Swim England Competitive Swimming Hub
Swimming Pathway Coach Conference 2022
August 11, 2022Bookings are now open for the annual Swim England Swimming Pathway Conference 2022.
The event takes place on 13-14 November 2022 from 10am to 4:30pm at the Hilton Hotel, Northampton (just off the M1).
The conference will provide a unique opportunity to hear from a range of key speakers and network with colleagues from across the country.
Workshops will then be framed around key projects that will be undertaken as part of our first Swim England Coach Plan 2022–25 – including a focus upon building a more diverse and inclusive coaching workforce.
We have also looked to respond to coaches’ feedback around where they feel they need further support and development. We have therefore specifically included sessions relating to the upcoming Swim England distance swimming project and breath hold training.
Lindsay Trimmings, Head of Coaching, said: “This will be the first time since the pandemic that we will have had a large number of our pathway coaches come together in person. Coaches are telling us how much they have missed the face-to-face opportunities for learning and development, and the chance to connect with their coaching peers.
“We are hoping that coaches value the opportunity to come away from their busy schedules for the day, and that the inspirational and informative speakers help our coaches to reboot and reenergise for the new season.”
How much does it cost?
- The cost for the conference is £40 per person, per day, and places can be booked online.
- Swim England Coach and Coach Plus members will receive a discount when booking onto the conference.
- Those booked onto the conference can receive a discounted room rate at the hotel. To receive this, contact the hotel to book a room and mention that you are attending the conference.
Day one – 13 November:
| Time | Workshop |
|---|---|
| 09:00-10:00am | Registration |
| 10:00-10:10am | Welcome Speakers: Lindsay Trimmings – Swim England Head of Coaching |
| 10:10-10:45am | The Swim England Coaching Plan 2022-25 – Transforming Lives through Inspirational Coaching The launch of our Swim England Coaching Plan which will outline our direction of travel over the next three years. Speakers: Lindsay Trimmings – Swim England Head of Coaching Jo John – Swim England Coach Development Manager Lisa Wright – Swim England Coach Engagement Officer |
| 10:45-11:45am | Distance Project – The Road to Los Angeles 2028 Following on from the initial meeting at the British Summer Championships, this session will provide further information about the Swim England Distance initiative. The project rationale and approach will be explained in greater depth to ensure that collaborative ways of working are developed between athletes, home coaches, and the talent team. BRING YOUR STOPWATCH! Speakers: Richard Blackshaw – Swim England Swimming National Talent Officer Craig Robertson – Swim England Swimming Distance Project Lead, PHD Student at Leeds Beckett University |
| 11:45am-12:00pm | Break |
| 12:00-12:45pm | ‘To Breathe or not to Breathe … that is the Question… Following the release of our Swim England policy relating to breath hold training, this session will explore the various ways that coaches can undertake this type of work safely and effectively. Craig will share some of the initial findings from his PHD research into the ‘Principles and Training of Apnoea for Competitive Swimming’, and will also explain how this research can be practically applied in your coaching. Speakers: Craig Robertson – Swim England Swimming Distance Project Lead and PHD Student at Leeds Beckett University |
| 12:45-1:45pm | Lunch |
| 1:45-2:45pm | Building a Diverse and Inclusive Aquatics Community – Our Call to Action! The mission of our Swim England Coaching plan is ‘to build a diverse and inclusive coaching community that are empowered to create positive experiences for everyone involved in aquatic sport’. In this session we will both hear and reflect upon the experiences of our ‘talking heads’ panel, which will be followed up with discussions centred around our collective commitment to positive action. Speakers: Alice Dearing, Olympic Swimmer and Co Founder of the Black Swimming Association Andy Sharp – Paralympic Gold Medal Winning Coach, Director of Swimming and Head Coach , Northampton Swimming Club Josh Rudd – English Institute of Sport/ British Swimming Performance Lifestyle Practitioner and Founder of Pride in Water Robin Surgeoner – Multiple Paralympic Gold Medallist Swimmer and Swimming Coach at Orion SC |
| 2:45-3:00pm | Break |
| 3:00-4:00pm | The Long and Winding Road: Developing and Transitioning as an Athlete and Coach In this session Jamie will talk us through the journey that he has taken with Olympian Jacob Whittle who was only 16 years of age when he qualified for the Tokyo 2021 games. Jamie has spent the last few years managing the transition of Jacob into the Loughborough National Training Centre, as well as recently securing a role himself as the National Coach for Olympic Swimming based in Bath. Speakers: Jamie Main – National Coach for Olympic Swimming, Bath National Training Centre |
| 4:00-4:30pm | The Coach Learning Journey The Swim England Coaching Team will lead you through the suite of Coach learning opportunities available to Swimming Coaches over the next few years. Speakers: The Swim England Coaching Team Lindsay Trimmings – Swim England Head of Coaching Jo John – Swim England Coach Development Manager Lisa Wright – Swim England Coach Engagement Officer |
| 4:30-4:45pm | Conference Close Speakers: Swim England Coaching and Talent Teams |
Day two 14 November:
| Time | Workshop |
|---|---|
| 09:00-10:00am | Registration |
| 10:00-10:10am | Welcome Speakers: Lindsay Trimmings – Swim England Head of Coaching |
| 10:10-11:30am | Developing the ‘modern day’ 400IM Individual Medley Swimmer – My Learnings and Reflections In this session Nathan will be sharing his philosophy around developing swimmers who are competitive in the 400m Individual Medley at Junior and Senior International level. He will specifically talk through the lens of his recent work with Commonwealth Games Bronze Medallist Freya Colbert. Speakers: Nathan Hilton – Director of Coaching, Nova Centurion Swimming Club |
| 11:30-11:45am | Break |
| 11:45am-12:45pm | Setting Standards and Supporting Coaches One of the key objectives of our new Swim England Coaching Plan is that our coaches are held to the highest standards of best practice and that they feel valued and supported in their role. Helen will use this session to explain the key Swim England governance policies and procedures that all coaches need to be aware of, including how to work effectively with your club committees. Clarity will also be provided around how you as coaches can get support from your National Governing Body. Speakers: Helen Weeks – Swim England Club Governance and Standards Manager |
| 12:45-1:45pm | Lunch |
| 1:45-2:45pm | Coaching the Person in Front of You If we want to help our athletes to reach their full potential, it is important to understand their individual needs. In this session, Rob will aim to develop our confidence in working with para swimmers with physical, visual and intellectual impairments. Speakers: Rob Aubry – Head Coach, British Para Swimming |
| 2:45-3:00pm | Break |
| 3:00-4:00pm | Coaching Burnout Since the COVID pandemic we have seen a number of coaches leaving our sport, often citing stress and ‘burnout’ as key factors. Peter Olusoga will be joining the conference to help us to better understand the concept of burnout, and how we might employ strategies to promote positive well-being, and a longer-term involvement in coaching. Speakers: Peter Olusoga – Lecturer in Psychology, Sheffield Hallam University |
| 4:00-4:30pm | The Optimal Athlete Development Framework – Off the Shelf and into Action The Swim England Swimming Talent Team who will talk us through the work that they have done around embedding the OADF into the Swimming Talent Pathway. Following the session, coaches will be able to access the curriculum resource to use within their own daily training environments. Speakers: The Swim England Swimming Talent Team Tom McManus – Swim England Swimming National Talent Officer Diane Elliot – Swim England Sport Science and Sport Medicine Manager |
| 4:30-4:45pm | Conference Close Speakers: Swim England Coaching and Talent Teams |
