling and preparation
- Scientific principles of elite swimming performance
- The swimming Australia sports model
- Assessors and presenters course
- Individual project based task. To be presented at the Australia swim coaches conference and submitted as a paper in a publishable manner. (Leanne completed a project on Kick training regimes)
It is interesting to note that there are only 36 swimming coaches across Australia that have their Gold Licence. Leanne makes number 11 female coach at this level in the country.
Congratulations Leanne – it is great to know the Abbotsleigh Swim Team is in your very capable coaching hands!
Jimbo and Brandon conquer the world in Mexico
Australia have won the Down Syndrome International Swimming Organization’s world championships in Mexico. Congratulations to our very own Jimbo (swimmer) and Brandon (coach) on the team. We look forward to hearing all the stories upon their return. Full results here.
Head Coach’s AGM report
Read Leanne’s report here.
Club Night Racing Trial October 29th, all welcome
Swim Club is trialling ‘Official Times’ at our next swim club next Wednesday. Usual time 5.15 start.
This is a first for Abbotsleigh Swim Club so there might be a few teething problems, hence a trial. Given the successes highlighted at our recent awards night, we want as many swimmers there on the night.
We will have officials (starter and referee) and of course we need parent time keepers!
‘On-line’ entries via the club website is available here NOW !
Enter via the ‘Activities’ tab on the drop down menu, click on Club Nights and scroll to the bottom of the page and enter swimmers name – EASY! Please enter by Sunday afternoon, so organisers have time to enter the swimmers into the data base ready for Wednesday evening.
YOU MUST SIGN UP VIA THE WEB SITE BEFORE SUNDAY NIGHT TO PARTICIPATE, WE WANT AS MANY AS POSSIBLE
See you there on Wednesday evening.