Masters Swimming Australia eNewsletter
June 2015
Tuesday the 22nd September marks the anniversary of the founding of Masters Swimming in Australia. We have been doing some reminiscing over the last few months and one of MSA's original members, Gary Stutsel looked back to where it all started. Read more.
If your Club would like to celebrate the beginnings, we encourage you to have a special gathering after training during the week of 22 September and raise your glasses or cups to our founders! Love to see your photos on social media or send them to MSA and we will compile a photo board.
(Pictures: left - Tony Strahan prepares for his next race at the 1984 Nationals, eNews header - Des McCormick running a Coaching Seminar in 1980)
The starters gun for the first heat of the 100IM unofficially marked the beginning of the 2015 MSA National Championships, hosted by Masters Swimming Tasmania. From Wednesday 8 April until Saturday 11 April, 604 members from 89 MSA Clubs congregated in Hobart. Read more from MSTas. Results.
Congratulations to MSNSW's Blacktown Beavers who were won the Founder's Trophy. Read more from Blacktown.
Barbara Brooks from the Victorian Club, North Lodge is the only member of AUSSI, or MSA, as it is now known, to attend the original swim in 1974 when a delegation of Americans came to Sydney and ignited the idea of forming a masters association; and now she has swum in 40 subsequent National Championships to bring her to Hobart for the 40th in 2015!
Motivate yourself for the 16th FINA World Masters Championships, to be held in Kazan, Russia this August with Glenys McDonald's report on the 1st FINA World Masters Championships, held in Japan in 1986! Read more.
MSA Merchandise Range
Be noticed at the 2015 FINA World Masters Championships in Kazan with our bright MSA branded polos & t-shirts, available in many sizes. All Kazan merchandise orders are due into the MSA Office by Sunday June 28, 2015. Please expect delivery in mid-July. View Range & Order.
Certificate of Membership
A reminder that, at registration in Kazan, members will be requested to show proof that they are a member of their MSA registered club. Prior to departure, each member must apply to MSA for a letter of proof of membership via admin@mastersswimming.org.au. A letter will be sent back to you via return email. This may take up to a week for turn around, so we ask that members leave plenty of time to receive it before departure.
(Picture: left - MSA members at the 1st FINA World Masters Championships in 1986)
The 2015 MSA Swim Series has reached the half way point with the Queensland, Western Australian, Victorian and the National Championships having been completed. Members from all Branches are currently represented on the leader boards, congratulations to all who have competed to date, with a special mention to four swimmers who have competed in three out of four meets. Leader Boards.
CLICK HERE to discover what is motivating John Cocks (VMV) this Swim Series.
MSV Long Course Championships Recap - May 17
Following the National Championships, the MSV Long Course Championships was the fourth meet of the 2015 MSA Swim Series. Read more. See photos. Results.
Upcoming Meets
Members can still get involved in the 2015 Masters Swim Series, with a further four meets, including the Tasmanian Winter Championships and the MSSA Short Course State Cup to take place in August. Get Involved.
Since receiving their Vorgee Million Metre awards in February 2015, Studley Martin (One Million), Gordon Ferguson (Three Million) and John Pollock (Seven Million) have been wearing their Vorgee Million Metres apparel with pride. Click on their names to learn about their journey.
Congratulations to the six members who were awarded Vorgee Million Metres Milestones in May 2015. The third Vorgee Million Metres Milestone application date for 2015 is Monday August 3, 2015.
Congratulations to Blacktown Beaver's Clary Munns (MSNSW) and Melbourne H2O's Nadine Jones (MSV), who were presented with FINA World Record certificates in May. Read more.
MSA members will attempt the English Channel Crossing swim in the next few weeks, under coach Chloe McCardel. Nine MSA members, and one former member, will form two relay teams. While Glenn Wilson will take on a solo trip of the English Channel, dedicating his swim to Charles Erasmus and raising money for WaterAid. Read more.
Good luck to:
| Solo Swimmers | Aussie Crawl | One Direction |
| Glenn Wilson (VDC) | Alan Collett (VBC) | Julie Covich (former WWF) |
| Esther McConnell (VYR) | Sinclair Croft (NWO) | |
| Mike Nicol (VBC) | Duncan Hall (THB) | |
| Mark Stone (VBC) | Wes Rawlings (WSS) | |
| Don Wilson (VDC) | Julie Sladden (TTS) |
Keep an eye on Chloe's Facebook page to keep up-to-date with the swimmers.
