Development clubs set the standard for excellence

9 April 2010

British Swimming has unveiled a select group of Development Clubs as part of its provision of a world-class daily training environment for athletes in Britain.

Five clubs earned Development status by right following analysis of club performances at the British Gas Swimming Championships this month in Sheffield.

The successful clubs are Plymouth Leander, City of Manchester Aquatics, City of Leicester, City of Cardiff and Millfield School (Somerset), and will be offered funding over a one-year period to work alongside British Swimming in the development of their athletes.

Development Clubs are identified annually in April of each year from performances of girls 16 and under and boys 18 and under at the British Championships (50m). The extra investment enables coaches to support a number of performance areas such as extra services, equipment and access to 50m training facilities etc.

For Plymouth Leander, City of Cardiff and Millfield School, this will be their second year of Development Club support.

Chris Martin, British Swimming development coach, commented: "This financial assistance continues to be for investment in performance areas such as camps, equipment and support services, and additional sports science/sports medicine provision for World Class athletes will be offered where appropriate.

"The principle behind the funding and enhanced support is to promote further success by providing value added services and assistance to the existing club programme. I will be visiting each of the Clubs over the next few weeks to meet with and discuss with the Club head coach as to those areas in which this investment will be made."

National performance director Michael Scott has congratulated the latest selection of achieving clubs and looks forward to their development as part of British Swimming’s enhanced daily training environment for athletes.

"These clubs should be congratulated for their strong performances," explained Scott. "These clubs selected have set the standard and we want to see others competing for the chance to become Development Clubs in the future.

"It is great to see such strong competition from British clubs to receive this award and support package."

Development Club support was introduced in November 2008 as part of British Swimming's strategic plan to enhance the daily training environment of World Class athletes.

Athletes within the Development Club programmes will be required to complete an annual Performance Improvement Needs plan together with their home coach and British Swimming Development Coach Chris Martin.