Local swimmers tap into elite coaching opportunity

Mt Gambier Swimming Club hosted coaching clinics last month at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre, facilitated by Effortless Swimming and funded as part of the City of Mount Gambier Junior Sports Assistance Fund, which is a joint initiative with the District Council of Grant.

The clinics were run by Sam Ashby, a former Australian Dolphin who competed at the World Championships in 2011 in butterfly. He has coached for more than a decade and has helped multiple swimmers win national age medals, specialising in teaching and refining swim technique for all ages.

Thirty-six swimmers attended the clinics with the older swimmers attending two hour clinics on each of the four strokes while younger swimmers were offered shorter sessions. Older swimmers also participated in Video Analysis Clinics where footage was recorded underwater and from various angles to assess to provide feedback on stroke techniques.

Swimmer Darcy Burford said Sam taught him techniques he didn’t even know existed, while Aynslee Hayman said she enjoyed the butterfly clinic because it helped her get more power from her arms.

Lucy Dening and Darcy Hodges also valued the tips provided from the weekend event.

“The breaststroke session made me realise that I need to get higher in the water,” Lucy said.

“It helped my breaststroke kick and it will help me get further with my swimming,” Darcy Hodges said.

Mount Gambier Swimming Club hosted the first swim meet in the South East Swimming Association calendar at Wulanda at the end of last month and now look forward to several more meets in the coming weeks for swimmers to achieve qualifying times for Country Championships.