Manta Widening Gap with
Two New Initiatives
By Johnston Hall
Photos courtesy of Manta Swim Club
Although already the top program in
Manitoba, the Manta Swim Club has
taken two exciting steps forward to
widen the gap.
why kids join
Manta, they
all gain this
incredibly
important
life skill.
“At Manta, no swimmer,
With Manta,
regardless of ability, is ever left athletes learn
the value of
behind. The club’s goal is to help hard work and
toughness.”
each child realize and achieve
They
Using technology to make coa
also get the
ching easier
his/her potential”
best possible
coaching.
At Manta, no swimmer, regardless
This season
Each team of six will travel to a
of ability, is ever left behind. The club’s
Head Coach Tom Hainey introduced
competition not normally attended
goal is to help each child realize and
two initiatives intended improve the
by Manta with the hopes that the new
achieve his/her potential.
skill level of the entire club and also
competition will improve the racing
Many children join the Manta Swim
improve racing toughness.
skills of those selected.
Club to become better swimmers and
The first program is the use of a
Manta has earned the title of
through Hainey’s competitive program
state-of-the-art video analysis system
Manitoba’s Premier Competitive
they gain valuable confidence and
that will provide critical feedback to
Swimming Program. In fact, Manta
strength in the water.
each swimmer.
has been the top performing club for
With six cameras
decades with more Provincial team
(all underwater
titles, Western Canada team titles,
capable) the
Provincial records, Canadian records,
system provides
World records and Olympians/
footage of every
Paralympians than all the other
aspect of the
Manitoba clubs combined.
swimmer’s stroke.
“This accomplishment comes down
“The goal,”
to one simple philosophy, kids swim
according to
fast when they are having fun,” says
coach Hainey,
Hainey.
“is to have the
That’s true, but they also swim fast
highest skilled
when they use proper technology and
swimmers in
get the opportunity to swim against the
Canada starting
best competition possible.
Watching every aspect of their strokes
with the youngest
members of our
(Note: The Manta Swim Club was
team.”
formed as the result of two former
“All of our athletes improve their
The second initiative is the
clubs – the Dolphins and the Cardinals
overall level of fitness, which crosses
formation of three All-Star
– amalgamating more than 30 years
over and enables them to excel in
teams, selected from Manta’s
ago. Since the amalgamation, Manta
any other sport,” says Hainey. “Many
international competition in
has remained the top performing swim
Manta swimmers find swimming and
December. Making Waves, More Than
program in Manitoba and one of the
participating in competitions fun,
a Ripple, and Olympic Hopefuls are the
best age group programs is all
exciting and rewarding. Regardless of
names of Hainey’s three All-Star teams. of Canada.) l
22 / sportslife