Following on from her useful article about local swimming pools, Club President, Estelle Calfe introduces us to Broomfield Park Swimming Club.
For most parents, swimming is one of those all-important life skills. When I had both of my children, I was really keen they learnt to swim as soon as possible so from the age of six months both of them were in a local pool splashing about.
As they got older it became clear they needed something more from their swimming lessons. Chasing plastic ducks and swimming a width at a time was just not enough. My son had completed pretty much all the badges available at the swim school we were attending so I started looking around for something else.
As a working mum, it was vital our swimming lessons were close to home and fitted in with our busy schedule. After a Google search of swimming lessons in High Barnet, I came across Broomfield Park Swimming Club. The lessons were at QE Girls pool, just a short walk from our home, so it was ideal.
The idea of a swimming club can conjure up images of pushy parents, bossy coaches and endless training. I was pleasantly surprised to find this is not what Broomfield Park is about at all.
We duly signed up for lessons and as time went on became more involved in the club. Eight years on we are still here. Both of my children now swim four to five times a week, compete regularly, have made a fabulous new circle of friends and somehow I have found myself voted in as the club’s first lady President in its 112 year history!
It’s great being part of a club. We have regular social events, including pizza and Nandos after galas, social events and fun swims. Over the last eight years we have made some great friends, who all share a passion for swimming. The other Mums and I have also discovered a mutual love of coffee and jelly babies while we spend hours at a time at yet another gala.
Broomfield Park is a club that is very community focused. We use the pools in three local schools – QE Girls, QE Boys and Whitings Hill. We try to offer something for everyone in the local community from young children getting in the pool for the first time, through to children who want to compete, teenagers who want to swim for fitness and adult swimming too. We don’t mind if you don’t want to compete. We just want people to come along and swim for their own enjoyment.
After watching my children swim for so long, I now swim once a week. Luckily it’s at a time when my children can’t see me attempting to swim butterfly or tumble turn! It’s not pretty, but I’m willing to have a go!
We might not have a leisure centre in High Barnet, but have a look at the local schools with pools – you’ll be surprised at how many different groups use them and offer swimming for all the family at affordable prices.
WOW !!! great