Newsletter

January 2021 Volume 5

January 2021 | Greystones, Co. Wicklow

A message from the new 2021 Club Captain

Luca Spurling

Hi everybody! Welcome to the first edition of the Club’s Newsletter for 2021, I hope this year will be full of opportunity for you all. Although this year isn’t off to the COVID-free start we had hoped for, there are still plenty of fun and active things that we can do!

But first, let me start with a big thank you to Niamh for being a wonderful captain in 2020 and starting the Newsletter. Hopefully I will do as good a job at it as I take on the Captain’s role for 2021.

When I joined Poseidon 5 years ago, I hardly knew anyone. I had just moved to Greystones and had an interest in sea swimming. I saw John was doing a summer beach lifesaving camp and I thought it might be a nice way for me to make a few friends and get some experience in the open water. I planned on only doing the first week of the summer camp but I enjoyed it so much I ended up doing three weeks of it!!! It was so much fun and I not only learned loads but made great friends, some who are still in the club today! I have to say it was pretty daunting joining at first because I wasn’t very good at the start, but over the years I got better and the dedication really pays off. Now I get the opportunity to help out at the summer camps that I used to participate in which is a great feeling of accomplishment. Needless to say I am very proud to be the captain of this wonderful club.

Although we are still not able to go to training, I will do my best to run some virtual activities for both the Rookies and Survive & Save members until it is safe to get back into the water. However, they will only be fun if we all participate so I am asking everyone to try and do their best to interact with the challenges and have some fun too!

I would also like to remind everyone that your feedback and suggestions are greatly appreciated as it helps to improve the Newsletter for future editions. As always you can email in at info@poseidon.is with any ideas!

I hope everyone is staying safe and I can’t wait to see you all when we are COVID-19 free!

What’s in this edition

In this edition, Anna McGloin from Rookies, Isabella Stewart from ‘Survive & Save’, & and Jake Heffernan, a former Club Captain, talk about what they miss most about the club and swimming training each week.

We have a Scavenger Hunt for the Rookies and are launching the Poseidon Operation Keep Fit initiative for the month of February. A must watch video from John.

Also let me remind each of you that has not sent in their club membership renewal form you must do so in order to continue membership with the club. All information is at the end of the newsletter.

Download Membership Renewal Form

A message from Anna McGloin

What I missed about life saving by Anna McGloin

I really missed the interaction with all the fun coaches and students. I miss the practice rescue when we pretend to be the casualty or rescuer. I also miss the end of the class when we do some of John’s fun games!

I really miss being in the pool and practicing swimming. I have been swimming in the sea but I can’t really stay in for as long. I also miss doing CPR on the mannequins. I miss using the radios and learning the radio alphabet. Most of all I miss learning how to be a life guard and I hope we get back to it soon!

A message from Isabella Stewart

Hi everyone! I firstly want to say a huge congratulations to Luca on being awarded Club Captain for 2021 as this is a huge achievement and I know he will do a great job.

As we all know, COVID has restricted many things in our lives including lifesaving competitions and events this year. The things I miss most about Poseidon are seeing my friends, our training sessions in UCD and Shoreline and the competitiveness which makes swimming more exciting. I am so glad that the club has stayed in contact with all its members and tried to make the best out of a difficult situation. This has been very encouraging for me as COVID has stopped a lot of the activities I would have previously been involved in.

Although I am looking forward to getting back to Shoreline & UCD when its safe to do so, I am also very excited about what Luca and John have planned for us this year. I really enjoyed being involved in the Virtual Mile in November as it was a great way to involve everyone in the club in a virtual competition. Hopefully we will get to do another virtual race this year as it was great to have a challenge during COVID times.

I am hoping that this year we will be able to compete in competitions with other clubs, but I know that depends on the COVID situation. Even if we can’t get back into the swimming pool this year, I would love to get back to open water swimming in the summer as that was great fun and I really enjoyed being able to see my friends and train throughout the summer months.

I just want to say a huge thanks to Niamh for, one, being a great club captain through 2020 as it wasn’t easy due to the current situation and , two, for all the virtual events she organised for everyone in the club, as I know it took a lot of hard work and effort to get the events up and running. I also really enjoyed doing virtual quizzes and bingo and hopefully we will be able to do more this year.

I hope everyone stays safe and I am looking forward to getting back to lifesaving as soon as possible 😊

A message from Jake Heffernan

It’s fair to say that lifesaving this year has been incredibly different due to COVID-19.

Ever since we were put on lockdown in March, we have missed out on so much, from competitions to our regular weekly training sessions. One thing I have missed the most over these last few months has been being able to hang out with my friends in Poseidon at our classes.

However, we have also been able to achieve so much from our homes, such as the quizzes, the fun run and other amazing activities that our committee and Club Captain have organised for us, and their dedication to ensure the club members can stay connected deserves our praise.

Over the summer we were able to commence with our sea classes on Greystones South Beach, and being able to see my friends again after such a long period of time was incredible, whether it was during our training or the crossover period between Groups 1 and 2. Our Rookie classes were also held at that time, and it was great to be able to meet with the familiar faces that hadn’t been seen since March. Although the recent restrictions and weather conditions may have put a halt to classes so far, I think I speak for everyone when I say I am looking forward to getting back on the pool bank once again.

Rookie Scavenger Hunt

Presented by Luca Spurling & The Rookie Coaches

I would like to invite all Rookie lifesavers to a Zoom Scavenger Hunt next weekend with myself and a few other coaches!

We are planning on having this on Sunday evening February 7th around 7pm and the call should be no more than 45 minutes.

In order to participate a parent or guardian must email info@poseidon.ie requesting the call details by Saturday February 6th. The list of objects and items that you will have to find around your house will be emaild to you parent or guardian with the call details.

I think it’ll be really fun for everyone and I hope to see all of you on the call.

‘Operation Keep Fit’ Plan

During the month of February our coaches and club captain are taking part in Poseidons ‘Operation Keep Fit for February’ initiative. Using the same idea as Operation Transformation each leader will set a ‘target travel distance’ that they would like to achieve for the month and share how they hope to achieve this. Each leader will have their own web page where we can follow their progress and copy their routes. The challenge can be done by walking, running and cycling, but must adhere to the COVID-19 5k distance rule.

The club would like that anyone who completes a leaders route or who sets their own challenge email us their pictures, video diary and progress at info@poseidon.ie and with their permission we will share it on the website.

A message from John

Please Renew Your Poseidon Membership

It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to inform Poseidon Lifesaving Club in writing of any changes in their child’s health circumstances and or contact details while being a member of the club.

Existing members are asked to complete the Membership Renewal form 2020-2021.

By completing this form you are agreeing to abide by and uphold Poseidon Lifesavings Club’s policies and procedures.

The club is affiliated with the RLSS UK and aligns its policies and procedures with both the RLSS UK and that of Swim Ireland.

We are a competitive club but not all members decide to compete. Having a society membership to the RLSS UK is essential to compete. How to gain membership can be found here.

Please email your completed form with your child’s name and the swim group in the subject line to info@poseidon.ie

All parents/guardians are required to complete and email a membership renewal form for their child.

Please email your completed form to info@poseidon.ie with your child’s name and swim class in the subject line.