The Cloncurry Amateur Swimming Club hosted a stroke development clinic with the legendary Jan King at the Cloncurry Aquatics Centre on October 25 and 26.
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The event was also attended by members of both the Julia Creek and Winton swimming clubs.
King has developed DVDs to help develop correct swimming strokes in youngsters.
Her wealth of knowledge and experience covered such things as body position, stroke development drills, kicking drills, breath timing, pull and kick timing, arm recovery drills, turns and finishes.
As a swimming teacher and coach, King has searched for ways to develop effective stroke technique, with Laurie Lawrence, Bill Sweetenham, John Trembley and Bill Boomer (US) all being important influences in the development of her skills.
King studied major meets such as Commonwealth, world and Olympic swimming over the years to examine how swimmers start, turn and finish and analysed the many different ways the strokes are executed.
Other sources of inspiration were numerous swimming magazines, including the ASCTA’s Swimming in Australia.
King, who resides in Brisbane, has been coaching for more than 50 years and with the financial assistance from BHP Billiton Cannington, the club was able to offer the opportunity for King to visit the North West to share her experience and knowledge in and around the pool.
King also used the clinic as a professional development and mentoring opportunity for the swimming teachers and coaches, who volunteer their time coaching the members of the Cloncurry club each weekday morning and afternoon, which is greatly appreciated by the committee and coaches.
Many families donated food for the hungry swimmers throughout the weekend and pool operators Paul and Carol Carn donated drinks to keep the swimmers and volunteers well hydrated.
The Cloncurry Amateur Swimming Club would like to thank Cannington for its generous donation towards this wonderful initiative and for the chance to offer this opportunity to not only club members but members of other clubs in the region.
The club looks forward to King’s next visit, which is booked for early 2015.
