KIWI SWIMMING CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 23381, 26 September 1939, Page 2

KIWI SWIMMING CLUB

YEAR REVIEWED PROGRESS OF YOUNG MEMBERS The operations of the past year are reviewed in the annual report of the Kiwi Amateur Swimtniii" Club, to be presented at the annual meeting on Thursday night. The report states:— The Tuesday night hour has become the main couching session of the club and the group coaching policy introduced by the club in the previous sea-' son and carried out under the. direction of the club captain, Mr Arthur Thomas, operated very successfully indeed, excellent progress being made by the younger members, many of whom were able to enter competition, in the club events at least, before the end of the season. The facilities for teaching learners to swim in Dunedin are still most inadequate, and while naturally the provision of a new pool now seems further off than ever, one can only urge on all members to do the very, best they can with the present restricted accommodation, always bearing in mind the fact that, with the support and co-operation of all who have the interests of swimming at heart, new baths may yet become an accomplished fact. During the year the council of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association organised a three-months’ educational tour of the Dominion by a party of women swimmers, and your club had the honour to be represented by Mrs E. O. Isaacs, who for the second year was appointed as manager of the team, while the club’s deputy-captain, Miss Winnie Dunn, was selected as a member of the team. The Thursday night club hour was devoted to the water polo practices am general training, and the keenness and enthusiasm shown by the water polo section of the club was reflected in the record of the A and B teams in the water polo competitions which were plnved this year at a water polo carnival” held by the centre’s water polo Match Committee every Tuesday ri?,it. For the fourth successive season the A team won the Donald Stuart water polo banner for the A grade premiership, playing 7 matches, winning 7, and scoring for, with 11 goals against. The team comprised; D Pickard, M. Taylor, A. J. Leeden, A Thomas (captain), C. Lawrence, W H. Dyson, C. Kidd. D. Reid. The B team was kept together throughout the season, largely ns”the result of the effort of its captain, Don Reid, and the club was gratified that this team should, for the first time, have won the B grade competition. carrying with it the King George V. Memorial Cup. The team played JO matches, won 7, lost 2. drew J Hie team comprised: J. G. Reid. D. Reid (captain), M. O’Connell, M. Goodwin, D. Freeman, E. Dolan. Ray Geddes. W Warren, W. Carr. Once again Mr Don Watson did excellent work as coach of the club’s water polo teani, and the interest and enthusiasm displayed by him for this branch of the club activities were largely responsible for the good showings made by the teams. The performance of members of the club in the Otago senior, intermediate, and junior championships are worthy of high commendation, the successes of the Kiwi representatives being a fitting testimony to the sound coaching policy that has been carried out by the club. For the third year in succession the club won the Ales. Greig Shield for the club premiership, this being awarded to the club gaining most points in senior, intermediate, and junior championship events. Club members were congratulated on the excellent support they gave to the championship events, and their efforts in gaining 28 firsts, 21 seconds, and 13 thirds in mterclub championship events is one of which the club may well feel proud. The club’s record at both championship meetings was a highly successful one, for at Rotorua Miss Christine Garvin won the 100yds and 220yds New Zealandl and intermediate girls’ titles and set a new Dominion record of 2min 45 l-ssec for the latter event; Miss Mary Stewart won the New Zealand intermediate girls’ 75yds breast stroke championship ; Miss Noeline Peat won the New Zealand junior girls’ 50yds breast stroke championship; J. Purdie won the New Zealand junior boys’ diving championship and was third in the 75yds junior boys’ breast stroke championship: Miss Mavis Strong won the New Zealand junior girls’ diving championship, V. Eekhoff was second in the New Zealand intermediate boys’ diving championship; 1. Hall thiad in the New Zealand intermediate boys’ back stroke championship; and C. Soli performed outstandingly to be second in the New Zealand junior boys’ 100yds and 220yds free style and 75yd» back stroke championships. At the national senior meeting at Invercargill Miss Winnie Dunn won the national ladies’ 100yds and 220yds breast stroke -championships: Miss Christine Garvin the national ladies’ 100yds and 220yds free style titles; W. H. Dyson was second in the national men’s 100yds and 220yds breast stroke championships; Miss I. Purdie second in the national ladies’ 100yds and 200 metres back stroke events, and third in, the 100yds and 220yds free style events. From the list of performances it will be seen that the club gained in the New Zealand senior, intermediate, and junior championship competitions no fewer than 10 firsts eight seconds, and four thirds—a record of which any sporting body might well bo proud. At the primary schools' meeting no fewer than 14 championships were won by chib members, which is an indication of the promise being shown by many of the junior swimmers in the chib. At this fixture club members who broke record's were C. Sell (3) Miss V. Clark, Miss Lorraine Kearns, and L. Barrett. The social activities of the chib have been admirably looked after bv tho Ladles’ Committee, with Mrs W. S. Hindmarsli as its head, and in addition to running a fortnightly euchre evening it successfully carried out the organisation of the junior and intermediate tea and provided supper at a number of other functions arranged by the club During the season under review the “ Learn to Swim ” campaign was carried out on a national basis, and the club played a prominent part in ensuring the success of the effort in Otago. Many members volunteered as instructors, and several spent at least a week of their time wholly devoted to the teaching of swimming. Without making any invidious distinction, it is fitting to mention that one club member, Miss Pat Wenborn, gave wholly of lier time for five weeks in the instruction voluntarily of school children’s classes nt the Municipal Baths. Such a spirit of self-sacrifice is deserving of tho highest praise. Special praise should be criven also to Messrs W. H. Dyson. D. Watson. H. 11. de Crewe, D. Freeman, and M'ss W. Stewart, who devoted a groat deal of their time to the work, both in Dunedin and in the country districts. During the year high honour was done the club’s venerable patron. Mr Alex. Greig, who. at the age of 76 years, is still one of Otago’s most 1 active swimming officials. Mr Greig,