The annual Bunbury Postal Swim is always popular with the local members from the Bunbury Stingers in the south-west of WA. A combination of assistance from coach Pam Hall and reminders from Club Captain Margaret encourages everyone to take part in a friendly competition against clubs from all over Australia, New Zealand, and this year from the USA.
A reminder to all taking part that you have until the end of the month (June 30) to complete your 3 timed swims. We are looking forward to seeing everyone's times this year. Good luck!
CLICK HERE for a current list of meets and events to be hosted by Masters Swimming Australia and our Branches in 2015.
New Club Coach Course
The Masters Swimming Australia Club Coach Course has been updated and is about to be relaunched. We are pleased to announce that the old Intro Course has been replaced with a wonderful online course that you can do in your own time, prior to completing a Club Coach one day workshop. Then you are accreditted!
A Masters coaching team have revised the Workshop program and it is more enjoyable and streamlined for the benefit of the participant.
The Branches should be advertising their courses in the near future and we would encourage anyone contemplating doing some coaching, to sign up. MSA would also encourage Clubs to sponsor their members to take on the coaching education and increase your bank of club coaches.
Coach Appreciation Month
To celebrate the soon to be released new MSA Coaching Course, MSA want to celebrate our existing coaches in July.
Please send a few words and / or a photo of your club coach in action to MSA via email (admin@mastersswimming.org.au) by June 30, to see your favourite coach celebrated next month.
2016 "Hell Week" Swim Camp
MSA is planning a training camp at Thanyapura Sports Centre in Phuket, Thailand for MSA members in late 2016, and are now gathering expressions of interest for such a camp. Let us know if you would be keen.
But there is an immediate opportunity to join other Masters Swimmers at the 2015 Effortless Swimming Camp in Thailand this year under the leadership of Brenton Ford. Read More.
Coaching Tips and Hints
| Observations at the Australia Age Swimming Championships By Gary Barclay |
Master Strokes. Think and train like an Olympian. by Anne Smyth 2014 MSA Coach of the Year |
| Fun with Fins and Playtime with Paddles By Wayne Goldsmith |
Dairy and Sports Performance By Sports Dietitians Australia |
| Drills Critical for Masters Swimmers By Peter Reaburn |
Jimeoin Murphy, a 4th year psychology student at the University of the Sunshine Coast, is conducting a research study on the "Personality Factors and Consistency of Athletic Performance", with a focus on track and field athletes, veledrom cyclists and swimmers over the age of 18.
As a result, he asks members to please assist him in his findings by completing the attached survey. Complete the survey.
Tasmania
When asked to profile one of their volunteers, Masters Swimming Tasmania decided to focus on not one individual, but a small hard working team - the 2015 National Championships Organising Committee. Read more.
New South Wales
MSNSW are excited to welcome back Bidgee Masters following the success of their MSNSW Griffith Grape Escape weekend in May. Read More.
Northern Territory
MSNT wish to congratulate Darwin Stinger's Moira Wigley, who finished 10th in her age group at the Ironman 70.3 Cairns. Moira completed the 1.9km swim, 90km bike 21.1km run in 7:00:48.
Queensland
Following the MSA National Championships, Brisbane Northside’s Tracy Clarkson flew to San Antonio, Texas to fulfill a bucket-list wish and compete in US Masters Swimming Spring Nationals. Read more.
South Australia
MSSA would like to welcome their 2015/16 committee, following the MSSA AGM in May. In the pool, members have recently participated in two MSSA Interclub meets. Read more.
MSSA are excited to feature in the SA Sports Star Magazine (pg45-47). Read.
Tasmania
MSTas invite all MSA members to the Tasmanian Winter Championships (SC) on August 22-23 as part of the 2015 MSA Swim Series. Flyer.
Victoria
Members from MSV's Malvern Marlins love a chance to travel and a small group of Marlins saw the MSNSW 40th Anniversary Celebrations in Griffith as the perfect opportunity for a weekend away. Read more.
Western Australia
MSWA's Anne Edmondson and Tricia Summerfield recently appeared in the West Australian newspaper to promote the benefits of swimming. Read more.
Welcome to new clubs: Busselton Swimming Club and Kingsway Swimming Club (One Club).
All Merchandise received before Sunday June 28 will be included with the Kazan Merchandise order. Following this, the next order will be placed on August 3, 2015.
View and Order Merchandise.
This email was prepared and sent by Jane Barnes.
Masters Swimming Australia
Level 2 Sports House, 375 Albert Road, Albert Park, Australia, 3206