Performance

Passport to Performance

‘ A scheme to enable a smooth transition for swimmers
between local clubs and Performance swimming’

The aim of the Maxwell Passport to Performance scheme is to provide a structured pathway for talented swimmers wishing to develop their full potential in a performance-swimming environment.

Background

Swim 21 is the ASA’s club development model, a planning tool that enables clubs to help swimmers, coaches and administrators achieve their full potential. It is centred on the needs of the swimmers aiming to provide them with the best possible environment at each stage of their development. It is regarded as the backbone of the ASA’s development programme.

As each Club has differing capabilities the Swim 21 accreditation reflects this and has defined four specific levels

Teaching Club
Skill Development Club
Competitive Development Club
Performance Club

As part of the Swim 21 programme, it is the duty of each ‘level’ of club to provide a pathway for every swimmer to achieve their goals; whether this is social swimming or competitive/performance swimming.

Maxwell is an accredited Performance Club with a long established history of producing top level swimmers. The Club aims to enable swimmers to reach their full potential and compete at National and International level. Its training and competition programmes are built on the principle requirements of the ASA Long Term Athlete Development programme, which is the cornerstone for all performance swimming development.

At Maxwell, talented swimmers have the opportunity to develop their skills and follow the development pathway towards the British Swimming World-Class programmes.

The Maxwell Passport to Performance scheme is designed to help put individual swimmer needs first by creating a mutually co-operative relationship between clubs wishing to assist talented swimmers fulfil their potential. In doing so the scheme aims to help smooth the transition from a Skill or Competitive development environment to a true Performance environment and help provide the pathway to possible future National and International success.

How does the scheme work?

Briefly the scheme is a four-step process designed to provide a smooth transition for the swimmer from their existing Club to Maxwell by:

1, Selection: Their Coach in conjunction with the Maxwell Head coach will identify potential candidates using a set of performance guidelines that swimmers will generally need to have achieved before they can benefit from a performance-swimming environment.
2, Preparation: A period where the swimmer’s current Coach works in consultation with Maxwell. This enables the swimmer and their Coach to become conversant with the type of training they will encounter at Maxwell.
3, Transition: A period where the swimmer trains both at their original Club and also at Maxwell training sessions. Again close co-operation between the Club coaching teams will ensure that appropriate training takes place at each Club.
4, Completion: After a successful 3-month period the swimmer will normally transfer to full time training at Maxwell. In some exceptional circumstances dual Club swimming may continue for a limited period.

How is a swimmer selected?

The selection process will be a combination of the performance guidelines mentioned above, input from the swimmers current Coach and evaluation by the Maxwell Head Coach. A swimmer will only be invited onto the programme if all parties (including the swimmer and parents/guardians) are in agreement that it is in the swimmers best interest for future development.

What will it cost?

Maxwell recognise that paying two sets of fees will be difficult for many swimmers and so the programme will offer the first months swimming at Maxwell free of charge with a discount applied for the next two months from normal fees.

What happens at the end of the 3-month period?

After the three-month period swimmers will have a meeting with Coaches from both Clubs and decide on one of three options:

Option 1: Join Maxwell as a full time Club member and train full time at the Maxwell sessions.
Option 2: The swimmer to remain at their current Club if it’s decided that performance swimming is not the correct option at this time.
Option 3: In exceptional circumstances an agreement may be made for dual Club swimming. If this does happen it will probably be for a very limited length of time (usually no more than a further 3 months) before full Maxwell membership is required.

After joining Maxwell will I still be able to compete for my previous Club?

Maxwell supports dual registration of swimmers because it is important for both swimmers and Clubs in recognising their contribution in the swimming pathway process. This also means that swimmers are able to compete for their original Club. However Maxwell does require that all its swimmers are “first claim”, this is to ensure that any competitions a swimmer enters are authorised by a Maxwell Coach. This is an important aspect of performance swimming as over competing has been identified as a serious problem in UK swimming.

For more information on the scheme ‘Maxwell Passport to Performance’

please contact Maxwell Head Coach Kevin Brooks on:
Tel. 07968 754016
Email: djkevmaxcoach@yahoo.co.uk