Supported by Community Partner: SPAR UKThe National Lottery Y Loteri Genedlaethol

Swim Wales “Battle” for Para-Swimming Potential

Have you the potential?

Swim Wales are set to launch a number of Regional Para-Swimming academies across the country, to develop future Welsh Para-Swimming hopefuls.

Over the next two years, 5 Regional Para-swimming academies will be established across Wales, providing coaching and training for those wishing to compete within the Para-Swimming Pathway. As with all sports within the Paralympic movement, in order to compete within the pathway, competitors must be eligible for classification within the sport. Because of this, the regional academies are specifically designed for swimmers with a physical or visual impairment.

Swim Wales National Para-Swimming Manager, Huw Griffiths said “ensuring that all swimmers have the opportunity to partake in competitive training is essential if we are to develop success at the highest level. The demands and commitment required to reach the top for any athlete is extremely high, regardless of their sport or the level of their impairment. The academies are there so that swimmers with more severe physical and visual impairments have access to the same level of training that is available to those within mainstream clubs. Once swimmers have come through the Learn to Swim programme or if they have acquired their disability and want to pursue competition within Para-Swimming, then we now have the opportunities for them to do so”.

There are currently 3 regional academies have already been put into place, North Wales Trojans, South Wales Titans and Gwent Spartans. The aim is to have a further 2 in place by the end of 2016. Huw Griffiths adds “the names and the branding we have assigned to each of the academies have been deliberate, to create an identity for the swimmers. We want the academies to create a sense of strength, hard work and honour. We also want them to go into training and competition with the same commitment as those figures with which the academies are named after. We see that as an important aspect of creating a performance led culture not just within the academies but within Para-Swimming in Wales”.

Swimmers wishing to join one of the academies will need to meet entry criteria, alongside having a condition eligible for classification. This criteria includes:

  • Having completed stage 5 of ASA National Learn to Swim Framework or Wave 5 of Swim Wales Aqua Passport
  • Able to Swim 25m in at least 2 recognised strokes
  • Commitment to attending training sessions
  • Commitment to training for competition

For more information on Swim Wales Para-Swimming Academies please contact Huw Griffiths at huw.griffiths@welshasa.co.uk

 

More News Articles


   Back to the top

   Back to the homepage

 

Accessibility Options

These options options adjust the visual layout of disabilitysportwales.com. If you are using a screen reader, these options will not change your experience, and you may wish to close this Accessibility Options panel and continue browsing the site.

Text Size

Select an option:


Colour

Select an option:


Buttons

Please select your preference:


Paragraph Font

You may optionally select to view this website in Lato or Atkinson Hyperlegible.

Please select your preference:


Use of Capital Letters

You can choose to minimise the use of capital letters for headings and sub-headings if you find them easier to read in Sentence Case. Some text, including acronyms, may still be shown in capital letters.

Please select your preference:


Motion Options

This site sometimes uses animation to bring the content to life. If you'd like to disable this, you can do.

Please select your preference:


Accessibility Statement

Read our Accessibility Statement