Articles by Dartes Swimmers Past and Present
Every now and again, someone pops up out of the deep end and writes an article for the website.
Sometimes these are former Dartes swimmers with happy memories to share.
Often they're current members with something special or interesting to shout about.
Either way, if it's interesting and in some way connected to Dartes or Doncaster Swimming, we'll probably publish it.
Here's one of those articles.
Thorpedo's Challenge
Introduction
The first big meet weekend of the 2010/11 season opened with Winter Yorkshires and Round 1 of The National Arena Swimming League.
All of the clubs taking part in this first National League fixture in the North East for 5 years were determined to make it a raging success - and so it was!
We've been a little short of articles recently, so we thought this would be a good time to revive the tradition of asking the Swimmer of the Meet to write about the event.
After failing to qualify for Nationals last season, Shannon Dodson (Adw) left every one open-mouthed by dipping under what we expected her new Backstroke qualifying standard to be, at the very first opportunity! Alas, most NQTs for 2011 are half a second to a full second faster than 2010 so she missed it by about 0.2sec.
Nevertheless, it was one of many outrageous swims from Shannon over the weekend, earning her the prize of writing a review of the Arena League.
Author: Shannon Dodson
Date: 12 Oct 2010
Shannon's Memories of Arena League, Round 1
A year ago this very weekend the Loud and Proud created a scorching hot atmosphere for Winter Yorkshires. The result: the largest mail bag of complaints the YSA had ever received! This year they did the same, but limited themselves to just the Saturday evening Arena League fixture.
After the 10th hour on the sticky pool side at Ponds Forge most of the officals for the Yorkshires packed up for the night.
The few that remained were followed on to the hot pool side by a fresh bunch ready for Arena League action and the traditional atmosphere that comes with it.
The noise level was already building up, with air horns, cow bells, and football rattles being tested in the stands, but no one came over to say:
Instead they say: slap on the war paint, get out your cowbells, bangersticks, and horns, and shout like ya mean it. Support your team and feel good, instead of being bored out of your head shouting with your small voice and making hardly any noise in the huge arena that is Ponds Forge.
Yes it has been a long day, but there's still sprit inside of us and we will bang our sticks for all we're worth and won't take no for an answer. We are real supporters of the sport called swimming and this already feels like fun before it's even begun.
Watching all the happy smiling kids dancing and cheering shows the real bond and friendship between enemies and friends from different clubs. This bond alone makes it worth while being here for 10hrs siting around the Ponge Forge pool side, and the 8, 9, or 10 training sessions a week that most of us swimming here tonight will complete on a weekly basis.
Arena League Competition Begins
Who better to start our Arena league campaign than the epic Katie Johnson, putting a fantastic effort in to her 200m IM race. A little later we had Mighty Max in the open Backstroke, who even though up against some of the best 20 year olds in the North East still finshed second - very impressive.
Heidi-Hi, who just that morning raced 100m Backstroke finishing with an impressive 1:10, came back fighting and determined to beat it. She came 2nd with a 1:08 - brilliant swim! I had a little chat with Elliot T just before my 100m Freestyle. He showed me that no matter how much something hurts you can keep going if you put your mind to it.
Just after speaking to Elliot, Tyler Dodson was standing on the blocks raring to go, ready to annihilate the oposition.
"Stand down please"
Splash!
Eye of the Tyler fell in the pool - all the balcony hushed.
Would she be DQ'd?
Would she be allowed to swim?
She was fine, but emerged from the pool fighting back the tears, not wanting to have let the team down. She got her chance and put up a strong fight to try and get the almighty Dartes home first. She was just pipped at the post. Well done Tyler.
The small but ever so mighty Shauna hurt her wrist a couple of weeks before the Arena League. She's had a training diet of nothing but kick with her arms in waterproof bags. But that didn't stop her trying to win the Freestyle and she came out with an astonishing 1:03. Well done Shauna.
In fact, well done to everybody that swam. You were all amazing and made Dartes the best it could be. Remember the other clubs swam great but we're great swimmers too.
The Loud and Proud team of proud parents shout as loud as they can. Every race. All day long. They never stop or get any quieter. They put all their effort in to it even if they are on the verge of loosing their voice. But not even that stops them! They will shout Loud and they will shout Proud and support their club, giving all of us confidence and encouragement. They never stop believing in us because they are Loud and Proud!
TOGETHER WE MAKE DARTES :)
This is probably the best Gala I have ever been to.
The atmosphere was absolutely amazing.
The kids all came together to have a laugh and enjoy themselves.
People say swim meets are boring, but there are ways you can make them enormous fun - just like the Arena League.