Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Big Ricks Swim Team..
( a few of members of ricks team on its Christmas Jolly ) 

To finish the mighty 2012 it had to be the best Christmas song around, the great Michael buble doing the Xmas classic Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas , (click on the arrow above to Mike at his best ) 

Big Ricks 26th Annual Christmas  Bowling champs..
The winner as always the might edge .!! Gary.
well he was only drinking half`s according to Richard .;-)

we only one thing to say , and that is to wish everyone a great and mad Christmas , 2012 was one to remember for sure ....!Hopefully Ricks will catch up with some of you at a lake , pool , river, sea in 2013 ..have fun and swim safe over Christmas everyone  Ricks ;-).x 

ricks Basher and the Gimp..
Paul and Doug raise a glass to everyone for a great 2013.

 Ricks will be back in 2013, much bigger ( much bigger after Christmas eating and drinking ).. and better than ever...hope we will get see and meet and swim with many more of the open water crew from around the country ..2013 will the best yr yet for us all...R x

Ricks winter Training for Channel double 2013

Work hard now, or pay the price later.. !!!

A normal sight for channel swimmers who have to do part , if not all their winter training
 in public swimming baths around the UK.. 

Hi Everyone..these are just some of Big Ricks swimming Sessions over the past 2 months as we make our very slow recovery back into hot and boring pool swimming training and racing after a summer of nothing but open water "heaven " , Ricks use 4 different swimming pools ( two 25m pools and one 33.83m pool and one 30m pool ) Our Open water training takes place at Swan Pool ( 800m lap approx ) from april to October  We hope they are of use to some on you who are maybe planning  to dip your toe into open water swimming in 2013 , Trust us when you do , you will never look back;-)..R x

Additional Equipment needed for these sessions...Fins,Paddles,Snorkel,T-shirt,Pull Buoy,Kick Board , Drag Trunks always.!! and more..

                                   

Big Ricks always start its blog with a tune , to get you in the mood as you read , and just because this is a training page , it should be no different..so what is the best song or theme to get you in the mood to train...You know it already...sorry ladies but it can only be Getting stronger from Rocky..!! a lads classic...simply click the the arrow in the picture above to hear the boys training classic  tune...and but the end on the song, u will be ready for 10k set or channel solo easy..lol ricks ( we do have to add, we think Rocky needs to work on his Bufferfly stroke , shocking springs to mind lol )

This video will help with those who do not know what Phelps Fly kick drill is.

I Wish I Was James Bond....!!

Ricks..
Wishing we were James Bond..just for a Day.!!!

Its been a great few weeks for the Ricks club..not only being lucky enough to be given some great praise by some amazing people but almost as good ,is we have been able to ditch the trunks and freezing cold lakes for Black tie dinners and warm indoor venues...!!! and if you wear a black tie..well come on ...we all feel like James bond don`t we....!!! ..so the weeks blog tune as u read has to be the great British band Scouting For Girls and their great song I wish I could Be James Bond.!! ( simply click the arrow in the picture to here the boys at their best.!!)

The Walsall  Mayor`s Civic Awards 2012 

pictured is Walsall,s  Sister Dora

  Dorothy Wyndlow Pattison

( In the autumn of 1864, Dora joined the Sisterhood of the Good Samaritans at Coatham, Middlesbrough and devoted her life to nursing. She was sent to work at Walsall’s hospital in Bridge Street and arrived in Walsall on 8 January 1865. The rest of her life was spent in Walsall and it was there that in local eyes she became to be compared with Florence Nightingale for outstanding service to people of walsall.  .)

Big Ricks Pictured before the awards dinner with our host for the evening
The BBC`S charming and  very entertaining  Dr Carl Chinn 

Big Ricks Basher..
Paul was awarded the Outstanding sporting achievement award.
which as normal he excepted not for himself but on behalf of everyone in Big Ricks Club 

Paul shared the award with walsall,s England's ladies football star Rachel Unitt
( Rachel has won over 100 caps for England , one of very players men or women to have done so..)

now...the best bit...Basher had to make a speech, we think he went whiter at the thought of doing it than he did when he was first up to start the channel 2 way in june...having said that...he did a pretty good of sounding posh and did an okay speech for a swimmer..;-) simply click on arrow in the picture above to hear Paul's few words about why there is a big ricks team..

and Finally...

 we have been very lucky in the past few weeks to receive some amazing awards for swimming , we are off course very proud and fell very lucky to have won them , but Ricks are not about the winning awards  , we are club of friends who want  help others though swimming, so when this picture came though this week to us  from Warren at The British Heart Foundation we could not believe it... .

  This is the Best award or news we could ever get . thanks to you and your support ..21 defibrillators have now been brought by the British Heart Foundation through your donations  , its simply Amazing ..Ricks x the Note from Warren..

Hi  Big Ricks swim  Team,
Thanks to your amazing fundraising, guys - 

Your 21st Portable defibrillator has been placed at the Walsall Gala Baths.

Pictured at The Gala Baths is Big Ricks good Friend Brian Pugh and Phil Jevon from Walsall Manor Hospital.
Kind Regards and thanks
Warren
BHF Fundraising Manager

And I wish I was James Bond,
 just for the day.
Kissing all the girls, blow the bad guys away.
Roger and Sean and Timmy and George and Daniel and Pierce and maybe one day Ricks