Join Us
A swimming club is a fun way to teach your child a life skill. Your child learns proper mechanics, proper breathing technique and competes in a safe environment – and has no idea they're learning how to save their own life! Children on swim teams create a bond with one another. You cheer your friends on as they race.
Triathletes - need more training time in the pool?
Want to be part of a fun and friendly team?
Half Price Membership Fee from 1st Oct to 1st Jan!
If you come a along to a taster session, or 2, and decide you would like to join our club we can currently offer you half price membership fee which is due on joining the club.
Free Taster Sessions on Sundays in November!
Come along and see what our club is all about and join in with a swimming session at 3:30pm.
Please email membership@ashbourneswimclub.org to book your place or register by completing the survey below
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How do I join?
1. Come for a taster session
Anyone is welcome to come along and try the club. We usually hold taster sessions and try-outs on a Sunday afternoon by appointment. You do need to book in advance by emailing Andrea Hurst at membership@ashbourneswimclub.org or complete the survey here.
A taster session is basically a chance to come along and see what it is like to swim with the club. Whilst there you will be assessed by one of our coaches. To join there's no actual minimum age but a swimmer will usually be above stage 5 on ASA framework or equivalent or be able to swim 50m on their front, 50m on their back, plus 25m front crawl and attempt at a few strokes of butterfly. Usually this is from the age of 7 years.
2. Take part in a couple of sessions to see if you like it.
Swimmers are welcome to try the club for a couple of weeks before they decide whether to join or not.
After being assessed they will be invited to join the appropriate squad for their level. As a general description, the teaching squad, Swim Skills, is for swimmers who still need to learn correct strokes (all 4).
Development Squad is for swimmers who's strokes are well developed and are increasing their pace and stamina and take part in novice competitions.
The Junior squad is for swimmers with good strokes and stamina who are developing competitive techniques and can take part in local competitions.
The Senior Squad are for swimmers with good technique, pace and stamina in all 4 strokes who are working towards, or already take part, in open competitions.
We also have a Challenge Group which is selected from the Senior and Junior Squads. This group have an extra session on a Thursday and is focus on those swimmers who attend the County Championships and higher level galas.
We welcome entrants at any level not just beginners and would very much like to see athletes wanting to transfer from other sports as teenagers, as we can teach them at an appropriate level with swimmers the same age in our mixed age squads.
3. Sign Up!
How much does it cost?
After a couple of weeks swimmers are joined up as Swim England members at £40 (a yearly membership fee due in January) plus a monthly payment for the squad they join.
Monthly payments are made by standing order and are:
Swim Skills Squad £25
Development Squad £30
Junior squad £30
Senior Squad £45
Note: there is an additional fee for the challenge group.
Do you have to come to every session?
Yes, we do expect you to attend all training sessions regularly. Obviously if you are ill you do not need to attend. If you are going to be absent for any other reason you should tell your coach in advance.
All squads swim 48 weeks a year. We have 2 week break during August and over Christmas. Swimmers are expected to devote time and energy to their training and to attend all appropriate training sessions every week. Please note the fees are spread evenly over the full 12 months of the year so the payment is the same every month even though we close for Christmas and 3 weeks during the summer holidays. Refunds can not be made for training sessions not attended.
Paper Work
Upon joining the club we will ask to to complete some membership forms and sign a number of documents which include the following:
Copies of the documents are available if you click on the document name.
We also have a Privacy Policy which a link to can be found at the bottom of every page. For information about the committee (volunteers who run the club) see Contact Us.
Please note if you wish to leave the club we require a month's notice in writing please.
What our members say...
“Swim club is great because it helps you get fit and is fun. I also like getting to make new friends! I love going to galas so I can challenge myself and see if I can improve my times“ Jacob, swimmer.
"My son joined Ashbourne Swimming Club last year. He loves coming, has lots of fun and has made many new friends. As a parent, I've seen him grow in confidence and find a great hobby that he really enjoys but also keeps him fit and healthy. " Sally parent.