Southern Dreams making swim dreams a reality
Wednesday 31 October 2007, 12:35PM
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Swim Southland has now set up an emerging High Performance structure.
Swimmers can benefit from well trained staff with the support of the community right behind athletes who choose to train in Invercargill.
In the past five years Swim Southland has established itself as one of the leading Age group and high performance centers in the country and coach Jeremy Duncan has gained further commitments from the community to build on the teams results into the future.
This means an athlete can choose to study down in Southland while training in an elite environment with a support team of physios, strength conditioners and nutritionist.
Part of the support network built to help Southern Dreams High performance grow is the initiative to remove the inhibiting costs to High performance swimmers to train and grow as athletes.
“With the support of the community we have the ability to train and develop athletes to the highest level,” Duncan says.
The building of New Zealand's first indoor velodrome has meant a human performance center is now set up to support these athletes.
Duncan's squad has over produced every year he has coached in Southland and produced some outstanding results within New Zealand and across the world, most noticeable Natalie Weigersma's win in the 100 Backstroke at the World Junior champs in Brazil last year.
“The Southern Dreams Environment allows me to for fill my personal Dreams. By having a great, understanding and determined coach, I feel that anything is possible in this awesome, winning environment, “ Weigersma says.
Duncan has credited Southland's ongoing success to the support staff behind the swimmers and the resources the community has to offer to those wishing to study and while training.
Several of the athletes in the Southern Dreams squad have taken advantage of zero fees at SIT and others are studying at the University of Otago's Southland campus Teachers College.
“Athletes can gain a top class education while aspiring to perform at the highest level of their sports with all the support, and often more, which would be available to them in major centers throughout New Zealand,” Duncan says.
Part of the Southern Dreams initiative has been to make the training option available to other swimmers who aspire to reach the top of their sport.
If you are interested in Swimming down in Southland for free to pursue your dream please contact Jeremy Duncan h2odreams@xtra.co.nz
Staff profiles
Name Jeremy Duncan
Position Head Coach
Credentials
Swum competitively under former National Coach Brett Naylor representing New Zealand from 1990-1997
Have been coaching for approx 10years in that time have achieved the following
New Zealand Team Staff positions Australian Age Groups Trans Tasman Series World Junior Champs USA Tour
Placed swimmers on all of the above teams
Coached swimmers to
New Zealand age group titles & Australian Age Group titles
New Zealand Open champions in pool and open water
World Youth Champion 2006
Trans Tasman wins
New Zealand Open records
Age Group records
Placed athletes in Finals at Para Olympics Sydney 2000
Role
Over the day to day running of the high performance operation and take swimmers 700 points and above
Contact 03 217 6299 h2odreams@xtra.co.nz
Oscar Van Steklenborg,
Head Age Group Coach
Coaching for 20 years have achieved the following
NZ Age Group Champions
NZ Age Group Record holders
Australian Age Title Holders
Placed swimmers on 1990 Commonwealth Games team
In charge of all swimmers 699 points and under
Aidan Withington
Position: Development Coach
Credentials:
I have been swimming in southland from since I started as a pre-schooler. I then moved up thought the club system until I got talent spotted at the age of 11. I started as completive swimmers. At the age of 14 I started to help teach learn to swimmers. I stopped swimming at the end of 2003 after New Zealand winters and Southland Islands.
Near the end of 2004 I started coaching for Jeremy Duncan.
I have done up to skills B at school of coaching which I finished in 2005 and since I have been looking at going back to do my level 2 (Development Coach). I have been to NZ Scat conference for the pass two years. I have also been on many extra Coaching camps/ Clinics.
Role:
My Role is to run the development Program with Southern Dreams and increase our numbers of swimmers going to national meets like New Zealand Juniors and Division 2.
Also offering extra for swimmers like Camps, Clinic to increase there skill level and there enjoyment of the sport.
Contact: Email – Development@swimsouthland.org.nz
Will Payne
Position: Nutrition and Physical Conditioner
Background Information:
Lecturer at Southern Institute of Technology in the Sport and Recreation department. Also the New Zealand Academy of Sport Physical Conditioner.
Credentials:
Post Graduate Diploma Sports Medicine, Bachelor of Science (Human Nutrition), Bachelor of Physical Education & Accredited Physical Conditioner SESNZ. Currently studying: Master of Science (Human Nutrition)
Role:
To improve all aspects of physical conditioning (dryland) as well as providing sport nutritional advice. Also to provide sport
Contact Detail:
william.payne@sit.ac.nz
Matt Randall ‘Olympian 04’
Personal Profile
DOB 24/04/1978
Sport and Physical Education Manager, Sport Southland
Southland area manager for green prescription
Education Central Southland College A Bursary
Otago University Bachelor of Physical Education
Open Polytechnic National Diploma in Real Estate
Real Estate Career Managing Director and Owner of Invercargill First National Real Estate
Five years as salesperson at Todd Real Estate, Invercargill
Sporting Career Southland Sportsperson of the Year 2001, 2002
New Zealand Cycling representative
Athens Olympics 2004 – 10th
Manchester Commonwealth Games 2002 – Bronze medal
World Cup in Cycling 2002 – Gold medal
World Cup in Cycling 2001 – Gold medal
Tour of Southland 2003 – 7th overall classification
Basketball
Southland age group teams
Sporting Aspirations Complete Ironman NZ
Business Aspirations Operate highly successful real estate company
Role I act as a mentor to the high performance athletes offering solutions and advice for competitions and mental strength tips for training to the best of your ability .
