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Masters • Port Macquarie •
Swimming
C L U B
If you enjoy making a bit of a splash and you’re aged 18 and over, the Port Macquarie Masters Swimming Club may just be for you! President Sandie Carden explains the club is friendly, attracts swimmers of all skill levels, and presents plenty of opportunities to travel away with a group of like-minded people …
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i Sandie. What’s your involvement with the Port Macquarie Masters Swimming Club? My role in the club is that of President. I’ve been in this role for the past three years and have loved every minute of it. We have a great group of people in the club, and we regularly get together for social events. What can you tell us about the club’s history? I have personally been involved with the club from its inception, when we started at the indoor 50 m pool in Acacia Avenue. I did take a few years off running around after four children, but returned for some “me” time. We have a couple of original members still churning their way up and down the pool - Rodger Alden and Loris Hendy compete for the club, although Rodger has only recently “retired” from his competitive days. We have recently celebrated our 21st birthday with our current members at one of our many “social occasions”. Our team has competed at many swim meets in that time, at regional, state, national and international meets. We also have state and national record holders in their respective age groups, and as recently as this year had six members compete in the World Masters Games in Auckland, with one of our members coming home with gold and silver and another two of them with silver and bronze medals. An awesome result! This is not to mention the club being one of the smaller clubs in the state in the top 10 point score against the larger metropolitan clubs. We are a force to be reckoned with. 72 Greater Port Macquarie focus
and came home with awesome times and great What does “masters” mean, in terms of the memories. It isn’t all about the win, but this lot club? What age/skill level is required of churned up and down the pool prior to leaving, participants? and we watched them intently from the “Latte Masters is for anyone at any level aged from and Double Espresso Lanes”. 18. Our youngest member is 19, with the eldest Over the years, some of the standout being 90. Our members not only do still water achievers have been Joy Cain, Gary Gilbert, swims, but also compete in the open water Sharon Walsh-Barltrop, Jody Rich, Margaret events. Jopling, Reg McGlashan, Carolyn Turnham, Ross There have no doubt been some amazing Cummins, and that’s just to members involved with name a few. the club over the years. When do club members Who have been some of regularly meet - and the standout achievers? what’s involved with Our committee members Over the years we have have been unbelievable training sessions? had some amazing memin organising events bers, some unfortunately no We meet every Saturday socially, arranging our longer with us, but we do morning, 7:30am, at the swim meet here in Port, all remember them fondly. Port Macquarie Pool all organising our away trips with There are so many people year round, with the winter travel and accommodation, who make the club run, and break being mid-year, organising our Ironman everyone puts their hand up where we head south to volunteers ... to help out wherever and the State Relay Meet and whenever they can. also do our walks along our Our committee members beautiful coastal walkways have been unbelievable in and back to one of the organising events socially, arranging our swim many great cafés that we have to choose from. meet here in Port, organising our away trips Most of our members train regularly either with travel and accommodation, organising here in Port or at the Wauchope pool and do our Ironman volunteers - we are known as the their sessions together with programs that we “Masters of Clarence” - and our general everyhave from our Masters Association. We also day programs. have a coach on deck at least twice a month, This year, as mentioned before, we had six of doing either sprint or correction workouts. Once our members attend the World Masters Games, a month we have our aerobics session, where with Kim Brennan bringing home a Gold, Silver our various distances and times are recorded. It and Bronze, Annemaree Grainger with two doesn’t matter how long it takes; it matters that Silver and two Bronze and Roslyn Hodge with a you do it. Bronze. Some of the team meet on a weekday mornThree of our other members, Darren and Rita ing and do extra aerobic swims, and these can Svensson and Andrew Gardiner, also competed also be recorded.
What upcoming comps/events do you have on your calendar? Our main upcoming event is our annual PMQ meet on November 11th, which pulls swimmers from the metropolitan area as a favourite destination for the weekend and has always been a great meet and social occasion. Personally, what have been some of your fondest memories from your time with the club? Personally for me there are a lot of fond memories that I have, with the main one being able to compete at the State Relay meet with my mother, Gloria, and daughters, Dakota and Sigourney - and winning! Getting back in the pool with my old team mate and best friend, Laurice Saunders, and competing with her again and having our old coach, Brian Wilkinson, rocking up to watch us. Also, just being around such a great bunch of people, who help each other out, look out for each other, travel and compete as a group and welcome new people to the mix. We are such a diverse bunch, but we all work together to make it great. How can readers become involved? If anyone is interested in joining us, you can come along to the pool on a Saturday morning at 7:30am and meet the team. Jump in and have a swim with the rest of us, no matter what level you are at, and join in with our morning tea afterwards. You can also check out our Facebook page to see how much fun we really do have. As I said, it isn’t all about competing and being the best, but getting out there, having a go, having fun and getting fit in your own time. Thanks Sandie.