SWIM NATIONAL HIGH PERFORMANCE CENTRE AN EXCEPTIONAL PLACE FOR ELITE SWIMMERS

Swim Wales National High Performance Centre provides elite level swimmers with a world-class training environment in the stunning setting of Swansea Bay in South Wales, UK.

Located at the Wales National Pool within ’s Sports Village, the National High Performance Centre combines the highest standards of swim coaching, strength and conditioning, sports science and access to academic excellence.

Our swimmers set their sights on World Championship, Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic goals, and achieve superb results on the world stage.

Experience shows that talented and dedicated swimmers flourish where there is a culture of ambition and a supportive atmosphere. That’s exactly what we provide at the Swim Wales National High Performance Centre.

02 03 SUPPORTING The Swim Wales National High Performance Centre offers everything that an elite level swimmer needs. SWIMMERS, DELIVERING RESULTS • World class coaching team • Eight-lane 50m pool • 20+ hours of quality pool training per week, guaranteed • Exclusive use of the swimming specific gym, adjacent to the pool • Top flight strength and conditioning programme • Sports science facilities on-site, including performance science, physiotherapy, soft tissue, nutrition and psychology • A High Performance Program catering for all swimming events and disciplines • Programme open to all elite level para-swimmers and able bodied swimmers • Dedicated ‘quiet’ accommodation for swimmers • Swansea University within walking distance • No obligation to be in full-time education • Outstanding coastal location, close to city centre and excellent transport links

04 05 LOCATION

The Swim Wales National High Performance Centre is located in Swansea, South Wales, UK.

Our coastal location, on the edge of Gower, the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is inspirational. Yet we’re within walking distance of Swansea’s bustling city centre, and Swansea University’s two campuses are close to hand. Singleton Park Campus is adjacent to the Swim Wales National Performance Centre and the Bay Campus is just five miles away, along the coast.

ABERDEEN BAY CAMP US

EDINBURGH SINGLETON PARK CAMPUS

There are excellent transport links to Swansea, with the BELFAST

LEEDS DUBLIN LIVERPOOL MANCHESTER HOLYHEAD

CAMBRIDGE

BIRMINGHAM M4 skirting the city and the railway station on the main SWANSEA BRISTOL LONDON DOVER SOUTHAMPTON line to London Paddington. PLYMOUTH

06 07 WORLD CLASS ADAM BAKER STUART MCNARRY Swim Wales National High Swim Wales National High TEAM Performance Centre Lead Coach Performance Coach With an exceptional pedigree in Swim Wales High Performance coaching, Adam Baker’s record of Coach since 2012, Stuart McNarry success is impressive. Over the last was part of the Team Wales six years, he has coached swimmers coaching staff at the 2010 and 2014 to be selected for, and win medals at, the last two Commonwealth Games, and Head Coach at the 2015 European Youth Olympic Festivals (1 gold, 2 silver and Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa. 3 bronze), the last four European Junior Championships Our highly successful team comprises world class Swimming (1 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze), the FINA World Open Stuart joined Swim Wales in 2008 as National Talent and Strength & Conditioning coaches, who work alongside our Water Championships 2015 (2 selected) and the 2014 ID coach and Head Coach for the Swansea University Commonwealth Games (1 bronze). performance programme. This followed a successful highly experienced Sports Science practitioners. Together, they period as head coach of the City of Exeter Swimming provide elite level athletes with personalised, fully integrated, Adam’s coaching career to date has seen him selected Club, where he coached swimmers to international training programmes and sports science and medicine, as part of the British coaching staff for the European success at junior and senior level, and gained selection Junior Championships, the European Youth Olympic to work on the British World Class Programme, the ensuring the very best level of support. festival, LEN European Open Water Cup, in addition European Junior Championships and FINA World Cups as to the Team Wales coaching staff for the 2014 part of the British coaching staff. Commonwealth Games. At Swansea, Stuart has gained invaluable experience Lead Coach to the Swim Wales National High Performance working alongside internationally renowned coaches Centre since 2015, Adam Baker joined Swim Wales as a such as former GB Head Sprint Coach Bill Pilczuk, National High Performance Coach in 2013, having spent former GB Performance Director Bill Sweetenham and eight successful years as Head Coach of the City of former Head British ITC Coach Bud McAllister. Swansea Aquatics (formally Swim Swansea).

