Darcy the dominator

Blue Lake Y swimmer shines at championships

DARCY HODGES Sometimes mum and dad do know best and in Darcy Hodges case, the advice of her parents Jo and Rob Hodges has been right on the money.

Their belief all kids need to learn how to sim has seen Darcy not just learn how to swim but get pretty good at it and her recent results have her as a star on the rise.

She has clocked a national qualifying time and won a swag of medals at this years’ SA Country Swimming Championships and more recently the State Long Course Championships this month.

It is a journey that started six years ago and the now 11 year old has loved every minute of her time in the pool.

“I started lessons when I was five and started swimming competitively at age seven and I loved the sport of swimming straight away,” Darcy said.

“I started training with Blue Lake Y at a young age and have been with them ever since. The thing I love most about swimming is the social aspect as I get on so well with all my teammates.

We are all very supportive of each other. I love competing and setting new personal best times.”

And it is that attitude that has seen the Year 6 Tenison Woods College student continue to develop with plenty of State and national exposure already on her resume.

“Last year, I travelled to Brisbane to compete in the National Schools Swimming competition and it was so good to see other swimmers from all around Australia who are the same age as me,” Darcy said. “

I also loved swimming at the Country Championships in Renmark last year and here in Mount Gambier this year.” Of course, setting that national time for the 50m breaststroke remains her career highlight thus far but there is plenty on the horizon for the talented young swimmer.

The Limestone Coast Academy are doing some specialised coaching and then she has SAPSASA competition in May in Adelaide and the South Australian Short Course Championships in July In Adelaide.

“The big one is the National School Championships at the end of August in Sydney,” Darcy said and that’s why her schedule is full with training opportunities.

“I train in the pool five days a week with one 6am session and I also complete two weight and conditioning sessions as part of my place at the Limestone Coast Sporting Academy,” she said.

“Mum also takes me and another local swimmer through a reformer Pilates session once a week at The Nourish Nook.”

The young swimmer is leaving no stone unturned and is tapping into the expertise of as many mentors as possible to ensure she maximises her swimming talent.

“I credit my current swimming to my coaches, Jamie McDonald, Phil Lowe and Jaime Spicer,” Darcy said.

“I have had a lot of help from a lady called Georgine Ludscombe in Adelaide who helped me with technique and I also went to Melbourne to have some extra training with Brenton Ford who takes programs to help swimmers.”

When it comes to swimmers she admires, the incomparable Michael Phelps, Aussie superstar Emma McKeon and South Australian star Kyle Chalmers head the list.

Given her tender age, Darcy is still working across all strokes and all distances but she is starting to develop her favourites.

“My favourite strokes are breaststroke and freestyle and my favourite events are 50m breaststroke and 200m individual medley relay. It’s a good race as you test all your strokes.”

And like every local swimmer, having the chance to have Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre as a training base has been a game changer. “Our whole team is loving swimming at our new hub,” Darcy said.

“We are now able to practice our starts and finishes properly as well as tumble turns and having less people in lanes is really good.

And it’s so nice now to be able to host big carnivals.

It’s amazing.” Darcy might be destined for big things but she will clearly never forget those who played a role in helping her reach already lofty heights.

“We also remember where we started though and I am thankful to Viv (Peate) at Swim Skool.

That’s where it all began.”

Next week’s Lifestyle1 will look at the swimmers from the Mount Gambier Swimming Club at the same championships.