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OLYMPIC SWIMMER MAKES A BIG SPLASH AS SEDGEFIELD BOROUGH LAUNCH THE ASA NATIONAL TEACHING PLAN FOR SWIMMING
Hundreds of guests packed out Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre yesterday to see the launch of the new ASA recommended National Teaching Plan for Swimming. Sedgefield Borough adopted the new scheme into their Swimming Development Programme earlier this year.
The purpose of the day was to demonstrate the different stages of the National Plan for Teaching Swimming, which was performed by children that currently take part in swimming lessons on the Swim School programme within the Borough.
Guests at the launch included the Mayor of Sedgefield Borough Cllr Marie Predki, Consort Tom Heslop, Director of Leisure Services at Sedgefield Borough Phil Ball, Sedgefield 75’s head coach John Moore and George Carpenter the coach of Sedgefield 75’s, Water Polo club.
Helen Cook, Regional Business Manager for the ASA outlined the main benefits of the programme, “the new scheme gives pupils a clear structure and progressive ladder to follow that incorporates every aspect of swimming including water skills, water polo, lifesaving and many more. This gives more choices and opportunities to pupils following the National Teaching Plan with regards to the direction in which they want to take their swimming.”
There was also a very special demonstration from star guest, British Olympian and Commonwealth Champion Chris Cook. Chris swam a number of lengths in the pool himself and then gave advice to youngsters with regards to stroke technique and performance.
Chris said, “It’s nice to come along and see the future Olympians, there’s no doubt that Olympians going round and inspiring young people is motivating, I looked up to stars like Adrian Moorehouse and Nick Gillingham and they inspired me to get to this stage in my career. Sedgefield 75’s is a great club and it’s so important to their continued success that they get the full support of the council as they have done for so many years.”
Chris outlined the importance of the National Teaching Plan for Swimming for Sedgefield Borough Swimming Development, “It’s great to get a national standard for swimming especially, because the scheme is based on technique as this is so important. When you get to international level, that’s when your skills are really under the microscope, so it’s really important to get your technique right from a early age.”
Sedgefield Borough’s swimming development programme is currently run across the Borough’s three swimming pools at Fishburn pool, Spennymoor and Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre’s. Enrolment for the next set of swim school lessons takes place from Monday 7 March until Sunday 13 March for existing members of the swim school programme and new members can register on Sunday 13 March from 12pm onwards.
For more information about swimming in Sedgefield Borough please contact Swimming Development Officer Sue Rogerson on 01388 815627.
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