FEATURE: Swimming success
ELITE swimming club Doncaster DARTES are back making a splash on the national stage - but not long ago the association was all at sea.
Club officials and supporters have overcome both political and financial obstacles to continue giving the borough's brightest young performers in the pool the best possible opportunity to progress to senior stardom.
Reporter PAUL GOODWIN dives head first into the story and talks to chairman Chris Hirst about keeping the club afloat and what the future might hold.
JUST two years ago Doncaster DARTES were in danger of sinking without trace.
Ditched by a cash-strapped local authority the 33-year-old club was left to fend for itself financially.
A highly respected head coach had resigned, and membership was plummeting.
This was a case of swimming for survival - quite literally.
So for the determined DARTES to be named 'most improved club' at the recent Yorkshire Swimming Association Championships, it was a moment that meant more than any gold medal for administrators, parents and swimmers alike.
It was a turning point that rewarded months of hard work - efforts behind the scenes which helped secure almost 70,000 worth of Sport England funding that would in turn safeguard the future of the club.
And it was matched by an incredible performance in the pool as Doncaster's most talented water babies - aged from seven to 16 - bagged no fewer than 48 medals between them - seventeen of them gold!
For chairman Chris Hirst, of Balby, the regional gala provided a watershed moment - a springboard to future success.
And the signs look very promising.
The DARTES can now boast the raw talents of British number two Max Litchfield, 14, and thirteen-year-old England hopeful Sophie Taylor among a squad of almost 100 of the borough's best swimmers.
According to Hirst, who took on the role in 2005, the last four years have been a rollercoaster ride.
He said: "I've seen membership go up to just over one hundred - as well as down into the low forties.
"I've seen us go to major events and win a hatful of medals and I've also seen the club come away with next to nothing.
"But it made me so proud when we were named the most improved club at the recent Yorkshire Championships - I feel like I'm making a difference.
"I haven't got a background in swimming, although my 14-year-old daughter Laura is now in the squad and she has been quite successful," he added.
"I guess I've got the bug.
"There's no better feeling than seeing the look on a young kid's face when they stand on the top of that podium and get presented with a gold medal."
Doncaster DARTES' formation dates back to 1976 when Doncaster Metropolitan Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) formed an elite training and performance scheme - designed to identify and nourish the best talent from feeder clubs across the borough.
The local authority's withdrawal of funding for a head coach on budgetary grounds saw the DARTES committee forced into frantic consultations with the North East ASA, before Sport England funds were secured.
Chris, 45, said: "We were never under threat of going under altogether - it was more of a case that without the funding we wouldn't have been able to secure enough pool time to compete with the top clubs in Yorkshire.
"Many of the clubs in the region are local authority backed and we have never really been able to compete with them.
"But thanks to the Sport England funding we've got to a point - the first time in the club's history - where we've been able to appoint two paid coaches.
"The club is also raising more money by itself than it ever has done.
"Last year we raised 20,000 and I expect that figure to be closer to 30,000 for the 2009/10 financial year.
"The spirit at the club is absolutely fantastic.
"We have a great bunch of parents that put a lot of time and effort into raising money for the club."
Pam Trickett became the DARTES' first national champion during the club's golden period in the late 1980s and 1990s.
But with swimming currently riding on the crest of a wave following Great Britain's incredible performance in the pool at last year's Beijing Olympics, club officials are hoping to recruit many more stars of the future.
Chris said: "We know that out of every 100 swimmers we get there is only going to be a small handful that have a chance of getting anywhere near the top.
"But as long as we do what we can to help every individual realise
their potential then that's what we are here to do.
"At the moment we are in the process of producing some really good kids and I'm very optimistic about the future.
"Swimming has so much to offer the youngsters too - not just with the Dartes but through the process of learning to swim through to competing and performing at a high level.
"The life skills and the discipline that are built up are fantastic.
"The kids have to be so strict to do about 18 hours a week training as well as their schoolwork and maintain some sort of social life.
"We're getting back to the good old days at the Dartes," he added.
"And we're hoping for a prosperous future."
For more information about the DARTES go to www.dartes.co.uk
WHAT does DARTES stand for?
