Swimwatch - Latest Comments

Re: How Not To Be the Fat Ex-Swimmer

Elly James — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 08:41:16 -0000

OMG.. Im an ex swimmer and i gained 10 pounds a year after i quit swimming.. I hated it and its been really hard.. Ive cut down my food intake but still remained the same, ate healthy still the same.. I extremely hate running and what i do is circuit run along my housing area.. I did try to quit many time as it was boring even with music.. Thank you for the tips, it's extremely helpful.. Can't wait to try <3

Re: Ethical Leadership Is Mostly About Leader Integrity

D Wright — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 14:48:06 -0000

I love the thought. Thank you.

Re: Ethical Leadership Is Mostly About Leader Integrity

justwatching — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 03:35:54 -0000

https://www.youtube.com/wat...
Welcome back.

Re: Mayday – We Require Immediate Assistance

D Wright — Sat, 11 Mar 2017 15:07:04 -0000

Three months ago the Chairman of Swimming New Zealand, Bruce Cotterill, said,” We’re still going through the process to understand the rationale. I think we’ve got the right coaching in place and a new facility [at the Millennium Institute]. The reality is the funding decision is made, but what we would like to understand is ‘why?’ and ‘what do we need to do to get back in the good books?’
Three months on and we have never been told what he discovered. We have never been included in the conversation – Antares Place behind closed doors. They have reverted to type. The ultimate irony is his assertion that “we’ve got the right coaching in place” and today he sacks 66% (2 out of 3) of the organization’s coaching staff. I’d hate to see what his reaction would be to not having the right coaching in place.
And then on the 10 March we are told that Bruce Cotterill has told the NZSCTA, ”Swimming NZ, have now advised that they will be transitioning to a new structure. They have yet to communicate what that new structure will be.”
Well let’s start a count of days and see how long it is before SNZ involve the membership on the details of the new structure. We will start the count today – DAY 3

Re: As Racist As Trump

D Wright — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 05:05:18 -0000

One other item of gossip I heard from two sources is that the case to get Kane Radford into the Olympics had to be paid for by his family. I see SNZ put $K30 aside in their accounts to pay for them to pay their costs. The case was never necessary and having lost it so comprehensively SNZ should have paid Kane's costs. It is what descent people would have done. For any family a cost anywhere near $30,000 is a huge amount of money. The Radford's did not deserve that.

Re: As Racist As Trump

D Wright — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 00:05:51 -0000

Most people accept that Saudi Arabia is a long way from New Zealand and yet in the past 24 hours I have heard from three sources that Gary Hurring, Donna Bouzaid and Kent Stead are leaving SNZ - either because they have been pushed or have resigned. Is this true. If it is I am distressed that yet again NZ citizens are being sacrificed in favor of foreigners. If it is true I imagine that cost is the motive. Well done SNZ on slashing the coal face in favor of backroom staff. Well done SNZ on slashing the New Zealander best qualified to be national coach. As I say, assuming the gossip is true.

Re: As Racist As Trump

D Wright — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 21:29:01 -0000

As you can see I did not comment on the first question in the Dubai Embassy letter. However since posting the story Eyad has shown me the ticket information he sent to Dubai with his application. In it the ticket shows clearly that Eyad is booked to leave NZ for Dubai on 14 April at 17.30 on flight EK407. He is further on booked from Dubai to Jeddah on 15 April at 7.30 on flight EK805. The officer in the Dubai Embassy is either incompetent and cannot read an air ticket or is being deliberately obstructive. Either way someone should look quickly at whether he is a suitable employee to fill this role.

Re: Swimming New Zealand Coaches

D Wright — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 16:09:49 -0000

Thank you swim mom. I agree with you. I have noticed that NZ now has a Facebook website called NZ Swim that seems to be doing a good job of holding swimming's feet to the fire. The organization needs watchdogs like that. They might not like it but it is healthy.

Re: Swimming New Zealand Coaches

Swim mom — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 14:57:46 -0000

I suspect the reason that SNZ only uses overseas coaches is that they get coaches who know nothing of the politics of NZ swimming. In that way coaches are clean and untainted by the mess they have observed and offer no criticism of the organisation.
In the ten years I have been involved in swimming I've seen clubs go from being actively involved with SNZ and regional boards to in the last few years to just rolling over and doing nothing. Clubs seem to be of the opinion that if SNZ or their regional assoc makes a policy then that must be a great policy. Sadly the time when clubs challenge policys, running of meets, or selection criterias (etc) has gone. No one speaking up for what is good for swimmers means swimmers are getting a raw deal and in the end they just leave the sport.

Re: West Auckland Aquatics – A Swimwatch Exclusive

Rhi Jeffrey — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 08:01:54 -0000

This is appalling. That club was starting to fall apart when I left and I can promise you that had NOTHING to do with David Wright. People who carve out paths for themselves that aren't "normal" and prove that that way actually works BETTER always have to be taken out (Lennon, JFK, etc) by people that can't handle how insignificant that makes them feel. These are small people with small hearts and even smaller minds. Appalling.

