Alice (5) swims a mile
The half term crash course at Shirley Pool was an outstanding success with nine children swimming a mile or more on the final day.
Rosie-Mei Dolman (5) swims a mile
Most notable were the two five year olds Rosie Mei Dolman and Alice Mehaffey who used a variety of strokes to knock out the 64 lengths in a little more than an hour. It is not the youngest to swim a mile at the pool. Oliver Dunne completed the mile – aged just 4.
Every class had a star swimmer, not least the soggy teachers who battled with colds and fatigue to keep smiling through the week. Well done everyone!
Now booking Easter Crash courses
Eden completed 2000m
Oliver swam 2000m
Elijah achieved his one mile award
Gillan Joins the One Mile Club
Sophie completed her one mile badge on the Crash Course
Genevieve never stopped smiling for 80 lengths, 2,000 metres
Little Issac swam one mile.
Bab’s beginners all learnt to swim at least 10m, Barney managed 50m!
Philomena’s backstroke class all improved their technique and swam up to 600 metres
Sam’s super swimmers in front crawl acieved between 600m and 2,000m
Hugo’s happy bunch improved their breaststroke, diving and all swam for miles and miles.
Shirley Pool 5pm – 7pm Time limited entry level galas
Saturday June 15th Southampton Dolphins v Winchester City Penguins
Saturday July 13th Southampton Dolphins v Locks Heath Swim Squad
Under 8, 9, 10 & 11 years
25m races all strokes, one 50m freestyle event for 11 years plus relays
2011 Home gala
Designed for all swimmers in Dolphins squads who have NOT achieved County qualifying times.
Gala aims to start 5.15, finish 6.45.Treasure hunt to finish.
Ages as at Saturday 23rd March 2019
Warm-up scheduled for 6.15pm, with a 6.40pm start
Competing Teams:
Fareham Nomads Swimming Club
Southampton Dolphins Swimming Club
Locks Heath Swim Squad
Wildern Waves Swimming Club
Hamble Aquatics Swimming Club
Gosport Dolphins Swimming Club
Age groups 10/U, 11/U, 12/U, 13/U
Team sheet from Head coach to follow. Please keep the date free.
Saturday March 2nd 2019
Winchester City Penguins
Poolside 1800 Warm Up 1815 Start 1830
There is a list on the notice board with all swimmers from Squads 5,6 and 7. Swimmers from other squads may be invited by Head Coach.
If your child is not listed, please add them and we will update the database.
Please indicate availability so that Matt can produce a team sheet.
Southampton Dolphins new Head Coaches delight at his first County Championships
Head Coach Matt Boyd-Wallis
Matt Boyd Wallis can’t help his excitement over flowing when he starts talking about his first six months as the new Head Coach for the Southampton Dolphins Swimming Club.
“The swimmers had a really tough time in 2018. The same coach had been in place for 20 years and suddenly left half way through the season, taking many of the top squad with him. The replacement coach only lasted six weeks, so the kids were all over the place when I started in September. But the way they have responded is fantastic and we are starting to see the results. As a coach, this is what I want to see, to have swimmers grow in belief, understanding in what and why they do the things they do and start to buy into a set of philosophies and ideas introduced by their coaches.”
Southampton Dolphin Emily Lowther (13) broke the Hampshire County Championship Record for the 50m Breaststroke, setting a new time of 35.47 seconds, one of three County titles for the Shirley swimmer at the 2019 Counties competition in Portsmouth and Waterlooville.
Emily
It was one of six medals, three gold, three silver for the promising Shirley Pool swimmer and just part of the medal haul from the Counties, continuing a fine tradition of success at for the swim school, now celebrating their 50th year of teaching swimming.
Emily’s other County titles came in the 200m breaststroke (2.43.56) and the 200m Fly (2.42.46)
The 24 qualifying Southampton swimmers all produced lifetime best swims and were rewarded with 9 gold, 10 silver and 5 bronze medals, ranking the club 6th in the County.
Shirley Pool’s top swimmers began their annual assault on the Hampshire County Championships in style with Isabel Turner (13) continuing her fine form to secure top spot in three events; 100m backstroke (1.09.31), 50m back 32.81 and 200m backstroke (2.26.02)
The improving Matthew Lowther (10) won Gold Medals in the Boys 10/11 years 400m Freestyle event, with an impressive time of 5.26.20; struck gold again in the 100m fly (1.20.39) and 200m Fly (2.55.33) , edged out to silver for the 50 fly and bronze in the 200m Individual medley (3.04.69) and 100m freestyle. A fine collection of first County medals for the youngster.
Matt 3 County Titles
Breaking through to the podium for the first time was Phoebe Field (12), in the gruelling 400m Individual Medley. Phoebe and Emily Lowther came away with silvers after ding dong races with the girls from Rushmoor Royals, a first county medal for a delighted Phoebe soon to be followed by silver in the 100m freestyle (1.08.87) and bronze in the 100m fly (1.12.97).
