11 Nov 2019

Lakelanders: Swim Ulster Club of the Year 2019/20

Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club has recently been recognised by Swim Ulster as their Club of the Year for 2019 – a fantastic achievement for a club operating in a rural area, and competing for the award against other clubs from across the Ulster region. Club Chair Sara Lannon travelled to the Aurora Leisure Centre in Bangor together with fellow committee members, Gala Secretary, Noel Mc Manus; Club Secretary, Frances Rolston Bruce; Team Gala Secretary, Aideen Speer and Head Coach, Aaron Rickhuss for a special reception and awards ceremony on Saturday 9th November

The award has brought a smile to the face of the hard working volunteer Committee who spend a lot of time running the club together with the coaches and other parent volunteers who have worked so hard over recent years to build up the club to its current status as one of the leading swimming clubs in the Ulster region with many swimmer also regular attendants/medal winners at top level Irish national events.

The award comes hot on the heels of Enniskillen Lakelanders also receiving the coveted Club Mark accreditation from Swim Ireland in recognition of having achieved the highest of club standards in areas such as Membership, Governance, Administration, Activities, Club Development and Planning as well as Communication and Marketing. The overall aim of this Clubmark program is to measure Clubs against standards to ensure that they are meeting and keeping pace with best practice.

In recent years the Lakelanders have certainly been regularly featured in the local press for their successes in their own local swimming events, but also for huge success at regional and national level.  July 2019 at the Swim Ireland National Division 1 & 2 finals, the Lakelanders fielded no less than 17 athletes, an astounding 13% of club members. And whilst success has come at the elite level, the club committee deserve further recognition for their efforts in developing the next generation of athletes. September recently saw the 2nd Lakelanders Junior gala take place as part of a new program with the sole aim of encouraging beginners and younger swimmers to try their hand at competing in the safe and friendly environment of a local event.

In receiving the Swim Ulster Club of the Year, committee Chairperson Sara Lannon thanked the volunteer committee, coaches and club members saying: 'those involved in the provision of youth sport at community level know well the time and effort that goes into running a community sports organisation. Swimming in particular takes not only many hours of training for our young athletes but  also many hours of supervision and planning for the volunteer parents without whose dedication and hard work the club could not exist. They are a credit to their community and the happy faces of our swimmers from beginners all the way up to our National champions is the best reward we can have'.

CLAIRE MORRIS, Swim Ulster Junior/Development Coach of the Year

Local lady Claire Morris, already has a special place in the memories of many young swimmers who have passed through the Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club in the past 20 years. Many parents too will have a special place in their hearts for this volunteer swimming coach who has taken their nervous youngsters and patiently helped them take their first steps in the world of competitive swimming.

And so after many years of dedication Claire has this weekend past been recognised by the regional swimming body Swim Ulster as Junior/Development Coach of the Year for 2019. Claire travelled to Bangor Aurora Leisure Centre together with fellow Lakelanders officials and Head Coach Aaron Rickhuss last Saturday 9th November to receive her award.

An admitted swimming nerd with Level 1 & 2 coaching qualifications, Claire has that special talent to perform her role as Junior Squad Development Coach with kindness and fun whilst still ensuring the focus on technique and constant improvement are central to the swimmers experience. And whilst many of the clubs current crop of swimmers from beginners up to national champions will give testament to Claire's impact in each of them personally, so too will many of the Lakelanders current volunteer coaches whom Claire has also mentored and supervised as they in turn have taken that important first step into becoming swim teachers and coaches.

Lakelanders current Head Coach Aaron Rickhuss in recognising Claire's achievement said, 'huge congratulations are in order for Clare Morris who's won Swim Ulster Junior/Development Coach of the Year. This goes to show how lucky the team really are to have such a fantastic coach looking after the younger swimmers of the club. Clare’s enthusiasm, knowledge and dedication to the club has been recognised by Swim Ulster and is proudly recognised each day here in Enniskillen. Well done, Clare and thank you!

Lakelanders Club Secretary, Frances Rolston Bruce echoed Aarons appreciation for Claire and went further saying, 'Claire has been a godsend for the Lakelanders, she's been here week in and week out with her infectiously positive attitude and bottomless store of enthusiasm helping our younger swimmers to enjoy their training. Fermanagh really does owe a debt of gratitude to this wonderful community spirited lady and her award is hugely deserved.

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