Academy

Academy

The Swimming Development Academy is for swimmers aged 11 years and under who can already swim at least 25 meters. Developing stroke technique and building up distance ability is the main focus to enable progression through the four academy groups. Eventually swimmers reach the first main competitive squad, which is the Skill Development Squad.

The first stage is the Bronze Academy and this is run in partnership with the Aylesbury Vale Community Trust who operate the Aqua Vale Leisure Centre in Aylesbury and also the Swan Pool Leisure Centre in Buckingham.

Swimmers are invited from the Aqua Vale and Swan Pool lesson programme by their teachers (or by the Maxwell coaching staff) to attend once a week. The Bronze Academy and Bronze Plus Academy is an hour in duration and is a supplement to the swimmers usual 30 minute ‘learn to swim’ lesson each week. The Bronze Academy aims to develop all four strokes along with an introduction to “starts and turns”.

Payments for the Bronze Academy and Bronze Plus Academy remain payable to AVCT and are £2 per lesson for children that were selected from the leisure centers ‘learn to swim’ programme. Swimmers from other ‘private learn to swim schools’ or ‘schools lessons’ can also join the Bronze Academy but pay £4 per lesson instead.

As swimmers develop they will progress through the Silver, Silver Plus, Gold and Platinum stages where they will gradually build up their technique and stamina. When swimmers are ready to join the Silver Academy they must become members of Maxwell Swim Club and pay the relevant squad fee each month.

The new Academy liaison roles have been set up with the aim of improving lines of communication between the Academies and the Squads section of the club. The liaison committee members are Sandra Brunt and Andrea Wright at Buckingham and Faye Chappell at Aylesbury: all of whom have email contact addresses on the website or they can often be found poolside during training.

The first point of call for any issues directly concerning your child's swimming, should be your child's coach but please feel free to contact Sandra, Andrea or Faye if you have any general queries or if you have any points that you would like them to take to the club committee meetings

Select your Squad