at the Saint-Geours swimming club, the Olympics effect hampered by lack of resources

As soon as they have put on their swimsuits and their green caps in the colors of the MACS Natation club, the young swimmers find themselves at the edge of the pool to carry out a series of muscle warm-ups. This Friday, November 8 in the evening, there are around fifteen students, aged 10 to 12 years old. Young children who train four times a week in the large pool of the Aygueblue swimming pool in Saint-Geours-de-Maremne.

Everyone followed, directly or indirectly, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Everyone knows the name of the man who made French swimming shine during the competition: Léon Marchand. Emma, ​​12, does not hide her admiration for her “favorite swimmer”. Joined the club for three years, she discovered a passion for swimming while doing laps in the family pool when she was a child. She and Rubens, also 12 years old, are among the most experienced swimmers in the group. Both express their luck to have witnessed the very good results of “King Léon” in the Olympic swimming pool this summer.

They are not the only ones that the Toulouse superstar has inspired. Since the start of the school year in September, MACS Natation has had 180 members compared to 137 last year. For the president of the club, Florence Bindault, the Olympic effect is real and is measured especially in the younger age categories.

“The Olympics saved the day for us”

Last year, the club's membership suffered heavily from the closure of the Aygueblue swimming pool in Saint-Geours-de-Maremne for work. The club was able to fall back on the Aquae swimming pool in Dax, as well as that of the municipal campsite La Civelle in Capbreton, but found itself obliged to reduce its number of weekly training slots.

“It discouraged a lot of families because we could no longer offer quality support to young people,” explains Eve-Marie Guermonprez, the club’s coach, who indicates that the numbers have returned to normal for this new season. “On this point, the Olympics perhaps helped us save the day,” she concedes.

However, in the coach's opinion, the performances of French swimmers at the Paris Olympic Games had only a limited effect on the clubs. “We are seeing a limited increase in the number of licensees, of around 9% nationally. This is much less than for other sports such as table tennis. »

“Not enough room for everyone”

In the Landes as elsewhere in France, swimming clubs are handicapped by a lack of resources which prevents them from taking full advantage of the furrow created by Léon Marchand. “The problem is that there is not enough room for everyone,” says Eve-Marie, whose club now finds itself obliged to refuse new registration requests.

The young woman gestures to the two swimming lanes occupied by her students this Friday evening. Aware of her luck in being able to occupy part of the large Aygueblue basin, she nevertheless deplores the insufficiency of equipment at the national level. “The swimming pools are now almost all managed by private individuals who limit access to the pools,” she emphasizes, “it’s difficult for us to develop under these conditions. »

Eve-Marie, 31, has been the club's only coach since 2018. She takes care of the 160 MACS Natation members for thirty hours per week. The young woman says she is “happy to be able to return to normal conditions and with young people who want to”.

Requirement

It is in the group of youngest children, whom she is training that evening, that the increase in numbers is most notable. Most of the new registrants are coastal rescue alumni. This is the case of Marius, 12 years old, who joined the club to gauge his swimming level and progress technically. “In coastal rescue, they don't learn the four strokes,” explains Eve-Marie. “It may seem paradoxical, but our worst swimmers come from there. »

The fact remains that this prior experience still remains an undeniable asset for joining a club like that of Saint-Geours-de-Maremne in which the competitive aspect occupies an important place.

Departmental championships Sunday

On Sunday, November 17, MACS Natation will host the junior departmental championships in the Aygueblue swimming pool. Among the club's swimmers, Rubens is aiming for very good results in this qualifying competition for the French championships. But he is not the only one with big ambitions.