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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Water sports & recreations > Swimming & diving
Visitors to South-East Asia are usually astonished at the profusion
of marine life that exists in this biodiversity hot-spot. Reef
Fishes of South-East Asia is a comprehensive and easy-to-follow
guide to this rich diversity. Covering the waters off the coasts of
Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia
and the Philippines, this compact book, illustrated with vibrant
colour photographs, is an essential companion for anyone interested
in the undersea world, from the casual snorkeller to the most
experienced diver. It includes concise descriptions of 270 species
of fish, corals and invertebrates, accompanied by 300 full-colour
photographs, and information on habitat, diet and behaviour. Clear
line drawings are provided for quick identification of fish
families, and a short introduction covers reef conservation and
practical tips to help you get the most out of your visit to the
region.
For three decades, David Wright has coached international swimmers
who began their swimming careers in his Learn to Swim program, and
this book is based on his experience guiding these swimmers. Wright
saw many pitfalls that resulted in the sport losing 80% of its
participants in their early teenage years-pitfalls that resulted in
swimmers ending their careers broken and disillusioned. Shaping
Successful Junior Swimmers examines the nature of the sport's early
dropout rate and proposes steps to correct the problem. It
discusses qualities that should be present in good conditioning and
speed training programs as well as why these qualities encourage
continued participation and championship performance. Also included
are danger signs of poor programs that cause early dropout. In
addition to important training factors are the decisions and
behavior outside the pool that coaches, parents, administrators,
and national federations can make and do to extend and improve
every swimmer's involvement in the sport. Swimming champions are
the product of good care in and out of the pool, and using this
book provides the means for that good care.
Sometimes the best things in life happen when you dare to get out
of your depth. Abby lives and works in the heart of the Lake
District. She splits her time between bringing up her daughter,
working in the Plum Pie Bakery - and dreaming of the time before
her husband, Ben, left. Lori is on holiday from the States, hoping
to find her way to the lake that she's looked at for years in a
picture on her wall back home. Rebecca is contemplating taking the
plunge too. Despite her immaculate appearance Rebecca is keeping
quiet about a childhood trauma which has left her scared of the
water. Clarissa is the founder of The Wildwater Women. An
all-year-round open-water swimming veteran, and with a fearsome
manner, she knows the lakes like no one else and her boundless
energy defies her years. Four women, all from very different lives,
all with reason to step into the water and wash away their past.
But will the friendship they build be enough to keep them afloat
when they each must face their fears?
"When my parents signed me up to Trojan Swimming Club, they had no
idea of the evil behind Gibney's interest in me. As a
thirteen-year-old, who knew nothing but kindness and love, I was
ill-equipped to understand what was happening as he insidiously
dominated my thinking and isolated me from anyone who might come
between us. The process of entrapment was quick, and in full view
of my family and team-mates I became a prisoner - bullied,
manipulated and abused, unnoticed by those close to me. So complete
was Gibney's control of me that not only could I not see a way out,
it didn't even occur to me to look for one." At age thirteen, Trish
Kearney's idyllic childhood was abruptly ended when her swimming
coach - the internationally recognised George Gibney - began
abusing her. Six years later, the Seoul Olympics firmly within her
sights, she sacrificed a promising swimming career to walk free of
her abuser. In her memoir, she describes how suppressed memories of
those difficult years resurfaced after the birth of her first
child, and the momentous journey set in train when a letter arrived
from former team-mate Gary O'Toole, opening the Pandora's box on
the abuse - leading to a failed court case and Gibney's ultimate
exposure in the press as a rampant, controlling paedophile. Above
Water is a survivor's story, of coming up for air after decades of
burying trauma, and of learning to breathe again. It shines a light
into dark places just as it casts its beam outwards, signalling the
healing power of love, family and one woman's indomitable spirit.
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