Aquagold Artistic Swimming Club has coaches, resources and pool time — it just does not have any swimmers.
The club had two swimmers last year, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic and alert level restrictions that followed, it was very "stop and start", club president Phyll Esplin said.
One of the girls had not returned this year and the other did not want to do it alone.
Esplin was determined to recruit new swimmers to keep her company and keep the club afloat.
"We’ve got the coaches, we’ve got the structure, we’ve got the club and we’ve got the resources," she said.
"We just haven’t got any swimmers."
The club had allocated time at Moana Pool three times a week, but risked losing it.
Esplin likened it to a "chicken and egg" situation.
"I’m trying to hold on to this pool time but I haven’t got any swimmers.
"But if I get swimmers do I have pool time?"
The club’s two coaches were great and, ideally, Esplin would like to get someone from overseas to coach as well.
But, again, that depended on swimmers.
Ideally, she wanted to get a group of young swimmers who were keen to stick with the sport, as it was common for girls, in particular, to leave when they hit intermediate/high school age.
That was the case when former Olympic and Commonwealth Games swimmers Lisa and Nina Daniels were coaching.
The club was at its peak then, Esplin said.
It had declined since; a club with no swimmers would most likely have to go into recess.
"I hope it doesn’t come to that."
The sport was challenging, but also very rewarding.
Swimmers could compete solo, but most of the younger ones competed in groups of three or four — a dolphin team.
The look of delight on a swimmer’s face when they did something right for the first time was priceless, Esplin said.
"There’s something about a youngster competing for the first time who just beams at you."
For more information, contact Esplin on 027696-0408.
