The Nottinghamshire Elite Pathways Development Day, delivered in conjunction with Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad (NOVA Centurion), brought together some of the county’s most promising young swimmers for an inspiring day of learning, collaboration, and aquatic skills development.
Designed as part of the ongoing Nottinghamshire County Development Programme, the event reflected the county’s commitment to developing technically skilled, knowledgeable, and adaptable swimmers. Bringing together athletes, coaches, support staff, and parents from across Nottinghamshire, the day provided a unique opportunity to accelerate learning, refine aquatic skills, and expose young athletes to the wider support systems available through the county pathway.
Developing Future Swimming Talent in Nottinghamshire
The programme showcased the depth of emerging talent across Nottinghamshire clubs whilst highlighting the additional opportunities available through the Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad (NOVA) pathway. By providing access to specialist coaching, technical analysis, sports psychology support, and athlete education, the pathway aims to accelerate swimmer development and enhance the excellent work already taking place within club environments.
The Pathways Development Day continues to reflect the direction of Nottinghamshire’s swimmer development philosophy; a joined-up approach that integrates technical coaching, physical development, psychological skills, and educational support for both athletes and parents. The pathway is designed to ensure that talented swimmers gain access to high-quality learning experiences at an early stage of their journey, helping them build the foundations required for long-term success in the sport.
Technical Pool Sessions and Video Analysis
Throughout the day, swimmers participated in two pool-based technical sessions, a specialist land training workshop, a sports psychology session, and a dedicated parent education seminar. Together, these elements created a truly holistic development environment, recognising that successful swimmer progression extends beyond the pool and requires a coordinated approach across physical, technical, psychological, and social domains.
The day began with an interactive land training session focused on developing athletes’ understanding of work capacity and its importance within long-term swimmer development. Swimmers explored how improvements in physical capacity support technical execution, particularly under fatigue, and how structured athletic development provides the foundation for effective learning and technical progression.
The two pool sessions formed the cornerstone of the development programme, with a clear focus on enhancing swimming technique and improving athletes’ understanding of effective movement through the water. Working in small, focused groups, swimmers rotated through all four strokes, receiving detailed technical feedback from an experienced coaching team. Particular emphasis was placed on developing fundamental aquatic skills, stroke efficiency, body position, propulsion, and race skills that underpin long-term progression in the sport.
Video analysis played a central role throughout the day, allowing swimmers to visually connect feel with execution and develop a deeper understanding of the technical changes being introduced. Athletes were challenged to apply adjustments immediately within the training environment, helping bridge the gap between knowledge and application.
Technical Pool Sessions and Video Analysis
Exposure to video analysis at an early stage of development is a key component of the NOVA pathway. The ability to see, understand, and apply technical changes accelerates learning and helps swimmers take greater ownership of their development, providing valuable experiences that can support progression through county, regional, and national pathways.
Supporting the delivery were sports science interns who assisted with underwater and above-water filming, ensuring high-quality technical feedback and enhancing the learning experience for all athletes involved.
Away from the pool, swimmers participated in a sports psychology workshop led by Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad psychologist Liam Roarty. The session explored how thoughts, emotions, and behaviours influence learning and performance, helping athletes develop greater self-awareness and understand how psychological skills can support both training and competition environments.
Supporting Parents Through Education
Recognising the vital role parents play in an athlete’s development journey, the programme also included a dedicated parent workshop. The seminar explored the importance of a balanced, progressive, and holistic approach to swimmer development, helping parents understand how technical, physical, psychological, and personal growth interact throughout an athlete’s pathway.
Parents were provided with an overview of the Nottinghamshire development pathway and the opportunities available through Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad (NOVA). Discussions focused on how early access to enhanced technical coaching, specialist support services, and educational opportunities can support swimmer development whilst working alongside club programmes to maximise long-term progression.
The workshop reinforced the message that long-term success is built through partnership, patience, and a shared commitment to athlete welfare, enjoyment, learning, and progression.
Coach Reflections on the Day
Reflecting on the success of the day, Head Coach Paul Imrie highlighted the value of collaboration across the county network:
“It was a fantastic opportunity not only for the athletes, but also for the coaching team to come together across Nottinghamshire. The sharing of ideas and collective focus on swimmer development really stood out. The integration of land training, pool-based technical work, psychological development, and parent education created a genuinely holistic environment that supports long-term progression.”
