Nottingham has been named as the host city of a new ASA (Amateur Swimming Association) Beacon Programme set up to support the next wave of elite athletes.
The Nottingham Beacon Programme is the first of its kind to be set up in the East Midlands and will be hosted by Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad, Nova Centurion Swimming Club and Nottingham City Council.
This announcement recognises the commitment of Nottingham City Council to high performance swimming through the re-development of the Harvey Hadden Sports Village, and the rich history of the region for producing talented athletes.
Seventeen swimmers are currently involved in the performance programme, including World junior champion and record holder, Rosie Rudin.
As well as allowing athletes to train in the new Olympic-sized swimming pool, the programme will also provide access to high performance services including strength and conditioning, sport science, physiotherapy, nutrition advice as well as educational support.
Beacon Programme Head Coach Nathan Hilton moved to Nottingham 18 months ago to work with Nova Centurion Swimming Club and to develop the region’s Beacon Programme.
He said: “We are incredibly pleased to have achieved our Beacon Programme status. It’s absolutely brilliant for Nottinghamshire and for the 17 swimmers currently on the performance programme.
“Over the next two years, many talented athletes from across the region will benefit from this programme; in addition to the value that it will offer to coaches as part of the wider education and development opportunities available through the Beacon network.”
Cllr Dave Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at Nottingham City Council said: “It is fantastic to have such a high-quality swimming programme within the city and we are pleased that it has obtained Beacon status.
“We are excited to welcome the swimmers to our 50m pool and we are sure that the Nottingham Beacon Programme team will work exceptionally hard to deliver training and support to unlock the potential of the next generation of athletes.”
Jon Keating, ASA Head of Clubs, added: “The launchof the Nottingham Beacon Programme is very important as it allows athletes from across the East Midlands region to access a High Performance Centre.
“Beacon Programmes are the result of a partnership approach between the ASA and a network of local clubs. The new Nottingham Beacon Programme will work closely the Nottingham City Council, the Harvey Hadden Sports Village, as well as with clubs from across the region.
“I would like to thank everyone for their hard work in successfully achieving this status and the ongoing commitment to make the programme a success.”
ASA Beacon Programmes support and enhance the development of high quality senior athletes as well as working with regional clubs from across the country to identify individuals with the potential to achieve senior podium success.