ABOUT US

Who we are

NOVA Centurion is the competitive arm of the Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad. The swim squad is the elite performance programme for Nottinghamshire swimming and one of the UK’s top swimming clubs.

We train at many pools including the 50-metre pool at Harvey Hadden Sports Village in Nottingham and have squads and training facilities based around the county.

We are proud to be one of Swim England’s National Performance Centres partnering with the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University and supported by local clubs to deliver outstanding training and a range of swimming scholarships to talented, high-performing students.

History

The programme first started with Nottingham City Council at Victoria Baths in Sneinton and was then based at Beechdale Baths prior to moving into Harvey Hadden Sports Village in 2015.

The Sports Village is the flagship facility of Nottingham City Council. The £16m redevelopment is the home of NOVA Centurion where the squad trains, and also hosts all of our competitions throughout the swimming season.

Since 1973 the Squad been supported by Nottinghamshire County Council who, until April 2012, managed the day-to-day running of the Squad.

From 2012 the Squad has been run by Notts ASA. During these years, under the NOVA Centurion banner, the Squad has become one of the most successful in the country, having won the Great Britain Club Team Championships and been the Top Team at both the National Senior, Youth and Age Group Championships on numerous occasions.

Our success does not stop there, and we are proud to say that we have a shining Olympic record with successes culminating in…

We had our swimmers compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games winning a bronze in the 4x200m Freestyle Relay and more recently, at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a superb 4th finish in the 400IM, after having completed our programme.

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At Nova Centurion, we are committed to developing young swimmers across Nottinghamshire through strong partnerships with local clubs. We provide a clear pathway for athletes to progress, whether they aspire to reach the top of their sport or simply become the best they can be. Our exceptional coaching staff focuses on both technical excellence and personal growth, ensuring every swimmer is supported in reaching their full potential, whether that’s competing at the Olympic level or achieving their personal goals.

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Joseph Stanford – Director of Coaching, NOVA Centurion

Our Aim

To be the leading swimming programme in GB; achieved through providing a connected pathway that develops individuals into international senior swimmers.

Join us!

To start your performance swimming journey with NOVA Centurion.

TESTIMONIALS

I have a great experience at NOVA, the training was always challenging but I loved doing it with my friends by my side! There aren't many programmes in the country with the level of performance coaching and quality distance training that NOVA has. I don't think I would be the person I am today without the relationships I have at NOVA with my team mates and staff, so a big thank you always.

I have had so many great experiences since joining NOVA at the age of 9, always having felt supported by my coaches and team mates from Regional Development through to the Performance Squad. NOVA's great programme has given me the opportunity to compete internationally, both in the pool and open water. It has also given me the opportunity to receive a scholarship to train and study in the US for 4 years and I would not be the athlete or person that I am today with NOVA's support.

NOVA and the University of Nottingham provided me with the environment to thrive as an athlete. The programme and support enabled me to achieve things I never dreamt of achieving.

I started swimming in a small club in Staffordshire. The opportunity to train under such a great coaching team and the emphasis on developing and the emphasis on developing homegrown talent drew me to NOVA. Highlights of my career include competing at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. I think the impact NOVA Centurion and the University of Nottingham had on me is to always do things with integrity, work hard, be honest with yourself, show up every day and believe you will be rewarded.

Being a member of NOVA from age 12 to 29 shaped my swimming career, guiding me to two Paralympic medals, and influenced my life beyond the pool. The lessons learned, discipline instilled, experiences had, and connections forged have been key in building my character and impacting my career.

It's an incredible journey with so many highs and lows! I started swimming with NOVA Centurion from Sutton-in-Ashfield when I was 10 years old and was a member of the squad until I retired at 25. I am proud to have been part of the Nottinghamshire County Swim Squad and to have been part of a legacy that has produced so many world class swimmers.

I was fortunate to be selected for the NOVA Centurion program at just 10 years old, starting out at Radford Swimming Club. I remained with NOVA throughout my entire swimming career. The decision to stay with NOVA was easy, given the exceptional training. The discipline, commitment, and resilience I developed during my time with NOVA was pivotal in preparing me for my future career in the Royal Air Force.