Handbook

Vision:

teamipswich swimming is committed to excellence in the sport through dedicated and quality
instruction to swimmers of all abilities.

Core Beliefs:

Swimming is a skill that is beneficial for safety, fitness and personal growth for all community members. Living in a coastal community, children, young adults and adults in Ipswich should feel comfortable in water and have swimming skills necessary to prevent accidental drowning. Swimming provides a life long activity to enhance fitness. With a national concern of childhood and adult obesity, swimming offers an excellent avenue for community members to improve their fitness and begin a lifelong activity. Swimming provides a foundation of commitment and goal setting allowing children and young adults to mature into successful members of society.

Objects:

1. Object: To promote community participation in a healthy recreation to residents of Ipswich Town and the surrounding area by providing swimming opportunities, from learn to swim skills to competitive swimming, in a cost effective method affordable for all families.

2. Object: The preservation of human life by the teaching and practice of swimming, water safety, and survival in the water.

3. Object: To promote the development of young people through competitive and fitness activities, so as to develop personal and social capabilities through individual goals and team spirit, creating mature members of society.

Teamipswich Swimming Activities:

Teamipswich Swimming supports over 500 swimmers, from the very young to the elderly, with swimming opportunities. The club offers an extensive swim school scheme providing specific lessons for children throughout the community. The swim school scheme offers lessons in several venues and times meeting the needs of most community members. The swim school scheme provides income for the benefit of the local schools/community where we purchase pool time, at the same time as promoting a 'learn to swim' package to local children. These pools provide access to many children and families that cannot travel from their local area. The cost of lessons is competitive with other schemes in the area and discounted fees are available to families with specific financial needs.

As swimmers gain skills they have the opportunity to enter competitive squads. Teamipswich Swimming supports five competitive squads specifically designed for the swimmer’s age, ability, and personal goals. Swimmers in competitive squads train from a few hours a week up to 18 hours a week, demonstrating the focus and dedication that is afforded these children and young adults. The swimmers in competitive squads participate in a variety of galas and meets allowing for personal and team achievements. Swimmers also have a choice to join teamipswich Swimming fitness squad allowing non-competitive training opportunities. Older members of the club also have specific training opportunities to train for competitive swimming or swim to maintain their fitness.

Teamipswich Swimming has fully implemented a disability squad after a successful year-long pilot program. The squad is fully staffed with specifically trained personnel and is serving over 30 swimmers. This squad provides an invaluable service to persons with disabilities in the local community, providing a network and life long activity for those with special needs. In addition, the competitive squad is open to swimmers with disabilities who are fully integrated into the training regime. Teamipswich Swimming is proud to have one swimmer with a categorised disability competing at a national level. The disability squad provides activities that support all the objects as stated above.

Water Polo, originating in England in the 1870’s, provides a competitive alternative to swimming. The water polo squad practices twice weekly, providing fitness training and skill enhancement. Teamipswich Water Polo competes in winter and summer leagues in East Anglia, participating in three tournaments during the year. The team supports a senior squad and a youth development squad for both boys and girls. Water polo is open for all ages and ability levels, teaching the necessary skills for success. Fees are discounted to families with specific financial needs.

All membership fees are set below the running costs of the club with fundraising activities making up the difference. Fees are discounted to families with specific financial needs.

Teamipswich History:

Teamipswich Swimming was founded in 1884 under the name Ipswich Swimming Club. The club began with humble beginnings swimming in the River Orwell. In the 1970’s the club moved the base of operation into Crown Pools in the center of the town. In 2006 Teamipswich Swimming adopted the current name falling under the town banner, teamipswich, to promote sport throughout the community.
Teamipswich Swimming is affiliated to the British Amateur Swimming Association (East Region and Suffolk County), the Royal Life Saving Society, Club Mark, and is an accredited Swim 21 Performance Club.

Individual and Team Achievements:

Teamipswich Swimming has been nationally recognised over the years and proudly holds Karen Pickering, MBE, World and Common Wealth Champion; and Zoe Cray, British Record Holder as members. Teamipswich Swimming has made the Speedo League National Finals in 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2007 and most recently won the London Division Championships in 2006. Our junior squad has also shown national strength participating in Junior Speedo League National Finalists in 1999 and 2006 in addition to winning the 2006 Southern Division Championships.
Management and Organisation:

Management:

Teamipswich Swimming is managed by an elected committee of trustees operating under the guidance of the Teamipswich Swimming Governing Document or Constitution. The trustees include Chairman, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, Chief Coach, Fixtures Secretary, Open Meet Coordinator, Child Welfare Officer, Publicity Officer, Swim 21 Coordinator, Disability Officer, and Water Polo Representative. The committee is elected at the Annual General Meeting held in November and meets regularly throughout the year.

The swim school is managed by an administrative coordinator who oversees assigning swimmers to swim school courses, assuring teachers have adequate facilities, and assessing ongoing needs.
The competitive squads are managed by the Head Coach who is responsible for the design and implementation of all training programs. In addition, the Head Coach is responsible for assessing the appropriateness of galas and meets for the swimmers to attend. The Head Coach is responsible for overseeing the coaches and teachers for the competitive and fitness squads. In addition, head Coach will coordinate with the swim school to assure a fluid transition from the “learn to swim” programs into competitive swimming. The coaching staff are granted full authority by the committee for squad, gala, and relay selections by a panel of coaches from relevant squads. Coaches will consider best performance, consistency in performance, past relay performance, attendance, commitment, attitude, level of meet, future ability of swimmer, and future club contribution of swimmer when selecting squads, teams and relays in the best interest of the club as a whole.

The water polo section is managed by a head coach and will be overseen by the water polo representative.
The disability squad is managed and organised by the Disability Officer gathering outside and community funding to support expenses of the squad.