A School of Dolphins This is an edited version of the original full-length article appearing in the 2014 issue of Tapestry.
BSB’s Swimming Club, the Dolphins, began in the early 1980s, with Caroline Young as its first chair. Caroline told Tapestry that she still had a box of Dolphins’ memorabilia going back to the time when the group was first established. From her personal archives, Caroline managed to find copies of original Dolphins newsletters, the first Dolphins badge and a photo of her daughter Frances holding the Bailey Plate aloft in victory in 1988! Prior to becoming an official BSB Club, Dolphins was started up by Alison Bailey, the Club’s first Coach, who began teaching children to swim in 1978/1979 at Zaventum pool. Sadly, it was announced that the pool had to close. A dedicated group of parent volunteers, were determined that lessons should continue, and so they did in the nearby Overijse pool. Dolphins as we know it today – a hugely popular BSB Club - had been born. Dolphins grew. Caroline recalls that by 1991 “there was even a team newsletter, club swim caps, t-shirts, swimming costumes and a banner with the club badge. By October 1985, 17% of the school’s student population had joined the Dolphins. Membership cards were created, the club could pay all of its overheads with ease, and life-saving together 12 Learning inspiring success
and coaching training courses were established. Within two years there were 248 swimmers. One of BSB’s most popular and enduring clubs was firmly established. Caroline speaks fondly about these early Dolphins days: “As a parent, I mainly remember the enthusiasm and determination of our children at these swim meets, their support for each other and the sense of achievement as they saw their hard work being rewarded with improving times. Then there came the excitement of being good enough to compete away – first The Hague, then London, and then at the ISST championships in Cairo.” The next logical step was to make recommendations for the building of a pool on site: an idea that was met with interest and enthusiasm. However, the time was not right: there were other priorities, and what a difference in school facilities, compared to 1988!
Caroline remembers the early days of Dolphins and the time at BSB with affection. “I’ve not found better or even equal commitment and absolute reliability and efficiency in anything I’ve been involved with since”. BSB received planning permission to build a new 25m indoor swimming pool together with a new Gymnasium, Sports Hall, Dance Studio and Fitness Suite. Called the Jacques Rogge Sports Centre, it was opened in September 2016 by the previous President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge himself.
