Clubs

Nominations have opened for the Swim England Hall of Fame 2020 inductions.

People can now submit names of athletes, coaches or those who have volunteered or worked in administration or as officials to be considered for the honour.

Swim England launched the Hall of Fame this year as part of its 150th anniversary celebrations.

For more information or to put forward a nomination please click here.

It is with regret that we announce that Helen Mack has resigned from her appointment as one of our Regional Club Development Officers (RCDOs), with effect from the end of October.  Helen is taking up a post with Cherwell District Council, in Oxfordshire, which is very much closer to home for her – her longest work related journey is likely to be no more than 20 minutes, and she will be able to cycle to work!

Helen has been involved in the sport in the Region, in one guise or another, since 2004.  She was the original RCDO, joining us in 2008 and is very well known to many involved in swimming, not least because of her role with formerly Swim21, now Swim Mark.

Roger Penfold, Chair of the Regional Management Board, said “We are sad that Helen is leaving.  She has been a fantastic enthusiast for swimming, across all the disciplines, and will be sorely missed. Her tremendous input into the sport was recognised in 2015, when the Region awarded her the Jeff Cook Memorial Plate for services to swimming in the South East.

“Helen will be a difficult act for anyone to follow.  I am sure everyone involved in the sport in the Region will join me and the Board in thanking Helen for her invaluable support over the past 15 years and wishing her well for this new venture”.

Helen Mack replied “I have absolutely loved my role within the South East Region but an opportunity has come up to work with my local authority, on community infrastructure, developing sport, recreation and wellbeing on all the new developments. I just want to say thank you for everything, as, apart from the break to have my children, I have been with the ASA/Swim England since 2004 and thoroughly enjoyed every minute”.

Swim England is launching a Coaching and Teaching Register in 2019 that will bring benefits to clubs, coaches, teachers and participants.

From January to March 2019 all clubs will be required to provide basic information on all active coaches and teachers, regardless of qualification or discipline for inclusion on a new Swim England Coaching and Teaching Register.  This includes paid and voluntary coaches and teachers.

As a membership organisation, Swim England are eager to strengthen relationships with those delivering within clubs.   The Register will be a platform to provide better communication and support to coaches and teachers, and help Swim England, as the Governing Body, to demonstrate best practice in terms of recording and providing quality assurances on the delivery of our sport.  It will also give clubs a central database to record their delivery workforce and ensure that their qualifications and training are in order and up-to-date.

There will be two stages in the roll out of the register.  During the first stage, which runs until the end of March 2019, clubs will need to let Swim England know who their coaches and teachers are.  A new ‘Coaching and Teaching’ tab has been developed within the Online Membership System (OMS) which will provide a simple way for clubs to identify and create a list of their teachers and coaches.

During the second stage Swim England will ask coaches and teachers to verify information currently held on their qualifications, DBS and safeguarding training.  At this point it may require them to supply further documentation if required.

Jane Nickerson, Swim England Chief Executive Officer said: “We know our dedicated and hardworking coaches and teachers do an amazing job across the country and as the governing body we want to support them with improved services and enhanced learning support.  The Register will also allow us to take ownership of providing quality assurance for our own workforce”.

“Swim England’s intention is that the register is a positive process that does not impinge on the delivery of our aquatic sports whilst ensuring that we all adopt best practice.   This is why we have implemented a phased approach to implementation”.

There will be no additional cost for coaches and teachers to be part of the register other than existing fees paid by members.  As set out in Swim England’s Regulations, it is the responsibility of every club to ensure that volunteer coaches and teachers are members of Swim England.  Also that paid teachers and coaches are a member of either Swim England, the Institute of Swimming or the BSCA.

Coaching and Teaching Register key dates:

Stage One (January – March 2019)

• The first stage of this process will require affiliated clubs to inform Swim England who their teachers and coaches are through the new “Coaching and Teaching” tab on the Online Membership System.
• Swim England members of the club, as well as members of the Institute of Swimming, can be added.  See FAQ for information on BSCA members.
• Clubs will need to specify what role each individual is undertaking and the discipline.
• The list will provide a way for clubs to identify and track their coaches/teachers moving forward (from 1st October 2019, we will be able to utilise information held on the Register as evidence for Element 13 of the SwimMark criteria).
• Clubs will be required to include all unpaid and paid coaches and teachers.
• The deadline for clubs completing their coach and teacher information is 31 March 2019.
• Further guidance notes will be circulated shortly.

Stage Two (April – July 2019)

• Coaches and teachers will need to verify information held by Swim England. This will include qualification(s), DBS and safeguarding training.
• In order to verify the information, individuals will need to log into their OMS account between May to July 2019.
• This will be a simple process – additional communication and guidance will be provided in early April 2019.

For more information please see the FAQs here.