ASA
"PARENTS and coaches have warned that council plans to relocate a swimming club may force it to close.
Under the Greenwich Council plans, Eltham Stingrays club will need to move to Thamesmere Leisure Centre, Thamesmere Drive, Thamesmead, in September.
The 130-member club, which has had its pool time cut since the opening of the new Eltham Centre, Archery Road, met with councillors this week to discuss the plans.
Councillors says the shake-up is aimed at strengthening support for top-level competitive swimmers in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics.
The council says it wants to provide better use of pool time for competitive swimmers to train more frequently, greater opportunities for learners and pooling of coaches across the borough"
(Via Relocation May Close Swimming Club (from News Shopper): .)
...more ---> ..."ASA Chief Executive David Sparkes has welcomed a Government commitment to building a world class community sports infrastructure as part of the legacy of the London 2012 Olympics. Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Rt Hon James Purnell has announced a review of Sport England’s strategy to deliver sporting infrastructure as being the starting point of creating improved community sport.
The Minister outlined the DCMS commitment to community sport as part of a promise that was made when winning the bid to host the 2012 Olympics - to create a world class sporting nation.
With success already achieved within the school sport system and elite sport system, the Minister has called for all involved to work together to ensure the community sport element of the promise is met.
[in Western Counties ASA]"
(Via NewsIsFree: Swimming Government commits to building Community Sport: .)
...more ---> ...Back in August, Colin Brown, director of London Region ASA, came up with what seemed, on the face of it, like a good idea. Based on “a gem of a program” in Barnet.
"The strength of the system comes from the fact Greenwich Leisure Ltd operate the pools on Barnet Council's behalf and they have implemented a coherent pathway from beginner to competitive swimmer with a diving and sychronised swimming section aiding retention. From learn-to-swim upwards the programme has had a 90 per cent take-up rate at the next level. The pathway was clearly both transparent and successful" [LINK]and ...
"Brown hopes the new model in which coaches are effectively employed by the pool operator rather than the club will also massively cut down on the administrative tasks carried out by the hard working army of volunteers who help keep the sport afloat" [LINK]
Sounds good, sets up a pathway into competitive swimming, covers all watersports, cuts down on work for volunteers?
However the reality is not turning out so jewel-like for ASA registered swimming clubs who are starting to be told that they are no longer part of the plan. Under the new scheme, only one club will be allowed per borough and that will be run by the leisure contractor.
One correspondent on Pooling Resources has written
"This isn't an isolated incident, London Swimming it seems have been talking to Local leisure providers (GLL, Leisure Connection, Parkwood etc) and the councils they work for, but, not necessarily the clubs involved, and seem to be putting in place the changes they want whether the clubs want it or not!It also seems that the idea of swimming being the all encompassing activity will come true to. There was no mention of diving in the document, and I was informed that the 'Aquatics clubs' in each area will come together under the leisure providers..... Those that won't play ball will be frozen out. So, the plan seems to be that each borough will have a single 'aquatics club' run by the profit making Leisure provider. [LINK]"
For 140 years the sport of amateur swimming has been run by independent amateur swimming clubs. Is that now a thing of the past to be replaced by new 'commercially robust' methods?
(Via poolingresources : Message: Strategic plan??: .) ...more ---> ..."Chipping Norton Lido is one of the few remaining open-air pools in the country and when it was threatened with closure members of the local community campaigned to keep the facility open. A dedicated group of local residents now manage the pool, which has become a real social enterprise success story and is well –regarded for its work with young people."
(Via ASA celebrates Swimtastic Achievements / News / Home - ASA South West: .)
...more ---> ..."
Former national swimmer Muir-Cochrane has substantial experience in both public and private sector swimming development and is enjoying getting her teeth into the role. Her primary focus is to reduce the drop out of swimmers in their late teens and build a pathway to help keep more people in the sport for longer.
"It is important that we work hard to keep swimmers aged between 16 and 19 in the sport," Muir-Cochrane said. "This is the age when most swimmers will stop training and move away from the sport and now we need to make it a more attractive option for them. This will include looking at how offer swimming in colleges, school and Higher Education. I will also be working with clubs to help them re-engage with these swimmers."
(Via ASA home britishswimming.org : Homepage: .)
...more ---> ...
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