Newsletter - Wavelength Spring 2006...

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SPRING 2006 EDITION

We wish you all a very Happy Easter!

SQUAD FEES are due NOW - See the fees page of the site.

CLUB NOTICE BOARD
• Club Shop Open every Sunday, 5.20 to 7.30pm at Chesham Leisure Centre. Personalised Club Hats [named], Club T-Shirts, Towels and Tracksuits available to order.
• CLUB NOTICE BOARD: The Club has two Notice Boards; you can find them next to the Sports Hall. Please take time to look at them regularly - All Gala results are displayed here and you will also find details and news of forthcoming events .
• FastBreak Sports - Chesham’s leading sporting goods retailer. Whatever your sport – whatever your requirements, please visit our sponsor!
• Visit the Club website… Log on to: www.cheshamswimmingclub.org.uk sponsored by SJI Design - www.sjidesign.co.uk

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

EASTER CLOSURE: Chesham Leisure Centre will be closed over the Easter period. The last session before Easter will be Thursday 13th April 2006 and the first session after the Easter break will be Tuesday [EVENING] 18th April at 6.30pm

SPRING FUN GALA: 5pm Sunday 14th May 2006 - Entry forms available, from 1st April 2006, to download from the Club Website

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: 5.30pm Sunday 21st May 2006 -All members of Chesham Swimming Club are invited to attend the AGM.

BUCKS TRIATHLON: Sunday 18th June 2006 - This exciting and challenging event makes a welcome return this year. Full details will be available shortly on the CSC website and club noticeboard. Alternatively on the organising Chiltern Harriers AC website at: www.chiltern-harriers.org.uk

FUN SWIM & BBQ: 6-9pm Friday 21st July 2006 - Don’t miss this annual popular fun event. Application for tickets available to download from 1st June – www.cheshamswimmingclub.org.uk. Look on the events page and click on the link.

SUMMER CLOSURE - Chesham Swimming Club will be closed over the Summer holiday period. The last session will be Sunday 30th July 2006 and the first session after the Summer break will be Wednesday 30th August 2006.

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS 2006
Dates for your diary in November, further details next Wavelength
Tuesday 7th November 6.30pm
Wednesday 8th November 8.00pm
Saturday 11th November 5.00pm
Sunday 12th November 5.00pm
Tuesday 14th November 6.30pm
Friday 17th November 6.30pm
Sunday 19th November 5.00pm

A WORD ABOUT OUR HIGHLY VALUED CLUB SPONSORS

We are pleased to acknowledge support from our latest Club sponsor – Fastbreak Sports, who are based in the High Street in Chesham. A long established local sporting goods retailer, Fastbreak Sports are also nominated suppliers by a number of local schools for sports/PE kit and sports equipment. Whether it’s cricket, rugby, athletics, football etc………..or just ‘personal’ sporting leisure, you are guaranteed a first class personal service from Fastbreak Sports. Please visit our sponsor for your sporting goods requirements or just browse when you are next in Chesham town centre – and don’t forget to say that you are from Chesham SC!!!

An exciting new offer from Fastbreak Sports! England shirts (including the new red away shirt) with FREE printing - see the full advert in the downloadable pdf version of Wavelength.

We are also pleased to acknowledge on-going sponsorship and support from SJI Design, Chesham based award-winning web design studios in the hosting of our Club website and email facilities.
SJI Design can offer web based solutions for everyone - individual; sole trader/self employed; small business through to blue chip organisations. For an informal discussion about your requirements, please call Les Winchester at SJI Design, Tel: 01494 771626 or visit their website for more information at: www.sjidesign.co.uk.

Chesham Swimming Club is currently seeking to expand its links with new sponsors of our Club. We are particularly keen to develop associations with local business and services. If you are able to offer sponsorship, or think that your employer may be interested in working with us, please initially contact Nigel Brand, tel: 07970 627841 or email: committee@cheshamswimmingclub.org.uk.

CLUB NEWS

NOMINATED EMAIL ADDRESS FOR ALL COMMUNICATION
We now have a database with all members email addresses.
You will receive your quarterly copy of wavelength via email [Wavelength is our swimming club newsletter and contains squad fees information]
Gala selection slips will also be circulated via email
PAPER COPIES ARE POSTED ON THE CLUB NOTICEBOARD, please check it regularly especially if your email is out of action
IF YOU CHANGE YOUR NOMINATED EMAIL ADDRESS PLEASE LET US KNOW ASAP - email website@cheshamswimmingclub.org.uk
Please remember to have the following addresses saved in your email address book/ safe lists, this will prevent your mail being lost in ‘junk mail folders’:
wavelength@cheshamswimmingclub.org.uk
website@cheshamswimmingclub.org.uk
volunteers@cheshamswimmingclub.org.uk

PHOTOGRAPHS:We may take some photographs during our Fun Gala in May & during the 2006 Club Championships and hope to offer them for sale to the club membership.
If you do not want your child to be photographed please inform Nigel Brand in writing. You may contact Nigel Brand either by post at: 1 The Chase, Chesham, Bucks. HP5 2DW, or via email at: nigel.brand@virgin.net, by the closing dates for these specific Gala events.

