The 2011/2012 swimming season has come to a close and Doreys swim club has had a very good year. Level 1, 2 & 3 championships have taken place and numerous personal bests have been achieved.

I think all our swimmers (and parents) can be very proud of their achievements and I hope that most of the goals that were set at the beginning of the season have been met. If not, another season awaits where further targets can be set and with consistent, regular training & commitment, goals will be achieved.

A special thanks to Adrian for all his commitment and to all the parents for their support.

‘A gem is not polished without rubbing, nor a man perfected without trials’- Chinese Proverb

Swimmers, like athletes who throw a lot, put a great deal of stress on their shoulders with thousands of yards in the pool each day. In fact, more shoulder injuries are reported among swimmers than pitchers in baseball.

Shoulder injuries are common among swimmers because a swimmer might use the shoulder more than 2000 times in a single swim workout of 5-8 miles. Additionally, the shoulders are your body’s engine in the water, providing nearly 90% of a swimmer’s forward motion.

Can these injuries be prevented?

Well, we have finally come to the end of another gala season.  Well done to all participants, not only for the finals but to all those that swam in at least one gala.  Your personal achievements are measured not by the medals you won, the places you finished or the personal bests you achieved,  Your personal achievements are measured on the fun you had achieving all these accolades.

Visit the results section for full results or follow the 'read more' link for summaries.

As we come to the end of the 2011-2012 season, it is time for me to come to the end of my tenure as Gala Administrator.  I have been in this position now for 4 seasons and I feel it is time to pass the baton to another capable pair of hands.

I have enjoyed learning about the ins and outs of galas and although at times I did feel a little lost with the rules and regulations, I managed to always ask questions and always get the answers I was looking for.

Having said that, I was ably assisted by Cathy Doyle, who sadly passed away this year.  But, I am not going too far so whoever takes over from this position, can always count on me to help out when the going is a little tough or if you just want to ask questions.

Although the Gala Administrator role is the most vital one in the club (no Gala Administrator – no swimmers can be entered into the galas), it is not a difficult role.  It does take some time to get used to the software, but the procedures are all set up, so if you can follow the idiots guide to entering swimmers into a database, then you can do anything.

So if anyone would like to volunteer for this role on the Committee, please contact myself or Rick and I will be happy to provide training during the quiet season where there are no galas.

A BIG THANK YOU

To the volunteers: Wayne Pleass, Trudie Pearse, Brenda Welke who are joining the committee this coming season.

There are still two people needed.

A huge thank you to Trudie Pearse who will be taking over the newsletter and photography from me for the coming seasons. We look forward to a whole new look, so watch this space!!!