The club is a community club run by volunteers. We are proud of the club and always strive for the best we can be. There are so many people that make this club function, below are the board, trustees and Coaches.
If you would like to get invoved please contact Gareth or Liz.
Scott Hope – Chairperson –
Heads up the volunteer committee who run the club. Also a team manager who looks after swimmers at internal and external galas.
- When did you start with the club? The afterglow of the London 2012 Olympics! My daughter had progressed through lessons and her swim teacher, Jo Grime, pointed us in Horwich’s direction.
- What got you into swimming? Amelia! Those who have witnessed my one length a year at the fun gala will back me up here, I’m no swimmer! Amelia joined just after her 6th birthday and we’ve been here ever since. With her younger brother John now a member and little brother Olly desperate to follow in their footsteps I may never get rid of the smell of chlorine from our house.
- Most memorable moment(s) from your time at the club? On a personal level, seeing my daughters name on the programme for Welsh Nationals was truly special. On a club level, it’s seeing what sport can do for a young person’s confidence. We were competing at a gala in Bury one gloomy Tuesday night. We were comfortably winning the gala when in one of the races a young girl was competing for us for the first time. She was having a torrid time at school being bullied and her confidence was gone. She won her race comfortably. For a brief period that girls’ issues were gone. The smile on her face will live long in my memory. That is the true meaning of sport.
- What you enjoy most about swimming/club? It’s giving back to the community. I do sometimes question what I do this for! But the magical moments the club has given me back are countless. I’ve made friends myself that will last a lifetime.
Sally McDavid – Club Secretary –
Looks after the day to day running of the club and all things important.
- When did you start with the club? Started with club as a Teacher in 1975 when it started. I also swam for the club in various galas that were held every Saturday night at the pool. Including against Wigan Wasps and the Osgerby twins (look them up!) no I didn’t win! Then I came back to the club in 2004 with my own children and became part of the committee. I have been here ever since!
- What got you into swimming? I don’t remember why I got into swimming. I don’t remember not being able to swim. I do remember that I have had some great times being able to swim and being independent on holiday because I could swim!
- Most memorable moment(s) from your time at the club? My mentor was a coach called Fred Vickerman. He was well known in Horwich at the pool and I also had the added bonus that he was friends with my dad at Horwich works! He guided me through getting my teaching qualifications and my life saving qualifications. (I used to teach the lifeguards at the pool to get then through their qualifications). This held me in good stead when I moved abroad and taught swimming in schools and clubs in Dubai.
- What you enjoy most about swimming/club? The club started as a competitive community club and has stayed true to its cause. There have been many times I have had cause to be proud of the club and the individual swimmers, both personally and as a member of the committee.
Janet Eccles – Club Treasurer –
Makes sure we have the money to pay the bills! Also a team manager.
- When did you start with the club? My eldest son joined Horwich in 2008 straight from swim lessons at the old Horwich Pool.
- What got you into swimming? Soon after my son joined Horwich, the old leisure centre underwent a refurbishment. Horwich sessions were scattered around several pools for a few months. Attendances dropped drastically and during this period, Liz Trist asked me if I would like to get involved with the running of the Club. I became Treasurer early in 2009 and have since in addition undertaken duties for the Club including membership, Team manager at Gala’s, assisted with event organisation and become a fully qualified ‘dogs body’
- Most memorable moment(s) from your time at the club? Two events jointly are my most memorable. First, being on poolside when our fabulous swimmers gained promotion to the top league in the Arena competition and second, the following year also being on poolside when we survived relegation form that top division. For a small Club it is a massive achievement that we are still in the top flight competing against large squads, many with top international swimmers.
- What you enjoy most about swimming/club? Horwich has always given my two sons the best opportunity to improve their swimming ability but also develop keen values and sportsmanship. The encouragement given to the swimmers is excellent and over the years it has been fantastic to see so many talented swimmers develop and progress at Horwich and beyond
David Tomlinson – Vice Chair –
Helps manage the club and important part of the organisation that goes on behind internal galas.
- When did you start with the club? I started swimming with the club around 10 years ago.
- What got you into swimming? I got into swimming through Triathlon. I stopped playing rugby through injury and drifted into Triathlon as something to keep me fit and competitive. I started swim training at HLCASC as my daughter was swimming there, it was a means to improve my swim fitness and technique and better than sitting on hot balcony watching.
- Most memorable moment(s) from your time at the club? My most memorable moment with the club was competing in my first competitive swim gala at age of 53. It was a complete bottle tester! I didn’t break any pots but as it was first gala managed to achieve three PBs!!!
