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SAS is a joint initiative involving local swimming clubs, Aberdeenshire
Council and the Scottish Amateur Swimming Association to develop swimming in
South Aberdeenshire. There are four participating clubs;
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Banchory Beavers
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Stonehaven
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Westhill District and
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Upper Deeside.
The initiative evolved from a series of meetings going back as far as 1996,
though there was a longer history of inter-club co-operation that extended
beyond that. Following these, the South Aberdeenshire Squad was
constituted with the aim of providing joint training sessions and competing as a
joint composite team at national level. In late 1998, we were joined by
Martyn Woodroffe, SASA National Director of Swimming, who has helped us work
towards a closer relationship with Aberdeenshire Council and to realise our
ambition to appoint a full-time professional Swimming Development Officer to
lead the programme. Gary Paterson was appointed in January 2000.
Aberdeenshire Council accepted the swimming development plan in November 2000
providing South Aberdeenshire with "a framework for sound foundations in
the teaching of swimming and other aquatic disciplines and allow participants to
move seamlessly along pathways towards achieving their potential".
The many advantages of SAS include:
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Professional coaching advice
& guidance
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Improved links with local clubs
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Informal coach support network
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Aberdeenshire swimming
development plan
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Joint curriculum and resource
manual for all clubs involved
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Additional training and
competitive opportunities for swimmers of various levels
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Opportunity for committed Top
Squad swimmers to train at appropriate level with peers.
As a member of UDASC you are automatically a member of SAS and may be invited
to represent South Aberdeenshire at appropriate events. Squad fees are
payable to SAS by swimmers selected for the Junior, Transitional & Top
Squads.
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