Re: West Auckland Aquatics – A Swimwatch Exclusive

D Wright — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 00:29:16 -0000

LOOK WHAT SWIMWATCH JUST GOT. BECAUSE THE STORY IS THE TRUTH WE STAND BY ITS POSTING ON SWIMWATCH. THREATS LIKE THIS ONE HAVE FOR TOO LONG BEEN USED TO DODGE THE FACTS.

27 January 2017

Swimwatch.net – Notice to Remove Material

1. We act for Susan and Dean Turner.
2. Our clients have been made aware of an “article” which was posted on www.swimwatch.net/2017/01/w... and which is recorded as being published on Friday January 27, 2017 at 12.06am.
3. Our clients consider significant portions of the material in that article to be defamatory/libellous. As such, our clients require the immediate removal of the article in its entirety, subject to further particularisation of the specific statements.
4. This notice is also served on Edward Yardley given his apparent association with the website and also “domainagent” as the website’s apparent host. This serves as notice to both parties of potential liability should they allow the material to remain published.
5. We require the removal of the article by 5pm on Friday 27 January, 2017 and your written undertaking that you will not reproduce any potentially defamatory material in any format.
6. In the event the article is not removed (or is published elsewhere), our standing instructions are to seek urgent relief from the Court. For the avoidance of doubt, our clients will rely on this letter in relation to costs and they reserve the right to seek damages including for the publication which has occurred to date.

DANIEL SHORE DIRECTOR

Re: Anthony Mosse Time Comparisons – Is This A Problem?

swimmerparent — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 07:43:26 -0000

I don't think your comparisons are entirely apples to apples for the following reasons:
1. There were no finals held at this years AMC Classic, so you didn't get the fastest eight swimmers for each event competing in a final.
2. Several younger swimmers swam much faster times than you posted as the 'top time' for events and were in fact faster than your 4years ago times.
It is regrettable that a general lack of support meant finals were not viable this year however some excellent times were still posted across various events and age groups despite a portion of swimmers absent due to camps.

Re: Every Swimmer’s Most Feared Decision: Knowing When to Quit

Billy Tragyu — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 23:07:20 -0000

Could not thank you more. I agree with this 100 percent. I started swimming when I was 7. At that time, I was ecstatic about swimming. I always came at least 15 minutes early to practice. And the results showed, I set some records and made it to USA zones. But as I got older, practice started to seem more of a burden. I saw no progress for a couple years, and my interest faded immensely. To this day, I am still not sure what caused me to lose interest so much. I do not think it is the actual difficulty of training, as I am passionate about calisthenics and actual enjoy my muscles dying when doing pull ups: finding the last bit of energy to fight for that extra rep. Because I know, that that pain will create great progress. Maybe it is just that I do not find swimming as impresive as calisthenics. Swimming monotonously for two hours in the hopes of bettering a time can seem a lot less satisfying than the vision of doing muscle ups effortlessly.
But there is just something so sentimental about swimming. Even though a have no interest now and have been slacking off for the past few years, I find it hard to bring myself to quit. The thought of telling my parents, who were with me these 8 years, watching me behind the stands and hoping I will win, driving me to practice all these days, simply terrifies me. Remembering my past self training tirelessly, the setting of the pool and deck, the sight of being just behind a fast fellow swimmer during a set, are also painful memories.
Writing this has actually brought me to cry. I wasn't even aware of my deep connection to the sport until now.
But I am going to quit. I have realized that I need to at least make a name for myself in this life. And swimming is not going to help me. Sometimes I have doubts about quitting, but when I think about the prospects of playing violin as well as my teacher (who was a famous Moldavian violin/ vocal artist), being able to perform advanced calisthenics moves, making it to Yale, I realized that swimming simply robs me of time.
After the zones this march I am officially going to quit. It is just that my friends rely on me to swim on their relay at zones, who are impressively fast and passionate about the sport. This article really helped my realize that I need to quit this, although beloved, but unfit sport. And that it will only be for the better
If anyone is going through the same experience, please reply.

Re: Anthony Mosse Time Comparisons – Is This A Problem?

David — Fri, 29 Jan 2016 15:51:31 -0000

Just another thought about Steve. He says the Millennium Institute and others were all in Wellington at their Summer Champs and he's right. In fact that meet this year had swimmers from all over the place - Auckland, Taranaki, Manawatu, Otago, Canterbury and Counties. And yet even in Wellington 12 of the 30 races (40%) were won in times slower than Steve's "never-attracted-the-fastest-swimmers" AMC meet from four years ago.

Re: Anthony Mosse Time Comparisons – Is This A Problem?

David — Fri, 29 Jan 2016 11:30:40 -0000

My apologies for misspelling Anthony Mosse. That's not good,

I'm not sure of the logic behind the comment by Steve. He says for example "Since the AMC was started it has never attracted the fastest swimmers". If that's true the comparison is even more serious. It means slow swimmers four and eight years ago were miles faster than slow swimmers today. Actually the comment is nonsense. The AMC and its predecessor traditionally attracted good swimmers from all over NZ. I used to get a call each year from TVNZ asking if Toni Jeffs was coming to the meet from Wellington. She always did and TVNZ turned up to film the event. Sadly I can't see that happening today.
However Steve might be right when he says some better swimmers were missing this year. I guess the point of the report is - Why? and Is their absence a sign of the malaise affecting swimming in Auckland?

