Swim Ireland host American Swimming Coaches in Dublin

There is a real buzz in the Irish swimming coaching fraternity this week as Swim Ireland finish the last minute preparations for their new venture and partnership with the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA). This project has been in the making for a number of months and is finally kicking off this week starting with a coaching conference in Dublin starting on Friday 5th April and running all day Saturday and Sunday. The event has been kindly sponsored by FINIS Swim Equipment Specialists. With FINIS's support, it has been possible to bring a raft of American swimming coaches to Dublin to speak at the three day clinic.

All American Coaches Don Heidary and Matt Kredich will lead daily workshops at the main conference event held at Westmanstown Sports and Conference Centre, whilst John Leonard will be delivering the ASCA Leadership School at the Carlton Hotel, Tyrrelstown on Friday. John is a World Class leader of American Coaches and has developed Olympians and built a range of World Class swimming club programmes, he is the current Executive Director of the ASCA and the World Swimming Coaches Association (WSCA). Leonard is joined by coaches Don Heidary and Matt Kredich, both are active coaches and board members of the ASCA, they have delivered to the highest levels including the development of medal winning Olympians and have been named Coaches of the Year whilst delivering consistent winning success in major American swimming competitions.

Swim Ireland National Performance Director Peter Banks is delighted to have the ASCA come to Ireland "I've worked with these coaches during my time in the States; they are top class coaches and have a world of knowledge to share with their Irish counterparts. American Swimming Coaches Association and Swim Ireland are working together to have World class speakers accessible to coaches here in Ireland.

Workshops available at the Clinic will be varied and cover topics ranging from World Class Turns through to Driving Cultural Change as Coaches and Building Character in your Athletes. Delegates attending will also get to enjoy a special event being hosted by the Swim Ireland Dublin Performance Centre based at the National Aquatic Centre where Coach Matt Kredich will be delivering a special training session with our Performance Centre swimmers including London Olympian - Barry Murphy.

"We are delighted to have over 100 coaches from all across the World attending each day of the conference" says Charlotte Parker, Director of Education of Swim Ireland. "We really believe that coaches are the people that can unlock the potential and make things happen, especially here in Ireland. We need Irish coaches to keep challenging, to be strong leaders, supporters and innovative masters of their trade and to take as many lessons and learning's as they can from the greatest swimming Nation in the world. The new 2013-2016 Road to Rio performance cycle has an increased emphasis on support and development of the Coach, Swim Irelands Coach's Clinic is the first of several events this year planned to help support those Coaches.