Swim 21 is the name given to the ASA swimmer Development Programme for the 21st century - a Charter Mark for excellence in swimming. Swim 21 is the ASA’s club development model – which enables clubs to help swimmers, coaches and administrators achieve their full potential. Regarded as the back bone of the ASA’s development programme, it is centred around the needs of the swimmers – striving to provide the best possible environment for them.

It covers 4 main areas Swimmer Development, Teacher/Coach Development, Club Management and Partnerships.

Within each area there are a number of units. The club applying for Swim 21 status has to provide evidence to demonstrate that they are meeting the criteria within each unit.

SWIMMER DEVELOPMENT:
There are a total of 8 units within Swimmer Development. The club has to show a commitment to providing adequate numbers of coaching and teaching staff, the implementation of Progressive Programmes for the teaching of swimming, and to provide swimmers with the opportunity to swim competitively.

TEACHER/COACH DEVELOPMENT:
Contains 11 units, which include the maintenance of Personnel records for Club members, Child Protection/Equity and Disability Inclusion Policies, and membership to appropriate Swimming Teaching/Coaching Bodies.

CLUB MANAGEMENT:
Containing no fewer than 16 units which include providing a full ASA constitution, appropriate Insurance cover, codes of conduct, and Police CRB checking for coaches and club members who have contact with children.

PARTNERSHIPS:
The final 10 units, which include working with Regional Swimming Development Officers, working with key partners, and encouraging new members.

In all there are a total of 45 units to complete. We recently submitted our Swim 21 application, and we were very pleased to hear that on the 23rd of February 2005 Belper Marlin S.C. had been awarded the Teaching Club Charter Mark.

This is a major milestone for the club. In the future it is likely that Leisure Centres will only offer pool time to Swim21 accredited Swimming Clubs. We are the first club in Amber Valley to receive this award, of which we are justifiably proud.

It doesn't stop there, every 5 years we must re-apply for the Swim 21 accreditation. We will need to demonstrate improvements in a number of the units to retain our Swim21 status. Also now that the club is an accredited Teaching Club, our next move is to continue to the next award, which is accreditation as a Skill Development Club.

The committee would like to thank the members of the Swim21 sub-committee for their hard work and commitment to securing this important award, which we feel will safeguard the club's existence for a number of years. In particular we would like to publicly thank Mick Potter for the enormous amount of work he has put in. Well done Mick.

The Swim21 National Assessment Panel have now sent the Swim21 Certificate, together with a very nice Covering Letter (Page 1)and (Page 2).