Newsletter No. 1 - August 2015

NNewslettereptunes

EditorialWelcome to this first newsletter. It is our intention to issue three each season: one at the start of season, one during Christmas time and another during Easter period. We hope that you find it interesting and that you find certain articles inspiring.

Over the past season we have seen lots of changes and encountered some chal-lenges. We are overjoyed with the efforts made so far and looking forward to overcome future challenges.

Success in swimming will not happen unless you make it happen. In order to achieve success a swimmer must really want it. Attendance is mandatory and the single most important success factor of swimming is going to practice sessions. Swimmers must be willing to constantly challenge themselves, avoid becoming comfortable and always striving to achieve new goals. For the swimmers to be committed to the program, both swimmers and parents must understand the system in order to have an organised program.

Our intention is to keep the Neptunes Swim Team moving in a positive direction. We would like to focus on the TEAM whereby we will work side by side with swimmers, parents and coaches as Together Each Achieves More.

To facilitate this interaction we are introducing a set of rules that we all need to abide with. These can be found in the club’s handbook which we are also launching this season.

We are convinced that with our coaches’ love to the sport and their athletes, with the commitment of the swimmers and the help of parents, we can provide an environment where everyone will benefit and achieve their goals.

Happy Swimming!!

Upcoming EventsFun Races

to promote Neptunes squads during summer school training

Charity

Swim

under the auspices of the

President of Malta

Tentative date: 21st August

TrainingCamp

Top & Junior Squadsduring the Mid-Term Holidays

November 2015

Berlin Meet

December 2015More details later on

ChristmasDinner

Early January 2015 More details later on

Amy Micallef sets record

Congratulations!

New 100m breast stroke record: 1:14.55

Date of birth: 24th April 1992

When did you start swimming and what set you off?I started swimming at the age of about 7. My parents are both ex water polo players, with my father playing till over the age of 40 and being a member of the National Team for 22 years and captain for many of those years,

Meeting...Edward Caruana Dingli

so water sport is in my blood. Besides that, we used to spend our summers at the National Pool, and I used to see the swimmers training and was very interested. So my mother signed me up for swimming lessons, and it took off from there.

What had motivated you throughout your career?There have been many factors that motivated me over the years, be it an aim I set, a competition I wanted to get to, a record I wanted to break or a person I wanted to beat. It is important to set aims for yourself to push you in training and to give you a reason to roll out of bed in the morning!

How were you able to balance swimming with your studies?Balancing studies and swimming has been one of the hardest things to do over the years but planning before hand and finding the right balance helped a lot. I cannot say I made long term plans and started studying for exams from a lot before hand, and it’s not the first time that I had to stay up late the night before an exam to study, but I always tried to stay up to date with home work or as-signments and to find the right balance between studying and training.

What are your most memorable moments throughout your career and with Neptunes?The three times I went to Berlin in Christmas with Neptunes are by far my most memorable moments with Neptunes. Each time I joined the team was with a

new group of swimmers, but I always had a great time and went home with amaz-ing memories.

The most memorable moments in my career are participating in the 2009 FINA World Championships in Rome, my first world championships where I got to swim with the world’s best swimmers; breaking my first individual national records in 2011, the 200m and 400m Freestyle; and taking part in the 2013 Universiade, which introduced me to a new world of sport, the University Sports World, where you meet people who are going through the same struggles with training and school and you get to experience a large scale meet with an athletes village and an almost-Olympic experience.

What suggestions or advise would you put forward to upcoming swim-mers in the Neptunes squads?Have fun! Swimming isn’t easy and the struggle gets hard very often, so make sure you have fun and you enjoy it.

Set aims to keep you motivated.

Take risks. Be it trying a new event or asking your coach to change something in training. In 2008 I took a risk and left my club to join Neptunes, and it definitely paid off.

Be humble. There’s no harm in some self promotion and being proud of yourself, but respect will take you far.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Andy Colbourn, Maria Mifsud Bonnici, Gail Rizzo, Monique Mangion and Isabelle Zarb for their training, help and dedication over the years, my parents and my girlfriend for their support, and my team mates for keeping me going through the tough days. Finally thanks to everyone at Neptunes for welcoming me and being a large part of my success in swimming over the last 7 years!

The best fruits to eat include:

Apple: good source of vitamin C, lots of antioxidants which help protect your body against disease, goodsourceofdietaryfiber

Apricots: good source of vitamins A and C as well as dietaryfiber

Avocado: good source of vitamin E which keeps your redbloodcellshealthy,lotsofdietaryfiber Banana: excellent source of vitamin B6 and C, good sourceofdietaryfiber.Canbefrozenfora greatsnack.

Blueberries: good source of vitamin C and natural sugars for energy

Cherries: good source of vitamin C and also supply dietaryfiber

Grapes: have carbohydrates which digest slowly for long termenergy.Canbefrozenforagreatsnack

Kiwi Fruit: is a good source of potassium, vitamins C, A and E Mandarin—high in vitamin C, good sourceofdietaryfiber

Best Fruits for Swimmers

Mandarin: high in vitamin C, good source of dietary fiber

Oranges: excellent source of vitamin C, low GI so that its carbohydrate is released slowly into the bloodstream

Pear: low GI so carbohydrates are digested slowly and provides prolonged source of energy, goodsourceofdietaryfiber

Pineapple: good source of vitamin C, provides dietary fiber

Plum: excellent source of vitamin A, calcium, iron, potassium,magnesiumandfiber

Raspberries: greatsourceofdietaryfiber,excellent source of vitamin C, source of vitamin E and folate

Rockmelon: excellent source of vitamin C, good source of potassium

Strawberries: excellent source of vitamin C, good source of dietaryfiber,goodsourceoffolate

Watermelon: high in vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin C

Extracted from: Nutrition for Swimmers, For Junior and Age Group Swimmers

by Gary Barclay and Megan McDonald

www.neptuneswpsc.comwww.fb.com/neptuneswpsc