Interactive webinars helping to identify potential future artistic swimming stars

A new series of interactive webinars are helping to identify potential artistic swimming stars of the future and boost the skills of coaches around the country.

The first Swim England-run session was oversubscribed within hours of its launch and has proved to be so popular that more are being planned in the coming weeks.

Athletes and coaches were put through their paces on sculling fundamentals for artistic swimming.

National duet coach Paola Basso led the coaches session assisted by one half of the British duet Isabelle Thorpe, while the athlete webinar was presented by National Team Coach Katie Clark and supported by GB senior team members Daniella Lloyd and Cerys Larsen.

Karen Thorpe, Swim England Artistic Swimming Prorgrammes Lead, said the response to the webinars had been amazing.

She added: “I was overwhelmed by the uptake in just a few hours initially and have since been encouraged by the incredible feedback following the sessions.

Great opportunity

“We have a further three sessions planned and these will be advertised very soon.

“The athlete sessions will give us a really good idea about the level of athletes within the country and I encourage those that are looking to attend trials to book a place.

“We are also able to help develop the knowledge of our coaches and those sessions are also interactive so are a great opportunity to ask any burning questions you may have.”

The sessions were developed following a national workout staged by Great Britain’s FINA World Series medal winning squad to more than 300 girls and boys from England, Scotland and Wales.

They will also aim to identify specific areas of development to those athletes attending.

The next webinars will focus on the following:

Coaches

• The best way to start the season led by Paola Basso, National Duet Coach – analysis of general preparation phase for the season, taking into account the time out the pool and how to build for strength and power, definition, goals and elements of training.
• How to develop and improve flexibility, mobility and splits led by Ali Wayne, GB Flexibility Coach – this will include physiology, different types of stretching to achieve the best result in a safe and progressive way, injury prevention, different methods and practical exercises.
• How to help improve feet and knee extension led by Paola Basso and supported by Kate Shortman – looking at how to improve mobility in ankle, feet and knees, develop strength to hold extension throughout a routine/figures and what is meant by muscle tension.

Athletes

• Advanced Sculling and sculling preparation for trials led by Katie Clark (national coach) and supported by GB athletes
• Flexibility and Splits  led by Ali Wayne, GB Flexibility Coach, supported by Katie Clark and GB athlete
• Feet and Extension, led by Katie Clark (national coach) and supported by GB athletes.

To finds out more details, email [email protected]