In the past few weeks our individual and collective worlds have changed dramatically as we continue to face the unprecedented challenge that COVID-19 has created for us as individuals, as a sport and as a society.
You’ll have seen already our Performance, Education and Clubs and Communities Teams organising forums and courses to keep you updated and informed; indeed our first club forums attracted over 100 attendees from 62 clubs! At Swim Ireland we will be doing our best to support all members during this time and have been busy working on ways to further develop and improve resources and supports. Today, we are delighted to launch our online learning schedule which outlines a huge array of Online CPDs, Modules and Forums that will cover all areas and people involved in our sports. This will continue to evolve and develop over time and all feedback is welcomed. This will be followed next week by a schedule for athletes of opportunities to come together and see what our senior athletes are doing and how they are coping at this time.
I urge you all to stay safe, follow the HSE guidelines and we can all look forward to getting back in the water when the time is right. In sport, probably more than any other sector of society, we are used to dealing with setbacks as learning experiences and it is these experiences that will guide us through the challenging days ahead.
Sarah Swim Ireland CEO ____________________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by Associate Head of Performance Services (Physical), Paul Talty, and National Performance Pathway Manager, Andrew Reid, this guide covers everything, from nutrition to exercise, and much more.
When you feel positive, share it!
You cannot be expected to remain positive all the time through Covid-19, but if you share each period of positivity you experience with others, imagine the effect?
This mental health challenge is not our choice, but we do have choices, just like what we have shared above.
Kate Hills, Swim Ireland Youth Development Director, has shared guidance on Staying Positive & Mentally Well, including listing some reliable links for further help and information. Well worth a read for all our members.
Easy At Home Workout from Paul Talty Used to overseeing dry-land workouts for our Performance athletes, Paul Talty has this week put together a workout for all ages and abilities.
Check out his video on YouTube, and let us know if you try it out. Paul will be putting together plenty more sessions and would love to get your feedback!
Are you sleeping okay? Dr Cormac Powell, our Associate Head of Performance Services (Applied), has got you covered.
Cormac has been working on improving our athletes’ sleep since joining us in 2018, and has shared his advice for maintaining high quality sleep at any time, even through the stresses and anxiety caused by Covid-19.
You can find that piece via this link, and we have compiled all our news and help during the crisis via this link. Consider that your one-stop shop.
New Dates Coming For Swim For A Mile Initially Swim For A Mile (SFAM) events where due to take place between April 8th and May 10th, however we are now working with our participating pools to hold SFAM events between September 28th and November 1st, to allow participants the opportunity to get back to full fitness after a hiatus from the pool.
We know that participants are finding it tough being out of the water after falling in love with swimming over the last 10 weeks, therefore we are posting home workout sessions to the Swim For a Mile website, Facebook & Twitter.
We are confident that S'Milers will complete their mile (or half mile) in 2020 and really appreciate the understanding shown by participants so far around event changes.
We may not have the Irish Open this week, but we do have two wonderful Mini Documentaries following swimmer Brendan Hyland and diver Clare Cryan up on our YouTube Channel. We will also be sharing loads of Irish Open 2019 memories on social media via #SwimIrelandThrowbacks - requests welcome!
Our Performance team also worked with Irish Data Science and Sports Science company, Orreco, who work with a range of professional teams and athletes, to put together guides on nutrition for immune function and best practice for avoiding infections, much of which you should already be familiar with through following HSE and NHS advice.
The team has also compiled a handy Staying Fit Out of the Pool Playlist on YouTube, which should help all of us stay interested, fit, and well during our time away from swimming, diving and water polo.
Important Vetting Update - Covid-19 Changes have been made to ID checking requirements in order to observe social distancing rules – please check the website here for Vetting ID Check Changes and instructions for email applications. Please note that there will be a delay in postal applications due to office closures.
The National Vetting Bureau (NVB) and Access NI (ANI) continue to process applications, albeit at a slower rate due to demands from health service workers and being short-staffed.
Swim Ireland members and prospective course attendees should continue with their vetting applications. If you need vetting for your position please make sure you are in date and have it in place. Once activities start back you need to be able to start back as well – the legal requirements won’t have changed!
59 New Assistant Swim Teachers & Coaches Despite all the disruption, we were able to qualify 59 new Assistant Swimming Teachers and Coaches in March.
We are also delighted to announce that 14 learners completed a Level 2 Coaching or Teaching course, including six new Autism Spectrum Disorder Swimming Teachers.
If you have any queries regarding upcoming teaching or coaching courses, please contact Csenge on cdeak@swimireland.ie.
Huge congratulations to Kilkenny Swim Club, who recently held Officials and Team Manager courses for more than 50 club members!
They now have many new timekeepers, turn judges and stroke judges who can fulfil these roles up to National Championships level. They also have club members qualified to act as Team Manager at competitions, club outings and away trips (both home and abroad).
If you are interested in delivering these courses for your club, please contact Paul on paulcain@swimireland.ie.
This lovely group of learners completed their Level 1 Assistant Swimming Coach ,delivered by Andrew Brines at the end of February in Coleraine.
Considering Open Water? Beware The Cold!
With no pools for the foreseeable future, the open water might look inviting, but Swim Ireland would like to remind members that water temperatures at the moment are only recommended for experienced cold water swimmers.
A short dip can be welcomed though, and if you have a safe beach within 2km radius of your house, please follow this advice:
Bring a household member with you
Have extra layers for after the dip
Do not go out of your depth
Paddle parallel to shore
Belated congratulations to Charlotte Reid, Aer Lingus Masters and Kieran Kelleher, Sandycove Island, who won this year's Swim Ireland Masters Decathlon Challenge.
They were presented with their prizes at the Limerick Masters Gala dinner, with Swim Ireland President Eugene Hillick on hand to present commemorative t-shirts to all swimmers who completed the challenge.
New this year was an extra incentive; a prize draw for a €300 hotel voucher (winner Roisin O’Brien, Kilkenny, pictured) and two €100 Swimkit vouchers (winners Dymphna Morris, Aer Lingus Masters and Marie Keane, Comans SC).
Established in 2016, the Swim Ireland Masters Decathlon Challenge is a test of endurance and versatility, with swimmers required to compete in variety of events, across different strokes and distances. This season's competition was the toughest, with a record 14 competitors.
