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So, thought I'd open this one up for some unbiased opinions.
The local swimming club has been paying to use the local leisure centre pool since they were both created, 41 years ago. Throughout that time, the swimming club has taught kids to swim as well as more normal coaching and competing.
The leisure centre also offers swimming lessons as part of it's services. Experience of many parents - us included - is that the leisure centre classes were too large, and (difficult) kids learnt better with the greater attention that the swimming club could offer them.
Apparently, several years ago, an agreement was reached whereby all swimming teaching up to ASA level 7 would be delivered by the leisure centre, and the club could then talent spot those who wanted to compete. The leisure centre are frcing the club to change to being a competitive only club.
The leisure centre are now proposing to bring in this change, and it is causing some uproar at the club amongst the parents. The cynic in me thinks that the leisure centre is doing it primarily to get the income, which as a tax payer I understand, but as a parent, the solution seems to me that if they need to raise more money then they should charge the swimming club more and the club can pass the costs on to members.
I can see no practical benefit in letting the local authority have a monopoly of teaching kids to swim, given that parents would have to travel to neighbouring towns or the local country club hotels to get access to alternative teaching facilities.
What does the panel think?
What's more important, the coaching for the children and who can provide the best or the viability or either club or centre?
Why not have a meeting and discuss all 3 issues and who know you may strike a workable compromise.
Failing that find another venue.
The important thing is that kids learn to swim - my concern is that the club have taught kids - like my eldest - who were declared "unteachable" by the leisure centre as he was so scared of water and could hide in their large classes.
The centre must survive, there is no other facility within an easily accessible distance, it's about them charging other users an appropriate rate.
I also object on principle to the local authority dictating what long standing partner clubs can do - presumably the next thing will be that all basic tennis coaching is done by the leisure centre and the local club (who currently teach at the centre) can only talent spot the ones it wants?
There is no other place for the club to go - all the local surrounding towns with 25m pools have their own swimming clubs, so little chance to look elsewhere as a club.
To be honest the 'new' system you describe is the norm at the club I'm involved in - council run the lessons then anyone meeting the basic requirements transitions into the first club squad (so not exactly talent spotting). In reality most of the teachers were club coaches as well.
If you need to keep them sweet to keep use of the pool, it may be easier to address the cack lessons.
In Perth, the pool is run by a trust which works under contract to the council. All group swimming classes are provided by the trust, but a club also uses the training pool outwith lesson times. So the kids get lessons up until Level 8.
The kids then have to compete in a trial to join the swimming club - the head coach selects those kids which she thinks are good enough to join the club.
SO, if you want to participate after level 8, you have to pass a test to join the club. The club is supported by the trust (and so ultimately by the council) by being able to use the pool for free - which in my mind is wrong.
Any subsidised club should be open to everyone - not based on ability.
The cynic in me thinks that the leisure centre is doing it primarily to get the income, which as a tax payer I understand,
Local authority owned pools are seen as a soft target for cuts, a they're deeme non-essential like libraries. The local authority has no legal obligation to prvide them. So they will probably have had their annual budget decimated over the last few years (thanks Dave)
This is probably desperation by them, as they're probably financially screwed, and are clutching at anything to try and generate a revenue stream
our local pool/club does this. my son is self taught and can kick the ass of many swim club kids his age, but he can't get a look in at the club because he does'nt have level 7!
what frustrates me is that its not really the racing that would benefit him but the technique coaching. i've taken him as far as i can, i can see where his weaknesses are, but i don't know how to sort it.
Apparently, several years ago, an agreement was reached whereby all swimming teaching up to ASA level 7 would be delivered by the leisure centre, and the club could then talent spot those who wanted to compete. The leisure centre are frcing the club to change to being a competitive only club.The leisure centre are now proposing to bring in this change, and it is causing some uproar at the club amongst the parents.
Why is there uproar now if the agreement had already been made. Is the uproar coming from people who weren't paying attention? 🙂
i guess what i'm saying is that for swimming as a whole, in terms of encouraging kids to get off their ass and do something properly, some maybe would take to racing and some may be good, a syetem like this is to me a negative.
its a common complaint at our pool that kids get stuck at a level, then get bored. and my god do not lessons costs a fortune!!!
How much of a say do you think the club has had in the agreement that was reached? Maybe the club didn't want to have to cater for lessons, as it is difficult to run a pool session when you have such varying abilities across the breadth of your club.
I'm a treasurer of a swimming club that I also used to swim and coach at, and we have a good relationship with the council. We work with them, taking a lane on their Saturday morning lessons, to move children from the top level of the council lessons into our club. We find that bringing a steady stream of swimmers who have already been taught to a good basic standard into the club works better for the club overall, as we're not having to devote a coach to give one to one lessons to a non-swimmer.
I agree this is likely to be funding driven, and I understand the pools problem.
The club run about 6 half hour lessons twice a week to teach kids to swim. No more than 10 kids in each group, at least 2 instructors in the pool with them. They get the older swimmers to help out, starts them on their coaching badges, looks good on uni and job applications and trains coaches who go on to work for the pool.
I know this is an unusual club/pool set up but the pool itself seems unable to provide such a good teaching set up.
It's not only your local leisure centre policy – it's happening up and down the country. I think it is an ASA directive – and a very short-sighted one at that.
The vast majority of successful Bristol swimmers have come into competitive swimming via club swim schools and not from those run by pool operators on behalf of the council.The numbers of swim school swimmers in clubs is a small fraction of those in the operator's schemes so I think they are being greedy in effectively creating a monopoly. Club swim schools allow a seamless transition into the world of competitive swimming and have been very successful in producing top class swimmers as well as life long participation. The loss of club swim schools will further impoverish Bristol swimming and demoralise the volunteers without whom there would be no clubs - is this what the council want?.
http://www.change.org/petitions/bristol-city-council-sos-save-our-swimming#description
In Doncaster at least, there are a good few other providers for lessons outside of competitive swimming clubs and local authority pools. Swimming classes available at Hall Cross School, Doncaster Deaf School, Nuffield Health and Holiday Inn pool, there might be more but all of the above are fairly well known around town and not competitive swimming clubs, I've lived here over twenty years and didn't know clubs did swimming lessons for non swimmers.
at our local baths.. about 500m from STW towers they have similar funding issues..
the cafe has closed at it was too expensive to run.. it lost money.
however its now available for rent.. sweet a captive audience of mums dads big/ little siblings etc etc.. oh not so quick
the swimming club pulls out a great trestle table veery session and sells bags of sweets all night to said captive audience..
the council have installed large vending machines selling sugary carbonated drinks and sweets and chocolates..
said captive audience are allowed to bring in food and beverages to consume.
end result one big 'TO LET' sign on former cafe that will likely remain for teh foreseeable..
cracking facilties at said pool/ sports hall/ gym but funding must be an issue which the rent from a viable cafe could have supported
Surprised to see this resurrected - obviously not just a local issue
Does seem very short sighted by all sides, and in our case, a shame to try and tear up something that has worked fairly well for 40 years.
It's called progress apparently 🙄
at our local baths.. about 500m from STW towers they have similar funding issues..
the cafe has closed at it was too expensive to run.. it lost money.
That's bad news for me. It was the only thing unique about Tod swimming pool as otherwise it's not a great facility compared to the other 'local' options. I'll stick to Sowerby Bridge and Rochdale now.