Wigan Council BEST Swim Squad is based at Howe Bridge Sport Centre Atherton, however the squad utilises facilities across the Borough including the excellent 8 lane short course pool at the Life Centre in the heart of Wigan.
The Club “Wigan BEST” and “Wigan BEST Swim Squad, have worked in partnership to support a group of committed professional coaching staff, athletes, administrators and volunteers in the creation of an elite swim training programme, providing a proven pathway, which commences with the Wigan Council lesson were our future stars commence their development. Gaining confidence in the water and learning life long swimming skills to allow us to benefit from all the social, mental and health benefits that swimming brings. As our young swimmers develop their skills with the lesson programme they will then progress to one of the 6 excellent Community Swimming Clubs. Here swimmers will begin to develop their competitive skills to the next level along with forming friendships that will last a life time. As the swimmers talents progress and they realise their love of competition and challenges the developing swimmer will progress to Wigan Council BEST Swim Squad. At this level swimmers will be encouraged and supported to strive to County level working through the various ability groups moving on to Regional Level and National success.
An elite swimming programme was established in 1972, utilising the then excellent 50m pool based in Wigan. and the 5 other excellent facilities across the Borough. The programme quickly developed to become the most successful ever in Great Britain.
1988 saw 7 swimmers from the programme gain selection to the GB Olympic Team. In fact swimmers from the Borough have consistently won medals at every major International Competition including Olympic level right up to 1992.
Over the years the programme has had to adapt to the ever changing face of the sport and Wigan Council are keen to continue to support the Aquatic Strategy which clearly plans for the future success of Competitive Swimming within Wigan and its Boroughs. The aim of the strategy is to clearly define the role of each element of development ensuring that young swimmers are correctly nurtured and developed acquiring the skills, passion, commitment and drive to be the new champions from the Borough.
The Club is affiliated to the Swim England North West Region and to the Lancashire County Water Polo and Swimming Association (LWPSA), which binds it to the laws and rules of these organisations as well as to those of British Swimming (formerly the Amateur Swimming Federation of Great Britain), and FINA, the World Governing Body of Swimming.
Wigan BEST along with the Wigan BEST Swim Squad recognises the importance of providing a safe, effective and quality services for the benefit of their members, based on the principles of long term athlete development.
Wigan BEST Today:-
In 2004 Wigan BEST was established to take on the role of support for the elite swimmers of the Borough. The club now offers professional coaching support at all major championships, and Open Meets it provides an excellent dry land-programme utilising the service of specialist conditioning coaches.
In 2011 the club held its 1st “Future Stars Open Meet” the meet is fast becoming an established first open meet of the season for many of the North West leading squad’s due to its reputation for being extremely well organised and efficient.
As part of the swimmers development the club understands the importance of preparation and planning this includes organising Warm Weather Home & International Training Camps which provides the swimmers with excellent opportunities, to acclimatise to training away from home environment equipping the swimmer with the tools to compete at the highest level.t
As part of the clubs forward thinking policy Wigan BEST have teamed up with sportswear giant “SPEEDO” which gives the club that extra professionalism and ensure Wigan BEST swimmers has the latest swimwear technology available to them.
Wigan BEST Swim Club along with (Wigan Council) Wigan BEST Swim Squad is very much a forward looking club working tirelessly for its members in the pursuit of success!
