Hey folks,
There was plenty going on in both March and April. First of all, on Saturday, March 23, the third NSWK was taking place. This time, it was organized by Avalon. The party took place on Saturday evening in Tilburg, with everyone dressed up as a different country for the “Around the World” theme. As tradition dictates, the (baco) pitchers once again slid across the bar. On the groggy morning after, everyone could catch the train to Eindhoven, where the competition took place. With some support from Nayade, the pool was set up in no time! There was fierce competition in both the beginners and advanced categories. In the end, Wave took the win in the beginners’ category and Nayade won in the advanced category—congratulations! Huge thanks to Avalon for organizing it! This was also the first NSWK where the concept of seasonal champions was implemented.
On Saturday, April 12, it was time for the third NSZK of the season in Amsterdam, organized by Spons. During the meet, we handed out certificates for the NSZK records broken at NSZK II. Furthermore, no fewer than four NSZK long course records were broken during this competition:
* 4x50m medley relay mixed – De Golfbreker (Gauke Eilander, Arianne Kooijinga, Tiamo van der Veen, Olena Dijkstra)
* 400m individual medley women – Alinda Dingshoff (Spons) 5:14.87
* 50m backstroke women – Arianne Kooijinga (De Golfbreker) 30.42
* 100m butterfly women – Alinda Dingshoff (Spons) 1:13.18
The themed party this time revolved around wearing second-hand clothing, so the most creative outfits were on display that night. The results were also announced. Unfortunately, the DJ only allowed the mic for a maximum of 30 seconds, so we were only able to announce the top 3. De Golfbreker took the win for the third round in a row. In the rankings, they are still followed by Spons in second, but Hydrofiel has managed to take third place from Tiburon. Spons, thank you for organizing this fantastic weekend!
Outside of competitions, there were also other board-related matters keeping us busy. We joined training sessions with Nayade and Avalon. Our search for a new board also kicked off with the interest evening held on April 29. Finally, SplashImpact has now been rolled out nationwide. SplashImpact is an organization that promotes community service (volunteering) among youth, specifically focused on swimming. On April 22, we held an information evening for all affiliated student swimming clubs. Through SplashImpact, all members can sign up for a free course to become a trainer, referee, or official. In return, you’re required to complete 80 hours of volunteer work. Fortunately, course days, giving training, coaching, and committee work all count toward these hours, making it quite manageable for most members. If you’re interested, be sure to contact your club’s board to see if they can enroll you in the program!
Best regards,
Jesper Luppes
Chair