the centre’s convener of timekeepers, is still outstanding as a coach, and it was with great pleasure that all, Otago swimmers heard that on the recommendation of the centre he • was awarded the New Zealand Association s hon. blazer. The centre presented this 10 Mr Greig at a special function held in the bath’s clubroom. The most extensive programme of handicap and championship events ever held by the club was staged during the season, and, while the prizes entailed considerable expenditure, the -committee feels that the expense incurred was well worth while, since so many promising swimmers were brought to light. To the captains, A. Thomas and Miss Allies Brown, special thanks have been conveyed for the trouble they went to in arranging these eVents. During the season New Zealand records were broken by three members of the club as follows Miss Winnie Dunn: 100yds breast stroke, 84sec; 100 metres breast stroke, Imin 31 2-ssec; 220yds breast stroke, 3min lilsec; 400 metres breast stroke, 7min Usee. Miss Christine Garvin : 220yds intermediate girls’ free style, 2min 45 l-ssec. . W. H. Dyson; 200 metres, 2min 59 2-ssec; 220yds. 3miu 0 l-ssec; 400 metres, 6min 30see The Kiwi Girls’ Basketball Club has from small beginnings now grown into an organisation that takes its place among the loading basketball clubs of the city, and it is indeed a very fine adjunct to the club's activities in the winter time. This year teams were cn tered in the first grade (for the first time), third grade, fourth grade, and fifth grade, and all performed with great rfedit. To Miss VV. Dunn congratulations hate been tendered on gaining Otago representative honours, and appreciation has been expressed o) the work of Mr Arthur Thomas as secretary of this club. The swimming season approaches at a time when all sporting bodies are in a state of uncertainty cogcerning their activities in view of the gravity of the present international situation. The committee feels assured that swimmers, one and all, will play their part in whatever sphere they may* be called upon to <’) so, and it stresses the need tor' those who are able to do so to carry on the activities of the club, by fostering and encouraging the sport among the younger members who will be required in the years to come to build up the club. The question of competitive swimming will have to be further gone into bv the incoming committee, but it is felt'that, if at all possible, the club should endeavour to carry on its operations to the very best of its ability, for it is fully realised that swimming is a work of great community value.