BRITISH SWIMMING TO APPOINT WORLD CLASS TEAM
British Swimming is aiming to secure the services of leading
professionals within the sport as it implements a new performance
programme designed to maximise outcomes at the 2012 Olympics
while providing a legacy for the future.
The governing body will be recruiting a new British Head
Coach and Development Coach, Sports Science Sports Medicine
Manager, Open Water Performance Manager and several Head Coaches
based within a new network of Intensive Training Centre's
across Britain.
These posts provide a unique opportunity to work within British
Swimming as it continues to develop throughout the quadrennial
leading to the London Olympics while ensuring the pathway
for talent and development is sustainable beyond 2012.
British Swimming National Performance Director Michael Scott
is looking for the highest-calibre of candidates to fill the
positions to collectively provide an enhanced system of support
for athletes, coaches and programmes at the World Class level
throughout Britain.
"What we are planning is a major re-engineering of British
Swimming operations," said Scott. "Our direction
going forward will focus on providing greater interaction
and support between the national programme and the athletes
and coaches in their daily training environment, which will
be driven by the new Head Coach and Development Coach.
"These coaching positions are designed for those of
the highest-calibre and they'll need knowledge, experience,
dedication and a real passion for the sport to continue to
take British Swimming forward.
"Their remit will be to get out there and support coaches
with athletes on the World Class Programme to assist with
the on-going development. They'll work with targeted programmes
and athletes to ensure their needs are met so they have the
opportunity to concentrate solely on excelling."
The Head Coach position is a vital role within British Swimming
and comes at a very exciting time for the sport with the London
2012 Olympics on the horizon and increased infrastructure
in Britain enabling the programme to be truly world class.
"There are two key factors to this role," explained
Scott. "The Head Coach will lead the British teams to
the major senior, international events such as the World Championships,
European Championships and of course the home Olympics in
2012 which offers a once in a lifetime opportunity.
"Away from the competition environment, the Head Coach
will set the technical standards for British Swimming. They'll
be responsible for mentoring the coaches working within the
Intensive Training Centres as well as other key coaches in
Britain.
"It's definitely not a hands-on coaching role, it's
a very different approach to that which British Swimming has
adopted in recent times. This role will be about ensuring
the centre's within the programme are all able to work towards
the same goal in a world class environment.
"And given that the British Swimming programme is world
class we will be looking at a world class coach to undertake
this important position and are inviting the best possible
candidates to apply."
Both the Head Coach and Development Coach roles will link
together with the work of the home nations and will be complimentary
to what is already being undertaken by Scotland, Wales and
England.
These two roles will also integrate with work that will be
done within the Intensive Training Centre network when they
become operational and coaches are being sought to head-up
these programmes.
British Swimming is moving towards the creation of a complete
support package available to coaches and athletes and this
will include a manager of sports science and sports medicine.
"We are now close to bringing online a number of Intensive
Training Centres throughout Britain and we need to make sure
the environment we're creating in these centre's is world
class," said Scott.
"The Sports Science Manager will work with a team of
sports scientists to help to deliver this. They'll be working
directly with the swimmers and coaches to make sure their
requirements are met in a one-stop-shop scenario where support
across areas such as physiology, biomechanics, nutrition,
strength and conditioning are met.
"It's about knowledgeable and experienced people getting
out there and supporting swimmers on a regular basis at both
podium and development level. These people will be mentoring
the current as well as the next generation of swimmers and
coaches."
Scott is excited about the prospect of having in place a
system which he feels will provide the necessary assistance
to deliver excellence in London 2012.
"We're confident there are suitable candidates out there
for what will be a challenging but rewarding role with the
London Olympics offering the right people the perfect stage
on which to showcase the best of British Swimming," said
Scott.
"We will be advertising in a global context but we want
to hear from everyone with the necessary skills and experience
to help take British Swimming to the next level.
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