28th March 2008
British Swimming is aiming to secure the services of leading professionals within the sport as it implements a new performance programme designed to maximise outcomes at the 2012 Olympics while providing a legacy for the future.
The governing body will be recruiting a new British Head Coach and Development Coach, Sports Science Sports Medicine Manager, Open Water Performance Manager and several Head Coaches based within a new network of Intensive Training Centre's across Britain.
These posts provide a unique opportunity to work within British Swimming as it continues to develop throughout the quadrennial leading to the London Olympics while ensuring the pathway for talent and development is sustainable beyond 2012.
British Swimming National Performance Director Michael Scott is looking for the highest-calibre of candidates to fill the positions to collectively provide an enhanced system of support for athletes, coaches and programmes at the World Class level throughout Britain.
"What we are planning is a major re-engineering of British Swimming operations," said Scott. "Our direction going forward will focus on providing greater interaction and support between the national programme and the athletes and coaches in their daily training environment, which will be driven by the new Head Coach and Development Coach.
"These coaching positions are designed for those of the highest-calibre and they'll need knowledge, experience, dedication and a real passion for the sport to continue to take British Swimming forward.
"Their remit will be to get out there and support coaches with athletes on the World Class Programme to assist with the on-going development. They'll work with targeted programmes and athletes to ensure their needs are met so they have the opportunity to concentrate solely on excelling."
The Head Coach position is a vital role within British Swimming and comes at a very exciting time for the sport with the London 2012 Olympics on the horizon and increased infrastructure in Britain enabling the programme to be truly world class.
"There are two key factors to this role," explained Scott. "The Head Coach will lead the British teams to the major senior, international events such as the World Championships, European Championships and of course the home Olympics in 2012 which offers a once in a lifetime opportunity.
"Away from the competition environment, the Head Coach will set the technical standards for British Swimming. They'll be responsible for mentoring the coaches working within the Intensive Training Centres as well as other key coaches in Britain.
"It's definitely not a hands-on coaching role, it's a very different approach to that which British Swimming has adopted in recent times. This role will be about ensuring the centre's within the programme are all able to work towards the same goal in a world class environment.
"And given that the British Swimming programme is world class we will be looking at a world class coach to undertake this important position and are inviting the best possible candidates to apply."
Both the Head Coach and Development Coach roles will link together with the work of the home nations and will be complimentary to what is already being undertaken by Scotland, Wales and England.
These two roles will also integrate with work that will be done within the Intensive Training Centre network when they become operational and coaches are being sought to head-up these programmes.
British Swimming is moving towards the creation of a complete support package available to coaches and athletes and this will include a manager of sports science and sports medicine.
"We are now close to bringing online a number of Intensive Training Centres throughout Britain and we need to make sure the environment we're creating in these centre's is world class," said Scott.
"The Sports Science Manager will work with a team of sports scientists to help to deliver this. They'll be working directly with the swimmers and coaches to make sure their requirements are met in a one-stop-shop scenario where support across areas such as physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, strength and conditioning are met.
"It's about knowledgeable and experienced people getting out there and supporting swimmers on a regular basis at both podium and development level. These people will be mentoring the current as well as the next generation of swimmers and coaches."
Scott is excited about the prospect of having in place a system which he feels will provide the necessary assistance to deliver excellence in London 2012.
"We're confident there are suitable candidates out there for what will be a challenging but rewarding role with the London Olympics offering the right people the perfect stage on which to showcase the best of British Swimming," said Scott.
"We will be advertising in a global context but we want to hear from everyone with the necessary skills and experience to help take British Swimming to the next level.
