THE District 12 swimming season starts on Saturday, with the first meet in Horsham.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Horsham event is a mini meet, which is swum in a 25-metre pool at the Horsham Aquatic Centre.
This swimming meet is the beginning of an eight-round meeting schedule with the last meeting being the Wimmera Championships on a date yet to be decided.
There is a six-week gap between the first meet and the second meet.
Warracknabeal will host the second meet on November 25.
Horsham Sharks publicity officer Hellen Wills said all District 12 swimmers would be eager to catch up with friends from other clubs as they began competing.
“(They will look forward to) trying to outdo each other in the pool,” she said.
“The kids are always trying to get better. They will set targets for themselves and there will be kids that they will be trying to knock off.”
Wills said swimming was a sport that was great for people’s fitness.
“It’s fun. People say it’s an individual sport but when these kids get together in relay teams… My golly gosh there is a lot of camaraderie,” she said.
“They have a lot of fun even though they work hard.”
The Sharks have four training sessions each week.
“Some swimmers that can’t make a club session will do their own session in their own time,” Wills said.
Wills said the District 12 season was a busy time of the year for every club involved.
“There is always jobs to do. This week (parents and volunteers) will have a job to do at the mini meet because we are running the meet,” she said.
“Everyone time keeps and then some people have more specific jobs like organising relay teams.”
Wills said it was a good chance for the Sharks swimmers – and swimmers across District 12 – to put all of their hard work at training into action.
Horsham Sharks swimmer Montanna Connelly, 15, said she looked forward to the season.
“Seeing what times you got and seeing how much you have improved or declined since last season is what I look forward to,” Connelly said.
“I am trying to get a (personal best) time for back stroke. My favourite stroke is back stroke.”
Shark Claudia Lanyon, 13, said she was trying to get a personal best time for breaststroke and freestyle.
“My favourite stroke is breast stroke,” she said.
Connelly said relays were more enjoyable than swimming in races individually.
“You are with your team and it’s just a bit of fun, but you still really want to win because you are with your friends,” she said.