Two women who had to be lured back into the swimming pool enjoyed their classes so much that they have now become swimming teachers themselves!

Sally Scott, 32, and Kathryn Campbell, 34, attended Swim Fit classes in Durham after the fitness programme was promoted by the Everyday Swim Project, a national scheme that pioneered new ways of making all pool activity more accessible and popular.

They had such a good time on the water-based keep fit course at the Peterlee Leisure Centre – and saw such fantastic benefits – they decided to help others by becoming qualified Swimming Teachers.

The duo, who were supported by the Everyday Swim project throughout their learning, have now achieved the UK Coaching Certificate  Level 2 via the ASA . This allows them to prepare and deliver swimming lessons for all ages.

Scott, from Trimdon – who credits the Swim Fit classes with helping her to lose 1½ stone and slim from a size 22 to a size 18 –  is now working alongside fellow class-mate Campbell, from Horden, to help others discover the benefits of swimming.

Scott, who has also just qualified as a lifeguard, said: “I can’t believe the difference this has made to my everyday life. This time last year I was unemployed and searching for tasks to put my energy into.

“Now, as a swimming instructor I work with a wide variety of people, from kids classes right up to teaching adults to swim.

“It’s great fun and working alongside Kathryn has really helped. We motivate and educate each other while we learn. What’s not fun about that?”

Scott and Campbell were encouraged to become teachers themselves by Lorraine Kelly, who runs the Swim Fit classes.

She said: “I’d noticed Sally and Kathryn in the water a couple of days every week and the first thing that I picked up on was their determination to get fit and their lovely, warm personalities.”

CLICK HERE to learn about how you can train to become a swimming teacher or coach.

-ENDS-

For more information please contact the ASA/British Swimming Media Assistant, Lauren Sanderson on 01509 632236 or email lauren.sanderson@swimming.org

The ASA is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The ASA supports 1,220 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The ASA aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.

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The world’s leading swimwear brand, Speedo® is passionate about life in and around the water, creating revolutionary new technologies, designs and innovations. Supporting swimming from grass-roots through to elite level, including the phenomenal Michael Phelps, Speedo® is owned by Speedo Holdings B.V and distributed in over 170 countries around the world; SPEEDO, the ARROW device, FASTSKIN, LZR PULSE, SPEEDO ENDURANCE, FLIPTURNS, FASTSKINFSII, SPEEDO BIOFUSE, SWYM and LZR RACER are registered trademarks of Speedo Holdings B.V. The LZR RACER suit has worldwide design rights and patents pending.

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The Amateur Swimming Association has developed a series of fitness swimming training modules set to change the face of health and fitness delivery across the UK.

The four new training modules – AquaFit, Aqua-Circuits, Aqua-Jogging and Fitness Swimming are aimed predominantly at dryside instructors and will allow leisure facilities and personal trainers to offer customers a multi-disciplinary workout.

Adopted onto the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) Framework, and inline with SkillsActive’s new National Occupational Standards for instructing exercise and fitness, the qualifications fill a long-needed gap in the leisure industry and provide pool operators with a range of exciting new activities to add to their programme.

Available from September, each training module lasts three days and is aimed at fitness instructors who are current members of REPS and hold a Level 2 Exercise and Fitness qualification. Modules also offer a generous allocation of CPD points.

ASA National Education Officer Colin Huffen believes the training will be popular among fitness instructors and expects demand to be high.

“Our new training provides a fantastic opportunity for people with dryside gym instructor knowledge to cross over to the pool for water based fitness activity,” he said. “It’s something the fitness industry has wanted for a long time now and the ASA is delighted to be able to deliver it.

“The training is based on practical learning and all modules include a theoretical background into aquatic fitness which means participants are educated into the benefits of aquatic exercise before undertaking the more specific knowledge concentrating upon the selected aquatic strand.

“Once completed, instructors will be able to take a multi-discipline approach and make the most of all facilities available to them. Pool workouts add more variety to a fitness programme and the beauty of the four identified disciplines is everyone can take part, from those coming back from injury or illness to the occasional gym user and fitness enthusiast.”

Pilots for the qualifications get underway this month across the country and qualifications will be officially launched at Leisure Industry Week (LIW) in September.

To find out more or to register your interest for a course email colin.huffen@swimming.org

-ENDS-

For media information contact ASA media officer Amanda Overend on 01509 632238, 07876 652 318 or email amanda.overend@swimming.org

The Amateur Swimming Association is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The ASA supports 1,220 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The ASA aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.
www.britishswimming.org

Speedo® is the world's leading swimwear brand. Founded in Sydney in 1928 Speedo has over 75 years of heritage and expertise in swimwear and launched the FASTSKIN® FS-PRO, the fastest most powerful lightweight suit on the market, in 2007. Speedo is the Official Supplier to British Swimming and the ASA and provides valuable investment for swimming from grassroots through to elite level.
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