SWIMMING Swim Ireland Announces New Ulster High Performance Coach

Swim Ireland announced today the appointment of a new Swim Ireland Ulster High Performance Coach. Swim Ireland, in conjunction with Sport Northern Ireland and Swim Ulster established this position to support the implementation and delivery of Swim Ireland's overall National High Performance Plan, which includes the development of a High Performance Centre in Bangor.

Former International swimmer Andrew Reid was accepted into the post and will commence his role at the end of next month. Reid joins the Swim Ireland team from his post as head coach of Lisburn Swimming Club. The thirty-five year old will report to the Swim Ireland National Performance Director (NPD), Peter Banks and will be based initially in the Swim Ulster offices at Queens University, Belfast until the building of the Bangor High Performance Centre is complete. "I am excited and enthused to take on this role and I look forward to working closely with Swim Ireland, Swim Ulster and Sport Northern Ireland in further developing the high performance structure in Ulster," commented Reid today.

The post, which is a joint initiative between Swim Ireland, Swim Ulster and Sport Northern Ireland is the first of its kind for Ulster and Irish swimming. Swim Ulster President Mr. Frank Stevens commented "We are delighted to welcome an enthusiastic young coach to this post." Shaun Ogle, Sport Northern Ireland's Performance Director said "This post is an important part of Sport Northern Ireland's aim of establishing a World Class Performance System in Northern Ireland".

The specific responsibilities of Reid's role will be to work with clubs and coaches within Ulster to help deliver the Swim Ireland High Performance Strategic Plan in Ulster and to help raise the standard of International swimming in Ireland.

The building of the National High Performance Centre in Bangor is expected to be completed by late summer 2012, and once finished, Reid in conjunction with Swim Ireland's National Performance Director will be responsible for developing, managing and implementing a performance programme at the centre for squad members and for national team members. The pool will be built as part of a new state-of-the-art leisure complex at the Valentine Playing Fields in Bangor.

Swim Ireland now has three National Performance Centres and three full time National High Performance coaches - Ronald Claes heads up the Limerick High Performance Centre - where silver-medallist Grainne Murphy is based full time, Paul Donovan heads up the National Aquatic Performance Centre in Dublin and now Andrew Reid will lead the development of a Bangor High Performance Centre.