Leicester Diddy League Round 3 – Grand Final June 2019: Times and Report

Corby International Pool – 15th June 2019

The 2019 Diddy Season was always going to be interesting – could Burton SC reach a third consecutive final after reaching the finals in both 2017 and 2018. A treble of finals was a hope but we knew that the league was getting harder every year with a few new teams coming into the league for 2019.

Competitive debuts in Diddy League had gone to many children during the first two rounds that saw the club achieve wins in Round 1 and Round 2. These two results propelled the club into the show piece final once again. This year it was a full 8 lane final with some huge teams and the club took the spirit of making this final to the maximum, with t shirts, flags and a huge BARMY ARMY of travelling supporters – with parents, siblings, grandparents, aunties and uncles totalling 100 supporters in the stands.

Teams competing were Daventry, Coventry, Rushden, Corby, Leicester Neptune, Leicester Sharks, Market Harborough and Burton – the cream of the 30 clubs in the league who had come through their own two rounds of swimming to make the showpiece final.

Special mention has to go to the kids who played a major role in helping us make the final who did not swim on the night. So a huge thank you from all at the club to James Williams, Issy Mills, James Copley, Jack Fleeman and Sam Benstead.

This league is for 4 age groups as at the 30^th June. The age groups are ages 9, 10, 11 and 12 – with all age groups doing all 4 individual races (so age 9 doing fly) and free and medley relays.

All of the Teams get to parade in lane order to a chosen track – led out by Boys Captain Harrison Jones and Girls Captain Ruby Welsford we paraded to High Hopes – with all the kids all waved flags to the stands –closely followed by coaches Jo Stimpson and Andy Hiatt who alongside their coaching colleagues played a huge role in making the dream of reaching a final like this a reality.

After our parade had concluded we clapped as our competitors took their turns to wave to the crowds and enjoy the limelight. This mutual support between swimmers and Family/friends in the stands was an amazing sight, with all other clubs clearly noticing how vocal the BASC support was this year.

We then got into a Team Huddle – coaches giving last minute tips and the kids all raring to go. We knew beforehand we faced 7 teams who trained more often, had paid professionals in their ranks and vastly more members to call upon to pick their team. Most clubs on show field 2 or 3 teams in each league they take part in on an annual basis. Their older swimmers having c10-12 hours training a week.

We knew our achievement was making the final but from race 1 we saw our kids push themselves harder than ever before, with colleagues cheering them on. The heat poolside did take its toll – and the flags in the stands became essential fans for our very own barmy army – but we made noise beyond the rest and the cheer when Connor anchored the cannon was deafening

Our squad for the final at Corby was:-

Boys:

Age 9 – Seb Jones, Joseph Mills, Aleksander Tutt and Percy Mercer

Age 10 – Dylan Campbell, Lucas Joubert, Jonny Stimpson, Josh Cooper, Oliver Mitchell and Yuri Oliferuks

Age 11 – Jasper Saunders, Finlay Pearson, Harry Preston and Dylan Mitchell

Age 12 – Harrison Jones, Oliver Frost, Edan Maxwell and Connor Small

Girls:

Age 9 – Blythe Wroughton, Sophia Wheeler, Chloe Clamp, Orla Leyland and Josephine Brutton

Age 10 – Lana Clamp, Olivia Standley, Bella Richards, Beth Holmes and Freya Smith

Age 11 – Charlie Miller, Bella Smith, Georgia Ulyett, Jaina Muogbo and Rachael Greener

Age 12 – Ruby Welsford, Charlie Moorby, Amelie Spiers and Amelie Brown

Captains – Ruby Welsford and Harrison Jones

It was a true David v Goliath type night. Our parents made so much noise we looked like a home team and throughout the night the kids cheered every team mate on and also gave 100% in every race. The other teams included swimmers who represent County and Regional teams but we rarely came 8^th and often races had 5 or 6 lanes all within 0.5 seconds at the touch.

On the night we gained:-

First Places:

Georgia Ulyett – age 11 fly 25m

Georgia Ulyett, Bella Smith, Jaina Muogbo and Charlie Miller – age 11 free relay

Charlie Miller – age 11 breast 25m

Georgia Ulyett, Bella Smith, Rachael Greener and Charlie Miller – age 11 medley relay

Second Places:

Harrison Jones – age 12 back 50m

Jaina Mougbo – age 11 free 25m

Josh Cooper, Jonny Stimpson, Dylan Campbell and Oliver Mitchell – age 10 medley relay

Josh Cooper – age 10 back 25m

Josh Cooper, Dylan Campbell, Yuri Oliferuks and Oliver Mitchell – age 10 free relay

Seb Jones – age 9 fly 25m

Georgia Ulyett – age 11 back 25m

Third Places:

Dylan Campbell – age 10 free 25m

Bella Smith – age 12 breast 50m

Lana Clamp – age 10 fly 25m

Fourth Places:

Blythe Wroughton, Chloe Clamp, Sophie Wheeler and Orla Leyland – age 9 medley relay

Dylan Mitchell – age 11 free 25m

Dylan Mitchell, Harry Preston, Lucas Joubert and Jasper Saunders – age 11 free relay

Sophia Wheeler – age 9 fly 25m

Harrison Jones – age 12 free 50m

Harry Preston, Jonny Stimpson, Jasper Saunders and Finley Pearson – age 11 medley relay

Dylan Campbell – age 10 fly 25m

Results:

It was great to see the Diddy Squad of 2019 get a crack at the major final and last night they got to fulfil their sporting dreams in front of over 350 spectators in an amazing venue (if not a little too warm) – 100 of which were our team of family and friends – at the end the poolside team clapped them and they clapped us – it was lovely and a clear indication that we were all in it as a club last night

– STAR SWIMMER – has to be Burton’s own Spice Girls – the 5 of them all played an amazing part on getting us to the final again – for the 3rd year running they won relays and swam for each other with all they had – our very own Sporty, Scary, Posh, Baby and Ginger are ( in maybe not the right order) Bella Smith, Jaina Muogbo, Racheal Greener, Georgia Ulyett and Charlie Miller.

– STAR RACE – for a 2 second PB and getting us off to a great start this goes to Chloe Clamp – swimming first in front of so many spectators takes real courage and Chloe got a huge new PB in the 25m Breast

Thank you to Simon, Ian, Andy and Jo once again for all of the coaching and advising of the kids on the night – supported by senior swimmers George and Sophie last night again.

Debbie, Kate and Jenny for officiating and timing – the balcony bridge to bridge dads for relay splits

SIMPLY AN AMAZING DIDDY SEASON AGAIN!!!