Swimmers embrace online PT sessions

from p68

While the session dividends may not be seen in the pool at the moment, continuing to stay active and motivated during a time like this is key for the club.

Coach Paul Myers said that with many of the swimmers in the pool from 14-16 hours a week, keeping a structure and normality around the situation was important, including adding in some fun activities to keep the bond between the team as strong as it can be throughout this time.

“Many of them live a very structured life when it comes to training, so we’re trying to keep that going so we don’t see them lose interest,” he said.

“This week we have a cooking challenge for them to cook a family meal that would be fit for an athlete, so we are looking at different ways and trying to put in things like that in place to engage with them and continue to support them through this in many different aspects,” Paul added.

Since the implementation of the online classes, the kids have been able to hear from elite athletes as well.

“Last week we had Jess Hansen, an Australian swimmer who trains at Nunawading come online and talk to the kids about what she is doing at the moment, which was great for them to hear about,” Paul said.

While having to move to online wasn’t ideal, the team has embraced the new normal and are now thinking of how the online aspect can become a part of their routine when the team eventually gets back in the pool.

“It’s made us think outside the box as coaches for sure, it’s certainly challenged me as a coach to do things a little differently and it may help implement a few new things going forward. We are looking at how we can incorporate these online classes in the future, as many of the kids are enjoying them and can access them at home,” he said.