National coaches eager for return to the pool

With the reopening of the National Aquatic Centre (NAC) imminent, national swim coaches Rory Alvaranga, Wendy Lee and Gillian Millwood say that they are excited and eager for a return to the facility after a four-month wait.

The facility had undergone renovations in order to comply with COVID-19 health protocols that were agreed upon by the Aquatics Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) and the Ministry of Health & Wellness. The pandemic resulted in the closure of the pool as well as the rescheduling of various events on the swimming calendar.

Alvaranga, who is also head coach of Kaizen Swim Club, said that coaches were told that national representatives can return to the pool tomorrow.

“We were [originally] based for Thursday and now we are being given a date for Monday weather permitting. We are just anxiously awaiting our return to the pool to get back to swimming ways,” Alvaranga told The Sunday Gleaner.

While he recently had concerns on the young swimmers’ motivation during the layoff, Alvarange said that he noticed that there is more zeal in the athletes with the days drawing near for the resumption of full training at the facility.

“I have seen them apply themselves more in the ocean in hopes of going in back [with] a high level of fitness into the pool. I am really excited [and] can’t wait to get back to coaching ways and helping these youngsters get back to their personal best,” he said.

READY FOR A RETURN

Lee is also ready for a return to full training after the long layoff although she said she will observe closely how the swimmers will react initially with the knowledge that they have a lot of ground to make up.

While being unsure of how many hours they will be allowed per week at the pool, she acknowledged the cautious approach that the ASAJ has taken, saying that the federation want to ensure that nothing is left to chance for a safe return to training activities.

“They (ASAJ) rather err on the side of caution and not open until [they] are 100 per cent confident that [they] are not putting the athletes and the participants at risk,” Lee said. “I have to appreciate their approach because their pool manager is not accepting anything less than perfection before he opens the pool.”

Meanwhile, Millwood expressed satisfaction with the measures being taken to safeguard the athletes and praised their maturity in enquiring what to expect.

“They have been keeping abreast even beyond what the adults are telling them of how athletes are operating in other countries, getting the vibe of how it’s going to feel getting back. They are mentally prepared and ready to be in,” Millwood said.