Issue 11, 2024/2025 by Graham Edwards - 20th December, 2024

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Christmas Wishes

On behalf of the Committee I would like to thank everyone for your help with club activities so far this season. It takes a lot of volunteers to ensure we are able to run the club and races every week, so your help is greatly appreciated. We wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas, a safe and happy 2025.

This morning’s races are our last swim for 2024 as we take a break next Saturday. Club races will resume on Saturday 4th January 2025.

Please stay after club races as we have novelty events & a breakfast bbq, as well as the draw for the Christmas raffle. Thank you to everyone who has purchased tickets in the raffle and good luck for the draw. Prizes are limited to one per family, so that we can spread the cheer as far as possible.

The Kids’ KK will also be held during the morning. Thank you to Joseph and Lisa for organising this.

Whales Challenge #2

Whales Challenge #2 is being held this morning. The White team takes a 1-0 lead into the 2^nd event, so this is the opportunity for the Maroon team to even the series. Whales Challenge #3 will be the deciding event and will be held on Saturday 15^th March.

Championship results

Last week the 800 metre Freestyle Open Championship events were held. The results were:

Congratulations to everyone who qualified and competed

Relay Result

Congratulations to Caleb Mackie & Jospeh Assi who won the 2x50m Handicap Relay last week.

Squad Break over New Year

The last training session for 2024 will be held on Thursday, 19^th December. Training resumes on Monday, 6^th January.

If you will be away please complete the form on the club website to indicate your last day of training and your first day back to help the coaches plan sessions.

The Merrylands 50s is back!

The Merrylands 50s is back on our first day back, Saturday, 4th January 2025.

The Merrylands 50s is a knockout handicap competition with 3 rounds: Preliminaries and Semi-Finals, all leading to a Final with a winner-takes-all prize at the end. The top swimmers from each round progress to the next round.

Enter Club Races as usual for the 4th January and select the Merrylands 50s Prelims as one of your events.

Swimming Centre Hours over New Year

Cumberland Council has some restricted hours of operation for Merrylands Swimming Centre over Christmas and New Year.

Changes to operational hours are:

Merrylands SwimFest

Have you entered yet? Entries for the 2025 Merrylands SwimFest are open and are filling fast. Our members get a 25% discount off their entries, so make sure you click the correct button to get your club member rate. Entries close on Saturday 1^st February, 2025.

See the SwimFest section of our website for all the details.

We also need a lot of helpers too! Nominate for a position here. You can also see Ian Wilson (Meet Director) as he is preparing the helpers roster for the meet.

Speedo Sprint Heats

The Metro South-West Speedo Sprint Heats will be held at SOPAC on Saturday 8^th February 2025, commencing at 12.00pm.

This is a great meet for swimmers aged 8 -13 and provides races in each stroke over 50 metres.

Entres close Wednesday 29^th January 2025.

We encourage all of our swimmers in these age groups to enter. Entries close Wednesday 31^st January 2024.

Club Uniforms

See the club’s online shop club shop for our great range of club uniforms in stock available for sale.

If you have any questions about club uniforms please talk to the Property Officer, Margaret Edwards.

Lions Club Award

Seen someone that deserves recognition for their efforts in helping out? Nominate them for the Lions Club Award, our peak award to recognise our volunteers over the season.

Nominate a volunteer

P-Plate Award

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for someone making a silly mistake during the season. We like to recognise and reward all efforts during the season and the P-Plate award is the perfect way to do this for something funny that happens at club.

Nominate a silly mistake

Make a Donation

Our partnership with the Australian Sports Foundation allows supporters to make tax-deductible donations to the club.

If you would like to make a donation ,or know someone or a business who would like to then click on the link below.

Thank you to everyone who has made a donation since this partnership commenced. We appreciate your kind support.

Make a donation

Seen a Problem? Get it Fixed

If you see something that needs fixing you can elevate this directly with Council by logging the issue here.

Upcoming Meet Calendar

Check the website for the full list of upcoming meets, closing dates, programs and qualifying times.

Set Up & Pack Up on Saturday Mornings

There is a lot to do in set up and pack up on Saturday mornings – thank you to the members who have been arriving early and/or staying back to help. These are some of the things that need to be done, with an emphasis commencing on time:-

Priority Items

• Shelter and side shade for the recorders on the lane 1 start side of the pool – lives in the clubroom near the side door.
• Plastic table and 4 (grey) chairs for the recorders. Table lives in the shed. Grey chairs from the club room.
• Wireless Router to be fitted to the time clock pole at the start end, plugged in and switched on.
• Starter podium and witches’ hats (to remind people not to walk in front of the Starter and Referee) – lives in the shed, front left corner.
• Power cables for computers to be connected to same power point as Router on pole.
• Speaker etc for starting device – lives in plastic box on Starter's podium. Place speaker on lane 8 side securely next to pole of backstroke flags and roll cable along pool deck coping to lane 1 side. Cover exposed cable with cable guards (see below).
• Starting device tripod – lives in the clubroom near the side door (same place as shelter and side shade)
• Starting device – will be on charge in the clubroom on kitchen bench
• Cable guards (6 yellow) for the Recorders & speaker for the Starter – these live in the shed.

Important Items

• Stopwatches and clipboards – black case lives in the locker in the clubroom and needs to be set up on a folding table from the shed. Turn them on.
• 15m (false start) rope (in box with Starter’s podium) and poles (in ‘old club room’). You will need someone to show you how this works and you will be so proud of yourself when you master it!
• 25m rope (for 25m, 33m & 15m races). Lives in the shed in a wire trolley and needs to be rolled out along the end (preferably 50m end) of the pool.

Final items

• Block covers removed and put out of the way under the blue shelter.
• Chairs setup for Timekeepers at both ends of the pool. Chairs live in the shed and there is a trolley to move them.
• Presentation dais (only for Championship days) – lives in the clubroom under the trophy cabinet right side as you enter.
• Umbrellas if it is raining – found in a black plastic drum trolly in the Shed – good luck wheeling this one 😊 Including the beach umbrella for the Starter.

Pack up; return everything to the location it is stored and please be careful in handling cables and ropes so as not to tangle. Sometimes the blocks get a wash if we can find a working hose.

On rainy days, placement of the recording table and all associated equipment including router will be on the veranda of the Clubhouse. No need for shelter and tables. Remember that timekeeper watches should not be turned on until after the Router is switched on.