Performance Centres

The two performance centres provide the foundation for the sport across Great Britain as it continues to prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and beyond operate as performance hubs for the sport. 

The centres are:

1. British Swimming Performance Centre, Bath - based at the Sports Training Village at the University of Bath. The Performance Centre is overseen by Lead National Coach, David McNulty. Two athlete groups are based at the centre, one led by the Lead National Coach, and the other by National Coach, Jamie Main.
   
2. British Swimming Performance, Loughborough - based at Loughborough University. The Performance Centre is overseen by Lead National Coach, Mel Marshall. Two athlete groups are based at the centre, one led by the Lead National Coach, and the other by National Coach, Dave Hemmings.

Key features of the Performance Centres include:

• 50m pool.
• High performance gym.
• Dry land training and preparation areas. 
• Targeted training camp opportunities.
• International competition opportunities.
• An integrated Sports science and sports medicine (SSSM) support programme determined by the Performance Centre Coaches and subject to approval by the Associate Director of Sports Science and Sports Medicine. Typical services include: Strength and Conditioning, Athlete Health and Physiotherapy, Physiology, Nutrition, Biomechanics and Performance Lifestyle Support.
• Regional hubs to educate elite coaches of the future.
• Provision of fully integrated daily training environment including 25 hours of dedicated pool training per week (60% water time is allocated to long course training).
• Selected to provide the best possible living environment conducive to high performance training.
• Aim to give support to athletes to ensure they achieve an ideal lifestyle/performance balance.

Performance Centre Athlete Membership

Application is via completion of an online application form which can be accessed here.

The application form asks for a range of personal information, as well as a number of questions about your swimming career to date, current training volume and the facilities and services you have access to in your current training environment.  In line with our Right Athlete Right Environment (RARE) policy, you are obliged to inform your home coach of your application at the time of submission.  All subsequent correspondence will include your coach, and your parent(s) if you are under 18 years of age.  

Applicants are asked to note the following:

• Athletes must be eligible to compete for Great Britain.  If athletes are not eligible to compete for Great Britain their application will not be considered.
• The normal minimum Performance Centre (PC) entry age for an athlete is 18.  Applications from those under 18 will only be considered and accepted subject to their intended start date, and further discussion around duty of care and education plans.
• Athletes who have the greatest potential for podium success at the Paris 2024 and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games are priorities for places at the performance centres, and in particular athletes with a performance profile that shows genuine senior medal potential, and a capability of bridging the gap from their current performance status to World and/or Olympic podium success.  Places may, on occasion also be awarded to athletes who perform a specific role for the training group to add value to the overall training environment.
• On receipt, your enquiry will be considered by the British Swimming Performance Centre selection panel.  They will look at the responses to the questions asked, and your overall performance history. 
• Successful applicants will ordinarily be invited for a formal trial at the Performance Centre as the next stage of the process.  This normally lasts for up to 1 week and is an opportunity for the centre staff to assess an applicant’s fit within the centre, and for the applicant to experience life as a Performance Centre athlete.  Following a review of the trial a decision will be made on whether to offer a place. 
• In exceptional cases athletes will not be required to attend a trial and may be offered a place with immediate effect.   

 CENTRE APPLICATION OFFERS

Athletes who are offered a place at a Performance Centre will be required to sign a Performance Centre Agreement.  The agreements sets out some key responsibilities around conduct and behaviour, as well as guidance on support available.  As part of the agreement you will be asked to review, accept and abide by the British Swimming Athlete Code of Conduct, all National Programme protocols (e.g. daily wellness monitoring) and any specific expectations established by the Performance Centre Lead Coach.  Athletes at PCs will work closely with the coaching and support staff to identify and agree annual performance goals (process and outcome) which will be reviewed periodically.  The Performance Centre Agreement is ordinarily reviewed at the conclusion of the season.

For any clarifications or further information, please contact Jamie Dimery here