Welcome to the Bridport Barracudas
Bridport Barracudas Swimming Club is located in the jurassic town of Bridport in beautiful Dorset.
The Barracudas are an ASA affiliated club formed in 1995 and currently have over 100 members. The Club have excellent facilities at their base at the Bridport Leisure Centre and a committed and experienced coaching team led by Director of Swimming Ian Mortimer.
Club Ethos
Barracudas believe strongly in “swimming for all”. Not everyone wants to be a competitive swimmer but every swimmer can reach his/her full potential. Our teaching and coaching is based on the process goal of good technique; speed and endurance follow as a result of quality swimming.
Barracudas welcomes swimmers from the age of four through all age groups up to and including Masters. We are totally committed to following the Equity Policy of the ASA and welcome swimmers regardless of sex, ethnic origin, religion, disability (see below), age, sexual orientation or political persuasion.
We follow the new “National Plan for Teaching Swimming” (NPTS) and are totally committed to the principles of “Long Term Athlete Development” (LTAD).
Disabilities
The Bridport Leisure Centre is fully equipped to support swimmers with disabilities and Barracudas strongly believes in “a club for all” and, where possible, encourages the total integration of swimmers with a disability into the full training programme.
Swimmers joining Barracudas are asked to complete the Membership Form (see “download” on the Membership page) which includes a section for disabilities. This information is treated in confidence and shown only to the Head Coach/Teacher, the Disabilities Officer and appropriate members of the teaching/coaching staff. The swimmers disability is assessed (if necessary in consultation with the swimmer/parent or guardian) and a decision made on how best to integrate the swimmer into the Club.
A swimmer wishing to take part in specific galas for swimmers with disabilities can be categorised within the “British Swimming Classification” system which is designed to ensure fair competition for all. More information can be found by going to “British Swimming” on the links page and selecting “Disability swimming”.
For more advice on disability swimming with Barracudas a swimmer/parent or guardian should ask to speak to the Disabilities Officer.
Achievements
Since its formation in 1985 the Barracudas Swimming Club has established a strong foundation based on sound technique. In 2005, under the direction of Mark Hoskins, the club started its own league, the Jurassic, to engender more, and regular, competition.
In 2010 the club entered the new Dorset Novice League and, in conjunction with Heron Swim Team and Durrington Otters, for the first time entered the Southern Junior League and the National Arena Swimming League as 'Team Jurassic'. In 2011 it was decided to dual register both Heron Swim Team and Durrington Otters as Barracudas and the resulting team now
enters the SJL and the NASLW as Bridport Barracudas
In addition, the number of Barracudas swimmers entering County competitions and open meets such as The Three Towers, the Warriors Christmas Meet and others, is increasing year on year.
Within the Club swimmers have the opportunity to compete in the Club Championships at Junior and then Senior level and there is a special fun gala for the Minnows of the Learner Pool. Regular "time trials" are held throughout the year on an opportunity basis.
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The Future
The main driving force behind Barracudas' recent success has been the improvement in both the number and standard of the Teachers and Coaches.
Barracudas operate a five year training plan for teachers and coaches and in recent years have brought both Level 1 and Level 2 Teaching and Coaching Courses to Bridport and it is hoped that year five of the plan will see a Level 3 Coaching Course at the Bridport Leisure Centre.
In this way the standard of swimming will continue to improve, numbers of swimmers will increase and Barracudas will become a bigger and stronger club.