Staffs League 2018 – Round 2 : Times & Report

Tamworth Snowdome, Tamworth, 7th July 2018

The 2018 Staffs league resumed at the Tamworth Snowdome only a few weeks after the end of the amazing Diddy League season and the Charity Diddy Gala successes. With a certain huge football game kicking off at 15.00 we knew this particular day was a big sporting occasion but not necessarily due to our swimming team – but we all arrived at Tamworth keen to swim and buzzing from the win by our national football team!!!!

We all know by now that this league is a massive step up for us a club and this year was no different in terms of judging where we would come due to the reasons set out below :-

– The draw gave us Cannock Phoenix A who won tier 2 in 2016
– Bilston B who tend to flex in early rounds swimmers from their highly impressive A team
– At this stage of the year we always try to blend into the team age 9 kids – with 3 brave young girls joining the full squad for the first time last night

The draw was clear that Phoenix A should win, maybe Burton could push Bilston for a second place?

The gala format is all races and legs are over 50m – and we get mixed relays rather than the usual all girls or boys – so it is a great league for strength of opposition, different races and with it coming in a period when older kids not getting league competitions it is always a nice end to the summer season.

Competitive Debuts went to Sophia Wheeler and Blythe Wroughton – who joined Emily Copley, Toby Durkan and Jonny Stimpson in our age 9 group – all the young kids had fantastic smiles throughout the night

Staff League debuts went to Issy Stanley and Emily Copley – plus we were very grateful to see last years girls captain Charlotte Doughty returning from University to help us field a strong team.

17 First Places:

Georgia Ulyett – age 11 50m back
Jack Ward – age 15 50m breast
Matt Gates – open age 50m fly
Sophie Fowkes, Jack Ward, George Stevens and Imeh Tyas – age 15 medley
Tom Mitchell – age 13 50m back
Adam Doughty – open age 50m breast
Edan Maxwell, Georgia Ulyett, Issy Mills and Dylan Mitchell – age 11 free
George Greener – age 15 50m fly
Adam Doughty, Charlotte Doughty, Matt Gates and Issy Stanley – open medley
George Stevens, Imeh Tyas, George Greener and Sophie Fowkes – age 15 free
Tom Mitchell – age 13 50m fly
Matt Gates – open age 50m free
Oliver Frost, Bella Smith, Racheal Greener and Edan Maxwell – age 11 medley
Jack Ward – age 15 50m back
Rachael Greener – age 11 50m fly
George Stevens – age 15 50m free
Adam Doughty – open age 50m back

16 Second Places:

Boys Cannon Team
Oliver Frost – age 11 50m back
Issy Mills – age 11 50m free
Edan Maxwell – age 11 50m free
Rosie Bolton – age 13 50m back
Sophie Fowkes – age 15 50m fly
Ella Cooper – age 13 50m free
Bella Smith – age 11 50m breast
Charlotte Breeze – age 13 50m fly
Toby Durkan, Jonny Stimpson, Sophia Wheeler and Blythe Wroughton – age 9 free
George Preston – age 13 50m breast
Adam Doughty, Finlay Bell, Emma Preston and Charlotte Doughty – open free
Edan Maxwell – age 11 50m fly
Imeh Tyas – age 15 50m free
Sophie Fowkes – open age 50m back
Girls Cannon Team

8 Third Places:

Ella Cooper, Tom Mitchell, Issy Stanley and Harrison Jones – age 13 free
Charlotte Breeze – open age 50m fly
Emma Preston – open age 50m breast
Harrison Jones – age 13 50m free
Harry Preston – age 11 50m breast
Rosie Bolton – age 15 50m back
Ella Cooper – age 13 50m breast
Tom Mitchell, George Preston, Ella Cooper and Rosie Bolton – age 13 medley

The overall result scoring 5 points for a win was:-

A fantastic outcome from round 2 – the team all swam with great pride and determination totaling 31 PB times to help us win only our second ever Staffs League Gala.

This was our 6th win in the last 7 galas – an amazing run of form never seen before by the club – leading to our 33rd win since we ended the long wait for a gala win in March 2014.

STAR SWIMMER – the age 15 team of Jack Ward, George Stevens, Imeh Tyas, George Greener and Sophie Fowkes – winning all relays and most individual events

STAR RACE – The open medley relay – Matt Gates and Adam Doughty swimming so well either side of Charlotte Doughty swimming a great time after the months at University – setting up the young Issy Stanley to hold on to the win in a huge PB time – getting the biggest cheer of the night

All debutants did themselves proud – they all overcame nerves for doing tumble turns to swim so well

Great PB times by so many swimmers but mentions go to , Jack Ward, Georgia Ulyett, Oliver Frost, Edan Maxwell, Sophie Fowkes, Bella Smith and Dylan Mitchell who all made big improvements last night

Special thank you to Craig Day, Debbie Preston, Jo Bolton, Karen Cooper, Bev Doughty and Paul Eccleshall for officiating, to Donna for relay times, and Jo & Ian for all the coaching and advice last night

We now have a week before we travel to Biddulph for the next open meet.