Desert, Ranges swim action

The Little Desert and Black Ranges Schools Division Swim meet… while the name might seem as incongruous as, say, a Coober Pedy surf carnival, on the contrary, the kids competing on March 5 at Horsham Aquatic Centre were instead resounding evidence of Australia’s nationwide commitment to swimming and water safety.

The swim meet was part of the School Sport Victoria swimming program and in regional Victoria, involvement is often a natural and important progression from school and after-school swimming programs.

In this context, division co-ordinator Gary Davidson said everyone had different talents, academic and sporting, and it was important for the development of every child that they had the opportunity to find what they might be good at, including swimming.

And so they came to Horsham. Kids from Warracknabeal, Edenhope, Rupanyup, Beulah, Jeparit, Yaapeet and Kaniva, kids who might live 50km from the nearest swimming pool. For many, it was their first opportunity to compete at a swim meet.

Eleven-year-old 50-metre freestyle and backstroke competitor Addison Lardner said she was proud of herself for taking the plunge and attending the meet.

“I felt really happy with myself because I just went out there and did it,” she said.

Co-coach of Ararat Rats Swim Club Jo Donnan agreed participation was what it was all about.

“It gives all the kids a chance to race.

And it might inspire them to take their swimming to the next level and start training with a swimming club,” she said.

Participation and with it pride – personal and as part of a school team – was evident among many of the kids.

Competitor Euan Lennie, 11, said he felt a sense of achievement in participating.

“I felt like I really achieved something today because I got a higher place in my race than I did last year,” he said.

And for the top swimmers from the Black Ranges and Little Desert Division, the swim meet offers something further.

In a part of Victoria where cricket, football and netball are the prevailing sports, coach Donnan says: “It highlights the swimming kids with talent and commitment and gives them their time in the school sport spotlight. All the kids in other sports get this chance.”

For the top four swimmers in each race, as well as the top two relay teams, the school swimming sports competition continues with regional finals on March 20, also in Horsham, where top swimmers from schools throughout the Western District, from Ballarat and Colac to Warrnambool and Portland will compete. From there, winners progress through to the state schools finals.

It will be a tough path, but swimmers, even from the incongruous sounding Little Desert and Black Ranges Division where swimming pools might be 50km away, are training hard and dare to dream.