ANNUAL REPORT 2010-11 NOTTS COUNTY SWIM SQUAD and Nova Centurion Swimming Club Report of the Swim Squad Administrator As was communicated to parents and swimmers earlier this year, the reduction in local government finance has resulted in cuts to funding and services and Nottinghamshire County Council Sports Department was not immune to this. Since the inception of their Leisure Services Department in 1976, Nottinghamshire has supported the County Swim Squad both financially and through its employment structures. However, at the beginning of January we were informed that this will ultimately be significantly reduced. In recognition of the importance of the Swim Squad, time was given for us to re-structure and to raise increased funding to cover the reduction in finance. Now as from April 2012 the County Council will no longer manage the Swim Squad, though they have agreed that they will still provide a not-insignificant amount of grant aid. This resulted in us looking at all alternative options, and having discussion with Mansfield and Bassetlaw District Councils who would no longer receive their grant aid from the County Council towards the coaching posts. When Notts County Council first took on the Swim Squad it was being run by Notts ASA and it is now planned that the Swim Squad will return to being run by Notts ASA as from April 2012, with Nova Centurion SC continuing as the competitive outlet for the swimmers. So, while there has been, and still is, much to be done to implement the required structural changes, it is the intention that the Swim Squad will continue in a similar format and that the swimmers will see little change. We have always been aware that because of the significant contribution that we have received from the County Council, our fees have been able to be extremely competitive for the number of hours training available and the standard of coaching, but there will now need to be a phased increase in fees up to 2013 so that by then we are working from a sound financial base. The pending change in structure did, however, enable us to respond to a request from many people who returned the Squad evaluation form at the end of last year, and introduce standing orders for the collection of fees for the Nottingham Squads. During the past 12 months, we have had a change in coach for the Development Squad in Nottingham. Dave Wright retired from this post in April after a number of years giving a sound start to swimmers on the Development Squad and seeing many progress to great achievements. Our thanks go to Dave and we also welcome Grant Robe who has taken on this role. My thanks go to those people who during the past year have continued to help with the administration of the various Squads - David and Margaret Holder in Nottingham, Sandra Hull and Ivan Colton in Mansfield and Sue Lefley in Bassetlaw. It is particularly pertinent this year, on behalf of the clubs and swimmers in the County to thank particular local authorities in Nottinghamshire who make it possible for the Squad to exist. Mansfield District Council and Bassetlaw District Council continue to provide both facilities and support for staffing, and Nottingham City Council assist us with access and support for pool time in the City. We are also grateful to Nottingham University for their support and help in accommodating sessions. We are also appreciative of the help from Newark, Southwell, Hucknall and Sutton-in-Ashfield where we also hire facilities. It has been even more obvious this year that Notts County Swim Squad is based on effective teamwork and our thanks go to all the partners who are part of this, including all our base clubs, Notts ASA, ASA East Midland Region the ASA and British Swimming as well as our kit sponsor Speedo. 2 It goes without saying that our thanks go to the one organisation whose support has been vital as the backbone to our Squad system - Nottinghamshire County Council. We are extremely grateful for their unprecedented support over the past 35 years, and we are appreciative of their help now in granting time for us to adjust to our new circumstances, for their help in providing advice, and for their commitment to continue to provide financial aid. Josie Grange Squad Administrator Report of the Swimming Performance Director The Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad and Nova Centurion Swim Club has once again enjoyed a successful year. Our swimmers have performed with distinction at both domestic and international level. Organisationally the foundation has been set to provide a sound position for the squad in these difficult financial times. International Selections Rebecca Adlington - GB Team - World Championships Sam van de Schootbrugge - GB Team - European Junior and World Youth GB Youth Team v Canada Rachel Martin - GB Youth Team v Canada