Re: Anthony Mosse Time Comparisons – Is This A Problem?

dave — Fri, 29 Jan 2016 04:23:20 -0000

just a small point on the stats, it's Anthony Mosse, not Antony Moss.

Re: Anthony Mosse Time Comparisons – Is This A Problem?

Steve — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 04:51:21 -0000

David you seem to have spent a lot of time on comparingvstats for a meet where none of the first tier swimmers were at. Uniteds top swimmers were in Aus on a swim camp, North shores top swimmers were not there, just the younger ones, Counties were excluded and the high performance swimmers were in Wellington so of course the times were slower.
Since the AMC was started and placed in Jan it has never attracted the fastest swimmers as a lot of clubs are either on or just finished camps.

Re: Anthony Mosse Time Comparisons – Is This A Problem?

Steve — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 20:47:41 -0000

Top swimmers from NSS, United weren't there David. High performance swimmers went to Wellington and United top swimmers were on a training camp in Aussie. North Shore traditionally didn't go to AMC as they were on camps also. Their 2nd tier swimmers were there this year though but not the top swimmers.

Re: Every Swimmer’s Most Feared Decision: Knowing When to Quit

Yutsuko — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 04:18:21 -0000

I'm a swimmer. 16 years old. Honestly I'm terrified about quitting. It is holding a large part of my life and it is basically what I am. A swimmer defines myself as well it is an identification. I'm not gonna say that I want to quit, but seeing others (classmates) studying more harder and get more nervous about universities, I myself feel left out. To me my life aim is pretty simple it's to get a good job with high income to support my parents so that they can have a carefree life. I'm planning to get in Pharmacy, but I don't have confident I can do it if I spend so much time swimming. Honestly, I love swimming. I will feel really insecure if I quit. Who am I if I quit, do I even stand a place in my school, can I impress others, how will my parents see me. Whenever I think of quitting soon it scares me to an extend I cried so hard.
What can I do?

Re: Layton Screwed

Ringo Battersby — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 19:03:50 -0000

I see they still can not be bothered to put her 800m free National Record on the website. How many months since the world champs?

Re: Every Swimmer’s Most Feared Decision: Knowing When to Quit

Unknown — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 00:31:56 -0000

Thank you so much those things were all the words I have been trying to get for so long written perfectly described! Thank you for helping us

Re: Has Donna Taken Over?

Rings Battersby — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 03:30:21 -0000

Just watched another bad heats swim, four seconds off trials time. Any word on the street as to what these guys have been up to in Europe? From what I can see all slower than trials to date. Interesting how they will describe this our best world champs ever which they seem to do after every one regardless of results.

Re: Top Coach, Arch Jelley

Mike Houlding — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 03:24:36 -0000

Arch Jelley was my teacher at Mount Roskill Intermediate 1959/60. I have always said Intermediate school years were the most enjoyable years of my school life. I don't know if this will get through to Arch Jelley, but I would very much like him to know that he made a difference in my life as a good teacher, a kind man and when warranted a stern taskmaster. These were the days of the strap - Arch administered it to me - entirely warranted - gross vandalism of school property - but I never resented it. Good for you Mr Jelley, you impressed us all as a decent bloke, a good teacher and a strong man.

Re: Absent Without Leave

I_See_Crazy_People — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 22:53:14 -0000

I hear Villaneuva didn't really resign, the mass rejection of his 'pathway' meant he was offered the chance to resign before he was fired...

Re: Please Explain

h2tk — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 09:51:46 -0000

This makes me really angry. And I know you are always championing the cause of the New Zealand coaches David, but frankly at the risk of having everyone, including you, jumping down my throat, the NZSCTA qualification is a load of s***.

I would much rather have an ASCA qualified or the Australian equivalent, ASCTA qualified coach or teacher than a NZSCTA, any day. Sure I hear the hordes screaming at me now, but other than a few (only a few) exceptions, frankly NZ trained coaches are under skilled, ill-experienced, lazy, and frankly grossly over paid for the equivalent coach in say, the US or Australia. They really need to get over themselves, they are not all that.

But if they really want to make swimming coaching a genuine career choice then they need to be prepared to do the hard yards, self-funded, be prepared to be mentored, even volunteering, overseas somewhere. Go and learn from the best programmes and the best coaches - outside of NZ.

I get sick of hearing from clubs, "Oh we have to pay .... because that is the market rate". According to who? Oh, yes that's right, according to NZSCTA. When I hear what coaches in this country, who have produced nothing, are DEMANDING from clubs (into the 6 figures) and compared with what top US College coaches, or top Aussie coaches are being paid, isn't it any wonder that the sport struggles as much as it does.