By David

Every day, at 5.15am, I arrive at the West Wave Aquatic Centre in Henderson, Auckland. I stand inside the back door waiting for swimmers to knock; waiting to let our eager crew into the pool; waiting to witness their breathless excitement at the words of wisdom written on the team’s training whiteboard. For me, their coach, it’s a pretty boring daily ritual; waiting in the cold for the next knock. I began to wonder whether there was anything I could do to make my task more interesting. Trawling through the internet didn’t work. Every time I got involved in an exciting subject the arrival of a new swimmer would disturb my study.

I’m not sure where the idea came from. I think it probably grew over time; possibly it began by wondering who was at the door and grew into the idea that I might be able pick the swimmer’s identity by their knock. Did swimmers have unique knock – a sort of knocking fingerprint. I decided to study the knocking patterns of the West Auckland Aquatic’s team. Perhaps there were differences that would allow me to accurately pick the swimmer’s name before opening the door.

And, do you know what? It is remarkably easy. Four week’s study and I’m batting almost 100%. I’m beginning to show off. Before I open the door I ask swimmers, by name, how they are this morning. I hoped the reaction to my new skill would be one of wonder and admiration. Instead the response seems to be, “Oh my God, here’s David being an idiot again. When will he begin to act his age?”

Well it may interest you to know the knocking clues that identify some of West Auckland Aquatic’s best swimmers.

Bridget Maher is a good swimmer. She was recently picked to represent New Zealand in the Oceania Open Water Championships. Bridget however refuses to play my silly game; refuses to allow me to study the privacy of her personal knock. She protects her knock with all the enthusiasm of shielding her personal pin number. For Bridget there are limits to what a swim coach should know. Clearly knowing the details of her personal knock is a step too far. So how does Bridget protect this deeply private bit of information? Every day from a meter away, through the West Wave locked door, Bridget sends me text that simply says, “David.” I’m happy of course. Why? Because I still know who is on the other side of the door. I’m still batting 100%.

Jane Ip is another good swimmer. She has won New Zealand short course breaststroke championships and also represented New Zealand in the 2014 Oceania Championships. She has every right to have the demanding knock of a confident elite athlete. But how wrong can you be? Jane’s knock is exactly the opposite; very quiet, almost timid, with each knock spaced surprisingly wide apart. Jane’s knock certainly does not demand entry. It is more of a request; a sort of, “If you have time and aren’t too busy doing something more important, would you mind letting me into the pool.” Thank goodness her swimming is infinitely more assertive than her knock. But Jane is nice. She is the only one who regularly complements me on the obvious skill demonstrated by my early identification trick.

Jessica Marston doesn’t swim at West Auckland Aquatics any more. A few months ago she accepted a Washington State University swimming scholarship. But she did not escape before her knocking fingerprint was recorded and carefully filed. Jess has an impatient, busy knock. Her knock is loud and rapid. It says, “Hurry up, it’s cold out here and I’ve got work to do.” Certainly Jess’s knock always made me open the door a bit quicker than some of the less demanding knocks. I often smiled when I heard Jess’s knock. A coach can’t help be pleased with someone so keen to get on with their work. Or perhaps the knock meant she just wanted to get the whole dreadful training business out of the way for the day.

Lara van Egten came to West Auckland Aquatics two years ago after her Hawkes Bay club relegated her to their recreation lane. That was a monumental mistake. Since then she has gone from strength to strength and has made the finals of the New Zealand Winter Championships. Lara’s knock is an interesting blend of identifying qualities. It is not loud but is firm enough to be easily heard. It is not a rapid knock but is not slow either. It is authoritative without being demanding. It carries a message that says, “I want you to know I’m here and I want you to get in now, but I don’t want you to think that I’m demanding attention.” Lara has a polite knock.

And finally there is Abigail’s knock. Abigail too has swum in the finals of the New Zealand Winter Championship. She specializes in the three breaststroke events. She also teaches the West Auckland Aquatics junior Bronze Squad. She is a good piano player and has done very well summer busking outside the Henderson Mall. In twelve months Abigail will be beginning a university education in the United States. She is a busy person. And, as you would expect, Abigail has a busy knock. It is by far West Auckland’s fastest knock; a real Kalashnikov of sound. It could easily become a very demanding knock. Abigail avoids that peril by controlling the sound level. Rapid but not loud, says, “Open the door, I’m very busy but I expect you will recognize I’m being polite as well.”

There are others. Bayleigh’s knock is easy to pick. Alex has a knock that perfectly reflects his laid back personality. Judith Wright, coach of the Waterhole Club, occasionally uses the West Wave pool early in the morning. She has the most refined knock. The game is fun. It has certainly improved the tedium that used to characterize my early morning wait behind the West Wave pool’s back door.