Dorado Swim Club training programme facilitated by FINA’s Powers

Feb 27, 2015 Sports

Swimmers of the Dorado Swim Club (DSC) are now benefitting from an eight-day training programme which

Rick Powers

is being run by United States based Level Five Coach and FINA lecturer Rick Powers.
The clinic started on Saturday last at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara. Twelve students ranging from ages 14-18, both male and females and coaches are undergoing various lessons in the sport including stroke technique, conditioning, sprint training, aerobic and test sets to evaluate the progress of the swimmers.
Speaking with Kaieteur Sport yesterday at the Centre, Coach Powers said he is impressed with the interest shown by the athletes. “The attendance is great, the performance has been good, the swimmers have the right attitude and have shown a lot of improvement,” he added.
He pointed out that the purpose of the camp which is free of cost is to improve the knowledge and skills of the coaches and swimmers and to give moral support and make them feel someone cares about them.
However, the coach who is on his fourth visit to Guyana, expressed disappointment with the treatment meted out to swimmers of the club by the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA).
“I want to make a contribution to the sport here, but I am pretty upset with the direction swimming is going in Guyana and the DSC is suffering because of path GASA is heading. So I came to work with the DSC so the swimmers can benefit,” he stated.
Powers explained that these swimmers are not being fully exposed. “They are

Coach Rick Powers (standing centre) makes a point to the swimmers during yesterday’s session in the presence of DSC coaches Shyka Gonsalves (left) and Stephanie Fraser.

not being given a reasonable opportunity to showcase their talent because of poor decision making by GASA. For example, swimmers are not getting an opportunity to compete in their favourite events because those events are not being included on the GASA programme (upcoming Mash Meet) which is standard events in competitions.
He said that there is talent, but one can only do so much because the next step is with GASA who have to ensure that they get the right competitions. “They must care about the success of the swimmers and I hope that these athletes will be given an equal opportunity to showcase their talent,” Powers lamented.
The coach indicated that the genetic makeup of athletes must be taken into consideration. “One has to take into account the genetic makeup of the swimmers, but this is being ignored by GASA.
The coach stated that in 2012 and 2013 he conducted FINA Level One and Two certified courses here, but to date those coaches have not received their certificates even though they paid for it through GASA.
Powers informed that GASA maintain their power by votes of the clubs so they are not accepting new clubs. “Sea Otters applied for membership in June 2014 and are still waiting on a response. Water Polo is another such club,” he said. The course concludes tomorrow.