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The Ruske family believe in the motto "work less and accomplish more."
Dean and Angela Ruske are using this principle as they encourage their children - Aleisha (14), Nicole (12) and Michael (8) - in their swimming careers.
They are coached by Punch Tremaine at Moana Pool, who only expects his young swimmers to turn up for four sessions each week.
It is working for Aleisha, a pupil at St Hilda's Collegiate School, who has broken 29 Otago age-group records in the past four years.
Tremaine believes young swimmers can still excel with less training. Aleisha, who trains less than most serious swimmers of her age, has only four 90-minute sessions a week at Moana Pool.
While other swimmers are doing a lot more training, Aleisha is doing less and getting better results. She broke 10 Otago short course records at the 28th annual Neptune Swimming Clubs Queens Birthday meet at Moana Pool.
Other swimmers of her age usually have from six to 10 sessions each week.
"I don't believe in pushing the girls too hard. They are self-motivated, " Angela said.
"Our philosophy is that the girls can be involved in a lot of other sports as well, and they are not missing out on anything. It's a good balance."
Aleisha proved her point at the national age group championships in Wellington in February by winning four medals - one gold, two silver and a bronze medal.
"I have done this on just four sessions each week," Aleisha said.
"I've got room for improvement. I'll do more sessions when I'm older."
Nicole, a pupil at Balmacewen Intermediate, has been training for three years and has just two sessions each week.
She has broken one Otago age group record in the backstroke.
Michael, a pupil at Kaikorai Primary School, has won races in Otago age group swimming.
The girls have a full life and play other sports: netball, basketball, water polo and run in their school cross-country teams.
Aleisha has demonstrated that she has the ability to compete at the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow, when she is 17, and at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
Both parents were elite sportspeople themselves and are using their experience to encourage their daughters.
Dean (43), a Dunedin head and neck surgeon, has coached Otago junior basketball teams and is the assistant coach with the Otago Nuggets.
He played for the Nuggets when he was a medical student and later won two New Zealand titles with the Canterbury Rams.
He was named in the New Zealand under-23 tournament team.
Angela (41), also a talented basketballer, was in Logan Park High School teams that won the national secondary schools titles in 1986 and 1987 and played in the Australian national tournament in 1987.
She played for the Ajax club that was coached by John Paul and Murray Muir and has coached the Otago women's development team.
