Target reached!
In the longer run along with some of the items we have previously stated, we would l...
Wellingborough ASC Crowdfunder
Wellingborough, England, United Kingdom
Aim
To raise funds to help our club survive the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and continue to keep our sport affordable to all.
Who are we?
Wellingborough Swimming Club are a competitive swimming club in the Northamptonshire area catering for swimmers from Wellingborough, Higham Ferrers, Rushden, Northampton, Raunds, Irthlingborough and surrounding areas. Wellingborough Swimming Club has been actively coaching competitive swimmers since its set up in 1970. Our Membership base includes 130+ swimmers ranging from those in our Lesson Programme through to our Masters section and we are proud to have some Para Swimmers amongst us. Our Club is a very family, friendly and fun orientated club providing an opportunity for individuals to develop their Mental, Physical and Social Wellbeing and of course reach their potential, whatever their goals may be. Our ethos at Wellingborough is also about ensuring that our Swimmers have fun - which we certainly do! Each year we hold a Summer BBQ and a Fun inhouse 'Team' Christmas Gala and we also attend a Christmas Fun Gala run by our Friends at Braunstone Swimming Club.
We have a long record of producing top level Swimmers with many County and Regional Champions, Medallists and Finalists but we are always trying to achieve better. Our Masters section has been extremely successful with Regional and British Champions and even European and World Medallists!
Our club has a Learn to Swim section enabling large numbers of youngsters the opportunity to develop a precious life saving skill from as young as 4 years old. Our lessons programme follows strong competitive swimming principles to enable every child the opportunity to be the strongest swimmer they can be, with many of our competitive swimmers giving back to the club when they become swimming teachers themselves, this gives all of our budding little fish the benefit of learning from the experience of some very strong swimmers!
We also have a very strong competitive swimming section of the club and cater for athletes of all ages and abilities who wish to develop and improve their performances. The opportunities for the members of our club are varied and wide from our development squads for those fresh out of lessons and looking to dip their toes into swimming, those who wish to swim for fitness, those who want to improve their competitive swimming and those who wish to become the next Olympic champion!
Why are we doing a Crowdfunder?
We are appealing for financial support to help us survive and recover from the COVID19 pandemic to be able to help our local community and surrounding areas and provide them with the opportunity to swim at all levels, to not only participate in a key health and exercise activity but to also allow our members to dream and achieve their potential in swimming as a competitive sport at all levels.
Due to the COVID19 pandemic we have seen in the region of 40+ swimmers leave and we now face increased costs with less income. We have not been able to celebrate our Golden Anniversary, Fundraise or hold our Annual Championships. All of these things are vital to our Club and as there is still uncertainty around restrictions going forward, we are in a very delicate situation as we will incur increased costs of returning to training and we will need to ensure our swimmers are safe whilst taking part in the sport they love - COVID has certainly put a huge strain on the club and its members.
Sadly, we are also currently without a head coach due to the pandemic, so we would love to get a replacement head coach so we can give the best opportunities for the swimmers to achieve their goals.
What will we do with the money if we are successful?
If this effort is successful, we may well be able to push for a replacement Head Coach as the Club will hopefully be in a much better position. Other items the Club are in desperate need to purchase are Portable Poolside Pace Clocks, iPads, Stopwatches, Underwater Cameras and we are in desperate need of updating our Championship Trophies. The Club also need to train more Volunteers to become Officials as we are in desperate need of more of our own officials - this is so important when hosting Home Galas and our own Club Championships
Also, recently a new rule has been put in place by Swim England that events must have two flash boxes either side of the pool for those who are hard of hearing. We currently only have one and since we are an all inclusive club and have a few para-swimmers with us, we will have to look at purchasing another flash box.
Swimmers Stories
Yogi
Yogi is one of our juniors at the club. Our last competition before the COVID-19 pandemic was our annual Long Course Northants County Championships held over at the Corby East Midlands International Pool. Yogi had a very successful championships, winning 4 golds, 1 silver, and 3 bronzes in the Boy’s 12-year-old age group. Yogi won gold in the 50m Breastroke, 100m Breastroke, 200m Breastroke, and the 200 IM. Along with all of these medals, he gained a whole host of WASC Club Records in the 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle, 100m Breastroke, 50m Butterfly, 100m Butterfly, and the 200m IM. Yogi is definitely one to watch out for in the future - Remember his name!
Harry
Harry is one of our top Men’s Open swimmers at the club. Harry joined us in 2015 and ever since has won a whole host of medals at Counties, Regionals, and even Nationals! Harry has won countless County golds with Wellingborough ASC in all 4 strokes. In 2017 at the East Midlands Long Course Regional Championships, Harry won gold in the Men’s 15 years 200m Backstroke, placing higher than the year previous when he finished 3rd place.
The summer of the same year, Harry qualified for British Summer Nationals in the 200m Backstroke, meaning he was in the top 24 in Britain! He also went to English Summer Nationals in the Men’s 15 years 100m Backstroke and placed 3rd in the final in only his second ever National event. He was also apart of the Men’s Open Medley Relay team who made the final at British Winter Championships in 2017.
Ross
Ross is an Open Men’s swimmer at the club and has been swimming with us for over 13 years now. Ross has come right through the ranks of the club starting in the development squad all the way through to the top end of our excel senior squad. Ross has been the Men’s club vice-captain and captain. He was vice captain 5 years ago for the 2016/17 season and he was the Men’s club captain for the 2017/18 & 2018/19 seasons.
In 2016, Ross won his first ever County Championships in the 16 years 50m Breastroke. Since then he has won countless medals with the Open Men’s relay team and also in his own individual breastroke events. The same year, Ross qualified for his first East Midlands Regional Championships in Sheffield. More recently, in 2019 Ross won the County Shield for the Men’s 50m Breastroke (pictured above), making him the fastest 50m Breaststroker in the whole of Northamptonshire in 2019. Ross was also one of the 4 members to make the Men’s 400m Medley Relay Team Final at British Winter Nationals back in 2017. When Ross can get back into the pool and competing once again he has set himself the big target of going under 30 seconds on his 50m Breastroke. Good Luck Ross!
Open Men's Relay Team
Our current Open Men's Relay Team is arguably the most successful relay team in the history of Wellingborough Swimming Club. Sweeping the board of all WASC relay records, this group of boys really have set the target for all the up and coming younger swimmers. The team of Luke, Ross, Aaron, Harry, and more recently Max have been up and down the country week in, week out competing in competitions for the club. They have won countless medals at County Championships and at the 2019 County Sprints competition, they took gold in both the medley and freestyle relay.
They have competed at many Regional competitions and in 2017 Harry (Backstroke), Aaron (Breastroke), Luke (Butterfly), and Ross (Freestyle) made the final at the British Winter Nationals for the 400m Medley Relay! Also, these 4 boys pre COVID were unbeaten at team galas for 2 whole years in both the medley and freestyle relays!
Because 18 year olds have been unable to swim until the 17th May, these boys have been in and out of the water the past year and need all the water time and help they can get to get back on track and winning those relays again!
Sport England: Active Together has provided £1,500 of match funding
This project successfully funded on 7th June 2021