These swim starlets Did their club proud
Morpeth squad on the up after league win
THE only way is up for Morpeth Amateur Swimming Club’s young talent after it proved itself a league apart from its rivals, writes TONY HODGSON.
The club’s squad of eight to 12-year-olds claimed the Northumberland and Durham Junior League (Diddy League) Division Three title to secure promotion to Division Two next season.
Morpeth finished with 223 points - 13 more than second-placed Alnwick - with Consett in third on 185.
Evidence of the club’s progress is the fact they ended up fifth in this division this time last year - with just 129 points.
They will now compete against bigger and stronger clubs - but head coach Becki McGuire is confident they can more than hold their own.
It is a remarkable achievement for McGuire, who only took over as coach at the beginning of the year.
She said: “I saw as soon as I arrived there were a lot of very talented young swimmers at the club.
“It was just a case of giving them focus, direction and confidence by developing their technical skills and quality.
“That work has paid off and the squad has improved a lot in a short space of time.
“To increase our overall points total by nearly 100 and move up four places in Division Three of the Diddy League is a fantastic achievement and I am so proud of the squad.
“This is the first time in the club’s history we have been promoted and it was a real team effort - hopefully we can build on it.”
Morpeth competed against Alnwick Dolphins, Consett, Billingham, Hetton and Thornaby, with swimmers competing in 51 individual and team events.
They enjoyed victory in the first three events and by the halfway stage were three points ahead of Alnwick.
In the second half of the meet they prevailed in 15 of the 25 events - and finished second in five of the others - to end up in pole position.
Morpeth’s squad of Holly Gillie, Lucy Leja, Chloe Robinson, Isabell Lunn, Jacob Light, Frank Roberts, Declan Tate, George Brett and Edward Brett took the nine-year-old category.
The 10 years team of Kate Kennedy, Keira Peck, Rebecca Murray, Maisie Sands, Freya Johnson, Ben Hewitt, Henry Brett, Gillie, Light and Tae also triumphed.
The 11-year-olds were also trophy winners and consisted of Daisy Cunningham, Gabrielle Jones, Georgia Hutchinson, Aidan Moody, Bruce Smith, Cameron Marshall, Zac Cousins, Angus Cummings, Kate Kennedy, Keira Peck and Ben Hewitt.
Morpeth also took the trophy in the eight x 25 cannon event (one girl and boy for each age group).