Hertford Swimming Club is 132 years old and operates from a main club base in Hartham. It first achieved accreditation in 2006 and currently has about 140 swimmers catering for a full range of ability from 10m ‘beginner' swimmers to those achieving regional qualifying times.

The Club was keen to get accredited in the hope that this would lead to increased water time for squad training & increased swimmer numbers and performance. It recognised the need for :

• an update to its admin infrastructure and more coaching staff available to support this squad development.
• a more rapid and efficient means of communication with members who were expecting increased ‘openness' about the Club's affairs, and to cope with the increasing activities and rapidly changing circumstances of the Club.
• increased use of IT to speed up both administration and communication with members.

As part of the accreditation process, the Club took the following actions to help address these challenges:

• Head Coach Steve Barber worked hard to establish and run the extra sessions until further support could be obtained. He also updated his coaching qualification by passing the ‘new' Club coach course in March 2007. This and the increased squad time enabled the Club to satisfy the criteria for accreditation at skill development level in November 2007 additionally to its pre-existing accreditation at teaching level. 
• The accreditation process obliged the team to analyse the Club admin for new and existing swimmers and to evaluate whether the flow of information about them was on target! It tightened up various manual processes in 2006-7.
• In late 2007 -early 2008 much needed technical equipment was purchased, including HyTek software.Here, the Club was supported by a parent. He organised a parent team to become proficient in Hy-Tek use for setting up the club champs program and recording the results. 
• Another swimmer parent ,Paula Moore volunteered to teach herself how to set up and put information onto a website. She started it in 2006, still runs it and this service has become indispensable. She is still the Club's publicity officer.

The Club has seen many the benefits since achieving accreditation, such as:

• Increased water time with fully-qualified staff to run the sessions resulting in improved swimmer performance.
• Access to funding. Since July 2008 it has been awarded £1,700 of funding including £131 rebate on ASA fees, and 75% course fees for 2xL1 and 2xL2 swimming teachers, 1xL1 Unit 2 swimming coach, & support for 5 Safeguarding Children workshop attendees.
• Knowing there is access to external funding for training has freed up club funds for purchase of the computers, software etc and to cope with extra expense due to increasing pool hire charges and necessary relocation to better but more expensive facilities.
• Hy-Tek has increased efficiency of running Club Champs with more events and is used by the open meet organiser to submit entries to external open meets.
• Greater understanding and better organisation of club admin.

Hertford Swimming Club is committed to building on the above and will keep going. For example, it is now working on getting more club coach/coach L3 experienced staff in the coaching team to lighten the load for the head coach.

The Club's advice to other clubs is "Try to look beyond the onerous nature of the accreditation paperwork itself to the overall aim behind it and build on the strengths of your club and the enthusiasm of its members!

For more information, visit the Club's website - http://www.hertfordsc.co.uk/ or contact Club Secretary Mrs Sarah Burr, email: sec.hsc@ntlworld.com