Read "The History of Sports in Shanghai"
In search of the historical memory of sports
"Shanghai Sports History" was published in October 1982
It is to tell the story of Shanghai sports
An important publication to promote the work of sports culture and history in Shanghai
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Explore more memories of Shanghai sports from the history of Shanghai
This year, the city's swimming venues are open during the summer season
From July 1 to August 31
Swimmers are about to usher in a cool "summer"
In this issue, we will tell you about it
The development story of the youth swimming group
From "summer 1,000 people swimming big call"
to the youth swimming group
Founded in 1936 by the Shanghai Youth Swimming Group, the Youth Swimming Group is based on the law of first broad and then refined, so that the swimming activities of the Youth League are from elementary to intermediate, and then apply for the advanced class or the middle and young swimming group, forming a natural connection.
The Youth Swimming Group is an organization affiliated to the Sports Department of the Shanghai Youth Association. Before 1935, in the Sichuan Road Sports Department of the Shanghai Youth Association, several Guangdong swimmers spontaneously organized a swimming team, which included more than ten people such as Huo Zhenghong, Guo Zhenheng, Wang Yuanli, Chen Baoyi, Wu Qiansheng, and Zhong Shoujun. Later, the Sports Department of the YMCA trained and expanded this team and organized it into a youth swimming group. Before the liberation, there were the Overseas Chinese Youth Association and the United States Navy Youth Association in Shanghai, in order to distinguish it from the Foreign Youth Association, so the name of the Chinese Youth Association Swimming Group, referred to as the "Chinese Youth Swimming Group".
The "Summer 1,000-Swim Gathering" is a beginner swim in six sessions over two weeks with the goal of learning how to swim. As soon as the event was launched, participants rushed to sign up, and there was a long queue in front of the YMCA. At that time, there were one class for boys and girls under the age of 16, one class for boys and one for young people under the age of 21 and one class for adults over the age of 21.
The youth swimming group uses their spare time to train, and the training time is generally from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and the practice location is the first branch of the Sichuan Road Youth Association. In order to ensure the normal practice of the students in each class, it is stipulated that from the date of the start of the class, all those who participate in swimming activities must go through the registration and payment procedures, and must go through the volunteer physician specially appointed by the YMCA to strictly check the physique, and can only register after passing the examination. This regulation has also been adhered to, effectively managing the students studying in the middle and young swimming group, so that the "Summer Thousand Swimming Convocation" activity can be held every year, and many people have learned to swim.
YMCA Swimming Pool (Chung Qing Swimming Pool)
The most developed period of the Youth Swimming Group was from the victory of the Anti-Japanese War in 1946 to the first few years after the liberation in 1952. From a few people left behind in the original Guangdong swimming team, it has grown to more than 80 people in 1952. Because the Youth Swimming Group is an organization of amateur swimmers and has great mobility, in order to continuously enrich new forces, the Shanghai Youth Association once held an open swimming group test every year before the liberation, which was divided into primary, intermediate, advanced, and all-around group A and B tests. Those who have passed the award in the previous year can register for the upgrade test in the current year. Those who pass the Advanced and All-Around Group A tests can apply to join the Youth Swimming Group. The adoption of this open group swim test is conducive to encouraging swimmers to continuously improve their swimming skills.
In addition, in addition to swimming, the members of the Youth Swimming Group also practice diving, water polo and lifesaving skills according to their personal interests. After years of swimming performances, the Youth Swimming Group has also formed a unique and interesting performance program, including ancient swimming, modern swimming, water recreation, burlesque diving and water polo, team relay, lifesaving and so on. These performances not only promote the benefits of swimming, but also arouse people's strong interest in swimming.
Several major competitions and performances
In 1935, some members of the Chinese Youth Swimming Team were selected as the Shanghai Swimming Team to participate in the Sixth National Games of old China and achieved outstanding results. In 1948, most of the team members were selected as the Shanghai swimming team and participated in the 7th National Games of old China. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the Chinese Youth Swimming Group often invited or was invited to participate in friendly or confrontational matches with foreign swimming teams such as the Overseas Chinese Youth Association, the United States Navy Youth Association and the French Association.
