Coaching Service Update
UWA-West Coast Swimming Club has been advised by UWA Sport that as a result of COVID-19's negative financial impact and forced closure of its facilities, programs and services, that they will no longer deliver coaching and squad services to the Club's competitive swimming program.
As a result of this decision, your Committee has been investigating options to continue the ongoing delivery of quality coaching & squad programs to our Junior, Age and Open competitive members.
We are exploring how to deliver best practice coaching services as a not-for-profit provider and at an affordable price for participants.
Discussions are well underway with key industry stakeholders (organisations & individuals) providing their expertise to assist in establishing an exciting next chapter in the history of UWA-West Coast Swimming Club. Retaining our swimmers and coaches are an important ingredient in our future planning.
The Club will take responsibility for offering the coaching services on a casual and flexible basis during the initial phase from the start of the next block of dry-land training through to 30 September, which should also include pool sessions. During this period, the Club will investigate starting a new coaching program which (if feasible) we hope to offer from the start of the Long Course season on 1 October 2020 (also subject to COVID-19 circumstances).
As previously reported, our 'Virtual' Dryland training sessions have helped the Club establish a more direct line of communication with coaches, athletes and parents. The first 4-week block, which attracted over 100 participants, ended on Friday and the next 3-week block started today.
Members are encouraged to re-register for the next 3-week block ASAP and the Club is hoping to introduce 'Actual' dryland and Pool sessions as quickly as possible. There are likely to be distancing and gathering guidelines that will limit the number of participants involved, so priority will go to those participants who have supported the Club Virtual Dry Land program over the past few weeks.
The Premier of Western Australia yesterday confirmed that aspects of a gradual and tiered re-entry to water-based training will be announced during the coming week. The Club is liaising with both Venues West and UWA Sport regarding the timing of access to water space at both HBF Stadium and the UWA Aquatics Centre. It remains uncertain if the 'restricted' access will extend to our Club swimmers from the 18th of May. We will notify everyone as soon as we have been advised.
This is a great opportunity the UWA West Coast Swimming community to work together, supporting each other through this difficult time and coming out stronger and better for the experience.