County Development Programme 2025/2026

On the 10th of January 2026 Derbyshire swimmers took part in the first of two face-to-face development days at the Arc in Matlock. The day was a great success, enjoyed by swimmers and staff alike. 

48 Derbyshire swimmers, born in 2013, were selected to take part in the County Development Programme, aimed at supporting and developing both swimmers and coaches. 

Swimmers were given feedback focusing on the core components of BLABT – Body, Legs, Arms, Breathing and Timing so that they can take away suggestions for improvement to implement in their home training. Coaches had the chance to 

Feedback from the day was very positive:

Our daughter really enjoyed the camp. We thought it was well organised and the afternoon was structured well. Our daughter really enjoyed training with a different coach and said she got some good tips on backstroke starts from her!

 

[It was] well organised. Swimmers enjoyed it. Good to mix with different club swimmers and coaches. Good networking. Good learning listening to the other coaches.

The 2nd camp day will be held in June, again at Matlock. 

A huge thank you to Lance Davis for organising the programme. Thank you to all the Team Managers who supported the day: Becky Holmes and Chris Whittaker from Chesterfield Swimming Club, Lance Davis from Buxton and Stacey Gunther from Repton. 

The Coaches for the programme are: 

Caroline Burke – Belper Marlin, Catherine Taylor – Long Eaton, Chris Hart – Eckington, Dave Sankey- Bakewell SC, Dawn Adsetts – Chesterfield Swimming Club, James Mellor – Buxton, Oliver Tipping – Long Eaton Swimming Club, Peter Rogers – Etwall Eagles, Richie Ralph – Buxton and Shaun Hardwick – Bakewell SC

 

Congratulations to all the swimmers who were selected to attend:

Leonie AblewhiteLong Eaton
Sofia AustinChesterfield
Alisa BerzanRepton
Thomas BuchanDerby Excel
Oliver BurrowsRepton
Jacob CanettiEckington
Jack CartheyRepton
Lucy ClaytonLong Eaton
Isla DaviesChesterfield
Tommy DuffRepton
Nancy Dumphy-WraithMatlock
Michael FleggBelper Marlin
Arthur FlintDerby Excel
Connor FurnishLong Eaton
Robyn GibsonRipley
Amari GingellLong Eaton
Eli GreenDerby Excel
Amelie GuntherRepton
Jonah HawksworthDerby Excel
Henrietta Hems GillsonRepton
Sam HepplestonDerby Phoenix
Ellie-Rose HodgettRipley
Amelia HoutenRepton
Hannah JohnRepton
Rose JohnsonEckington
Korben KowalskiDerby Phoenix
Oliver LawEtwall
Bronte LawlerBelper Marlin
Kaito MackinDerby Excel
Lilly May-HolmesChesterfield
Sophia MooreBelper Marlin
Poppy MorganRepton
Jonny OliverEckington
Katherine Peixuan LiuDerby Phoenix
Eve PlunkettEckington
Felix RobertsonDronfield
Tillie RobinsonChesterfield
Rosco RoweRepton
Sophie SleighLong Eaton
Matilda SmithEckington
William SmithDerby Excel
Charles StottBuxton
Oscar UnderwoodDerby Excel
William WhitlamDerby Phoenix
Abigail WhittakerChesterfield
Oscar WilsonBelper Marlin
Jemima ZimmermanBelper Marlin