Fina conducts coaching clinic

FORTY participants attended the PNG Swimming-sanctioned BSP Fina Swim Teacher/Coach clinic.
The course was held from Sept 27-Oct 1 at the Taurama Aquatic Centre in Port Moresby.
Fina expert John Bladon, who is currently the head of aquatics at the Knox Grammar School, Sydney, Australia, conducted the course.
Bladon is a silver license coach with a degree in sport science from the University New South Wales.
As a presenter having presented courses and conferences for Austswim and the Australian Swimming Coaching and Teachers Association (ASCTA) over the last 15 years, PNGSI welcomed him back to Port Moresby to pass on to participants his valuable wealth of knowledge.
The course was divided into two categories; a teacher of swimming coaching clinic (two days) and active coach clinic (three days).
The course structure consisted of how to deliver basic swimming sessions that developed the swimming technique of junior swimmers and a more advanced coach programme leading into competitions for pool deck squad coaches.
The course outline included six hours of classroom theory sessions with a hour’s practical pool session.
“The clinic started with a more learn to swim and water safety focus, moved to junior and developmental coaching and finished with competition swimming and training,” Bladon said.
The cost of the clinic was covered under the Fina development programme and PNGSI’s BSP Swim Teacher programme.