Fiona Donnelly - GB Junior Team - European Junior Championships Georgia Hohmann - GB Team - World Youth Games Charlotte Henshaw - GB Team - IPC European Championships GB Team Paralympic World Cup Oliver Hynd - Great Britain Disability Team - IPC European Championships. Andrew Zawadzki - IPC Development Team - German Open Championships Oliver Pratley - GB Team - World Downs Syndrome Swimming Championships Karl Morgan - GB Team - European Youth Olympic Festival Matthew Watkinson - GB Team - European Youth Olympic Festival Competitive Highlights A full list of events and results is included at the end of this report. I am pleased to report the following highlights. Midland Championships The first Central Zone Meet was held in Corby in January our swimmers were the top Midland club winning 13 Gold 8 Silver and 7 Bronze. At the Midland Age Groups held over two weekends in June our younger swimmers produced excellent results taking 26 Gold 20Silver and 25 Bonze. Importantly many new National qualifying times were achieved and the squad placed swimmers in 3 every individual final. Again Nova was top of the medal table. The Midland Youth Championships also saw Nova as top club with a medal count of 24 Gold 22 Silver and 12 bronze. Domestic Events Our swimmers have enjoyed many racing opportunities. Meets have been arranged for all training groups and ages and every effort is made to provide quality racing experience, which improves competitive ability. Importantly meets must fit both the training cycle and provide swimmers the chance to achieve qualification for Midland and National events. National Championships and Major Games Trials In this Olympic cycle the governing body has decided to go with two selection meets for major games. The first trials held at the Manchester pool in March proved difficult for many of Britain’s top swimmers following so closely from a long last season ending with a late Commonwealth Games. Rebecca Adlington was the star of the trials winning the 200/400/800 Freestyle. Her times in both the 400/800 ranked her number one in the World rankings securing her selection for the World Championships. Other finalist at the event were Jess Sylvester, Sasha Matthews, Harry Needs, Emma Bird and Georgia Hohmann. In the disability events Andrew Zawadzki, Charlotte Henshaw and Andrew Meanwell all produced outstanding swims. Sam van de Schootbrugge and Fiona Donnelly hit qualification standards for the European Junior Championships and Matthew Watkinson and Karl Morgan hit the standard for the European Youth Olympic Team. The second trial event held in June at Sheffield was not well attended as it clashed with the main exam dates for many swimmers. Again Rebecca Adlington produced world quality times to win both the 400 and 800 Freestyle despite training through the meet. Jess Sylvester was 3rd in the 100 Butterfly and Sasha Matthews, Georgia Hohmann Emma Bird, Natasha Hofton and Harry Needs produced good swims to make finals. The Scottish Championships at Glasgow in July provided our senior and youth swimmers with a final racing opportunity before the major end of season events. Rebecca Adlington took the 200 and 800 titles. Jess Sylvester was 2nd in the 100 Freestyle and took two Bronze medals. Sasha Matthews won the 400 Freestyle. Emma Bird took the 200 Breaststroke title and a bonze in the 100, and Georgia Hohmann won the 200 Backstroke with Natasha Hofton taking the Silver. Altogether our swimmers took 5 Gold 2 Silver and 4 Bonze, making 30 finals. National Age Groups Our younger swimmers were in excellent form winning 6 Gold, 3 Silver and 3 Bronze medals at the meet. Congratulations to Rosie Rudin who took the top girl award for her age group with 5 Gold medals and one Bronze in the pool and then took Silver in the 1,500 Open Water swim. William Gayne was the other Gold medallist. Nova was placed second overall on number of medals won. National Youth Championships Except for the last day, we were without two of our big hitters, Matthew Watkinson and Karl Morgan who were on international duty, but when he came Karl Morgan made up for this by taking Gold in the 50m Freestyle. In total Nova had 1Gold, 3 Silver and 5 Bronze medals with 29 finalists, finishing 3rd in the Top Girls Club and 4th in the Overall Top Club. 4 Disability Events The main disability event this season was the DSC Long Course Trials held during April. Charlotte Henshaw and Oliver Hynd produced great swims both gaining selection for the IPC European Championships. Andrew Zawadzki was selected to the IPC British Development Team. International Events The World Championships held in Shanghai at the end of July were eagerly awaited as an indication of which swimmers will be contenders for Olympic titles next year. I am pleased report Rebecca Adlington won the 800 Freestyle World crown.