|
|
Warwickshire Amateur Swimming Association
(Established 1913) Newsletter September 2018 |
The Annual General Meeting of the Warwickshire Amateur Swimming Association was held on Wednesday June the 13th in Rugby.
The WASA President for 2018 – 2019 Rachel Cutler from Rugby Swimming Club
Rachel was taught to swim when she was 5 by her parents, who were also Primary and Secondary school teachers and ensured that children that they taught could swim before leaving Primary school. This enabled them to become qualified swimming teachers at the same time.
She swam all the way through her school life and for Oswestry Otters in Shropshire. She was even Girls captain in my senior year. Her mother was and still is a committee member and President of Otters today at the age of 84.
Rachel got back into swimming when her first child began swimming lesson and was then joined by her second one. It was then she decided to become a swimming teacher as she knew she could do this. In April 2002 she passed my level 1 and then after moving from Hampshire to Warwickshire passed her level 2 in October 2003 and was so pleased that she was able to give the good news to her Father before he passed away in 2004. He was so proud of Rachel and was thrilled that she could teach children a life skill that could perhaps save their lives. He had great passion for swimming and Rachel thinks that is where she have taken this from.
Rachel joined Rugby Swimming Club in 2005/2006 when her children became members and Rachel got involved with the teaching section, she then became an official and joined Warwickshire ASA in 2008.
Rachel moved to Nuneaton Swimming Club in 2011 as her middle daughter was a swimming member there, and back to Rugby in 2015. Rachel is now Treasurer of Rugby Swimming club.
She became the Warwickshire Swimming Secretary in 2017. This role has opened doors to meeting officials from the County, Swimmers and other people along the way who also volunteer a lot of their spare time to swimming.
For the past 13 years her day job has been as the Swim Manager at Nuffield Health in Rugby. She loves her job and has such pleasure in watching children swim and helping them onto a wider path.
As her first duty in her new role Rachel presented outgoing President Kevin Sherwood with his Warwickshire Bear.
Kevin Sherwood President, Warwickshire ASA 2017-2018 gave us an insight into his year of office.
My presidential year was very interesting and I was able to see many of the different aquatic disciplines at various County and West Midlands events and can only admire and respect the effort which the athletes put into their chosen sport and also pay tribute to their parents and coaches for their hard work and support.
My first official engagement was the Synchro Championships at Walsall which was a very interesting afternoon though the awarding of the medals is still a mystery to me.
At the Inter-Counties Meet at Sheffield, Warwickshire finished eighth in their division with everyone trying their hardest.
Our Age Group Championships in January were enjoyable and successful with a high level of entries.
Of particular interest is the success being achieved by our Water Polo players and the highlight of the year was the Solihull Men winning the Water Polo League.
Warwickshire joined in the County Pathway scheme in 2017 under which our best 11 year old swimmers had 3 days of coaching as a group and this has been continued in 2018. Thanks are due to the Coaches and to the organisers.
Despite the problems of closing pools and shortage of water time, there has been some good news. The Commonwealth Games in 2022 will bring an international standard competition pool to the West Midlands – our first, and work is beginning on the new 50M competition pool in Coventry.
Warwickshire ASA has also been changing. With input from Swim England WM and the County Chairs’ Forum, the Development sub-committee has prepared a development plan with new targets and objectives for the next 3 to 4 years including a review of the constitution, SwimMark registration and beginning the process of gaining Charitable Incorporated Organisation status.
The President Elect for 2018 – 2019 is Elaine Gale from Boldmere Swimming lub.
Elaine Gale started swimming at a young age and was a good club swimmer. Elaine came back into swimming when her daughter Lucy was talent spotted by Boldmere SC at the Sutton School Games in 2004.
Elaine joined WASA in 2014 as County Workforce Officer. Then in 2016 she became County Development Officer.
There were several very welcome new volunteers elected to new officer roles and to the Executive.
We welcomed:
Laura Slinn from Rugby Swimming club into the role of Treasurer and
Karen Woodhall from Boldmere Swimming Club, Hayley Moulton from Nuneaton and Bedworth Swimming Club and Hannah Secher from Rugby Swimming club on to the Executive.
Susanna Carden the outgoing Treasurer received a vote of thanks for all her efforts on behalf for WASA over the years in her role as Treasurer.
Janet Stubbs
September 2018