The Flitwick Dolphins Swimming Club ethos is to work towards being ‘A Club for All’ where we coach to the ability, not the disability. We have a long history of supporting Para and Disabled swimmers with swimmers from the club holding several East Region records. We have had Para swimmers competing in the British & English Summer nationals for a number of years and expect this to continue.
Our Head Coach Louise King is the East Region Disability skills coach as well as a Swim England Disability Skills coach. Other members of the coaching team are also experienced in coaching disabled swimmers to ensure our philosophy covers our entire range of squads.
In 2022 for our Club Championships, we decided to “level” the playing field for our Para swimmers by comparing British Disability points system for Para swimmers to World Aquatic points, enabling them to win medals and Age Group awards and give a true measure of their ability alongside their peers of a similar age. We do not believe this has ever been tried before but we hope it will also be adopted by Bedfordshire County.
As a club we have also encouraged our senior swimmers to support Para and Disabled swimmers. In 2019, some of these swimmers were asked to help at the World Para Swimming Allianz Championships, which was a great honour.
Like any swimmer wishing to join the club unless already established as a competitive swimmer, swimmers attend a swim trial, usually once SE Learn to Swim pathway has been undertaken. This then allows the swimmer’s ability to be assessed by the coaching team and appropriate allocation made to a squad and training programme, with reasonable adjustments made where necessary to provide equal opportunities for all swimmers. As well as training with us, disability/para swimmers, can attend development training sessions across the East Region during the year.
As members of the club, swimmers with disabilities will be encouraged to compete alongside non-disabled swimmers in open meets as well as Para/Disability specific competitions.
If the Club does not feel it has the correct level of experience to provide the best for an individual, they will try to find an alternative swimming programme, organisation or club that can assist the swimmer.
Disability and Para swimming
Disability swimming encompasses physical disabilities and learning difficulties and aims to provide inclusive competition and development opportunities. Deaf swimmers are also included in disability swimming but also have the opportunity to compete in able-bodied events. From school-based competitions right up to the Paralympic Games, there is a wide range of para-swimming competitions available for swimmers with disabilities.
As disability competitors progress through their careers they can become classified if they meet the criteria for classification. Classification involves swimmers being assessed to determine to what degree their disability impairs their swimming. They are then placed in the corresponding category from S1 to S14. Further details can be found via the links listed below:
https://www.paralympic.org/swimming/classification
https://www.swimming.org/sport/para-swimming-classification/
https://www.britishswimming.org/performance/para-swimming/classification/
https://www.swimming.org/sport/para-swimming-competitions
For further information, please contact us via our Membership Secretary on membership@flitwickdolphins.org.uk