Dont put a limit on anything. The more you dream the further you get. Michael Phelps.
Staffs League Round 3: 7th October – Times and Report
Staffs League Round 3: Tamworth Snowdome 7th October
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The 2017 Staffs league resumed for BASC at the Tamworth Snowdome. The venue is better regarded as a place to get on the snow and have some fun, but last night BASC took part in the 3rd Tier for round 3. This league has always been a massive step up for us a club but unusually we entered this gala with a full squad and also with the tag of joint favourites with Burntwood SC.
The full draw was Burntwood, Burton, Walsall, Tamworth and Cannock Phoenix B
The gala format is all races and legs are over 50m – and we get mixed relays rather than the usual all girls or boys – as this is age as at 31/12 it saw kids swimming in different age groups to the upcoming Autumn and Winter seasons.
From race 1 it was clear BASC wanted to end the voodoo of never winning a Staffs League gala – by the end of the first 7 races we had took 6 first places and we knew that this was going to be a night to remember for the club
25 First Places – more than half the races!!!
Boys Cannon Team
Ruby Welsford – age 11 Back
Harrison Jones – age 11 Back
Adam Doughty -age 15 Breast
George G, Aidan, Sophie and Rosie – age 13 free relay
Ella Cooper – age 11 Free
Harrison Jones – age 11 Free
Imeh, Adam, George S and Hayley – age 15 medley relay
George Greener – age 13 Bac
Ella, Harrison, Brieana and Isaac – age 11 free relay
Hayley Brightman – age 15 Fly
Finley Brown – age 15 Fly
Ruby Welsford – age 11 Breast
Jed Bavester – age 11 Breast
Adam, Hayley, George S and Imeh – age 15 free relay
George Greener – age 13 Fly
Jaina, Dylan, Lana and Lucas – age 9 free relay
Harrison, Ruby, Ella and Isaac – age 11 medley relay
Imeh Tyas – age 15 Back
Jack Ward – age 15 Back
Tom Mitchell – age 13 Breast
Ella Cooper – age 11 Fly
Jack Ward – age 15 Free
George G, Kaliyah, Sophie and Tom – age 13 medley relay
Girls Cannon Team
11 Second Places:
Rosie Bolton – age 13 Back
Matt Gates – open age Breast
Sophie Fowkes – age 13 Free
Aidan Joubert – age 13 Free
Annabelle, Matt, Phil and Emma P – open medley relay
Matt Gates – open age Free
Kaliyah Hudson – age 13 Breast
Phil, Matt, Eve and Emma B – open free relay
Hayley Brightman – age 15 Free
Annabelle Joseph – open age Back
Adam Doughty – open age Back
4 Third Places:
Emma Preston – age 15 Breast
Finley Brown – open age Fly
Immy Hill – open age Breast
Sophie Fowkes – age 13 Fly
With only 1 DQ and a 35 PB times (including relay splits) the stats showed we performed very well as a team – our best ever Staffs League Team Performance – back in November 2013 the same 5 teams plus one other team swam a gala and BASC came 6th – hard therefore not too notice just how far we have come these last few years when you look at a statistic like that – credit to all swimmers, families, officials, committee and coaches for that feat!!!
The overall result was:
Burton 230
Walsall 188
Burtnwood 173
Tamworth 133
Phoenix B 109
Highlights of the night included:-
STAR SWIMMER – on this occasion this went to Ruby Welsford – a swimmer who can doubt her ability due to nerves but last night won in all her races – her times when converted to an open meet format would see her swimming at counties in 2018 – and simply represents everything what BASC is all about in terms of learning great technique and racing with a smile of your face to the very best of your ability.
Swim of the night – George Greener, Aidan Joubert, Sophie Fowkes and Rosie Bolton for winning the age 13 free relay against a Walsall team with 2 of the fastest girls in Staffordshire for age 13
Other notable items :-
- Jed Bavester winning 50m Breast
- Winning both the 10 swimmer cannon events at either end of the gala
- Harrison and Ella for winning all 5 of their races
- Annabelle, Adam, Emma P and Emma B for swimming up an age group with such positive results
- Our 5 young age 9 kids who swam their hearts out to touch first in all races – Jaina, Lana, Bella, Dylan and Lucas
- Adam, George S, Imeh and Hayley for such amazing age 15 relay swims
- George G, Kaliyah, Sophie and Tom for winning their age 13 medley relay by nearly a full length – not sure we have ever done that before
Huge thank you to Simon, Phil and Ian for the coaching of the team and Craig, Martin, Bev, Rob and Karen for the officiating and timing on the night, plus Donna for relay splits.
We now await which final we will compete in on November 25th
We now have one week before the start of the Autumn League 2018 – a very hard draw next weekend guys!!!
