Northumberland Swimming Academies
Supported by Northumberland Sport, sport centres and swimming clubs, Swimming Academies have been taking place in Ashington, Hexham and Alnwick this summer, offering swimmers involved in the Learn to Swim programmes the chance to be coached by club coaches.
Selected swimmers aged between 9-12 in levels 8-10 of private lesson tuition were invited to attend daily one hour sessions taken by the highly qualified club coaches in a club setting as a taster to what a swimming club life is like.
Ashington already have a regular transfer procedure for swimmers in the Learn to Swim programme, so chose to target swimmers that are of good standard that are often missed, school children. An invitation therefore went out to all pupils in year 4 inviting them to attend an academy. This was coordinated by the centre manager and Ashington School Sport Partnerships.
All swimmers enthused over the sessions, with many asking when they could join local clubs. This has led to each of the three clubs reviewing their own structures to identify how the high quantity of quality swimmers can be fitted into current programmes. Each club would therefore highly recommend these academies to other clubs in Northumberland as a great source for enthusiastic young swimmers.
The Head Coach at Tynedale commented on the high quality of swimmers that are out there, and without the academies they may never have considered joining the swimming club. They are a great way of highlighting the pathways on offer to swimmers in Northumberland.
Look out for more swimming academies taking place in the October half term.
For further information on these academies or any query relating to swimming in Northumberland, please contact Jenny Glossop, Swimming Development Officer.
