The end of another year andas always a busy and exciting time for the swimmers. Weare currently in the middle of our busy competitive seasonand the club championshipsbreak up the intensity of coaching programmes andallow the swimmers to enjoy acompetitive and fun event intheir local pool. Previouschampions return to defendtheir crowns and new swim-mers competing for the firsttime, it is always great to seeso many of our swimmersparticipating in this highly competitive and fun event.Once again this year we willbe running our JT Challenge ,designed to introduce ouryounger and less experiencedswimmers from JT4 and JT5

in a slightly less “intimidating”

environment. So our fullrange of swimmers from JTsquads to coast squads will becompeting at the same event.I would like to take this op-portunity to pass on my grati-tude to all our Coaches, Com-mittee members and volun-teers who have helpedthroughout the year. Thank you all for your ongoing com-mitment. Seeking out volun-teers to contribute is always achallenge and we will neverturn away a willing and able volunteer. Just make your-selves known to any of thecoaches, committee membersor contact us via our website:

www.bodasc.co.uk

The club prides itself inproviding a quality Learn toSwim programme, this com-bined with a link session forswimmers from the City

Council’s Aqua 5 lessons,

continues to feed young swimmers into the club. Thefirst step into competitiveswimming is the inter clubBeta League competition, andit is really great to see the en-thusiasm and team spiritdemonstrated at these Leaguematches, we have seen somegreat success with this compe-tition both at the tail end of last season and going into thenew season. Good luck to allswimmers participating in theleague this season, I am cer-tain that this year is going tobe Bridge of Dons, and this would be a great start to our30

anniversary Every year we run our ownclub Galas in April and Sept,this year has seen both eventsrun incredibly smoothly, whilst generating much valuedincome to the club. This didnot happen by itself but theresult of the time and effortdedicated by all committeemembers and volunteers,once again thank you all foryour support behind thescenes.Looking forward, 2010 willsee the club celebrating its30

anniversary, a fantasticachievement, watch out forour special events to celebratethis. Personally I feel immensepride at what the club hasachieved over the past 30years.None of the above would bepossible without the tireless work throughout the year by the coaches and poolsidehelpers, once again thank youall. The club would not be assuccessful as it is without thededication you show.Swimming is entering an ex-citing time in Aberdeen, fol-lowing the creation of a fan-tastic sporting facility in TheSports Village; Aberdeen Uni- versity has provided funding to cost the option of provid-ing a full Olympic sized 10lane pool as opposed to thecouncil recommended 8 laneoptions. The pool is to bebuilt on the site of the currentLinksfield Academy. Either of these will be a massive, long overdue boost to swimming in the N.E. of Scotland. Hav-ing studied the plans submit-ted it will provide wonderfulfacilities and will benefit clubsand swimmers from all formsof swimming and diving.Finally, I would like to wisheveryone associated with theclub and their families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Here’s to 2010 being the start

of another 30 years successfulswimming in Bridge of Don!

Ron

President’s piece

“1980

-2010; 30

Year And Still Swimming Strong”

newslettereditor@bodasc.co.uk Christmas 2009

Bridge of Don

Newsletter

Inside this issue:

Coaches Reports 2-6Meet the new coach: Gillian 6News from Swim Shop 7Swimmers of the Month 7SOS from STO 7Beta Leagues explained 8News from the Elite 9North District success 9

Please help raise mon-ey for the club on-linethis Christmas

www.easyfundraising.org.uk/bodasc

See page 10 for details

I would firstly like to thank the swimmers for their hardwork and continual effortduring the swimming block -you make it a pleasure to teach you all. I gained a lotof new swimmers this blockwho were very unsure atfirst but are now enjoying swimming and learning newskills each week. I havepromoted a lot of you (30out of 59 swimmers) up to the next level which is tes- tament to your hard workand determination. For those of you who are leav-ing Linksfield to swim up atBridge of Don ... I wish youall good luck and hope youwill continue to work hardfor your new teacher.A special thank you to myWed night 18.30 JT1A class(Rosie, Christopher, Millie,Ruth, Liam and Amy) - youall brighten up the moodeven on those cold anddark winter nights.I hope you all have a fabu-lous Christmas and will seea lot of you again in theNew Year.

