"Screw Kick!"

[Vonny]

The way that Miss G taught us was to have us lie on our backs at the side of the pool with heads over the water, then walk along and tip us in by our ankles.

I can't say I remember her doing that to me but that was definitely her style. I used to be so scared before her lessons I can still see her now with that exasperated look on her face and that sigh of despair

[kayinbaja]

Wasn't the diving "badge" an orange strip that went around the shoulder strap of one's regulation black swimsuit? Awarded for being able to vertical dive like a performing seal, over a bamboo pole held about 12 inches above the edge of the pool. Both hands and feet had to be held perfectly together, upper arms fixed to the side of ones head so as not to knock oneself senseless on the bottom of the pool. Anyone remember Miss Ling? A games mistress so small that I could never quite believe that she was actually an adult.

[englishangel]

The orange stripe was for diving and was sewn around the left strap of the cossie.

"Diving" consisted of a vertical dive into the "deep" end which was all of 5'10" deep. AFAIK no-one ever injured themselves but can you imagine it now?

After you obtained the orange strip you coud dive how you liked so a flat dive was preferred.

[Katharine]

Don't remember the diving stripe at all, perhaps it came in while you were there Mary.

Perhaps I don't remember because I had a screw kick and therefore 'could not swim' - resentful moi? Never!!!

[Angela Woodford]

The orange stripe was for diving and was sewn around the left strap of the cossie.

"Diving" consisted of a vertical dive into the "deep" end which was all of 5'10" deep. AFAIK no-one ever injured themselves but can you imagine it now?

Well remembered Mary! I can recall so well that vertical dive and clamped my arms to the sides of my head as they hit the bottom of the pool. But brain damage was far from my thoughts when it came to diving.

Far, far worse was a problem of epilation. This was a terrible worry to me. I'm very dark-haired, and even after the use of a "ladies razor" which came in a shameful little pink plastic box, or after the application of disgustingly smelling "Veet Odourless" cream I still had horrible dark shadows - I'm embarassed still thinking of it!!

When we did the vertical diving, I knew - absolutely! - that everyone would be looking at my underarms! I couldn't confide this hideous worry to anyone.

Kay, I do remember Miss Ling now you've mentioned her. She had particularly nice handwriting. Were there three games mistresses? Nellie, Miss Gravett and Miss Ling? I can't believe that Miss Gravett (Veronica Desiree) ever became a fierce person! I always felt very sorry for her, however, not now I know she would tip you into the pool by your ankles... how daft! Enough to give anyone a fear of the water.

Katharine, just consider a swimming class, become a terrific breast stroker and the screw kick trauma will be no more! The leg movement is quite different and you will whizz through the water!

Munch

[Katharine]

Katharine, just consider a swimming class, become a terrific breast stroker and the screw kick trauma will be no more! The leg movement is quite different and you will whizz through the water!

Munch, it does not really cloud my life!!! It is just this thread bringing back certain menories! At one stage in our life, in Brunei, we had our own swimming pool. I was there most days, at least once. Can't remembner worrying about a screw kick then!

[Angela Woodford]

Oh Katharine - your own swimming pool! So sorry; forget I made such a stupid suggestion. How lovely for you!

XXX

[icomefromalanddownunder]

Don't remember the diving stripe at all, perhaps it came in while you were there Mary.

Perhaps I don't remember because I had a screw kick and therefore 'could not swim' - resentful moi? Never!!!

I'm not quite sure what one would call my leg movements, but when wearing flippers, one leg definitely works harder than the other, so while snorkelling it's paddle, paddle, paddle until the water becomes too deep to see anything without a corrective face mask, then head out of water, realign myself, and paddle, paddle, paddle until my nose makes contact with the sand ..............

[englishangel]

You and 90% of the population Caroline

[englishangel]

Wasn't the diving "badge" an orange strip that went around the shoulder strap of one's regulation black swimsuit? Awarded for being able to vertical dive like a performing seal, over a bamboo pole held about 12 inches above the edge of the pool. Both hands and feet had to be held perfectly together, upper arms fixed to the side of ones head so as not to knock oneself senseless on the bottom of the pool. Anyone remember Miss Ling? A games mistress so small that I could never quite believe that she was actually an adult.

Sorry Kay I had completely missed that you had said all this already. I remember the name Miss Ling, if YOU thought she was small she probably didn't even register with me. Nellie and Miss G were not particularly tall either. IIRC

[kayinbaja]

Don't think Miss Ling stayed in the school very long. Poor thing was probably so small she was tidied away in some end of term licking and sticking frenzy. Funny, I've gone through life thinking of myself as being a perfectly normal size, but recently my 6-foot 16 year olds cracks about mini-mum are beginning to make me wonder......Back to swimming, I recently took lifeguard training on a Pacific surf-break beach (don't ask!) and my perfect CH backstroke, along with my ability to dive for a brick wrapped in t-shirt fabric came in VERY useful indeed. Also, the ability to surface dive from a standing start very useful when someone drops their sunglasses in a wealthy friend's pool. OK, I confess, adult beverages had been taken.

[englishangel]

Ah yes, the brick. I have since discovered that everyone else had a heavy rubber brick, the one at Hertford was a real brick and I think it was probably sewn into a pair of old blues which looked black when wet.

Don't worry Kay, I am 5'7" and I am 'mini-mum ' too. What do we feed them?

At a family funeral on Tuesday my three and their 2 cousins had an average height of 6' and an average BMI of about 18. Their parents average height is 5'8" with an average BMI of 28.

[Angela Woodford]

Ah yes, the brick. I have since discovered that everyone else had a heavy rubber brick, the one at Hertford was a real brick and I think it was probably sewn into a pair of old blues which looked black when wet

I'm trying to remember this. Brick heaved into pool towards the "deep" end. Breast stroke to above brick, then dive to grab it, push back to surface, hold brick on chest, breast stroke legs back to to side of pool. Plonk brick onto poolside.

Is that right?

I can't see much without my contact lenses, but can't wear them to swim. I'd gone swimming with my husband, been working at front crawl, and asked him to watch my legs for me.

"I'd be delighted" said the voice of a total stranger. Oh no!

Munch

[englishangel]

Correct about the 'brick' Angela.

On my honeymoon I was in a similar situation (almost blind) and asked a woman on the side of the pool if she could see my new husband, she told me that there was a man on the other side with just his eyes showing, could that be him? It was.

[Angela Woodford]

I was forgetting Miss Westhorp, whose particular thing was modern dance - can't remember the style she taught us!

I think she left just before the advent of Nellie?

Munch