Swimming Australia will announce details this week of a plan to assist swim clubs and coaches to safely return to swimming activity.
A notice has been placed on the Swimming Australia website following yesterday’s National Cabinet announcement which saw Prime Minister Scott Morrison unveil the detailed three-phase plan to revitalise Australia’s economy and to bring the country back to life.
And swimming’s return to the pool will be a major part of that plan which will be music to the ears of all in Australia’s vibrant swimming industry from Learn To Swim to Squads and Elites with Swimming Australia revealing its dealings to ensure Australians can get back in the water.
In a statement Swimming Australia said that along with State/Territory associations and the Australian Swimming Coaches And Teachers Association (ASCTA), it had been working with the Australian Institute Of Sport (AIS), Sport Australia and Federal and State Governments to understand the impact and plans for sport, in particular swimming.
“As a collective leadership team across Australia, we have worked on a plan to assist clubs and coaches to safely return to swimming activity, and will release further details next week,” the statement read.
The lifting of COVID-19 restrictions across Australia is left largely up to the States with Queensland, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk releasing a detailed timeline in its Stage One planning that will see indoor and outdoor pools re-opening from Friday, May 15.*
But NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced that current restrictions will remain in the State until further notice with details of the its Stage One plans expected in the coming week.
Swimming World revealed yesterday of plans to create hubs for Australia’s High Performance Squads as part of the return to the pool, saying “Coaches and swimmers are ‘champing at the bit’ to get back on deck…..and to join swimmers in South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory who are already back in the water.
WELCOME RETURN: Dolphins head coach Jacco Verhaeren with Victorian Head Coach Rohan Taylor. Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia).
It understands that Swimming Australia with HP strategist, Canadian Olympic legend Alex Baumann and National Head Coach Jacco Verhaeren at the forefront and in conjunction with the AIS has been in discussions with Queensland authorities for the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre at Southport to become one of several HP hubs throughout Australia, to revitalise a return to training.
Australia Awaits For A Welcome Return To The Pool After Six Week COVID-19 Shutout
It is part of a plan to re-launch Australian sport on both elite and community levels as outlined in the recently released Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Framework For Rebooting Sport In A Covid-19 environment.
* The May 15 return to swimming will co-incide with the 20th anniversary of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Swimming Trials which saw both Susie O’Neill and Ian Thorpe set new world records en-route to what was to be a memorable Sydney 2000 Games.
Rachele Milburn
Diane Owen Ness Duthie
Jasmin Fox
Jennifer Neden
Dennis John Couley
Danae Barker – oh you do have indoor stage 1, lucky you ?