Latest recruits on Swim England's Coach 2024 Programme revealed

A national flagship programme aimed at developing the next generation of elite swimming coaches has selected its latest recruits.

Swim England’s Coach 2024 Programme aims to support and mentor coaches who are working at the upper level of the England Talent Pathway.

More than 50 coaches applied for the scheme and 18 have now been chosen to complete the 14-month learning journey, which covers a wide range of topics that aim to enhance technical knowledge, personal and interpersonal skills and enable them to better support their athletes.

Joanna Jones, Swim England coach development manager, said: “Swim England received an unprecedented level of interest and number of applications for our elite national flagship coach development programme, which we are really encouraged by.

“Over the past few months we have spent time reviewing and refining the content and delivery format for this programme from our inaugural cohort of coaches and are excited about the changes we are making to this 2018-2019 programme.

“Coaches can expect to be tested and challenged, embedding behaviour changes and technical improvements. During the course of the programme, participants will be able to confidently self-reflect and critically review their coaching practice and behaviour. 

“The relationship between the coach and the assigned mentor is a key component to the programme and will maximise learning opportunities. We wish them all the best of luck on their learning journey.”   

The successful Coach 2024 applicants:

  • Carl Grosvenor (City of Birmingham)
  • Lee Spindlow (Guildford City)
  • Emma Collings-Barnes (Mount Kelly)
  • Adam Ruckwood (City of Coventry)
  • Chris Alderton (Team Bath AS)
  • Jamie Evans (City of Leicester)
  • Robin Armayan (Plymouth Leander, Plymouth College)
  • John Adye (Hillingdon SC)
  • Mandy Bell (City of Derby)
  • Graham Davidson (Taunton Dean SC)
  • Jamie Main (Derventio Excel)
  • Mark Tanner (Chesterfield SC)
  • Mark Rose (City of Manchester)
  • Paul Lloyd (Maidenhead Marlins)
  • Lisa Atkinson (City of Bristol Aquatics)
  • Gregory Buck (City of Milton Keynes)
  • Chris Reekie (Tynemouth ASC)
  • David Vine (Leatherhead SC)

Plymouth Leander Swimming Club coach, Robin Armayan, said: “I feel honoured to have been selected for the 2018-19 Coach 2024 programme. 

“It is a great opportunity to learn from the best and develop myself further, to be in a better position to help the athletes I coach on a daily basis.

“I look forward to being involved, learning more about myself and others as well as gaining more knowledge and experience about high performance coaching.”

Mount Kelly’s Emma Collings-Barnes added: “It is a huge honour to be selected onto the Coach 2024 programme. 

“The timing of this selection works perfectly with my new appointment as director of swimming at Mount Kelly. I am excited to learn and develop through the support of this programme and it will be an invaluable part of my professional development.”

Coach 2024 launches on 30 October. The elite programme consists of a number of workshops and mentoring sessions that will help the coaches learn and absorb British Swimming and England Talent coaching principles into their daily coaching methods. 

To find out more about the Coach 2024 Programme, email Swim England coach development manager Joanna Jones at joanna.jones@swimming.org. 

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