Dear Parents/Guardians & Swimmers,

The 2019/2020 season will bring some very positive changes to our club structure.

In consultation with Swim Ireland Ireland’s HP (High Performance) coaches and other senior coaches around the country, the SWSC committee has decided that the existing squad structure should be improved. These improvements will enable a structure which will cater for the diverse requirements of all of our swimmers moving forward.

Thus the Piranhas, Barracudas and Marlins will be replaced with Junior, Intermediate and Senior squads.

Junior Squad:

The new Junior Squad(old Piranhas) will remain a stepping stone from our Learn to Swim Program, being technique and skill focused with an introduction to conditioning.

Intermediate squad:

Within the Intermediate squad, three separate groups each with a different lead coach will train 12 hours a week (as per Barracuda roster last season) and encompass:

A Development Group (8-12 years),

A Junior Performance Pathway Group (11-12 years with Division 1 focus). 

A Senior Group with Division 2 focus (13-18 years)

Senior Squad:

The Senior Squad which will train 14 hours or more a week (initially as per Marlin roster last season) and comprise Division 1 qualifiers of 13 years or older, Irish SC qualifiers and College Athletes. The new Senior Squad will have participation contracts, signed on a year-to-year basis with expectations set by the Director of Coaching & Teaching. Each swimmer and parent/guardian will be expected to sign the contract which will be reviewed quarterly. 

We believe, having looked at our recent past, that this is a huge step forward, and also believe that within this structure every swimmer interested or committed to the sport of competitive swimming, whether at local, regional or national/international level has a place within the club. 

As a club we believe that building a winning culture, where development of values, attitudes and beliefs about swimming, takes time and effort. We also believe that we now have the right people at coach and committee level to uphold these standards and set down an even stronger foundation that will hold the club in good stead for years to come -taking SWSC to the next level in competition in Ireland and abroad. 

Yours in sport, 

Richard Cassidy,

Director of Coaching & Teaching

(on behalf of the SWSC Committee)

Congratulations to Beth Nolan, Paul Higgins, Peter Higgins, Andrew Feenan, Rory Lee and Luke O’ Sullivan on setting new club records at the Irish Summer Nationals in Dublin last week.

Both Beth and Luke broke their own records, Beth in the 100 & 200 metre Breaststroke and Luke in the 200 & 400 metre Free. Andrew set a new time in the 200 I.M breaking an 11 year old record.

Andrew, Peter, Rory and Luke set a new record in the 4×100 metre Free relay in a time of 03:44.54, while Paul, Andrew, Luke and Rory set a new record in the 4×200 metre Free relay in a time of 08:16.10

Well done from everyone at SWSC!

SWSC Committee

All photos can be found here

SWSC Committee

SWSC Committee

SWSC ran their Michael Bowles Invitational meet last weekend, a few months later than in recent years so the Level 3 competition could serve as a last chance to qualify for the Swim Ireland Division 2 championships. 

Highlights were:

• Sunday’s Well, with a team of 74 swimmers of all ages from nine to 49, retained the overall trophy that they have won every year for the last decade!
• Twenty two swimmers won their events (detailed below) and the club won four of seven relays!
• In some outstanding swims, Lauren Farr set three Munster records in the 200B/c (2:26.88), 200Fly (2:36.13) and 200IM (2:31.26)!
• There was a huge number of Personal Bests as is obvious from the detailed results (which can be viewed elsewhere on this website), also very many second and third places and point scoring placings!

Summarising the 22 gold medal winners:

• Lauran Farr 13-14 200 back & fly;
• Andrew Feenan 17+ 50, 100 & 200 Br/s, 100 & 200 IM (Five Golds and a great 200 Br/s);
• Anna Feenan 15-16 100 IM;
• Michael Feenan 15-16  200 Br/s;
• Sinead Gallagher 10-12 200 F/c;
• Marc Galland 13-14 100 F/c & Br/s, 200 B/c & Fly;
• Paul Higgins 15-16 50 Fly & 100 IM (in the middle of his Junior Cert);
• Peter Higgins 17+ 50 F/c:
• Ellen Lee 13-14 100 F/c, B/c & Fly, 400 F/c;
• Rory Lee 17+ 200 F/c (one of the swims of the meet!);
• Drew Lynch 15-16 50 F/c, 200 IM;
• Grace Lynch 15-16 800 & 1500 F/c;
• Matilda Lyons 10-12 200 B/c;
• Ross McAuliffe 17+ 50 B/c (also won this event and the 100 B/c at the Celtic Universities International);
• Shauna Murphy 10-12  400 IM;
• Beth Nolan 17+ 100 F/c, 50, 100 & 200 B/c, 50 & 10 Br/s, 50 Fly, 100 IM (seven golds-highest in meet!);
• Lorraine O’Donovan 17+ 200 F/c;
• Michael O’Driscoll 13-14 800 F/c;
• Aoife O’Shea 15-16 100 & 200 B/c, 200 Br/s, 400 IM;
• Luke O’Sullivan 17+ 100 F/c, B/c & Fly (fastest 100 F/c of meet);
• Antonina Sech 10-12 100 B/c, Fly & IM, 290 Br/s & IM, 400 IM (six golds); Sean Semchiy 10-12 200 B/c.

Overall a great showing by the club thanks to the swimmers, parents and Richard Cassidy and his team of coaches and teachers.

• Elsewhere our Olympic-possible para athlete Sean O’Riordan set a PB for the 100 F/c at a World Cup para event in Berlin!

Tom Cross, President  for SWSC Committee