Kingston Blue Marlins Swim Club

1
Kingston Blue Marlins Swim Club
2
History

• 40 years in Kingston
• Focus on developing excellence in swimmers
• Many have gone on to provincial and national
  championships
• Trained over 5000 swimmers

3
Queens Connection

• Coaching agreement
• KBM provided head coach for Queens
• Queens provided
• Cash
• Pool time (5 am to 7 am)
• Benefits of connection
• Mutual focus on excellence
• Transition of club swimmers to varsity swimmers
  and back

4
Changes

• New policy based on facility charges
• Pool time in the agreement made costs
  prohibitive, despite generous compensations
  elsewhere
• No longer able to maintain connection
• Loss of swimmers due to fee increase

5
Varsity Swimming

• CIS Swimming is highest quality in CIS sport
• Three Canadian records set in 2002
• World record in 200 IM (Brian Johns)
• Queens Competitiveness
• Excellent at OUA level
• Does not attract elite athletes
• Facilities
• Pool time
• Coaching

6
Facility Issues

• Current 37 m pool
• Focus on recreational needs
• Does not support training time for the varsity
  teams
• Varsity team members swim (and coach) with KBM
• Great hosting venue!
• Lack of 50 m pool in Eastern Ontario
• Embarrassing
• Lack of ability to host meets and camps
• Travel to train

7
Twin 25 Pool

• Current 25m 12m is impractical
• 6 lanes of 25 m plus warm-up area
• 2 x 25 doubles space available
• 12 lanes of 25 m
• Can be converted into 50m by moving bulkhead

8
Impact

• Expanded water availability and space flexibility
  has large number of users
• Recreational, competitive, varsity, triathlon,
  synchronized, water polo, underwater hockey,
  training, clinics, lessons
• Large demand by Eastern Ontario Clubs
• Ability to host large events
• Canada Games, national meets, camps, clinics
• Having the space will attract new users
• Build it and they will come

9
Swimming

• Life skill
• Superb fitness activity for all ages
• Equal number of males and females
• Sport
• Strive for excellence
• Commitment, dedication
• Increased participation at masters level
• Special role of university swimming
• Goal for young club swimmers
• Nurture athletes through ages 17-21
• Majority of world champions peak after 21
• Novel model for coaching development

10
Conclusion

• Opportunity
• Improve aquatics to a first class facility by
  building on current strengths
• Twin 25 offers large impact compared to the
  current 2512 configuration
• Commitment
• Sport is a part of the Queens commitment to
  excellence
• User pay fees reflects sport as an extra not
  as a part of the experience
• Elite sport has a special role in demonstrating
  commitment to excellence
• Leadership and vision shape the future

11
Thank You