By Tania Phillips
October is set to be a busy month for the Stanthorpe Swimming Club with the start of the new season and a visit from homegrown Olympian Ben Armbruster all scheduled for the opening weeks of the month.
Club president Craig Magnussen said they will dive into a the new season with a Come And Try night on 4 October with Armbruster visiting the club and the pool where he learned to swim and did years of his early training on13 October from midday.
“We are coming the community to come along and welcome home our very own Olympian,” he said.
“Ben will do some exhibition swims (ie hot laps) and if they’re up for it, kids (or parents) can brin their togs and goggles and race an Olympian.
“Then we’re putting on a free sausage sizzle and Ben will share some insights into his Olympic experience and his journey to get there.
“Entry to the pool is free for the event – normal entry fees will apply if people wish to hanging around and swim after the event finishes.”
While Armbruster’s swim journey has seen him swim at the Paris Olympics, the club will also be catering for those who are just looking to start at swimming club.
The season sign up and come and try night will be held at the Stanthorpe Pool from 5.30pm on 4 October and will include a free sausage sizzle.
“We are gearing up for the Come and Try night on 4 October and the season proper starts the following Friday 11 October,” Magnussen said.
“What we’re aiming to do with the Come and Try night is to attract new families to come along and find out what it’s all about. Some people think if I do swim club, I’ve got to do squad, I’ve got to go to all the carnivals. I mean you can – we certainly cater for that but if people want to just do club nights you can. We want as many new families to come and find out what it’s about.
“We are volunteer run and we obviously need volunteers to help run our club nights so we want take the newbies through what the jobs are and so they find out that it’s not daunting. Obviously the big thing now is that they can use their Fairplay Vouchers so we are encouraging people to get their hands on those and use them.
“That’s pretty much where we’re at at his time of the season.”
He said the club caters for little kids through to older teenagers with club nights on Friday nights.