Doncaster DARTES pool together the most talented swimmers from nine feeder clubs across the borough with a focus of producing athletes to represent the town at county, district, national and international levels.
D represents Doncaster, Dearne Valley and Don Valley
A is for Armthorpe and Adwick
R stands for Rossington
T is for Thorne
E represents Edlington
S stands for Spa Askern and South Axholme Sharks
The club provides daily training sessions and professional coaching at Hall Cross School, St James' Pool and Adwick Leisure Centre.
Youngsters move from junior development squads into age group squads,
with the very best swimmers graduating to the premier squad.
Gruelling routine is a winning recipe
A DAY in the life of DARTES sensations Max Litchfield and Sophie Taylor might not sound much fun.
Breakfast on the run shortly after 4am, followed by a whopping 240 lengths of the pool, would be difficult to stomach for the majority of
teenagers.
And then there's a day at school to get through!
But for two dedicated youngsters determined to make a splash in their chosen sport, it is a routine they hope will provide the recipe for success.
Max, 14, and Sophie, 13, usually wake at 4am on a typical weekday morning - with their classmates still fast asleep.
They have a light breakfast en route to the pool and at the stroke of 5am are busy cracking on with a two-hour training session, clocking up an average of 6,000 metres each.
A full day at school is then followed by a further two hour session at the pool!
The pair, who also follow a strict diet plan, can train for up to 18 hours every week - a gruelling schedule that wreaks havoc with a teenager's social life.
But the signs are that their hard work and commitment is paying off.
Max, of Badsworth and recruited from Askern Spa's swimming club, is ranked as Britain's number two in his age group, enjoying most of his success in the backstroke and freestyle events.
His nemesis is Matthew Johnson of Leeds, the UK's most exciting young prospect, who has clocked times only matched by a young Michael Phelps - the world's best all-round swimmer.
Having fully recovered from a shoulder injury Max has already qualified for ten events in this year's National Championships - the best performance ever in the history of the DARTES.
His honours to date include being a four time National Finalist and he has won six gold, 28 silver and 11 bronze medals at the North Eastern Region Championships, plus a further 11 gold, 21 silver and 13 bronze medals at the Yorkshire County Championships.
Hall Cross pupil Sophie's medal collection might not be on quite the same scale.
But by becoming the first representative of the DARTES for ten years at the British Championships the breaststroke speed star, who is now swimming seriously again after previously favouring basketball, is someone the club believe could go the distance.
Earlier this year Sophie won the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke events for 13-year-olds at the Yorkshire Championships - despite turning 13 just weeks prior to the event.
She has now been chosen to attend the England Age Talent Programme Camp
for the North East region in Sunderland.
“But thanks to the Sport England funding we’ve got to a point - the first time in the club’s history - where we’ve been able to appoint two paid coaches.
“The club is also raising more money by itself than it ever has done.
“Last year we raised 20,000 and I expect that figure to be closer to 30,000 for the 2009/10 financial year.
“The spirit at the club is absolutely fantastic.
“We have a great bunch of parents that put a lot of time and effort into raising money for the club.”
Pam Trickett became the DARTES’ first national champion during the club’s golden period in the late 1980s and 1990s.
But with swimming currently riding on the crest of a wave following Great Britain’s incredible performance in the pool at last year’s Beijing Olympics, club officials are hoping to recruit many more stars of the future.
Chris said: “We know that out of every 100 swimmers we get there is only going to be a small handful that have a chance of getting anywhere near the top.
“But as long as we do what we can to help every individual realise their potential then that’s what we are here to do.
“At the moment we are in the process of producing some really good kids and I’m very optimistic about the future.
“Swimming has so much to offer the youngsters too - not just with the Dartes but through the process of learning to swim through to competing and performing at a high level.
“The life skills and the discipline that are built up are fantastic.
“The kids have to be so strict to do about 18 hours a week training as well as their schoolwork and maintain some sort of social life.
“We’re getting back to the good old days at the Dartes,” he added.
“And we’re hoping for a prosperous future.”
For more information about the DARTES go to www.dartes.co.uk.
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Sunday 05 February 2012
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