‘What you put in… is what you’re going to get out” – Penguins coach Sheralee Jolliffe

 

 

*****

Elizabeth Moore paints the picture:

Level 2 was held in Sasolburg in April 2019.

15 eager young swimmers from Pietermaritzburg schools raised their Penguins club colours with pride.

The PMB schoolboys and girls represented in the Penguins swim team were from Maritzburg College, Cordwalles, Cowan House, Laddsworth, Clarendon, Epworth, GHS and The Wykeham Collegiate.

 

 

Bossing the overcast weather, the swimmers put on their best performances. They battled the storms up ahead both mentally and against their competition in the pool.

And torrential storms did indeed make their presence felt when the heavens opened on the last day.

Ready to out their best for Penguins were Ashley Ferguson, Georgina Francis, Sibonga Khumalo, Katie Moore, Jessica Oxenham, Caitlyn Slabberts, Serante Subramanian, Emma Williams, Patrick Lamb, Kian Lister, Mathew Marillier, Rueben Marx, Ethan Muir, Kingsley Thompson and soon-to-be-part of Team Penguins, newcomer Caitlin Soden, who represented Seals Swimming Club in Sasolburg.

 

 

Swim SA accredited coach Elizabeth Moore chatted to Penguins coach Sheralee Jolliffe about the Sasolburg Experience.

Elizabeth: “Sheralee, it was obviously an extremely exciting week for the Penguins Level 2 swimmers, Penguins coming first out of the 63 teams at the event in Sasolburg with Patrick Lamb from Laddsworth and Emma Williams of Epworth taking home 5 Gold’s.

“Sheralee, congratulations are certainly in order. So how do your top swimmers maintain this high level of achievement…”

 

 

Sheralee: “Elizabeth, the higher the level the harder it is. The commitment and achievement of the swimmer lies in training 6 to 7 days a week in comparison to 2 to 3 days a week.

 

 

“Remaining disciplined is vital; if you don’t come to training, you don’t get the results. The quality of training technique also drives the results.

“For the Level 2’s this provides the grounding to move forward as well as the stepping stone into Level 3”.

Penguins’ Sasolburg Experience In Short

Day 1
Penguins leading the weekend forward with 15 swimmers, 44 swims, 27 personal bests, 35 finals and 16 medals: Boasting 7 individual Penguins gold’s for the day and in the team favourite, the Relays – Boys under 13-16 Individual Medley taking gold in the time of 2:23:77.

 

 

Day 2
Penguins easing into 4 golds, 5 silver and 3 bronze: One of the medal winners, and one amongst many of Penguins’ focused and dedicated swimmers, was the fast-improving Sibonga Khumalo, who won bronze in the 100-metres backstroke.

Day 3
Ending Penguins’ Sasolburg Experience on a high, Patrick Lamb won his 5^th gold – in the 200m backstroke final, and Emma Williams took her 5^th gold – in the 200m freestyle.

Washing up the three-day Sasolburg Experience were the 5 exciting relay races; in the girls U12 and up: 4 x 50 freestyle, Penguins shone in taking Gold while in the Boys 13 – 16yrs 4 x 50 freestyle Penguins did well in earning the silver medal.

In Penguins harvesting 7 medals out of 12 relays it was a great effort and a tribute to team spirit. Indeed, a phenomenal rush for the team to recall on the way back home and further into the swim year.

 

 

*****

The Sasolburg Experience ended on a high note for Penguins Swimming Club… And a great personal success and sense of accomplishment for the team coaches, Mandy and Sheralee, who give so much of their time, energy and passion into the sport which is reflected in the medal-winning response of their swim boys and girls.

Thank you to coaches and parents

Dedicated Parents = Dedicated Swimmer

 

 

xxx

Penguins head coach Mandy Wheeler
Accredited and registered with Swim South Africa
wheeler.mandy@gmail.com

# Penguins at: Hilton College, Cordwalles Prep

 

Penguins coach Sheralee Jolliffe
Accredited and registered with Swim South Africa
jolliffeclan@telkomsa.net

Sheralee Coaching is based PMB Girls’ High School
Sheralee teaches Learn to Swim at Prestbury Primary in Terms 1 and 4
and private Learn to Swim at Y-Fit Gym

 

This article’s writer, Elizabeth Moore, is a Swim SA accredited and registered coach who also enjoys offering private swim lessons.
liz2swim@gmail.com