Copy
MSA SPECIAL AUGUST 2020 UPDATE
View this email in your browser
From the National Office

Dear masters member

Thank you for your continued support of our organisation, we hope that you are keeping well and staying safe during this time. The health and well-being of our members continues to be our priority and we continue to work hard to update information, resources, and provide ongoing benefits to our members.

This year, we have experienced disappointment and continue to face challenges in battling the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in these times there have been some incredible initiatives created from our organisation around the country. It is wonderful to see our members enjoying their swimming and comradery once again.

Thank you to the National Board of Management, Management Committees, Branches, Clubs, coaches and volunteers who work tirelessly to keep our members safe and in touch with each other while maintaining the lifeblood of masters swimming during these times.

Take Care
Sarah Pisterman
MSA General Manager
If you are able to jump into the water and have a swim why not try one of the wonderful Postal Swims on offer. There are currently 6 Postal Swims that you can compete in with extensions to entries or completion times. If you have not tried one yet now is your chance - they are easy to enter, great fun and it is a brilliant way to support Clubs especially at the moment.

For example you can 'Swim up Hills' - by swimming 5,9000m total distance, over three months, comprised of: 5 x 400m, 3 x 800m and 1 x 1500m. Or you could virtually Swim around the Singleton Sundial by completing the 12 events of the Singleton Sundial Swim in any stroke within 12 months:
1 o’clock 100m 7 o’clock 700m
2 o’clock 200m 8 o’clock 800m
3 o’clock 300m 9 o’clock 900m
4 o’clock 400m 10 o’clock 1000m
5 o’clock 500m 11 o’clock 1100m
6 o’clock 600m 12 o’clock 1200m

Check out the list of Postal Swims on MSA website and have a GO!
Masters Swimming NSW
Masters Swimming NSW had to make the decision to cancel all Branch Championships for the remainder of 2020 due to COVID and postpone the Back to the Future 2 at Ryde on 29 August and Seaside Pirates meet on 13 September due to an updated Public Health Order BUT that will not keep them stationary and out of the water. Most metropolitan pools are open and members are making the most of them.

Warringah Masters and MSNSW Treasurer Paul Bailey recently swam 12km butterfly  (Swim for Life) to raise funds for Lifeline. Helen Rubin, Ryde AUSSI member, was seen alongside him in the water for support. And he is planning ANOTHER one, again as a charity fundraiser. Incredible!!

In response to COVID-19, in March and April, Lifeline nationally answered more calls than any month in history. Lifeline are now receiving over 3,000 calls a day (that’s a 25% increase) – A CALL EVERY 30 SECONDS.


Image below: Paul Bailey and Helen Rubin after the Swim for Life
Masters Swimming NT
Masters Swimming NT
The Northern Territory has avoided harsh restrictions on pool usage, although some pool managers have decided to limit swimmers to (6) per lane. Club swimming is strong, Darwin and Palmerston clubs have been operating for several weeks and Alice AUSSI is returning back to the pool in September.
The Club is running a small club challenge to encourage swimmers back in the water and to encourage swimmers with their Endurance swimming. The NT Branch Long Course Championships, which were scheduled in conjunction with the Alice Springs Masters Games in October, will now be held in both Darwin and Alice Springs on 10 October 2020. 

Image below: Darwin Stingers member Heather Standley competing at the NT Open Water Swim at the Darwin Waterfront 15 August.
Masters Swimming QLD

Masters Swimming Qld
The COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions from March 2020 have forced the cancellation of all sanctioned swim meets in Queensland for 2020, including the MSQ State Championships and the Pan Pacific Masters Games. MSQ has welcomed 26 swimmers who have joined since July with 6 month subscriptions, and further membership is anticipated from September when the 16 month subscriptions open and clubs begin to participate in the Postal Meet.

MSQ Postal Time Trial Meet
A state-wide Postal Time Trial Meet will be held over the months of September and October. This postal event is being held to provide MSQ swimmers with the incentive to regain fitness lost during COVID lock down. 49 events are being offered over SC and LC. Swimmers are encouraged to join in for fitness, friendship and fun. All details can be found here. Clubs have begun scheduling sessions and are busy building fitness back in preparation. They are enthusiastic to work towards recording some times for the year. OWS Two Open Water Swims are also planned in North Queensland. The Coral Coast Classic Ocean Swim in Palm Cove, and another in Cairns later this year.

Great Barrier Reef Masters Games 2021
Planning is well underway to host the swimming at the Great Barrier Reef Masters Games 20-22 May next year. This is a fantastic event held in beautiful North Queensland at the Tobruk Memorial Pool, Cairns. GBRMB21 will provide the perfect opportunity to holiday in Queensland. Hopefully borders will open for interstate travel by then! Swimmers are encouraged to venture north to experience the warm and relaxed Cairns environment, while enjoying the company of friends and competition at the pool. Add on an extra week to explore the region, and experience the delights that Cairns and the Barrier Reef have to offer. All event information can be found here.

