However, according to president Neil Faudemer, the real reason the JSC has risen, phoenix-like, from the ashes, is largely because of the club’s strong Learn to Swim programme.Now with a teaching staff of nearly 20, that programme has, eventually, produced a squad of 30 swimmers who, in finishing third behind Beau Séjour Barracudas and Maidenhead Marlins in the Division II regional finals in Waterlooville, Hampshire, recently, won promotion to Division I.This was only their second season back in the Speedo League, and the irony is that while in 2002 they lost promotion by half a point, this year they won it by the same margin.’It has taken a lot of patience,’ explained Faudemer, ‘as without senior swimmers we always knew that it would be at least five years before we could compete again.’Rebuilding a squad good enough to compete in the Speedo league hasn’t been the only problem.Like AIB Tigers, they have to find a great deal of money to compete – last week’s trip to Waterlooville, for example, cost £6,000 – and closing Fort Regent has meant a whole new game plan has had to be implemented.’On Monday nights we swim at Les Quennevais, De La Salle, Langford and the Waterfront Pool,’ said Faudemer.
‘With enthusiasm, commitment and good attendance from our younger swimmers, JSC’s programme is now much more intense on the competitive side and is focused at Langford pool.
‘There is a genuine belief that the very good 12- and 13-year-old swimmers we have now will, next year, go on to provide a very good foundation for the Speedo squad.’In other words, he believes the club will survive and eventually bloom in Division I; he is also grateful that his swimmers don’t always have to travel away to compete.Faudemer explains how the competition is organised.’Speedo has changed somewhat in recent years and is swum on a three-round basis.
‘Each round used to mean that you had to travel with a large squad and coaching team in each round to the UK.
Even seven or eight years ago this became horrendously expensive.’Now, however, the first two rounds are swum as postal events.
For example, regardless of your division, JSC and Tigers will swim together on a designated day at a designated time ,regionally, with all their competitors in the UK.
‘Results are then published nationally for each regional Divison.
How well you do in round one and round two will determine whether you make an A or a B final.
‘In Division II this year there were 14 teams from two southern regions, and we made the A final where there were six teams.’Although we were placed third on this occasion, it can be either two or three teams promoted or relegated each year, depending on the points score.’So this year was a good one for the club, spearheaded by Davies who teaches six days a week, including early morning sessions, evening sessions and 7-9 am on Sunday.Not surprisingly, Faudemer has tremendous respect for Davies who is, after all, a coaching volunteer.As for the best swimmers at the club – there aren’t any.
Or, to reverse the concept, they’re all ‘best swimmers’.As Faudemer said: I am a bit reluctant to highlight any one individual; it is very much a team effort from 11-year-olds upwards, to our oldest swimmer, Antoin Le Fèvre, who is 19 and the boys’ team captain.’He is quite happy to name the squad, though, and to look hopefully ahead, to doing well in Division I although, as he said: ‘How we will fare is something difficult to forecast.’In the meantime the club moves on to a full swimming programme over the Christmas period, the swimmers conscious that the Channel Islands championships for both juniors and seniors take place at the end of January and February.For some of them there is also something very different to look forward to.
Next Easter, 2004, the club is taking a squad of 20 swimmers to Torremolinos in southern Spain, for a one-week training camp with a 50m pool.Squad: Antoin Le Fèvre, Peter Baudains, Sean Cornic, Joe Davies, Neil Harrison, Robin Johnson, Jamie Cullen, Matthew Fox, Henry Perkins, Edward Voisin, Alex Harrison, Elliot Sweet, William Glenn, Harry Le Breton, Phillip Le Brun, Kitt Sappé, Hayley Foot, Abigail Faudemer, Joanna Huelin, Louise Barrett, Grace Davies, Rebecca Le Maistre, Caroline Dyer, Nathalie Le Cuirot, Jacy Brown, Hannah Voisin, Francesca Davies, Alice Huelin, Katie Speller, Chloe Denoual.
