Behind the Scenes: A Conversation with Club Secretary Carmel Parker
Carmel Parker has been part of Harwich, Dovercourt and Parkeston Swimming Club for many years. As Club Secretary, she plays an important role behind the scenes helping the club run smoothly while continuing a long family connection with the sport.
- Years involved with the club
- 10 initially with my daughter, plus currently 6 with grandson, 4 of those as Secretary, 1 as a J1 Official
Swimming clubs rely on many people working behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly, and Carmel Parker is one of those key volunteers at Harwich, Dovercourt and Parkeston Swimming Club.
Carmel’s connection with the club goes back many years to when her daughter first swam with Harwich Swimming Club. Since then she has remained involved with the club in various ways and now serves as Club Secretary, helping to support the organisation and communication that keeps the club operating week to week.
Today Carmel continues her family connection with the club as the grandparent of a current swimmer, giving her a unique perspective on how the club has evolved over the years.
We asked Carmel a few questions about her time with the club and what makes Harwich Swimming Club such a special community.
Interview Questions
1. How did you first become involved with Harwich Swimming Club?
My daughter joined the club 1987 and I became a Coach in 1989
2. Your connection with the club spans more than one generation of swimmers. What has it been like to see that journey over the years?
Well, many of the faces are the same, which shows the dedication of our longtime volunteers, and the atmosphere is as positive as it always has been. What has changed is the success of our swimmers, and the opportunities they have to progress to National level, all thanks to the Coaching team headed by Head Coach, Katie.
3. What does the role of Club Secretary involve behind the scenes?
Club Secretary is a catch all post, mostly the obvious of arranging meetings and minute taking, but swimming took a more professional turn when the old ASA disbanded and were replaced by Swim England, so there are now lots of hoops to jump through, lots of paperwork to keep up to date with SE legislation. Fundraising is an area I dabble in as Secretary, and we have been successful in several bids over the past few years which has enabled the Club to get new lane ropes, diving blocks and many other items to enable swimmers to be their best.
4. What do you enjoy most about being involved with the club?
I love the positivity, love seeing swimmers progress up the lanes, beating their times, improving their strokes and gaining confidence. Swimming isn’t like other sports, it can feel quite solitary at times, but the life lessons learned – resilience, patience, aiming for goals – give swimmers a real head start in life.
5. Having seen the club over many years, how have you seen it change and develop?
When I initially left in 1997 we were a small Club, still really developing, with very few Opens for our swimmers to enter. When I returned, there was real ambition in the air, headed by then Head Coach, Jo Higgon, who had a vision for the Club and the swimmers. There was excitement in the air, and I learned that one of our successes is Laura Stephens who swam with the Club and went on to become the 200m Butterfly World Champion in 2024. As they say, success breeds success and there is no reason why our swimmers can’t achieve their very best too.
6. What do you think makes Harwich Swimming Club such a special community?
Legacy. On coming back to the Club, I encountered many parents of current swimmers who I had helped Coach back in the day. A bit of a shock to realise how old I now was that the children I taught have children of their own, but what a testament to the teaching, coaching, and friendliness of the Club.
7. Volunteers play a vital role in running the club. Why do you think volunteering is so important for community sports clubs?
Without volunteers, there would be no local sport. We are blessed in the Harwich community with people who freely give of their time, and a majority of those who volunteer do so long after their own children have left the sport. I made the mistake of leaving when my daughter left, and I applaud all those who do continue when they have no real vested interest.
8. Are there any particular moments or memories from your time with the club that stand out?
Seeing young swimmers progress from clumsily managing a width of the pool to confidently completing a 2-hour training session always amazes me. Kudos to all our teachers who start them on their path and the Coaches who take them on the next part of the swim journey.
9. What advice would you give to parents who are new to the club and thinking about getting involved?
Do it. Don’t wait. There is no such thing as too many helpers, and we are in need of people who love the sport, who want to see children progress, and who want to get involved in swimming in general. I qualified as a J1 last year and I have met so many wonderful people when attending Opens through the East Region, but quite a few of us are getting on in life and we need to futureproof the sport, so we need younger, enthusiastic parents/grandparents to carry on and keep swimming progressing.
10. Finally, what does Harwich Swimming Club mean to you personally?
Hope for the future. Seeing so many children turn up session after session, seeing them mature and grow is a wonderful thing. Swimmers make terrific adults who have a sense of community, who want to give back and that alone is worth the long hours of being poolside watching training and the full weekends celebrating their achievements at Opens.
Closing
Clubs like Harwich, Dovercourt and Parkeston rely on the dedication of volunteers who give their time to support swimmers and help the club thrive.
Carmel’s long-standing connection with the club — from supporting her daughter as a swimmer to now helping as Club Secretary and supporting her grandchild — reflects the strong sense of community that lies at the heart of Harwich Swimming Club.
The club is incredibly grateful for the time and commitment she continues to give in helping the club run smoothly for swimmers and families alike.