Watch out very shortly on the club website for details on the opportunity to purchase copies of in-pool action and presentation pictures taken at the 2004 & 2005 Chesham Swimming Club Championships. To be available as high resolution jpg images at a very competitive price with 100% of all income generated going into CSC club funds.

AGM: The 17th Annual General Meeting of Chesham Swimming Club will be held on Sunday 21st May 2006, 5.30 pm at Chesham Leisure Centre.
AGM Agenda:
Items for discussion and decision including Committee Nominations* and any alterations to Club Rules (duly proposed and seconded by Members) must be submitted in writing and received by the Club Secretary by Saturday 8 April 2006
* Nomination forms available from CSC Club Secretary

LIZ'S LINES

Corrective Stretching

At the beginning of February seven club members attended a Bucks Sports Partnership Camp at which, as well as swimming, they learnt about corrective stretching. Many of you do some stretching anyway but here are some of the stretches they were shown (or alternatives that do the same thing without having to lie down on a cold pool deck). Ideally you would do these stretches to loosen up your body before starting your swimming session and again when you finish to re-adjust your body.

Pictures (which can be seen on the downloadable PDF version of wavelength) and explanations are never as good as seeing a stretch done. If you are unsure ask!

1. Shoulder-Spine stretch. In both frontcrawl & backcrawl swimmers bodies twist from side to side. This stretch gets your body ready for this movement. The version shown at the camp involves lying down, so better to do it at home rather than on the pool deck. My alternative, done standing, has the same effect.
• Hips still & stacked one on top of the other.
• Shoulders stacked at the start.
• Hand on forehead, breathe in & turn head to look at the ceiling. Elbow leads, hips stay stacked.
• Breathe out and return to start position.
• It’s more comfortable with your head resting on a pillow or pull buoy.
A standing alternative. Stand with feet hip width apart, hands on hips and chin parallel to the floor. Imagine your body, from the hips up is a cylinder. Keeping your hips facing forward, twist the cylinder slowly to the right then slowly to the left. (It should feel as though you are wringing out your spine!)

2. Lower Hamstring Stretch. Swimmers often have tight hamstrings – the muscles in the back of your leg from knee to hip. Can you stand with your legs straight and slightly apart then bend forward and touch the ground without bending your knees? If you can, great, you don’t need to stretch your hamstrings. If you can’t, you need to work to lengthen your hamstrings. There are lots of possible ways to perform this stretch. This is one of the safest and is the one shown at the camp.
• Lie on your back, knees bent, feet close to your hips. Feel the natural arch under your back.
• Keeping the arch under your back, Gently slide one leg long the floor.
• Still keeping the arch under your back, lift the other leg off the floor and hold your thigh.
• Gradually straighten the raised leg until you feel the stretch behind your knee or into your calf – remember to keep the arch under your back and hips on the floor.
• Hold the stretch for about 5 seconds and then release it by bending your knee.
• Repeat 3-5 times then change legs.
There are various standing alternatives. If you would like to learn some, ask.

3. Wall Pec Minor Stretch. This targets the short chest muscle at the front of the shoulder. Shortness and tension in the pec minor and internal shoulder rotators is very common in swimmers and can result in pain and shoulder problems. Swimmers with short pec minor muscles will have rounded shoulders.
• Face the wall & stand as close to it as you can.
• Raise your arm so that there is a right angle at the shoulder & elbow & press your arm to the wall.
• Place your other hand on the wall under your shoulder.
• Keep your raised shoulder as close as possible to the wall and use the other hand to push away from the wall till you feel a stretch at the front of the shoulder.
• Hold for 5 secs, release for 5 secs and repeat 3 – 5 times.
If this is easier on one side than the other then you need to work at the tighter side.

4. Upper trapezius / sub-occipital stretch. This targets the muscles in the upper back and neck. These muscles can become chronically tight in swimmers and may benefit from massage work as well as stretching.
• Stand upright, chest lifted and turn your head to the side so that your nose lines up with your toes.
• With the hand on the same side, gently pull your head down and across towards your foot, keep your chin tucked in, your back straight and the other shoulder down.
• Hold for 5 secs, release for 5 secs and repeat 3 – 5 times on each side.
• If one side is tighter than the other, do more repeats on the tighter side.

5. Standing calf stretch. It is important for swimmers to stretch their calf muscles because when the toes are pointed in kicking these muscles become short and tight. This is often why swimmers get cramp.
• Keeping the toes and heels parallel, drop the heel down off the edge of a step or poolside till you feel a stretch in the calf muscle.
• Keep your leg straight but do not lock the knee.
• Keep the feet parallel while holding the stretch.
• Hold for 5 secs then alternate with the other leg.
There are other easy ways to stretch calf muscles... Just ask!!