Carly Robson and Harley Constable, with coach Kim MacCarthy are two of Ranges Swimming Club’s top talents.By Kath Gannaway
RANGES Swimming Club has dipped into a huge pool of untapped potential according to head coach Kim MacCarthy.
At an early morning coaching session at the Yarra Junction Aquatics Centre last week MacCarthy said the building of the heated pool had provided opportunities for a number of talented young swimmers who are already achieving great results.
“We’ve had four kids in the state championships and making state times and at least half a dozen who reached qualifying times,” he said.
“There are two or three swimmers here who are aiming at national times within the next year.”
Carly Robson 13, and Harley Constable, 11, are two he says are already making waves in competition.
Carly, a student at Upper Yarra Secondary College, admits to hating having lessons when she first started but says she now trains seven days a week and loves it.
The rewards so far have included first-place honours in freestyle and backstroke at the Under 13 Ringwood Annual Meet and a second in backstroke and third in freestyle at the interschool competitions.
MacCarthy says the fact she has reached state qualifying times right up to the 17 and 18 age groups after just a year in the pool is a sign of things to come.
Harley was a year ahead of the game when he made the state qualifying times.
“Qualifying times start at 11 and Harley reached that in backstroke when he was only 10,” explained MacCarthy.
Coming in first in the backstroke at the All Juniors competition held in Melbourne during the Commonwealth Games was a tremendous thrill for the young swimmer who describes himself as “pretty keen” and backs it up with four or five sessions in the pool each week.
MacCarthy is clearly excited at the talent the club is attracting in such early days and keen to ensure none of that talent slips through the net.
For information on Ranges Swimming Club phone Kim MacCarthy on 9756 6651 or 0412 311 584.
