Julie attends England Training Camp
Julie Rampley of Aylesbury based Maxwell Swim Club is one of about fifty of the country’s brightest young swimming talents to have recently experienced an overseas training camp while continuing a ground-breaking sporting apprenticeship.
The athletes on the pioneering Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) programme were in Slovenia to develop skills in the water while continuing their education. The group of swimmers, aged 16 and 17, trained twice a day while working towards eight units that make up the NVQ Level 3 qualification.
Talent and Development Manager Nick Sellwood who was heading up the training camp, which offered a very unique environment for many of the swimmers said “This is the
first time the AASE group has attended an overseas camp but they’ve adapted to it very well even though it is quite an intensive experience. Athletes are training twice a day, which is very similar to what they’d expect to do on a senior national camp, but they also have to cover some of the eight units that combine to make up the AASE.”
Julie, who learnt to swim in Leighton Buzzard and started swimming competitively with clubs from this area has seen her performances further improve
since joining Maxwell Swim Club. Last year she won silver at the National Championships in the 200 metres Backstroke in a time of 2:19.82 and hopes for similar success in this years forthcoming event.
The Amateur Swimming Association - one of the first sports governing bodies to sign up for the scheme - has welcomed 170 aquatic athletes, across all disciplines, onto the Government-funded AASE programme over the past year. Sellwood is delighted with the progress made by the group
despite such a demanding schedule. “They’re doing well and the staff have been very pleased with the response of the students. They’ve shown great skills, attitude and aptitude.” As part of the programme, athletes will learn about such key subjects as time management, career planning, nutrition and training, and communications. This valuable experience will go towards preparing them for international competition.
Developed by SkillsActive, in association with industry experts
and sports governing bodies, AASE is funded in England by the Learning and Skills Council and aims to meet the needs of young people to achieve excellence in their sport as their main career goal while continuing with their education. It offers a valuable insight, at an early age, as to what is required to succeed on the international stage.
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