Sid Vale Swimming Club are delighted to confirm that they now have four newly-qualified ASA Level 1 swimming coaches helping out.

Sid Vale Swimming Club are delighted to confirm that they now have four newly-qualified ASA Level 1 swimming coaches helping out. Thanks to a training course held at Honiton Sports Centre over two long weekends late last year, run by Joy Retter, an ASA course tutor, Simon Towers, Patrick Domhof, Ellie Cawthera and Julia Walkden have all qualified.During these weekends, they were involved in a mixture of role play, classroom cramming, practising good and bad swimming styles in the pool, teaching each other in the pool while being observed and rated, and teaching youngsters for real in the pool while being observed and marked. It was a gruelling programme and everyone depended on the camaraderie and good humour of other delegates as homework piled up and tests were taken. Listening to each other reciting nursery rhymes from the other end of a sports hall and interpreting verbal and non-verbal (wild gesturing!) instructions while watching the ensuing chaos was entertaining. They also learned constructive skills like issuing precise instructions and correcting posture and style.Simon and Patrick became involved in the club about two years ago when their children began swimming on Friday evenings. They volunteered to become more involved and have been helping poolside at the club and in various roles for the committee ever since. They were a ideal choices when the club realised a need for more trained coaches to help nurture the talents of the growing number of club members. Ellie and Julia have been swimming at Sid Vale for almost eight years. When they started as children, they enjoyed being part of such a vibrant sociable group and their interest in swimming as a sport grew. Both are committed to swimming for the club and now are thrilled to become more involved in the coaching side. Head Coach Gina Wassall is delighted for all four coaches, who she acknowledges are a credit to the club, and has immediately put their new skills to use. Swimmers are already seeing the benefit of having added expertise at training sessions and are grateful to all the new coaches for the considerable time they put into achieving their new qualifications.