Newsletter - Wavelength Winter 2005...

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WINTER 2005 EDITION

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

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
CHRISTMAS CLOSURE: Last session - Thursday 22nd DECEMBER, First session - Wednesday 4th JANUARY 2006
SQUAD FEES DUE: 1st JANUARY 2006
SWIMMING POOL WILL BE CLOSED: Sunday 5th MARCH 2006 - THERE WILL BE NO TRAINING ON THIS DATE
QUIZ EVENING: Saturday 18th MARCH 2006 - Further details in the next issue of Wavelength
SQUAD FEES DUE: 1st APRIL 2006
EASTER CLOSURE: Last session - Thursday 13th APRIL 2006, First session – 6.30pm Tuesday 18th APRIL
SPRING FUN GALA: Sunday 14th MAY 2006 - Further details in the next issue of Wavelength.
SQUAD FEES DUE: 1st JULY 2006
SQUAD FEES DUE: 1st OCTOBER 2006

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 mention that you are from Chesham SC!!

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

POTTER GALA Aiming to bring the older and younger swimmers together, four teams battled it out under the banner of Harry Potter’s houses from Hogwarts. Lots of fun, lots of enthusiastic team support, lots of PBs and a close result right up to the last race. Make sure you complete your entry form for the Spring Fun Gala.

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS Club Championships in November yielded some excellent swims. Congratulations to all those who swam PBs and especially to those who broke Club and Championship records. Those that entered many events were put to the test at the end of a tiring fortnight of competition and most rose to the occasion. Remember, Club Championships are not just about winning medals, they enable all our swimmers to test themselves against their previous best times.

Thanks must go to all those who helped to make the Championships such a success – we can’t manage without you and we look forward to your continued participation and receiving new offers of help – see below.

HELP WITH GALAS Apart from the tremendous amount of work done by Sonja and Liz before the Club Championships, it took up to 27 people to run each session. For an away gala, we need up to 9 adults. In order to spread the load, extra volunteers are needed so that we can continue to offer the swimmers as many opportunities as possible to compete and give the regulars the occasional free weekend!

No previous experience is necessary. Contact Sonja in person or by email [volunteers@cheshamswimmingclub.org.uk] if you are interested in becoming a volunteer. Many posts are available – from trophy cabinet duster up to qualified ASA officials. Galas are always short of officials and you can avoid many hours sat on those hard seats if your are occupied on poolside!
Roger Tregunno

Have a look at our new ASA South East Region website

Our new District is officially known as ASA South East Region and is one of 8 new Regions in the UK. This will lead to a number of changes, some of which may ‘affect’ Chesham Swimming Club.

To keep abreast of changes within our new ASA region, please visit and bookmark the official ASA South East Region website. Click on/visit the following link: http://www.southeastswimming.org . You may also be interested to see details and images of the new 50m pool recently built and open at the K2 complex in Crawley. This will be the venue for ASA SER Age Group Championships in June 2006. Click on/ visit the following link to go to the official K2 Crawley website: http://www.crawley.gov.uk/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=580

LIZ'S LINES

Getting it right on the blocks!

At the Active Sports Camp that some swimmers attended in October there was a session with a sports psychologist. Amongst other things, he gave the following advice on final preparation for a race. It makes very good sense!

TWO MINUTES TO GO?

FOCUS ON YOURSELF – It’s time to forget about everyone else and focus on what YOU have to do. The following techniques will help you to avoid distractions and achieve the focus you need. The key thing to remember is that you can control the way YOU race but you can do nothing to control the way everyone else in your event will race.

Relaxation – a deep calming breath just before you step up onto the block.

Centring – a breathing technique that you can use before you step up on the block (or even while you’re up there). It involves 2 steps:
1. Whilst standing with feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent you focus on breathing from the stomach. Concentrating on this helps to shut out distractions.
2. As you breathe out, let your knees bend a little more and you should feel yourself solidly balanced. You are then ready to turn your attention to a key thought.

Key Thoughts – Something to help you think about the right thing at the right time. Suggestions: powerful start, streamlined turns, strong kick off the walls, finish hard….. the list is endless and needs to be something important to you!

Image – Play the race through in your mind. Imagine how you want to swim it.

Whatever mental preparation you use before a race will only work if you practise it. If you practise it in training and in all levels of competition then when you have an important race, and you are very nervous you will go through the process automatically and it will help you to focus.