Image below - Albany Creek Masters had a wonderful aerobic session recently with some attempting the Katie Ledecky Cup Challenge! 
Masters Swimming SA

Masters Swimming SA are back and racing. With COVID-19 restrictions and plans in place, MSSA will be running their first swim meet since February on Sunday 23 August 2020 at the SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre. This meet was to be the last in the 2020 Interclub Series but now will be a stand alone meet called "Racing Again in SA". The meet will be open to Masters Swimming SA Members only. Check out the MSSA website to see all the amazing work they have put into getting this meet up and running.

After this they will be holding the MSSA SC State Cup on the 13 September and their LC Long Distance Meet on the 1 November so incredibly exciting times ahead in South Australia. Follow them on Facebook to keep up with all the images from their events. 

Image below: promotion for the Racing Again in SA meet
Masters Swimming Tasmania
Masters Swimming Tasmania are also off and racing again this weekend. They are conducting their Winter Championships which were originally scheduled for this weekend and they have over 80 entries and are really pleased with the response. 

Also scheduled for October 17 is their Long Course Long Distance Meet. As with last year, they will be sharing a joint pool booking with Swim Tasmania.

The only meet that they have had to cancel this year has been their Short Course Long Distance event but with things looking the way they are they may possibly  conduct this later in the year in December. And what a nice way to end the year having conducted all of their Branch Meets.

Image below: from Launceston pool back in 2018 to get you primed for the Winters
Masters Swimming Victoria
As Victoria went into a Stage 4 Lockdown (with regional areas into Stage 3) MSV Members masked up and made sure they kept active and connected and did not let the latest restriction keep them down. MSV started sharing images of members on Facebook taking on OW swimming with gusto (one MSV member has has swum a consecutive 130+ days in the Ocean down at Warrnambool!!!), walking, exploring their local communities and riding all within the 5km radius of home. Some showing their other passions of painting, playing music, cooking and catching up on Zoom. It has been great to be able to share this time, support each other, stay local and connect.

MSV have cancelled all future events for 2020 and now the Management Committee are busy exploring the possibility of more Postal Swims and an Interclub Series competitions in 2021. They are seeing this as a chance to grow and develop. MSV has also been successful in obtaining Government grant applications which will support the organisations' future planning such as the 2020 and Beyond Strategic Plan.

Nothing will keep MSV members down!!!

Image below: an example of the amazing MSV members staying strong
Masters Swimming WA

Masters Swimming WA 2nd Club Conference
MSWA  held their second club conference was held on 8th August with 20 clubs attending and nearly 40 delegates.  Delegates thoroughly enjoyed the Keynote speaker, Nathan Charles, a former Wallaby and Western Force player and Cystic Fibrosis sufferer, whose inspirational speech talked about managing change and developing resilience.  Other topics gaining attention from the group included Club Essentials – what clubs need to know to run effectively, Social Media Tips & Tricks, Member Engagement and Problem Solving.  Presentations from the day can be found HERE. 

LiveLighter Just 100s new pool meet
After two virtual swims over the winter, MSWA will have its first ‘live’ meet on 30th August with a dynamic new format, ‘Just 100s’.  Claremont will be hosting the event at HBF Stadium and are looking forward to encouraging new competitive swimmers into this exciting shortened meet.  

Online Club Coach Workshop Project
With the pandemic causing the cancellation of our Club Coach Workshop back in March, our Kim Tyler from the National Coaching Committee has taken up the call to re-purpose the current face-to-face delivery mode to an online delivery.    Using the videography skills of our Communications & Events Coordinator, Tarquin Bateman, Kim and a team of volunteers has set about creating Masters Swimming Australia Club Coach Course Workshop into an online course.  This massive project is now in testing and will be submitted to the National Coaching Committee in September for approval.  

Video library being developed
Following on from the success of the coaching videos Tarquin developed during the lockdown period, a new video series is in progress helping clubs with social media tips and tricks.  The first video shows clubs How to use Canva to make great graphics for use in promotions and there will be similar videos to come.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm8Dg3cEHZw&feature=youtu.be

Other videos produced by Masters Swimming WA include:

  • How to Swim at Home
  • How to Swim in a Wetsuit
  • Tethered Swimming

The above videos and content can be found at this link: https://mswa.asn.au/2020/06/03/new-master-your-swimming-videos/

Image below: MSWA Club Conference
MSA and longtime partner Vorgee
Masters Swimming Australia and Vorgee have worked closely together for over 10 years and continue to support each other through these difficult times. We look forward to bringing our National Programs and Championships to all members again.
MSA is proudly supported by.. 
MSA
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Our mailing address is:
Level 2, Sports House
375 Albert Park Road
Albert Park, Victoria 3206

Contact:
admin@mastersswimming.org.au
Please note during this time of restrictions in Victoria, the MSA staff are working from home and will respond promptly to emails.
And most importantly please STAY SAFE

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list