March 2023 – Newsletter

Just over a week to go to the Swim Club Gala Evening.  With an opportunity for swimmers, coaches parents and helpers to come together.

Take a look at the Swim Club website for our latest photo gallery!

But first! Some IMPORTANT upcoming dates for your diary…

21 March – Time trial 4.30pm at the pool

23 March – SWIM CLUB GALA EVENING – IN TWO PARTS 😀

FIRST PART OF THE EVENING – at the pool 4pm – 6.30pm 🏊‍♂️ 🏊‍♀️

This event is the highlight of the season! It is a great night for the swimmers to cheer each other on and enjoy some race experience. Everyone is encouraged to swim their best so please can all club swimmers should attend from 4pm.

There will not be a snack table as all swimmers are invited for dinner afterwards. Children should bring a snack to eat before the Gala starts.

This year all medals and Trophies will be awarded at our Awards Ceremony at the Grantown Golf Club at the end of the evening.

Remember: Swimmers should have swim kit & shorts/t-shirt/poolside shoes.

Parent helpers always welcome for timekeeping duties which involves operating the stop watches at poolside for each child. Please contact Amy a.murphie@btinternet.com if you’d like to volunteer!

Please let us know if your child can’t make it so that we can keep the smooth operating of the evening.

SECOND PART OF THE EVENING – Dinner and Awards Ceremony at Grantown Golf Club! 🥇 🍟

7pm – 8.30pm – RSVP for Dinner Invite to mcfaddencam@gmail.com

All club swimmers are invited to the golf club to receive their awards and medals after the Gala. This is the first time in 4 years that we have been able to gather to recognise the swimmers’ achievements for such a long time so are delighted to celebrate their success in this way!

Every swimmer’s meal will be paid for by the club!  Family members are very welcome to accompany their children (up to 2 people in addition to your child).  The golf club are happy to cater for them too!

Adult meals will cost £10.50, additional children will be £5.  

Please collect your child from the pool and bring them to the Golf Club for 7pm.

Awards ceremony will follow, and we should be finished around 8.15/8.30pm 

Meals need to be pre-ordered so please let Claire Anne know your numbers and choices mcfaddencam@gmail.com  by Tuesday 21 March at 8pm.

The food options are basket meals (adult or child portion) of Scampi /Crispy Chicken Chunks /Breaded Brie. Adult only dishes: quarter pound beef burger or veggie burger. Served with House Fries and Dips 

28 March 4.15pm – 5.15pm – Last club swim session of the season and Pool Party

1 April – Graded Meet, Inverness

NEW TERM DATES – Thursday 20 April to Thursday 22 June 2023 (Last swim)

New Session Times and Squads

After the spring break holidays, we move the P7 swimmers to the Senior Squad in preparation for them going to the Grammar School.  This has been done mainly on swimmer’s times as well as their skills in the 4 strokes.  Session times are changing. Please see the table below.

Please could you confirm with Cath coach@grantownswimclub.co.uk which of the three weekly sessions your child would like to swim.  All the seniors can attend the Wednesday morning session (7.30-8.30am) if they would like to.  Sports Science time is changing slightly too – we do encourage kids to do this session. 

We have also set out below who is helping at what time.  If this doesn’t work for any reason then please would you email Cath about that too and we’ll move people around. 

 *SS is sports science

Other IMPORTANT things we would like you to know…

Fundraising

TESCO GRANT COMPETITION – please remember to ask for your tokens at the checkout when shopping at Tesco Aviemore or Fort William until the end of March so that you can vote for our club as you leave the store. We would very much appreciate your support!

Thank You

A debt of thanks: to our coaches this term – Cath, Kathryn, Catriona, Danielle and Alice.  As well as volunteer helpers (some in Grantown and others at Nethy) – Duncan, Holly, Isla, Gregor, Lucy Ella, Ellie, Danielle, Adam and Orlagh.  What an awesome team!

And to Harry for ongoing support with the website.

Time keeping

If any parents would like to join our timekeeping team, full training will be given. We need timekeepers for our own events in club as well as at competition meets. It’s a great poolside view of the action and helps enormously with our ability to maintain our club. Please contact Kathryn at gscmeets@gmail.com to discuss this further.

Lastly…24 April – NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING – Our Swim Club committee meet regularly to plan meets/events and to ensure the smooth operation of the club. If you have any questions or wish to raise any points, please contact club secretary, Claire Anne at mcfaddencam@gmail.com.

This month’s meet the poolside helper is Holly.

How long have you been part of Grantown Swim Club, Holly? 10 years

What is your favourite event? 80 IM

Why do you enjoy being a poolside helper? I enjoy making friendships and building relationships with those I swim with and those I am helping when on poolside.

What is your favourite food? Fajitas

Do you have any other hobbies apart from swimming? Netball and skiing

Thanks very much Holly.

If you need to get in contact with the coaching team, please email cath.swim@outlook.com.

See you poolside 🏊