RATS Swim Squad train in the Rotorua Aquatic Centre outdoor pool from 6am to 7am every Tuesday and Thursday morning. 

If you are still sitting  on the fence around whether or not to join RATS swim squad, have a read of what our coach Jamie has to say:

“I think sometimes people are a little bit scared to join a swim squad. This probably comes from thinking I am not good enough, or it will be too hard, or I don’t know the drills, or it’s just too early in the morning.  Yes, to start it can be a bit hard and some of the terms we use are somewhat foreign, but most people actually enjoy swimming with other people and the biggest improvement I see over time is the increase in confidence.  Some people I have helped over the years have struggled to swim 50m when they started but within weeks are swimming 800m without stopping. Others have had problems with people swimming close to them and have overcome those fears. It’s all about taking the first step. Come down to the pool and jump in.   We all try to help the newcomers as we have all been there before.   You don’t need to do a full session.  I will help you with your technique and try to make you more confident in the water.  Fins and wetsuits are fine.  The main thing is that you get in and swim!   If you are struggling with your stroke or body position or swim fitness there are some fantastic YouTube videos. Have a look for Effortless Swimming and also some of their Feedback Friday videos. You will find some that show the problem you have and an explanation on some drills to fix things. Brenton, who runs Effortless Swimming is based in Australia and runs clinics in NZ. Well worth doing if you want expert tuition.   Oh! and the best thing is that we have a swim brekkie every now and then.  Great to have a chance to talk about what everyone is up to.  Jamie”