Richard Ford read 12 THINGS SWIMMERS HATE and suggested How about things swimmers love?
When Richard was younger he swam for Bristol Penguin Olympic and the City of Bristol squad (U.K.). Now he’s a proud father of two sons and enjoys helping coach swimming once a week at Chichester Cormorants.
ONE
That very rare occasion when you realise that your coach has NOT turned up for morning training!
TWO
Owning the whole leisure centre for a weekend of the open meet.
THREE
Fog horns!
FOUR
Club chants (cheers)
(courtesy of Tim Binning, the swim pictures)
FIVE
Marker pens at open meets.
Michael Phelps (courtesy of Mike Lewis, olavistaphotography.com)
SIX
Getting in the swim down pool for a play when you haven’t even had a race!
SEVEN
The smell of a summer morning…and when no one is around on the roads.
EIGHT
Getting to morning training and realising there are only two in your lane so you can go straight up and down!
NINE
Turning up to training 15 mins early and building a raft out of all the kick boards, then riding it to the other end.
TEN
Throwing a kick board with the accuracy of a ninja!
Matt Grevers has this skill! (photo credit: Mike Lewis)
I love it when the lane is crowded. That means the coach can only give us sprint sets because there’d be too much lapping going on if sets were long. And if you “accidentally” draft off someone who can blame you? the pool’s too crowded to avoid it.
i love it when I don’t have to share the lane
Whats the POM-POM game?
I’ll second that- been involved in swimming for almost 40 years and haven’t played the POM-POM game. I know what I want to do with Christmas training- always up for something new. So- do share!!!
I looked it up and it seems like Sharks and Minnows with a different (perhaps British) name. Cross the pool without getting tagged, etc.
We could leave workout if we hooked our pool you on the flags (during taper). Good article!
Food
I’ve been swimming competitively for 17 years and I literally do not love any of those things haha how about food? Winning? Getting a best time? Morning practice cancelled due to lightning? Get out swims? Just saying
Get-out swims when someone ELSE gets to do them, and we all get out.
Leisure centres 🙂
he’s british….you gotta love it…