How parents help to drive the sport

BASA is vital to nurturing the talent of young swimmers, but the sport’s survival rests in the hands of parents and volunteers, according to one club president.

Nicky DeSilva is the president of Sharks Swim Club and is also secretary of the BASA board of directors.

“The Sharks is a competitive club and we strive to take kids from pups to as high as they want to go,” said Mrs DeSilva.

“BASA is very supportive of local swimming. It organizes meets and supplies funding for children to go on overseas trips. It does a good job.

“The Sharks train at Warwick Academy but we attend all the local meets and will be attending the Swimathon.

“The new pool is a beautiful facility. It looks fantastic.”

Fundraising

Mrs DeSilva said: “BASA does a great job but it’s really up to the parents to move swimming forward as a sport.

“The renovations are great and we needed them badly but swimming is a volunteer sport, so if you sit on the sidelines it won’t go anywhere.

“Tab Froud, a former president of BASA, has two daughters who swim with us.

“He helped to manage BASA’s pool renovations. He organized the resurfacing of the starting blocks, the painting of the changing rooms and helped with the relighting.”

Mr Froud, a volunteer project manager, assisted project manager Phil Mason.

Mrs DeSilva said: “It’s only the volunteers who can move BASA and swimming forward, because without them, there are no meets or fundraising, so you have to give them kudos.”