We want to do well

We want to do well."The pair are ranked 15th in the world, but of those going to Atlanta, they will rank 12th Glover is optimistic about their chances She says: "We should be OK. Our results so far aren't bad and we're looking for a top-eight position But it's always there, in the back of our minds. Cooper earns her living as publicity manager for Racal, the company that sponsors the team.Their nine-to-five occupations have not dented their faith in the Olympic dream. "People warn us not to be overawed, to enjoy the experience," Cooper says "But you are never satisfied with just getting there. "We have to get out there, even if we are wearing goggles for rain rather than sunglasses," Glover says.By day, Glover works for Hackney council leisure services as a recreation officer. Not for them the beaches of Bondi, California or Hawaii - the British participants practise next to the pier on Bournemouth beach.During the week they train at the Ruislip Lido, Middlesex, and head south each weekend to hit the sand, come rain or shine.

It will be the first time a British volleyball team, either indoor or beach, has qualified for the Olympics The duo guaranteed their place in March. They are the present English champions, and rank fourth in Europe. During the past year they have competed in the World Beach Championships in Brazil, Australia, Puerto Rico, Indonesia and Japan.Glover and Cooper, however, have not had the exotic training locations of their opponents. Bar open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.Grundig Regatta in AugustTelephone: 01436 672778Royal Yachting Association: 01703 629962. Beach volleyball is making its debut as a medal sport at the Atlanta Olympics and Britain will be represented by the pairing of Amanda Glover, 25, and Audrey Cooper, 31. Hosts major championships, including last year's first world team sailing event, full RYA training programme and social events Telephone: 0151-625 5579Helensburgh Sailing ClubFounded: 1951Members: 400Waiting list: NoneAnnual subs: Family pounds 85; single pounds 75; reductions for intermediate/cadetJoining fee: NoMooring fees: Keelboats pounds 40 a year, dinghies pounds 40 a yearGeneral: No accommodation. Training centre and hosts championship regattasTelephone: 01780 720292West Kirby Sailing Club, Wirral PeninsularFounded: 1901Members: 1,252Waiting list: NoneAnnual subs: Family pounds 132; single pounds 82.50; reductions for under-26; cadets pounds 24.75Joining fee: pounds 30Mooring fees: Summer keelboat pounds 50; winter storage pounds 40-pounds 120; dinghy pounds 20 for summerGeneral: No accommodation Bars Mainly dinghy club, with some keelboat classes.

Full social programmeTelephone: 01752 660077Rutland Sailing ClubFounded: 1975Members: 800Waiting list: NoneAnnual subs: Family pounds 150; single pounds 120; under-25 pounds 90; crewing (non-voting) pounds 105; social (non-voting) pounds 60Joining fees: Cabin boats pounds 60 for five years; others pounds 40 for five yearsMooring fees: Dinghies pounds 21-pounds 90 a year; larger boats, pounds 10 per ft a yearGeneral: Bar and restaurant Accommodation On largest man-made reservoir in Europe. A number of objections would see the application failAnnual subs: Joint pounds 193; single pounds 158; reductions for those outside area and for younger membersJoining fee: Joint pounds 193; single pounds 158Mooring fee: Visitors, pounds 7.50 a nightGeneral: No accommodation Restaurant and bar Keel boat racing and cruising, plus a cadet section. Launch off the beach on which it and its car park are situated Restaurant and bar at weekends No accommodation. Full social programmeTelephone: 01903 249956Royal Western Yacht Club, PlymouthFounded: 1827Members: 1,700Waiting list: Need to be proposed and seconded, then elected by ballot. The club operates every day of the year except Christmas Day, has a full training and race programme and welcomes junior members Telephone: 01892 890930Worthing Yacht ClubFounded: 1946Members: 156Waiting list: NoneAnnual subs: Family pounds 149; single pounds 112Joining fee: NoMooring fees: Catamaran pounds 80; dinghy pounds 60General: An all-dinghy club specialising in Dart catamarans Almost exclusively a racing club. If he is that desperate for a beginner, there has to be a reason.SIX CLUBS AND HOW TO BECOME MEMBERSBewl Valley Sailing Club, near Tunbridge Wells, KentFounded: 1966Members: 1,000Waiting list: NoneAnnual subs: Full pounds 77; senior/ student pounds 39; junior/social pounds 21Joining fee: No, but there are fees for non-Royal Yachting Association membersMooring fees: First boat pounds 87 pa; additional pounds 39 each; small dinghy pounds 21; windsurfer pounds 46General: Restaurant and bar. Under no circumstances watch if the skipper or his wife are doing the same.7 Try and look under 30 if applying to one of the senior clubs, as they have now realised the average age of their members is climbing alarmingly.8Create an opportunity to interview any prospective skipper and inspect his yacht.

But:1 Do not become depressed at the number of times you hear "No, not like that, we don't do it like that." The basic don't is do not try to give the impression you know more than you do.2 Be honest about your search for information and experience but no more than quietly enthusiastic about volunteering to do every job in sight.3 Do, if necessary, combine learning to sail with either learning to swim or taking a couple of dips to convince yourself you can still do it.4Make sure that you have a blazer/ reefer jacket (tweeds are taboo until you are an established eccentric) but that it looks well worn, with no brass buttons, and that the new deck shoes have been through the washing machine.5 Do not pole up wearing America's Cup or Whitbread Race crew clothes bought at Beaulieu Boat Jumble.6 Do make sure that if you throw up, you do so to leeward (best start with the jargon now), that is downwind. Pick one, talk to the class association and find a convenient club.Those looking for crewing jobs might also put cards on club notice boards. But you would do better to turn up, ask for the local yachtie pub, or ask your school instructor if he knows of anyone looking for crew.But with dinghies starting at pounds 300 secondhand, you could always buy a boat for yourself.Those vital dos and don'tsYou enter a minefield of jargon, etiquette, expertise and technology when you first take up sailing. At the moment in Britain, anyone can take to the water in any boat, at any age, without licence or insurance, but it is only a matter of time before the legislators mine such a rich vein.Once you have learnt to put sails up and down, adjust them in and out, sail upwind and down, leave a mooring and regain it, there are dozens of types of dinghy to choose from, too many in truth. All aspects of being a Captain Queeg on the helm or a Mr Christian in the crew can be packed into two weeks with a pink slip at the end.There is no substitute for learning properly all the basics Ideally this would be in a dinghy. And talk of certificates of competence is important because, although the RYA fights hard for its principle of education rather than regulation, other European countries already require a licence. They have booklets on every aspect of taking to the water, they structure the courses and examinations, and supervise the approval of schools.If you are apprehensive about learning in north European weather conditions, there are also RYA- approved schools in the Mediterranean and the West Indies.