The Levin Masters Swimming Club is holding an open night at the Levin Aquatic Centre on November 15. Photo / Grace Odlum
The Levin Masters Swimming Club is holding an open night at the Levin Aquatic Centre on November 15. Photo / Grace Odlum
A swimming club in Levin is holding an open club night for potential new members to find out more about the club.
The Levin Masters Swimming Club is a well-established group of adults (18 years to over 80 years) who meet fortnightly at the Levin Aquatic Centre where members areencouraged to develop their fitness, have fun and make friends as well as enjoying swimming.
The open evening will involve showcasing a skills and drills session used to improve a swimming technique, fitness, and sometimes speed, and a taster for people to experience the programme.
The evening will also include fun relays before supper and the opportunity to meet current members.
While the name of the club “masters” can imply a particular level of skill or certain age, the club is actually open to all over 18, and of all abilities. Members of the club range in ability from “improvers” to “competitive”. The name comes from the popular Masters Games events, which are held regularly across a wide variety of sports and activities. While the official age for a master in swimming internationally is 25, Swimming NZ takes the stance that anyone aged 18 or over, who has left the highly competitive teenage level of swimming, who wants to continue swimming, can be a master.
The Levin Masters Swimming Club has had a busy year with open water swims, fun pool events in Feilding and Taupō, Official North Island Championships, Interclub Postal Challenges over varying distances, fun interclub swims with local clubs, along with the regular fortnightly Friday club nights. A club fun swim meet held in May for the 38th year brought swimming friends from all over the North Island and beyond to the pool.
The club’s open evening is timed to coincide with New Zealand’s Water Safety Month, which runs throughout November. While the club doesn’t offer learn to swim classes, it does help people maintain their comfort and confidence around being in water, which is a valuable skill.
