Due to the moveable floor being stuck we are reduced to coaching in an 8 lane pool which is only 17m long. The conversion is easy:
3 lengths = 51m
6 lengths = 102m
12 lengths = 204m
With extra turns. At least the pool can be dropped to 2m so we can dive.
The turbo lane ropes cannot be used so the water is choppy – good for triathlon, but there’s only one or two of those.
The other end of the pool provides us with training over widths with no lane ropes. I’ve been using this for water polo. At the absolutely maximum of 8 aside for 10-12 year olds and 6 aside for the 13-17 year olds.
This has been a wonderful alternative to lane training, and no less exhausting. I do a ten minute introduction to the game: moving around in the water, treading water and basic ball skills. We then play a 25 minute game of 4 quarters of 5 minutes and a short break. There are always a handful of stand out swimmers: those who are highly competitive, and those who enjoy a challenge, and the most potent – the swimmer with superlative ball skills as well as physical fitness and natural feel for the water.
With the pool out of order we cannot hold our gala or host them. This means we’re behind on getting times for the swimmers which is a shame when they have worked so hard and crave the reward of smashing PBs.
We can only work with what we have. By September this will hopefully be a fixed 8 lane pool and a new 6 lane venue. What Burgess Hill & Haywards Heath needs is a new leisure centre with a 50m pool between the two increasingly merged towns.
