I have been involved with Kettering Swimming Club since I was 7 years old and I can honestly say that I cant remember experiencing a gala quite like this one.  We went into this gala in fourth place not expecting to win the overall league but we did think with a strong team that we could win on the night, this being our aim. From the moment the swimmers came onto poolside you could feel the excitement. They looked fantastic with their new T-shirts on kindly sponsored by R F Blount Plumbing, and the parents really stood out in the crowd.  From beginning to end the swimmers were chanting, singing the atmosphere was electric. We were leading from start to finish with Coventry gaining in the end but we still won on the night by 15 points. We came away with 12 first places, a double individual victory by Sam Shiells 10yrs 25m Breaststroke and Freestyle, double victories also came from the 9yrs girls relay team and 10yrs girls relay team so really well done to those. Other victories came from Aiyana Lawson 9yrs 25m Freestle, Poppy Whitehorn 10yrs 25m Backstroke, Joshua Lloyd 10yrs 25m Freestyle, 10yrs Boys Medley Relay, 12yrs girls Medley Relay, Maisie Green 12yrs 50m Breaststroke and Kate Buckley 12 yrs 50m Backstroke who also broke the club record so really well done to all those swimmers. We followed these up with 14 second places which was fantastic. In fact we were very rarely out of the top 3 all night. Towards the end of the gala myself and Chris started to realise that maybe we could win overall as  Kimberly and Melton Mowbray who were lying in first and second place going into the final were lying in 4^th and 5^th the kids I think got wind of this and stepped it up a gear vocally and in the pool. I gave up trying to work out the points so when the final results came out that we were the champions I couldn’t quite believe it, Chris and I just looked at each other and laughed as before the final we had being trying to work out how we could win it and  thought it was  impossible but obviously not, I am sitting here now with the Trophy on my mantel ready to get it engraved. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the swimmers for whom this was their last year in the Diddies and over the years have scored many valuable points for Kettering, Maisie Green, Kate Buckley, Gemma Vaughan, Emily Wilson, Lauren Wykes, Adam Roberts, Michael Wenban, Daniel Young, Ben Oxford, Ryan Napier, thank you so much for your commitment to the club over the years. I would also like to thank everyone that helped on poolside Chris Mayell, Mandy Buckley, Sue Blount, Anne Wenban, Suzanne Tatton, Don Ward, John Harris and a big thank you to one of our senior swimmers who gave up two of her weekends to  help on poolside Emma Turner and lead the chants. 

Well done again to all the swimmers that participated in either of the three rounds as it is a team effort over three rounds not just the final so every swim counts. Keep up the hard work and hopefully we can put up a good fight next year to try and regain the trophy.