The SnowDome, the UK’s premier real snow centre, is the latest facility operator to implement the asa’s National Plan for Teaching Swimming (NPTS) after introducing a fantastic pool complex at the site in Tamworth, Staffordshire.
The new five-year deal will see the organisation working in partnership with the national governing body until 2013.
The agreement to use the NPTS, a template for learn to swim schemes, means the leisure complex will use the highest quality syllabus and awards system. The plan is a comprehensive and progressive teaching programme based upon sound technical and educational principles.
The National Plan will run alongside the asa’s Kellogg’s Awards Scheme and looks set to benefit children of all needs, ages and abilities who access the Swim & Fitness swimming scheme at the centre, which was launched in April this year.
The SnowDome has been operating for over fourteen years and is well known locally and nationally as an excellent real snow centre offering a range of activities such as ski-ing, snowboarding and toboganning. Major reinvestment in the leisure facilities took place last year and the centre now boasts main, trainer and mini pools, which are proving extremely popular, with swimming lessons being delivered over varying days of the week.
Swim Co-ordinator at The SnowDome Sam Lockley is pleased to offer children the chance to experience a fun, enjoyable learning curve in their lives which will help to enhance their swimming knowledge, technique and development.
“I have worked alongside many award schemes since becoming a Swimming Teacher, the asa National Plan for Teaching Swimming being the most favourable due to its good organisation of levels and classes, clear description of criteria and standards which the child has to achieve and fairness in accepting that all children progress and develop at different paces”.
The asa Business Team Manager Mandy Mason welcomes The SnowDome on board.
"The asa is committed to providing our partners with the support they need to deliver quality learn to swim programmes,” she said. “We are pleased to welcome The SnowDome’s Swim & Fitness swimming scheme in particular. Our Business Team will be working closely with them to ensure they build on their current success whilst using the National Plan for Teaching Swimming and the asa’s Kellogg's Awards Scheme."
Bruce Learner, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Kellogg’s, said: “Kellogg’s has been working in partnership with the asa since 1997, investing £1 million a year between 2006 and 2008. We’re passionate about promoting the ongoing benefits of physical activity and hope to break down barriers that prevent families from participating in swimming through the Kellogg’s Swim Active programme.”
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For more information contact the asa PR Assistant Claire Freeman on 01509 632238 or email claire.freeman@swimming.org
The asa is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The asa supports 1,220 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The asa aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.
The asa’s Kellogg’s Awards Scheme is the most successful awards scheme in British sport and issues around two million awards every year to swimmers all around the world.
For more information about the asa Awards please see www.swimming.org
