In our continuing drive to innovate, we wish to further invest in our swimming community to support inclusion, improve participation and ultimately increase the enjoyment of and success in our sport.
After two successful pilot years, Somerset’s County Development Programme is set to grow in 2025/26 – now with 3 training squads in action. In order to accommodate these extra swimmers we will be using the whole Millfield Senior School pool for our sessions and increasing opportunities for coach development in Somerset.
Coach Development:
To support these swimmers we have expanded our staff team to include:
- 1 CDP Head Coach to work alongside Pat and Rachel;
- 4 CDP Deputy Head Coaches; and
- 2 CDP Skills Coaches for the first two terms.
In addition, we will be running our Level 1 Assistant Coach Course for Young Volunteers in Term 1 and will be offering graduates from this pool the opportunity to apply for a paid CDP Skills Coach role in Term 3 – see this news story for more details.
Coaches and Young Volunteers throughout Somerset will also be invited to attend a Continuing Professional Development session entitled ‘Delivering Effective Pre-Pool’ (12th October 8.00am with guest Strength and Conditioning specialists). As we have done for the past 2 years, Somerset club coaches will also be invited to attend as a Guest Coach throughout the programme.
Athlete Development:
Squad 1 – Swim England County Development ‘Pathway’: We are delighted to announce that this season, SASA will expand its SE County Pathway (ie those swimmers aged 12 by 31st December 2025) by match funding 48 spaces (up from 32 in 2024/25).
As before, these swimmers will be selected using the SE criteria and in this order of priority:
- 200IM LC times taken from the SE Results and Rankings database; then
- 200IM SC times taken from the SE Results and Rankings database; then and if necessary
- 100IM times taken from the SE Results and Rankings database.
To reflect Relative Age, two selection bands will be implemented, with the aim of selecting equally between the two where possible. Selected swimmers will be sent an invitation via their home coaches with a request to accept their space by midnight on the 21st September to allow further invitations to be issued, should spaces become available.
In addition we will hold 6 ‘wild cards’ to allow Club Coach recommendations for swimmers where their rankings database times do not reflect ability and also to allow late additions to the group following the County Development Meet. County Club Coaches are invited to send recommendations to somersetcdp@gmail.com by midnight on the 14th September. The CDP Squad 1 Head Coach will then discuss these recommendations with the Club Coaches to establish if these swimmers should displace a swimmer higher in the rankings database.
To continue in our drive to address the ‘missed middle’ swimmers identified in Swim England’s Heart of Aquatics Listening Exercise – those swimmers who have just missed out on Regional and National SE Pathways but who are committed to their swimming goals – we will also be offering another 44 spaces to older swimmers in the county not currently on any SE Pathway programme:
Squad 2: This squad will support 12 swimmers aged 13 by 31.12.25 and another 12 swimmers aged 14 by 31.12.25. Swimmers will be selected using 200IM times from the SE Results and Rankings database as the main selection criteria. Selected swimmers will be sent an invitation via their home coaches with a request to accept their space by midnight on the 21st September to allow further invitations to be issued, should spaces become available.
Squad 3: This squad will support a further 20 swimmers aged 15 and above by 31.12.25. Given the large number of potentially eligible swimmers and the small number of spaces available, we are piloting a new method of populating this squad. Swimmers interested in joining this squad are invited to complete this short Expression of Interest Form by midnight on the 14th September. Please note: Completing an Expression of Interest form does NOT guarantee a space in the squad. The Squad 3 Head Coach will use responses along with data from the SE Results and Rankings database to select swimmers by midnight on the 21st September whereupon official invitations will be issued with a request to complete all paperwork by midnight on the 28th September.
Programme Content:
As in 2024/25 our programme aims to increase the opportunity for athletes to consistently engage in activities that can lead to improved competitive performance. We are looking to provide support to athletes to supplement their home training provision, with a view to increasing representation at both a county and a regional level.
The programme also aspires to provide the opportunity for collaborative working of coaches and volunteers from across the county; training content is shared with coaches prior to the sessions and athlete feedback is gathered following each session.
Athletes should expect to be exposed to various training concepts that encourage the reinforcement of the foundational skills that are key to future progress (i.e. streamlining, efficient technique, underwater kick consistency)
CDP Dates:
All dates are Sundays. The programme is delivered 9.00am – 11.15am with pre-pool at 9.15am, pool time from 9.30am – 11.00am and plenary from 11.00am – 11.15am.
Term 1
- October 12th 2025 – including an extended Pre-Pool with specialist guest Strength & Conditioning Coaches Luke Turley and Alice Gouldby.
- November 9th 2025
- December 7th 2025 – followed by a Sport Psychologist workshop (TBC)
Term 2
- January 11th 2026 (Long Course Format) – followed by a Nutritionist workshop
- February 15th 2026
- March 8th 2026
Term 3
- May 17th 2026 (TBC) – followed by a talk by an Inspirational Athlete
- June 7th 2026
- July 5th 2026
Added Value Sessions:
In addition, three ‘Added Value’ sessions will be hosted free of charge to participants, covering talks from a nutritionist, a sports psychologist and an inspirational talk from an Olympian. These will take place immediately after the swim session.
Venue:
Millfield Senior School Pool.
Costs:
The cost of the programme is £36.00 per term, paid in advance. Athletes are expected to commit to all aspects of the programme.
Kit List:
Swimmers must bring the following items to each session:
- CDP Hat (to be distributed at your first session)
- Goggles
- Towel
- Water bottle
- Fins
- Kickboard
- Pullbuoy
- Snorkel
- Shorts for pre-pool – all squads
- Trainers for pre-pool – squad 1
Code of Conduct:
All athletes, staff and volunteers are expected to abide by the Code of Conduct.