As we end another financial year, it’s a reminder to look back and look at the fantastic work done around Australia to grow the sport. It has been a busy year, and the infographic below highlights some of the deliverables associated with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) pathway grant, with more to come in the year ahead.

We have completed a new Artistic Swimming Australia Strategy focusing on Performance, Participation, and Profile, with this, a new 'What It Takes to Win' Performance Plan. A Participation Committee is up and running finalising a new participation plan.
In governance, there has been a new constitution and over fifty new policies across the organisation.

We have increased and diversified income streams with partnerships with New Balance, Meadore, Speedo, WAIS, VIS, AOC, and the AIS.

We have built improved relationships with the State Institute of Sports, which has increased the number of athlete scholarships from 5 to 15.

In terms of our own programmes we have launched the Hancock Prospecting National Centre of Excellence in Perth for the Olympic squad; the Club Centre of Excellence (CCoE) has been launched to highlight high-level local performance centres for athletes still at home and in education. They are also for possible athletes that use the AIS Talent Transfer programmes. Previously States were provided a total of $40,000 in support to help clubs prepare for the CCoE initiative, and we aim to add at least one CCoE each year. After six months of operational, the Gold Coast Mermaids have qualified, and we have interest for several other clubs, so the future looks good for the programme.
Some athletes training in the CCoE will be the Next Generation squad members, a small group that achieved high-level results in competition and testing protocols. These athletes benefit from increased support service provision (e.g., with Allistair McCaw), State Institute Scholarship (where possible), and funding for increased coach one to one technical coaching at a CCoE.

The Team Australia Pathway coaches benefit from initiatives with the AIS, and all have Individual Coach Performance Plans, which outline support through formal qualification and experience/mentor-based learnings.

Clubs are supported by the Going for Gold Talent Identification camp that has been run around the country, and through this year, we aim to have 150 new athletes in the programme, with increased goals next year with new camps in Adelaide, Darwin, and Canberra.

We now have the Males in Artistic Swimming programme up and running; this is fully integrated into all of our current pathway activities with some additional funding to offset male athletes at entry points to the sport.

Moving forward, in addition to maintaining the above, we are about to launch a new Learning Management System (LMS) for new Foundation Coach and Judge education courses, a new eShop feature, and the new Team Australia Emerging Squad will kick off in full, there is the Inaugural Australian Virtual Championships in October, and a new ASA Academy Club programme, targeting key cities in Australia where there are no clubs currently active.

Krisztina Szedlak joined ASA full-time in late November as the National Pathway Coach and is providing technical input to the programme, overseeing the Next Generation athletes and the Youth and Emerging Squads. In February, Emanuelle Mah joined us part-time as the ASA National Pathway Coordinator, overseeing the Going for Gold talent ID camps, coach development programme, and the new Australian Virtual Championships.

We are recruiting new Team Australia Pathway Coaches for 2024 – 2028, so please spread this link to anyone interested in putting their name forward.

Check the specific article here for the Team Australia Pathway Coach EOI.