088 9 KATIE MCGIBBON SPENCER FUGE HIGH PERFORMANCE Swim Wales Performance Scientist Swim Wales Lead Strength and SPORTS SCIENCE TEAM Conditioning Coach A team of experts from the Sport Wales High A talented Performance Scientist, Spencer Fuge brings a wealth of Performance Sports Science Team provide Katie McGibbon joined Swim Wales experience and expertise to our weekly support in Nutrition, Psychology and in 2015, after outstanding work as coaching team, having previously Physiotherapy at the Swim Wales High Performance Scientist for Scottish worked as a Strength and Performance Centre. Swimming and the Sport Scotland Institute of Sport in Conditioning Coach for , Welsh Stirling. Katie was an integral part of the Sports Science Rugby Union, British Triathlon, Welsh Athletics, Lawn team for Team Scotland at the 2014 Commonwealth Tennis Association and British Sailing. His academic Games, where she provided race analysis. record includes sports rehabilitation and further studies in strength and conditioning. At Swim Wales, Katie’s role involves leading the Physiology and Race Analysis provision at the Spencer’s role is to design, implement and facilitate the National High Performance Centre and across the Strength and Conditioning delivery at the Swim Wales National Squad Programme. National High Performance Centre and across the Swim Wales National Squad programme. Katie’s exemplary academic record includes an undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science Since joining Swim Wales, Spencer has coached a at the University of Bath, a year’s placement at the number of high profile Welsh and British swimmers Tasmanian Institute of Sport working within their Sports to international success at the London 2012 Olympic Performance Unit, and a Master’s degree in Exercise and Paralympic Games, and the 2010 and 2014 Physiology at Loughborough University. Commonwealth Games.

10 01111 ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATION EXCELLENCE SWANSEA UNIVERSITY Choose Swansea if you’re looking for a living environment that is conducive to high performance Swansea University is a top-thirty research university training. First year undergraduates at Swansea with world-class facilities. Overlooking Swansea University can live in designated ‘quiet’ accommodation Bay, on the edge of a small but vibrant city, Swansea on campus, and within walking distance of the pool. University offers the right balance of excellent teaching Nearby, the Swim Wales houses offer high quality self- and research with an enviable quality of life. In addition catering accommodation for a select number of National to its Singleton Park Campus, set in mature parkland High Performance Centre swimmers. close to the beach, the university doubled its capacity in 2015 with the opening of a 65-acre Bay Campus on the eastern approach to Swansea.

SIXTH FORM Sixth Form education is available at the independent Ffynone House School, Olchfa Comprehensive School and Gower College Swansea.

SWIM WITHOUT STUDYING The Swim Wales National High Performance Centre is open to all elite para-swimmers and able bodied swimmers, whether studying or not.

12 13 ELIGIBILITY

At the Swim Wales National High Performance Centre We actively encourage applications from we operate a World Leading Performance Program para-swimmers or open water swimmers. Please get enabling elite level swimmers to achieve their own in touch with Lead Coach Adam Baker for an informal long term goals. discussion [email protected]

To be eligible to apply for a place in either squad, Every swimmer who gains a place in the Swim Wales swimmers must meet our current performance criteria National High Performance Centre is expected to show that can be obtained by contacting Lead Coach Adam exceptional commitment to training and make the Baker [email protected] appropriate choices regarding athlete management.

14 15 TESTIMONIALS FEES AND SCHOLARSHIPS

“My international success is due, in no small “At Swansea, the team has put everything in “The Sports Science support in Swansea is part, to the fantastic team of coaches at place to ensure that I can excel in the pool world class and allows me to maximise my the Swim Wales National High Performance and at my academic studies.” potential in training and at competitions.” SQUAD FEES Centre in Swansea.’’ Our performance-related fee structure encourages success at Alys Thomas Chloe Davies international level. Please contact Lead Coach Adam Baker for further Aaron Moores 4th 200m Butterfly, Glasgow 2014 GB Para-Swimming International information [email protected]. Rio 2016 qualifier Commonwealth Games Bronze medallist 100m Backstroke, 2016 British Champion Womens 100 Fly London 2012 Paralympic Games SWANSEA UNIVERSITY SPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS 100 Brst S14 World Record Holder Each year the University offers undergraduate scholarships for students who show outstanding promise in their sporting activity.

“The Coaching team is exceptional – they pay “The Swim Wales National High Performance “At Swansea the Strength and Conditioning Find out more at www.swansea.ac.uk/sport. great attention to designing personalised Centre has everything an elite swimmer programme is really outstanding, being programmes that fit your training needs.” needs under one roof, my accommodation tailored to the individual needs of every is just a short walk away, and Swansea is a swimmer.” FFYNONE HOUSE SPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS Dan Jervis great city to live in.” A limited number of Sports Scholarships are available each year. Bronze Medallist 1500m Freestyle, Jack Thomas Find out more at www.ffynonehouseschool.co.uk/scholarships. Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Ellena Jones Bronze Medallist 200m Freestyle S14, GB European Championships 2016 GB International Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

16 17 ARRANGE A VISIT

If you’re considering where to swim and study, we’d encourage you to come and take a look at the Swim Wales National High Performance Centre. See our facilities, meet some of the team, visit the University and get a feel for life in Swansea. It’s such an important decision for your future development, both academically and as an elite athlete.

Contact Adam Baker, Lead Coach, Swim Wales National High Performance Centre [email protected] 07772 422439

18 19 SWIM WALES NATIONAL HIGH PERFORMANCE CENTRE

WALES NATIONAL POOL SKETTY LANE SWANSEA SA2 8QG www.swimwales.org 01792 513636