Saskia Petersen is a former Welsh swimming champion who is now putting her wealth of experience to excellent use in her role as 'Learn to Swim' co-ordinator at Haverfordwest Leisure Centre, whilst doubling up as a school swimming teacher.

 

‘Ducklings’ soon develop

The former role sees her charged with the responsibility of encouraging as many youngsters as possible to go to the Haverfordwest Leisure Centre in the evenings, starting with nippers as young as three in the 'Ducklings' section and then moving through levels one to seven as they gain experience and develop their skills.

When she took over the role last September, Saskia had 840 youngsters involved and is rightly proud of the fact that there are 952 at the latest count.

"Now I'm aiming for 1,000," says Saskia with a chuckle!
 

Practising what she preaches

 
Her second role sees her working alongside Jess Fitzpatrick-Smith with the schools in and around Haverfordwest, and in both Saskia brings her infectious enthusiasm to the fore.

She certainly practised what she preaches because when Saskia came back to Wales as an eight year old from South Africa she was petrified of going in the water but went with her mum to the Meads Leisure Centre in Milford Haven, where she gradually gained in confidence and hasn't looked back ever since.
 

Competitive nature to the fore!

 
She was soon a member of the Milford Tigers and by the time she was ten she was winning medals in local galas. In fact, her first race was to show her competitive nature as she took on a club rival who used to beat her in training and invited Saskia to bet 50p on the result. It was just the impetus Saskia needed as she won the gold medal - and the 50p!
 
But her competitive nature caught her out in one 50 metre freestyle dash, however, when she swam so furiously that she wasn't aware she’d reached the end of the pool and collided heavily with the wall, banged her arm with such force that she was in tears. A well-meaning official thought she was upset because she hadn't won and tried to haul Saskia out of the pool and was totally taken aback when Saskia passed out with the pain!

An x-ray revealed there were three broken bones in her arm and she received lots of cards and little teddy bears as comfort from team mates but Saskia was soon back in action with a bin bag wrapped around her arm and the use of a float so she could at least keep her leg action in trim!
 

Swimming successes

 

By the time she was 11 Saskia was being trained by John Amos at Tenby and she was a regular in the West Wales' squad looked after by Austin Shortman, focusing on the breaststroke but still competing in the 200 metre individual medley.

"I was hopeless in the backstroke because I liked to see where I was going," she admitted, "but from there I focussed on breast stroke and it paid off."

Saskia was West Wales champion for three years and then went one better by becoming Welsh breaststroke champion at 14 and again a year later.

“The races took place in the 50-metre National Pool in Cardiff,” Saskia told us, “and it was such a thrill to become Welsh champion. It qualified me for the British finals but they were another step up and although I really enjoyed the experience I didn’t get amongst the medals there.”
 

Coaches do well – and parents are superb

 
At that stage, Saskia was swimming five times a week in Tenby and twice weekly with the county squad coached by Anne Adams.

“She was very strict, like John Amos, but both were very good coaches and I learned a lot from them which I have carried into my own coaching.”
 
Being so involved meant that as well as Saskia’s commitment there was a massive travel burden on her parents, Hayley and Alan Turner to far-flung places like Sheffield, Plymouth Leander and Kelly College (Devon) for training courses that really helped her develop confidence, in and out of the pool..

“They were brilliant,” says Saskia, “and they have never given me less than 100% support, as has my partner Harley Tree in my work at Haverfordwest Leisure Centre.”
 

Setting off in coaching

 
Saskia stopped competing at 16 and started to focus on coaching, beginning with some work experience at Pembroke Leisure Centre and gaining her Level One and Two coaching awards after starting work at Haverfordwest Leisure Centre.

“The staff in the centre are superb and all support each other,” Saskia told us, “and I really enjoy the days when bus loads of children arrive from local schools because it is important they learn to swim in this area.

“We start off with games to give them confidence, get them to put their heads underwater and take their feet off the floor in a fun atmosphere. Then we use floats and get them to start learning strokes – and watching them take their first width of the pool is still as thrilling as the first one I ever taught!”
 
For her evening sessions, Saskia has 18 others involved in coaching and sorts out their classes, times, lesson plans and reports with them – and again it is smashing when she sees learners make their first steps towards being able to swim with confidence.

“I feel privileged to be involved and I get great support from Claire Williams, my duty manager, plus Sian Fair and Darryl Sable, who run the centre.”
 
And finally . . .
 
One only has to chat to Saskia Petersen for a short time to see the immense enthusiasm she has for her role in Pembrokeshire Leisure Services at the Haverfordwest Leisure Centre – and we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk can safely say that swimming is certainly in good hands with her helping our youngsters, and adults who missed out when they were kids, to be confident in the pool!