October 2011
Well, we moving towards the end of the year but most definitely not the end of the season, to date we have had some really exciting things going on within Harlequins, we had our two superstars Marne Erasmus and Luke Pendock returning home from the Youth Commonwealth Games with medals to boast.
In September we travelled to Port Elizabeth for the Aquabear Gala, we had a lot of swimmers doing exceptionally well and returning home with some much needed motivation. William Brann and Luke Coetzer did exceptionally well winning medals at SA games in Polokwane and just recently we had former world record holder for 50 and 100 freestyle Jonty Skinner come to chat to the team.
It’s very hard for me to mention everybody and their personal achievements when being involved with such an amazing, talented, unique and successful bunch of kids. For the purpose of this article I would like to single out one swimmer who has really become a catalyst for this Harlequins Team. Little James Crowder has really stepped up this season and lead from the front with his attitude and presence at training, and gala’s.
I overheard James talking to some of his team mates at Aquabear after one of his races and he said I quote “now that’s how we do it at harlequins” and that got me thinking what if everybody from our Team Harlequins had that very same attitude what could we really be able to achieve and what would our limits be.
A little background on James, James started training with me and Harlequins when he was 10, I remember the first day he came in for his assessment and I thought to myself, “this kids feet are as big as his is tall”. Anyway James took to the water instantly and before I knew it he was training everyday 6 sessions per week and hungry as hell to succeed.
We went to our first Level 2 gala together in Newcastle where I might add the water was freezing, anyway James made his first final then his second, but I noticed he was intimidated by his peers, I chatted to him and said he needed to make his presence known when he was behind the blocks, so the next final he did, he may have taken it completely over the top by doing some kind of boxing manoeuvre when they called his name out.
Anyway it backfired on him and he came 7th in the final, we spoke about toning it down a bit, but still being confident in who is and what he stands for, the next final he swam he managed to pull off a 4th and I then knew he was totally hooked on swimming. It took James another 2 years till he finally won his first Level 3 medal at 14 in the 200 Fly and 200 IM, James now is currently ranked 2nd in his age group for the 400IM and 200BF by one split and 4th for the200/400fr and 200IM, this has been years of developing a never give up attitude to being the best that he can be and having an undying believe and faith in what he is doing.
Here is an essay James wrote and asked me to read and tell him what I thought before handing it in at school, all I can say is it inspired me, I asked him if I could share it with all of you in the hope of inspiring someone else too.
Impossible is Nothing!
“Opportunity follows struggle. It follows effort. It follows hard work. It doesn’t come before.” – Shelby Steele.
Everybody has goals in life. Some have bigger goals and others, smaller. The outcome always depends on the journey you take in order to succeed. In order to achieve in life, you have to believe – believing is achieving!
For the past few years I have been telling myself, as I swim up and down the pool, that I am going to make Olympics one day. This, being a huge dream, made me scared. So much hard work for one dream, was it worth it? A day wouldn’t go by where I would find myself worrying about the benchmark that I have laid out for myself.
What was I afraid of? I have the talent and I have the will power to lift mountains. What was holding me back, what was tied around my neck like a dog on a chain? I thought for months on end and then suddenly, it hit me!
In order for me to achieve my goal, I have to do the things I have never done before. I had to change my whole mind-set on not only swimming, but life itself. Everything had to change, my training, my diet, everything!
I realised that we only have one short life to live and we have to make the most of it. There isn’t time to sit around and stress about the goals I have made. I have to go out there and grab it with both hands. I have to do what no one else would be willing to do. I have to do the impossible!
Ever since I have made that mind alteration, my whole life has altered with it. No more sitting down and watching life pass me by. If I want something I have never had, I have to do everything in my power to go out there and get it! Whether I get it or not, as long as I tried my best, I have come out on top, because as long as I don’t quit, I will never fail in life.
Therefore, if you want to win in something, you have to believe you can do it. Allow no one, not your friends and not your family and not yourself, get in between you and your dreams. Think it, dream it and believe it and you will achieve it. Set your boundaries far into the impossible, because in the end, impossible is nothing, but a word.
James Crowder
I leave you with a thought, “to find the edge of your limits …you first have to fall off the side…”
As James put it keep dreaming, believing and you can achieve anything.
Swim Fast
Matt Palmer
Head Coach
TEAM HARLEQUINS
© 2010 Harlequins Aquatic Club