The 100m freestyle final of the 6th National Games of old China
In 1936, during the 6th National Games of old China, the Hong Kong YMCA swimming group came to Shanghai, and invited the Shanghai YMCA swimming group to hold a confrontation match in the swimming pool of the Sichuan Road Youth Association before the game. In addition, the Chinese and young swimming group has also organized many tours to Hangzhou, Wuxi and other places at their own expense, and performed there to cross the Qiantang River and Taihu Lake, which is very popular with local swimmers, and the crowding of spectators is abnormal. In 1946, at the inauguration ceremony of Hangzhou Yuquan Swimming Pool, the young and middle-aged swimming group was invited to perform, which was warmly welcomed by Hangzhou swimming enthusiasts. Later, the Wuxi Liyuan Swimming Pool was completed, and the young swimming group was also invited to perform.
The women's 100-meter backstroke competition of the 6th National Games of old China
After the liberation of Shanghai in 1949, the Chinese Youth Swimming Troupe responded to the call, mobilized dozens of members, rehearsed a number of swimming performances, and performed a grand performance in the Hongkou swimming pool. Afterwards, Mayor Chen Yi personally inscribed the frame of "Labor and Military Meritorious" to the Sports Department of the Shanghai Youth Association.
In order to celebrate the founding of the People's Republic of China, the China Youth Swimming Group organized 12 members to swim from Lujiazui in Pudong to Huangpu Park on the Bund in conjunction with the land parade, holding the first ever swim across the Huangpu River in Shanghai, adding to the atmosphere of the festival.
In 1952, at the first East China Swimming Competition held in Jiangwan Swimming Pool, many members of the Youth Swimming Group were selected to represent the Shanghai Swimming Team to participate in the competition, including Gao Zhan (captain), Sun Guanger (vice captain), Chen Jingzhong, Chen Yuquan, Chen Liufang, Luo Fusheng, Lu Chuantang, Wu Yufang, Zhu Genbao, Zhu Zhongyi, Tang Mei, Zhang Qianlin, Zhong Shoujun; The female team members include Dong Dao, Dong Lin, Lin Meiling, Zhang Yining, Zhao Qin, Pan Jialing, Dai Lihua, Mai Baoqi, etc.
In the same year, the National Swimming Competition Conference was held in the newly built swimming pool of Yuexiu Mountain in Guangzhou, and the Chinese Youth Swimming Group was selected as the East China team, and the participants in the competition were Wu Yufang, Chen Jingzhong, Gao Zhan, Sun Guanger, Lu Chuantang, Tang Mei, Luo Fusheng, Zhong Shoujun, Dong Lin, Dong Dao, Zhao Qin, Pan Jialing, Mai Baoqi, etc. In addition, Liang Huibiao, Xu Shouqiang, Hu Shanhai, Chen Yunpeng and others also participated in the competition on behalf of the Central South District Team, the Northeast District Team, the China Railway Team, and the People's Liberation Army Team.
In 1955, in the National Swimming Competition held in Shanghai Jiangwan Swimming Pool, the Chinese Youth Swimming Group was selected as the Shanghai team, including Lu Chuantang, Wu Yufang, Xie Shanfu, Tang Mei, Ye Lianhua, Zhao Qin, Lin Jiafeng, Pan Jialing, Dong Huan, etc. At the same time, Jiang Tiansheng, Chen Liufang, Gao Zhan and others were selected into the water polo team.
From its inception in 1936 to 1957 after the founding of the People's Republic of China, various swimming training classes and youth swimming groups organized by the Shanghai YMCA have cultivated a large number of swimming enthusiasts and outstanding swimmers, and have played a positive role in mainland swimming. After 1957, the YMCA's Sports Department and two swimming pools were transferred to the District Sports Committee and the Youth Palace Branch respectively. Since then, the YMCA's sports and swimming activities have ended.