BASA welcomes Aquatics Centre as boon for sport

The Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association (BASA) is to work with the new Aquatics Centre in developing more youth swimming programmes.

Tim Petty, BASA president, said: “We are working in conjunction with the National Stadium trustees to try to build swimming into an even bigger sport, where we can reach more people and get more schools involved.

“At the moment it’s difficult for us (BASA) to get the schools to come out to the pool at Saltus because they have to drive there. So, having more venues available will make this easier.”

The Aquatics Centre has been purpose-built for international competition at the 2013 Island Games in July, but Mr Petty said it would have a long-lasting legacy for local sport.

It will provide the first 50m length Olympic-sized pool on the island and will also have diving platforms and facilities for water polo and synchronized swimming.  

The BASA pool at Saltus Grammar School, the Warwick Academy and Sandys 360 pool are all 25m in length.

The Aquatics Centre is due to open on May 27 and will be open to the public.

“This will enable more people to swim,” said Mr Petty.

“It will be run by the National Stadium Trustees and they are hoping to get learn to swim programmes up and running as well.

“They are actively marketing the pool now to the general public and to the clubs, as well as to us for competitive swimming.

“Even though we (BASA) are in competition of sorts, this adds another venue for people, and so having more pools on the island also helps us to build up our base.”

He said the 50m pool would help to train future champions “up to Olympic standard”.

And the facility will also nurture the growth of other aquatic sports, such as water polo and synchronized swimming.

“We haven’t had water polo on the island for 20-30 years and there’s never been a formal synchronized swimming team, so with this new pool we are looking forward,” said Mr Petty.

“Before, we’ve had divers but not the facilities. Our pool (at Saltus) was too shallow for diving, water polo and synchronized swimming. So now we have somewhere for people to train and the regulation length 30m for water polo.”

Mr Petty added: “If anyone wants to start a synchronized swimming programme we would be more than happy to
assist.”