AQUATIC SCHOOL COMPETITION FRAMEWORK UNVEILED
The Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) will launch its Aqua
Skills Festivals in 2007 to introduce more children to its
range of pool-based activities.
The festivals are part of the Government-funded PE, School
Sport & Club Links (PESSCL) strategy, which aims to develop
a national high quality school sport competition framework
and provide competitive opportunities for all school children
by 2010.
As part of this drive for more competitive sport in schools
the Government announced an additional cash injection of £519m
in December 2004 to continue and expand the PESSCL strategy
between 2006 and 2008. The increased funding has led to the
employment of new Competition Managers in School Sport Partnerships
and from January, 62 managers will be in place in 19 county
areas.
Including elements of swimming, diving, synchronised swimming
and water polo, the new competition framework will provide
fun and exciting opportunities for school children aged 7-11
and follows the national governing body's Long Term Athlete
Development plan.
Since the introduction of the PESSCL programme, the ASA and
the English Schools Swimming Association (ESSA) have been
working in close partnership with the Youth Sport Trust (YST)
and National Council for School Sport (NCSS) to develop an
Aquatic School Competition Framework to allow young people
to experience more high quality aquatic activities than ever
before.
With festivals taking place from April 2007, ASA clubs will
be contacted in the New Year to lend support to these swimming
celebrations.
ASA Schools Competition Development Officer Yvette Heywood
is looking forward to getting the Aqua Skills Festivals underway.
"The new format enhances what was previously on offer
and means that children get to try out a range of aquatic
activities," she said. "The festivals are designed
to be fun and flexible to allow schools to tailor them to
their individual needs.
"The main aim of these festivals is to get children
into the water, enjoying themselves and becoming more active.
If some of them go on to join local clubs then that's even
better."
All schools will be able to deliver Aqua Skills Festivals
as part of an aquatic course, with additional assistance from
Competition Managers in the following counties; Bedfordshire,
Black Country, Cheshire, Cornwall, Essex, Hampshire, Hereford
and Worcester, Humberside, London East, Manchester, Merseyside,
London South, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset,
Sussex, Tyne and Wear, West of England and West Yorkshire.
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