Rhyseren Taylor (12) produced best ever swims to secure second place in the 400m (4.59.41) and 1500m freestyle (19.56.09) to take home two silvers.
The Girls 14 and under Medley Relay team of Ellena Lewis (Backstroke), Emily Lowther (Breast), Isabel Turner (Fly) & Freya Manning (Freestyle) had the crowd on their feet as they tried to defend their County Title. Leading the field from the start, the final 50m leg saw the Hart team steam down the pool in a sub 30 second 50m, snatching the gold by just 2 hundredths of a second.
Ellena Lewis took her second silver of the championships with a well-deserved 33.06 in the 50m backstroke.
Brother Nathan Lewis (12) also won two, well earnt medals, taking Bronze in the Boys 12yrs 400m IM, with a controlled 6.08.52 and the 50m fly (34.73).
It was a long weekend for swimmers and parents, starting on the Friday evening with the 800m Free, where Verity Telford and Rhyseren Taylor both recorded long course PBs and Rhyseren finishing 4th, with Verity 8th overall in the 12yrs age group.
The boy’s team of Lucas Curtis, Oliver Rutherford, Nathan Lewis and Mathew Lowther came seventh in the County 200m freestyle, while the girls had two teams in the 10-14 age group. Dolphins finishing just ahead of their City rivals on both occasions, adding some local spice to the event, with Evie Turner and Zoey Yates coming into the squad to bolster the team.
Alana Maddock continued the success finishing 4th in the 10yr 400m free in a personal best time of time of 5.48.75.
Head Coach Matt Boyd-Wallis enthused,
“Every swimmer, in all events recording a PB and demonstrating how much the swimmers have started to believe in themselves and take their training into competition. But best for me was the way our swimmers conducted themselves and raced. They took on board all our instruction from poolside and were committed with 100% effort and energy. Every one of them should be incredibly proud of themselves. Phoebe Field needs a special mention for her amazing swims at the Valentine meet: 9 races, 8 personal bests, 7 gold medals! Wow!”
Other personal best performances from: Zak Lanham, Isaac Maddock, Nathan Lewis, Isabella Fraser-Corbridge, Sophie jones, Oliver Cook, Evie Turner, Freya Manning, Verity Taylor, Freya Latimore, Lolah Manning, Ruby Latimore, Emma Lambert, Isabella Geary, Isla Rutherford, Ffion Evans
Join up now and get your February lessons for free. All we need is a £5 admin fee that will give you a membership card and free access at all public swim times with your child.
Existing members can get a 50% discount on their monthly fees by introducing a new school age child to the pool.
The top swimmers from Shirley Pool were racing on the opening weekend of the Hampshire Counties 2019 and came away with gold, five silvers and a bronze.
The party has started. Everyday until the pool closes will be a party for the kids. Prizes for the best fancy dress.
Alice the snow girl
We realise that most families are busy with Christmas so we have a really special offer to encourage you to start before the January rush.
At particular times you new members can get free lessons for Parent & Child & Toddler lessons.
With an immediate start available, there will be no lesson fees until February 1st. Just a £5 joining fee that will give you a membership card and free access at all public swim times with your child.
Existing members can get a 50% discount on their month fees by introducing a new toddler or baby to the pool.
Take a look at the times available now. Spaces are limited.
Free parent & baby or Toddler Lessons
Another good weekend at the Peter Bull Open Meet, Waterlooville with lots of new swimmers taking the plunge for the first time into competitive swimming. We had a total of 131 swims, recording 76 PB’s and38 County qualifying times.Dolphins came back with 20 Gold, 16 Silver and 9 Bronze medals. there were only 7 disqualifications, which is a result considering how many young and first time swimmers were competing.
Phoebe Field and Freya Latimore both won two great gold medals in the 200m Backstroke, recording outstanding County qualifying times each. Phoebe, recording a time of 2.56.91 in her first 200m Backstroke ever and Freya getting an amazing 5 second personal best. Maisie Latham, knocked a further 4 seconds off her 100m Breaststroke time.
Freya & Ellena at Waterlooville
Rhyseren Taylor finishing 2nd and Emily Lowther finishing 1st in the 100m Butterfly, both recording times well inside the county qualifying with Rhyseren slicing 3 seconds off her best time (1.15.99) and Emily a further second off hers (1.12.49).
Matthew Lowther, swam 3.07.28 in his 200m Individual Medley, five seconds faster since last year and a time that is a whole seconds inside the county qualifying time for his age group.
Well done swimmers!
Thank you to Paul and Matt for giving up their weekend so enthusiastically. Just one more weekend competition until Christmas to get those County Qualifying times.
It’s not too late for anyone to start competing and looking to join Dolphins.
We have great competition and opportunities in the new year for all swimmers interested in taking their swimming to the next level.
There is a competition next Saturday at Winchester aimed at Turtles, Dolphins 6 & 7.
Take a look at the post here
Well done Dolphins and keep it going.