Athlete Profiles
Lisa Pankhurst
Age:
17
Occupation:
Student
Achievements to Date:
New Zealand Bronze Age Group Swim Squad (700-749 FINA points)
Two Top 10 Open Finishes 2007
Top 10 finish at 2007 Victoria Short Course Open Championships
An encouraging and mentally challenging atmosphere, top of the line coaching and exercise facilities and a great support background from the people and networks down here. Also academically there is a wide selection of further studying opportunities for school leavers, one of which I am taking advantage of at the University of Otago, College of Education at the Southland Campus.
Joyce Wiegersma
Age: 19 (05/02/1988)
Occupation: Student at Dunedin College of Education – Southland Campus
Achievements to Date:
ACHIEVEMENTS 2003-2004
June 2003-2004 member of the NZ Trans Tasman Team
Total of 27 Southland Records broken
ACHIEVEMENTS 2004-2005
NZ Summer Championship Auckland (5th-800 free)
NZ Age group Championship Wellington (8 medal)
NZ Swim Team Youth Olympic Festival- Jan 2005
Total of 15 Southland Records broken.
ACHIEVEMENTS 2005-2006
NZ Spring Championship Wellington
NZ Summers Championship Auckland
NZ Youth/Opens Christchurch (5 medals including 1 Open)
South Island Swimming Championship Dunedin (9 medals)
Total of 6 Southland Records broken
ACHIEVEMENTS 2006-2007
NZ Team Oceania –Cains Australia
NZ Spring Championship Dunedin (2nd 800fr, 3rd 400fr)
NZ World Championship Trials Auckland (2nd800fr, 3rd400fr)
NZ Youth/Opens Championship Christchurch (3rd800fr, 4th400fr)
NZ Open Water Championship Rotorua (1st Open Women)
Total of 3 Southland Records broken.
ACHIEVEMENTS 2007-2008
Member of the NZ Team at the USA Tour July 2007
NZ Spring Championship Wellington (1st 1500fr, 2nd 800fr, 4th 400fr)
The Southern Dreams Environment allows me to work hard to achieve my dreams and goals within my sporting career. With great team mates, an awesome facility and coach these goals turn into realities from the encouragement and support that is given to achieve anything in your wildest dreams.
Natalie Janet Wiegersma
Age: 17 (DOB 07/01/90)
Occupation: Student at James Hargest College, doing the diploma in applied digital media at S.I.T next year part time
Achievements to Date:
Natalie’s Swimmers profile 2005
Broke 72 Southland Records in 2005
Was named Southland Swimmer of the year in 2005 & 2006
Southland Junior Sports person 2005
Southland Secondary School Sports person 2005 & 2006
Named SPARC New Zealand Future Champion
Profile in V02 Max Magazine December 2006 Edition
Trans Tasman Tri-Series Australia June 2006 (SC)
First 200 IM - 2.17.04 meet record
First 100 Back - 1.01.30 NZ age group record
First 200 Back - 2.13.09
Second 100 Fly - 1.02.05
FINA World Youth Champs Aug 2006(LC)
First 100 back - 1.02:41
Finished 7th in 200 IM
NZ National Spring Competition September 2006 (SC)
First 200 IM - 2.16.00 NZ age group record
First 100 IM - 1.04.04 NZ age group record
Third 200 Breast - 2.32:58
NZ Open Summer Champs December 2006 (LC)
First 200 IM 2.19.91 Open
NZ National Youth/Opens April 2007 (LC)
First 100 & 200 Fly, 200 & 400 IM, 400 & 800 Free, Bronze 100 Free - age group.
First Open 200 Fly, Silver Open 200 IM, 400 IM & 100 Fly.
USA Tour – Represent NZ June 2007
NZ Age group Records in 100 Fly, 200 IM (3x), 400IM
NZ Open Record in 200 IM – 2.15.10
NZ National Spring Competition September 2007 (SC)
First 200 Fly - 2.13.45 NZ age group record
First 200 IM - 2.13.44 NZ age group record
First 400 IM - 4.42.42
Second 200 Breast - 2.28.68 NZ age group record
Second 200 Back - 2.13.34
The Southern Dreams Environment allows me to for fill my personal Dreams. By having a great, understanding and determined coach, I feel that anything is possible in this awesome, winning environment.