IGG SWIM TEAM HAVE IMPROVED

Mar 23, 2010 Sports

– says Coach, Stephanie Fraser

YOU CAN DO IT!!! Officials from the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association and Coach, Stephanie Fraser (second, left) talks with the national junior swim team yesterday at the Colgrain Pool.

By Edison Jefford

“They have improved over the weeks and will give a good account for themselves. Based on the previous swim meets that we have had you could see their times improving,” Inter-Guiana Games’ Swim Coach, Stephanie Fraser said.
Fraser was speaking to Kaieteur Sport yesterday at the National Sports Commission before a meeting with the swimmers at the Colgrain Pool. She believes that the team will surprise critics at the upcoming tri-nation Guiana Games.
Guyana had finished behind both Suriname and French Guiana at the last Games and will be definitely looking to improve on that performance this year.
Fraser believes the team, which she described as young, can change that fact.
“The youngsters that are on the team will give a good account of themselves. For example, we have Onika George, who we call the baby on the team because she is just 12 years old. We have to go there and try,” Fraser indicated.
Fraser said that this year there is no Ronaldo Rodrigues or Jessica Stephens, who have both made the CARIFTA standards and will compete at that meet instead. She however believes that Brittany Van Lange and Noelle Smith have to lead.
Both swimmers she described as “experienced”. Fraser said that the team has been training every morning and some afternoons at the Castellani Pool since mid-January in an effort to pull off what would be an upset victory.
“Swimming in the 50m pool will be one of the challenges for the young team. We have no confirmation yet though on whether it’s indeed a 50m pool, we are just preparing our minds for that,” the national swim coach informed.
She believes that the transition to the 50m pool is all mental. “If they (swimmers) train themselves mentally, they will overcome that fear of the 50m pool. We are just assuming it’s a 50m pool,” Fraser added before the meeting.
As a form of motivation, officials from the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association met with the swimmers yesterday.
The ‘pep talk’ was a form of eliminating any butterflies the team may still have about the prestigious competition.