PREVIOUSLY @ RASC

Saturday 2nd April - Dinsdale Gala vs Armthorpe, at Rossington

Mothers Day, so a number of swimmers were not present for this gala, can't understand myself, isn't it the mums that are supposed to rest? Anyway of those that did swim there were some pretty good performances by amongst others Natalie Reid, Zoe McAndrews, Chris Newby and Laura Sale. In the end though there was only going to be one winner and it wasn't us, Armthorpe winning by just over 100 points

Saturday 16th April - Pocklington League gala, at Rossington

Palm Sunday this one, but no-one used that as an excuse did they, even yours truly made a return from injury to swim in the relays. Three early relay wins put us right up in contention from the start. Great individual swims from Daniel Griffiths, Sarah Bone, Natalie Reid and Andrew Blacklock kept up the challenge, but in the end a couple of dodgy disqualifications and the lack of a fifteen year old boy cost us (-are you reading this Gav O'Malley?), and we finished in third place.

Saturday 6th May - Dinsdale League vs Adwick, at Adwick

A bit of a tough report to do this, as I have no result sheet from the gala, and during the gala itself I was playing the trumpet for 750 travelling Donny Rovers fans at Rushden. I'm led to believe that we faired quite well and put up a decent fight against superior opposition. Someone told me that even Joint Chief Coach Deborah Powell swam, but I find that hard to believe. Well done to those who swam, I'm sure you did us proud.

Sunday 21st May - Bridon Shield (Doncaster Team Champs), at Adwick

After spending most of the weekend on the phone, I finally managed to get somewhere near the team I had hoped to enter to arrive at Adwick. There were some great swims by all the teams and well done to everyone who competed in a very long and particularly stressful gala (-for me anyway). Added congratulations to the twelve year boys who came away with our only gold. There were silvers for the excellent ten year boys and the equally impressive fifteen year girls. The fifteen year girls also claimed a bronze as did the thirteen year girls who received bronze in both their relays. Like I said good swims, but without disqualifications and had I enterred a masters team the outcome would have been different.

Sunday 4th June - Doncaster DARTES 'B' Grade Meet, at Adwick

Only eight Rossington swimmers took part in this gala which I have to say was a bit disappointing, but thankfully those that were there performed well. In the girls Felicity Lakin came 8th in the Free and Breastroke, 6th in the Back, 9th in the Sprint and 10th in the IM. Zoe McAndrews received a 2nd in the Sprint, as well as going too fast in the Back, Free and the IM. Sam Heppel came away with 4th in the Back and Breastroke, 6th in the Sprint and the IM and a 7th in the Free, while Sarah Bone managed 4th in the Breastroke to go with two golds in Free and the Sprint. In the boys Daniel Griffiths finished 7th in Free and the IM, a disappointing 16th in the Sprint, and went too fast in the Backstroke. Richard Blacklock swam brilliantly to take 3rd in the Back, 4th in the IM, 8th in Breastroke and 9th in both Free and the Sprint. 'Uncle' Andrew Blacklock received gold in the Backstroke, two silvers in Free and the IM, a 4th in Breastroke and a sixth in the Sprint. Even I got in on the act taking first place in Backstroke and Breastroke, second in the IM and the Sprint (-which was more of a relaxed paddle) and third in the Freestyle. I was a bit pleased with my performance as I had only enterred to fill the gaps between coaching, and it got better as I came away with the overall Top Boy Award for the entire meet. It was a very long twelve hours for some of us and it was made a lot easier thanks to the great behaviour of the Rosso contingent, well done again to the seven swimmers. Three other things helped make the day go past a lot easier, firstly the performing of 'The Roof Raiser' by a few swimmers receiving medals, secondly the lad from Boston who somersalted into the water having forgot to let go of the blocks on his false start, and thirdly the three women on the balcony who danced along to all the records being played over the tannoy during the warm up.

Sunday 11th June - Barnsley Minor League Gala, at Heeley Rd Baths

With a scratch team and scratch directions we set off in various cars to find Heeley Road baths, and to hopefully make a successful start to the Barnsley Minor League. Thanks to a number of great swims we were still leading the gala after the first twenty events had been swam. Huge well dones to the ten year old boys who were thrust into the limelight and swam brilliantly, thats James Arnold, Joe Morrison, Glen Wright and Chris Newby. Other swimmers who put in particularly good performances included India Marvin, Sarah Bone, Jake Marvin, 'Uncle' Andrew Blacklock and the invincible twelve year old boys squad. Sadly though it was a lack of numbers that cost us as we found ourselves three points behind second place Sheffield City going into the cannon, an event which as you know isn't usually our strong point. However miracles do happen and we not only managed to beat Sheffield City, but also, to everyones suprise, inlcuding mine and I swam the last leg, managed to pip Selby on the touch as well, giving us the four points we needed for second place,but the joy was short lived as Selby were disqualified, thus giving Sheffield City and extra two points and pushing us back into third place overall. I'm willing to take the blame for the lane draw, picking the narrowist one with a jet of water squirting out at you at one end didn't help.

Saturday 17th June - Pocklington League Gala, at New Earswick

(wasn't there a football match on this day?)

If the team I picked for the gala at Sheffield the week before was short of a few swimmers, then spare a thought for Tony Heppel, at one point his team sheet was written on the back of a stamp. Complete with England flags and radios, the dedicated Rosso swimmers packed themselves into cars and a mini-bus and set off towards York. On eventually arriving at the pool, inflatable club mascot James Hickman was seen seated on the balcony of New Earswick's tiny pool with a banner bearing the legend, 'I'd rather be watching England'. The gala had to be swam though and we did our best.The thirteen year boys were brilliant and put in some great swims, as did everyone who competed. Thanks to the fifteen year come Open girls team and the open lads for creating the atmosphere during the final two events of the gala. As we loaded up the bus a cheer went up from the Wakefield coach, England were ahad and I celebrated in the car-park. A noisy bus ride home once the game was over, and huge thanks to the Bone family for putting on a barbecue for the returning heroes. Result below

England 1 - 0 Germany. (Only kidding!)

Sunday 9th July - Barnsley Minor League Gala, at Rossington

Right then we had a nearer to full squad and we were at home, so it was time to take revenge on my least favourite club, Selby Tigersharks. Everything got off to the best start with Chris Newby and India Marvin winning the opening events. Sian Wilson, making a welcome appearance for the club during her summer break from Uni managed to win the Open Fly twice. India kept on winning, and other victories from Shaun Wilkinson, Laura Sale and a brilliant first for Joe Morrison, put us in the lead by the first set of relays. Relay wins for both ten year old teams, thanks to a brilliant last leg from Jodie Newstead, and the continuing success of the twelve year old lads meant we were still nine points in front after the relays. More wins for Shaun Laura and India, along with Sarah Bone and good swims from Daniel Griffiths, Faye Wright and Wissam Hai. The final round of relays was a tense affair, but wins for the ten and twelve year boys and a second place finish from the Open ladies meant that going into the final race, the cannon, only a disqualification would deny us a win. Not wanting to let the chance slip us by we made sure all the swimmers held their starts a little bit longer than normal, but this still didn't stop us going out in style as for the second gala running in this league we pipped Selby to the finish to take first place by 0.26 of a second. Congratulations to all those who swam you don't know quite how happy that win made me. With the next two galas taking place in September, hopefully we will be able to put out our best team and snatch te title from under Selby's nose. COME ON!!!!