We are Members Club, so we have a Committee elected annually by the membership. It currently meets every month.
Committee agreed to create a Management Board to take day-to-day decisions and to advise it on the more complex issues facing the club. It meets when necessary.
Our Management Framework gives transparency to our members and partners and fosters best practice.
As a Swim 21 club, we adopted a number of other best-practice policies.
Our Head Coach, Simon Pickering
Read his profile below to find out more…
HEAD COACH PROFILE…
Simon Pickering first began his involvement with Teaching and Coaching age 16 in a voluntary capacity with Retford Swimming Club and Retford & District Lifesaving Club based in Nottinghamshire.
His skills and abilities soon progressed and by age 18 he was a fully qualified swimming teacher. Continuing his duties with the Lifesaving and Swimming Club, he had also sought paid teaching and coaching work with Bassetlaw District Council. In addition he also worked as a lifeguard, centre attendant, sports coach and cafeteria assistant at Retford Leisure Centre.
At aged 18, Simon took the opportunity to work in the USA at an exclusive sports camp. There he was a Swim Teacher and Lead Coach to the Swim Team. He took the opportunity to gain American equivalent teaching and life guarding qualifications.
On returning to the UK, he reconvened his previous duties for the swimming club and council and also took on a role coaching Nova Centurion Bassetlaw Division Link Squad. Educational wise Simon returned to North Nottinghamshire College where he studied Sports Therapy.
At age of just 19, Simon was one of the youngest ever coaches to achieve the ASA Club Coach Certificate.
In Oct 2001, Simon left Retford to begin studies at Coventry University where he also took on a leading role with City of Coventry Swimming Club. The club boasted a programme of International calibre and at the time included 3 Olympians, Helen Don Duncan, Adam Whitehead and Michael Williamson amongst a wealth of Junior and Youth internationals. Working alongside Director of Swimming Nick Sellwood (current England talent development manager) and Head Coach Jo Deakins, it was here that Simon learnt a lot about Elite swimming. He coached on a daily basis and was selected for several Regional Talent Camps as a home coach.
Whilst in Coventry, Simon also took work on for Coventry City Council, Coventry Sports Trust, and Coventry Preparatory School delivering various swimming lessons and coaching sessions including Masters, Disability, Aquafit and Learn to Swim.
In 2002, not satisfied with studying full time for a degree as well as coaching and teaching, Simon began training as an ASA Tutor of Education. This programme which ran over several years meant Simon delivered ASA Teacher/Coach Qualifications. Like his club Coach Certificate, Simon was again one of the youngest ever to be accepted and trained on this programme.
In May 2006, Simon moved to his current role “Full Time Community Head Swimming Coach” of our club Lowestoft & Oulton Broad. His vast experience in many various types of aquatics organisations has given him a very good knowledge and understanding of swimming. In fact he is one of a few aquatics professionals that can very successfully deliver swimming across a full spectrum. This includes very young children, parent and baby classes, swimmers with basic skills, adult beginners, disability swimmers, young competitive swimmers and also at the top end of our sport, elite youth and senior performance swimmers. This level of knowledge fits very well our club philosophy of; ‘catering for all abilities’ and is something very few clubs in the East Region can provide for their swimmers.
Simon is ambitious and very dedicated to his role as our Head Coach. He has overseen and implemented many new ideas and has helped us develop the swimming programme. Our competitive performance goes from strength to strength with results being achieved at County Development, County, Regional, and National level. His first major International success came in Nov 2009 when Simon coached 21 year old Stephanie Bird to Gold medal at the IPC European Swimming Championship. Simon currently leads a committed team of 38 Team Managers, Coaches, Teachers and Helpers who all deliver our comprehensive and successful swimming programme.
SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT VOLUNTARY OR PAID WITHIN SWIMMING…
City of Coventry Swimming Club Oct 01 to May 06 – Competitive Swimming Coach
Coventry Sports Trust – Oct 01 to May 06 – Swimming Teacher and Masters Swimming Coach
Coventry Preparatory School – May 05 to May 06 Swimming Teacher
Coventry City Council – Mar 03 to May06 Schools Swimming Teacher
Bassetlaw District Council – Swimming Teacher, Swimming Coach, Lifeguard, Centre Attendant, Cafeteria Assistant.
Camp Taconic USA – Camp Counsellor, Swim Teacher, Swim Teach Coach
Nova Centurion Swimming (Bassetlaw Division) Oct 00 to Oct 01 – Link Squad Coach
Retford Swimming Club – May 98 to Oct 01 - Swimming Teacher & Coach
Retford and District Lifesaving – Apr 98 to Oct 01 – Lifesaving, First Aid and Life-support Teacher
SWIMMING RELATED QUALIFICATIONS…
- UKCC/ASA Tutor of Education
- UKCC/ASA Level 3 Senior Coach Accredited at Performance Level
- UKCC/ASA Expert Witness Training
- ASA Club Coach. (NVQ III)
- ASA Full Swimming Teacher.(NVQ II)
- ASA L2 Aquafit Teacher
- ASA Teacher for People with Disabilities
- ASA Assistant Swim Teacher
- ASA Lane Coach
OTHER SPORTS RELATED QUALIFICATIONS…
o VTCT Diploma in Sports Injuries and Rehabilitation
o VTCT Diploma in Body & Sports Massage
o VTCT Diploma in Indian Head Massage
- VTCT Diploma in Anatomy & Physiology
- F.A Medical Centre Basic & Intermediate Treatment of Injuries Certificate
- Basic Exhibition Leaders Award
- Community Sports Leaders Award
- FA Junior Team Managers
- EVA Volleyball Coach
- EBA Basketball Coach
- Duke of Edinburgh Award