You are always young enough to enjoy the benefits of the water. Get fitter, happier and healthier with the Warringah Masters Swimming Club.
It has been over 30 years since some friends of a certain age decided to spend their days getting fit in a pool. What started in 1982 to keep some ageing Sydneysiders in good shape has now grown to be the largest masters swim club on Sydney’s North Shore.
Warringah Masters Swimming Club in Frenchs Forest opens its doors to everybody over 18 looking to dive into a community space to have fun, improve their well-being, or meet some friends. Training is usually at the Warringah Aquatic Centre on Sunday mornings.
Seventy-nine-year-old Graham Campbell, a Killarney Heights local, has been a member since 1995 and president of the club for the last 10 years. He feels that swimming has given him not only the opportunity to maintain good health, but also to cultivate lifetime friendships.
The club has about one 100 members, and its oldest member is 96 years old. “She lives in a retirement village. And she’s a world champion in the group, and swimming is her life,” Graham says.
Graham’s daily routine starts with a dip in the ocean or a visit to the local pool. “If I’m not able to swim, I’m not very happy,” Graham chuckles, as swimming is more than just exercise to him; it’s therapy.
“It’s therapeutic. When I swim, there’s not much I can do with my mind other than think about how to get from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible,” he explains.
The tranquillity of the water and the rhythmic strokes provide him with a sense of calm and clarity that sets the tone for the day ahead. “I always feel good after a swim. It’s like a wake-up call in the mornings,” he says.
Being in the Warringah Master’s Swimming Club has made him feel part of the community. “After competitions, people from the club get together. We have tea and biscuits in the morning after training, and we chit-chat about everything, not just swimming,” Graham shares. The social aspect of swimming adds an extra layer of joy to his daily routine.
“People who don’t have other commitments are very happy to do that and stand around and chit-chat about all manner of things, not just swimming.”
Despite his allegiance to the Northern Beaches, Graham occasionally ventures beyond his usual spots. “From time to time, especially when the weather’s good, I might go down to the Manly pool,” he reveals.
Grahams says the club allows seniors to get fit while making new connections and improving their skills to enjoy the water.
“You can join masters and join in the training to improve your stroke, improve your efficiency, and improve your fitness simultaneously. And there’s a lot of mental well-being that comes from swimming. Because once you’re in the water, you can’t think about anything other than staying afloat. So, it’s very good for clearing your mind, whether in the pool or the ocean.”
The Warringah Masters Swimming Club also includes race training for those with a more competitive spirit on Saturday afternoons at the Warringah Aquatic Centre.
A contingent of eight club swimmers competed earlier this year at the World Masters Swimming Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. The team came back with a ‘handful’ of bronze medals and an Australian record.
For more information or to join the club, warringahmasters.org.au or email contact@warringahmasters.org.au, and make swimming part of your life.
FIND A MASTERS SWIMMING CLUB
Manly Masters Swimming Club
manly-masters-swimming.org.au or info@manly-masters-swimming.org.au
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North Shore Masters Swimming
northshoremastersswimming.com.au/ or email northshoremasters@gmail.com
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North Sydney Master Swimming Club
northsydneymasters.org.au/ or contact@northsydneymasters.org.au
Facebook: North Sydney Masters Swimming Club.