Holly Filson gives us an insight into a competitive club swimmer’s life in one of Sussex’s leading competitive swimming clubs, Atlantis.

Atlantis Swimming Club, established in 1979, is a swimming club for able swimmers age 7 and above. The club locates its swimming at Horsham, Billingshurst and Steyning.

Holly Filson, Age 14, swims for Atlantis. She talks to us about what it is like to be part of the club. “I swim 5 hours per week, each of the 5 sessions being 1 hour long. People don’t realise the amount of stress swimming can put on your muscles especially the knees and shoulders. This time last year I tore my triceps from over-using it in the pool.”

“Every squad has a head coach as well as other coaches to help me and others improve our techniques. All of them are supportive of my swimming as well as pushing me to my limits. I have made so many friends from swimming and we have become very close in and out of the pool. We can test our speed at swimming galas, where even though they are they are hot and crowded, we have so much fun. In a gala I roughly swim 3 -6 races of all different varieties and medals are awarded. Overall I don’t know where I would be without swimming as not only has it made me a better person, it has given me a better mind-set towards challenges as well as more confidence but also improved my health and speed.”

From what it seems, members of this club are fully committed in achieving their own goals as well as taking on board their coaches’ improvement tips. It also has a likeable contrast in that members form great friendships and spending hours at the pool is extremely sociable and not to mention healthy.

Emma Lomas, Millais School