Head Coach Update - End of Season

28 Jul 2025

Hi Everyone,

I hope you're all well and looking forward to a well-deserved summer break. I can’t believe how fast this year has flown by as we approach the end of our 2024–2025 season campaign—what a season it’s been! Before we all head off for the summer, I’d like to share a few key highlights and important dates to note ahead of the new season.

End-of-Season Competitions

Summer Scorcher

Firstly, congratulations to everyone who took part in the Summer Scorcher. There were many fantastic races and PBs across a wide range of squads, showcasing the depth and strength of the programme we're continuing to build. A huge thank you, as always, to the meet organisers and volunteers whose tireless work ensured a smooth and successful event.

Aquatics GB Next Gen Championships

A massive congratulations to our four qualifiers for this year's British Summer Nationals: Iola Bellinger, Megan Thorpe, Tilly Biggs, and Emily Ainsworth-Fletcher.

Special shout out goes to Iola, who placed 5th in the Women’s 15 Years 50m Breaststroke and broke a club age group record in the 100m Breaststroke with a time of 1:13.35, earning a Bronze medal. Well done Iola, we are all so proud of you, a huge achievement! Well done to Coach Chris for his support in helping Iola reach this milestone.

The four girls will next compete in the Women’s 14–16 4x100m Medley Relay this Friday, best of luck, girls!

Swim England Summer Nationals

This year, we have an incredible 14 swimmers heading to the Swim England Summer Nationals, which begins Tuesday (29th July) in Sheffield.

Best of luck to:

Well done on your qualifications and best of luck in your races!

Summer Shutdown

Next week (beginning Monday 28th July) will be our final week of training before our three-week summer break. Please note that the ATR is closed next week—I will be emailing the affected squads shortly with alternative training arrangements, so please keep an eye on your inboxes.

For those new to the club or competitive swimming, it's important to know that the swimming season runs similarly to the football season, aligning with school terms. These planned shutdowns are vital opportunities for swimmers to rest, recharge, and enjoy a well-earned break from their regular training. We encourage families to take holidays during this time, allowing swimmers to return refreshed and ready for the next season—while also avoiding disruptions during crucial pre-season training.

We’ll return to training on Tuesday 26th August, with the full timetable resuming from that date. I look forward to seeing you all then!

Squad Moves

As we prepare for the new season—and following feedback from last year—we'll be making a round of squad moves. Please note that the current squad structure will remain in place for the new season. Swimmers selected for a move will either remain in or transition into one of our existing squads.

Notifications will be sent via email on Monday 4th August, and new squad placements will begin from Monday 1st September.

If you have any questions about the selection process, please reach out to your lead squad coach.

2025–26 Competition Calendar

We’re currently finalising next season’s competition calendar and aim to publish it within the next two weeks. As always, we’ll do our best to ensure every swimmer is catered for through a broad and inclusive range of meets.

Thank You's

As we wrap up another fantastic season, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has helped make this year such a success.

Parents – your continued support is invaluable. From early-morning drop-offs to cheering poolside, your commitment doesn’t go unnoticed and makes a real difference to our swimmers’ journeys.

Coaches – thank you for your dedication, hard work, and passion throughout the season. This year has been full of milestones and progress, and it wouldn’t have been possible without your relentless effort and belief in the programme. It’s not just about results (though we’ve had many to celebrate!); it’s about the environment we’ve built together—one that values growth, resilience, teamwork, and effort. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and even more grateful to work with such a supportive and talented coaching team.

We’re already excited for what’s to come next season. With new goals, fresh training cycles, major meets, and the continued growth of our membership, we’re ready to build on the strong foundations we’ve laid this year. Thank you again for your support and trust in our programme. I wish you and your family a restful and enjoyable summer—and we’ll see you back on poolside soon!

See you soon,

Ben

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