Coaching and Support Team
The day was delivered through a highly collaborative coaching and support network, demonstrating the strength of partnership working across Nottinghamshire swimming:
Programme Lead: Joseph Stanford (Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad – NOVA)
Head Coach: Paul Imrie (Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad – NOVA)
Team Managers: Leanna Lockhart (Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad – NOVA) and Rach Goward (Sherwood Swimming Club)
Skills Coaches: Johnny Higham (Nottingham Leander), Joseph Greaves (Arnold Swimming Club), and Steven Catton (Sherwood Swimming Club)
Video Analysis Lead: Chad Wong (Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad – NOVA)
Sports Psychologist: Liam Roarty (Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad – NOVA)
Athletes Selected
The swimmers who attended represented a wide range of clubs from across Nottinghamshire and the surrounding region, highlighting both the strength of the county pathway and the collaborative relationship between clubs and the Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad (NOVA).
A significant proportion of those selected were current NOVA athletes. This reflects the purpose of the county pathway, which is designed to identify and support swimmers who demonstrate the potential to benefit from additional technical development opportunities at an earlier stage of their journey. Through regular access to specialist coaching, NOVA athletes are exposed to a broader range of learning experiences that complement the excellent coaching already taking place within their home clubs.
The pathway is specifically structured to accelerate swimmer development by providing enhanced technical support during key stages of growth and progression. Early involvement allows athletes to develop a deeper understanding of stroke mechanics, training processes, and performance behaviours, helping them build the skills and knowledge required for future success. The strong representation of NOVA athletes at the Development Day therefore reflects the pathway’s role in providing ongoing development opportunities for swimmers who have already been identified as being at an important stage in their long-term progression.
Importantly, the pathway is designed to enhance rather than replace club provision, working in partnership with coaches across Nottinghamshire to ensure talented swimmers have access to the widest possible range of expertise, education, and development experiences as they progress through the sport.
The athletes selected for the Development Day were:
Amelia Bricknell (NOVA & Nottingham Leander)
Amelia Crow (NOVA & City of Arnold and Belvoir Swimming Club)
Bianca Banias (NOVA & Bramcote Swimming Club)
Ellie-May Rose (NOVA & Bramcote Swimming Club)
Esmee Goward (NOVA & Sherwood Swimming Club)
Freddie Shooter (NOVA & Sherwood Swimming Club)
Ivy Smalley (NOVA & Nottingham Leander)
Joseph Goncalves (NOVA & Carlton Forum Swimming Club)
Joshua Baker (NOVA & Bramcote Swimming Club)
Lara Ogdon (NOVA & Nottingham Leander)
Logan Bates (NOVA & Sherwood Swimming Club)
Sienna Brett (NOVA & Nottingham Leander)
Tom Buckley (NOVA & Arnold Swimming Club)
Olivia Tagg (NOVA & Nottingham Leander)
Riley Burns (NOVA & Sherwood Swimming Club)
Seren Mason (NOVA & Bramcote Swimming Club)
Additional athletes selected included:
George Ridout (Retford Swimming Club)
Harriet Meadows (Retford Swimming Club)
Alfie Grounsell (Retford Swimming Club)
Noah Smith (Bircotes Swimming Club)
William Newman-Carter (Retford Swimming Club)
Freya Chesterfield (Nottingham Leander)
Charles Saturino (Nottingham Leander)
Lois Grant (Mansfield Swimming Club)
Max Ball (Mansfield Swimming Club)
Oscar Coulson (CABSC)
Rory Deakin (Sherwood Swimming Club)
Scarlett Griffiths (CABSC)
Shawn Wong (CABSC)
Violet Moran (Radford Swimming Club)
A special thank you goes to all coaches, support staff, and volunteers who contributed to the delivery of the event. Particular recognition must be given to Emma Hickman and Will Oats for their work behind the scenes in planning, coordinating, and ensuring the smooth running of the day. Their efforts created an environment where athletes, coaches, and parents could fully engage in a day centred on learning, technical development, and the future of Nottinghamshire swimming.