Jessica

I hope everyone has enjoyed their swimming les-sons this block. Due touniversity commitments

I’m not doing as much

teaching during the weekas I used to, as such I es-pecially look forward to myregular lessons on a Satur-day morning. At this stage

in a young swimmer’s de-

velopment it is important to balance teaching andplay. Time spent in thepool, having fun with familyand friends in public ses-sions can really boost theirconfidence.The progress reports going out around the publicationof this newsletter shouldhelp give an indication of how each child is getting on. As a team we do ourbest to make the right callas to whether a childshould move up a level.We use a combination of the syllabus and our own judgement to determinewhether or not a move isappropriate. Whilst notwishing to unduly hold any-one back we are also aware that moving too quickly canunnerve a swimmer notused to deeper water andprevent them from being grounded in technique re-quired for them to progressin the longer term.

In closing I’d like to extend

my personal thanks to Ste-vie for assisting in the waterso faithfully over this block.Have a great Christmasfolks.

Graham

Coaches Report: JT2 and 2a

Merry Christmas to all myfantastic swimmers. Youhave all worked hard and Iam very proud of howmuch you have all comeon. Keep it up and I willsee you in the new year.Thank you to Stevie who is the best helper, thanks alot to everyone.Merry Christmas and havea good New Year.Be Good.

Ellis

Well done to the swim-mers for another term of

hard work. I’ve seen big

improvements all roundsince summer, and itsgood to see enthusiasmevery week.Have a good holiday.

Michael

Page 2 Bridge of Don

Coaches Reports: JT1,1a and JT2 @ Linksfield

to try and improve yourswimming! Everyone shouldbe happy with the progress they've made this term, andwe hope this continues,regardless of what groupyou find yourself after theNew Year!

Michael

You are all improving soquickly and are always hardworking. I really don't knowhow to thank you all formaking it such a pleasure to teach every single one of you.Ellis and myself would like to thank both JT5 groupsfor another term of hardwork. Both groups are hardworking and are making progress, whether that's inswimming longer distance,swimming faster, perfecting dives or improving tumble turns. Remember that yoursessions aren't just aboutgetting from one side of thepool to the other, they'reabout improving your tech-nique, thinking about yourstroke, and really listening to what your coaches say,Congratulations to everyonewho has been moved. Welldone to you for trying out the beta leagues and swim-ming fantastically in themand the time trials as well.Thanks to my partner wehave done a pretty good job this year with our swim-mers.Merry Christmas and havea good New Year.

Ellis

Coaches Report: JT3Coaches report: JT5

get on

–

keep up the goodwork.For the JT4s who are keep-ing me company for a bit

longer, I can’t wait to see

you all back. You haveworked hard (most of the time!) and I want that tocontinue.Every swimmer has im-

proved and it’s been fantas-

tic to see you all develop.Thanks to Dani for her help too, so have a fabulousChristmas and see you allsoon.

Lorraine

Coaches report: JT4

I can’t believe it’s nearly

Christmas! Time for all of you to have a rest andcome back to swimming in the New Year all fit andrefreshed. I hope you haveall enjoyed your time in JT4with me as much as I havewith you. Those of you whoare moving into JT5, con-gratulations and I look for-ward to hearing how you

Page 3Christmas 2009

With a very stop/start ses-sion, things have progressedvery will with ALL swimmers.The improvement and devel-opment within the group hasbeen excellent. I am pleased to move 6 swimmers this term, but quite a few of theswimmers are just on theborderline and should bemoved next term. Keep up the good work next term andHappy Swimming....Thanks to Jasmine for all herhelp this session, and lookforward to her help next term.Thanks to all the Parents/Carers for getting the children to the pool on a Saturdaymorning.