- What you enjoy most about swimming/club? I enjoy swimming with the masters. The standard is very good and gives me something to aspire towards every session. The coaching is top class and to a standard I could not access elsewhere. At the same time the club is friendly and inclusive rather than elitist which doesn’t make some one of my standard feel out of place.
Committee Member –
Helps run the club, also the clubs qualified official, ask her technical questions!
- When did you start with the club? Started in about May 2014 with Josh joining.
- What got you into swimming? Josh – he enjoyed it and wanted to continue after lessons.
- Most memorable moment(s) from your time at the club? Being welcomed by all, supportive, helpful advice from fellow parents and helpers. Josh being disqualified in the 200m Butterfly for wearing two pairs of trunks lives long in the memory too!
- What you enjoy most about swimming/club? Working with likeminded people to achieve a common goal for young people. Officiating and being able to help swimmer.
Stu Nuttal – Team Manager
Responsible with the coaches in picking Horwich teams.
- When did you start with the club? My child started swimming with Horwich at 10 years old, we encouraged her to learn to swim as a life lesson for safety.
- What got you into swimming? It was through my daughter joining the club. I became more involved as she started to want to compete as I wanted to give back to others what volunteers had done for my child.
- Most memorable moment(s) from your time at the club? The most memorable time, well I would say times, are traveling to and from Arena League galas as a team in the coach, with chippy treats when we swam at Blackpool Leisure Centre.
- What you enjoy most about swimming/club? This sport has really improved my daughter’s confidence in all aspects of life to which I am grateful for the support of the volunteers at HLCASC who offered continuous encouragement through some difficult milestones of the sport.
Charlotte Craig – Safeguarding –
Responsible for the safety of swimmers and everyone else.
- When did you start with the club?
- What got you into swimming?
- Most memorable moment(s) from your time at the club?
- What you enjoy most about swimming/club?
Jo Grime – Head Coach –
Leads the coaching team and responsible for our training programme.
Swim England Tutor herself, Jo helps train future swimming coaches and teachers. Heads up the sessions at Turton on a Wednesday, not a bad back stroke swimmer herself!
- When did you start with the club? When I was 12 I joined as a swimmer and starting teaching at the club when I was 14. It was actually being at the club helping out that prompted Dave Evitts who was my swim coach at the time to help me gain teaching qualifications and set me off on the path I took teaching and coaching.
- What got you into swimming? At primary school I had a headteacher who was a swim teacher and super passionate about swimming. He told my Mum ‘I had some talent and should go to a swim club’ so I did at age 10. Have never looked back and always loved being in and around water!
- Most memorable moment(s) from your time at the club? Far too many, I got my national qualifying times age 14 and swam duel for Bolton Metro and Horwich so Horwich gave me an extra medal! I have raced in many many galas for Horwich. I have coached many many galas for Horwich and feel it’s one place I have never left, when I wanted to start coaching again Horwich were there. Horwich have always supported me both as a swimmer and a coach and my swimming heart will always be with Horwich.
- What you enjoy most about swimming/club? I enjoy everything about being in water it’s my therapy as corny as it sounds. I love that, if I am in a bad place, I can just swim and not be interrupted. Or if I am in a more sociable place I can compete, train and be pushed by the friends I have made there. Coaching wise I just enjoy helping others to improve no matter what their goal is and seeing that same passion I have being ignited. I am so proud to see many of my past swimmers have turned their hand to coaching or teaching and I think that’s the environment our club fosters. I love the family community feel of the club, whilst we are a competitive club there is room for everyone, for swimmers who just want to train and keep fit, for swimmers who want to improve and race, for swimmers who are super competitive and also those who just enjoy the friendship and comraderie you can gain from being part of our wonderful club.
David Dewhurst – Swim Coach –
Very experienced coach, leads the sessions at Turton on a Thursday.
- When did you start with the club? I only became reacquainted with swimming, when my own children joined Horwich swimming club in the late 1990’s, (my daughter was then four and my son seven). I also started to swim again and worked up a schedule of 9-12,000m training per week until approximately 3 years ago when problems with my shoulder and knees forced me to reduce swimming activities to a level which allows me to retain a RLSS NPLQ qualification.
- What got you into swimming? My dad taught me to swim when I was about 6 and then spent time teaching my little brother. When I was seven and he was busy with junior, I was spotted by an amateur swimming coach, who asked my dad if I would be interested in swimming to a higher level. Soon afterwards he was taking me to training sessions 6 days a week and I swam competitively in a swimming club as well as daily coach-lead sessions.
- Most memorable moment(s) from your time at the club?
- What you enjoy most about swimming/club?
Pete Firth – Swim Coach –
Instantly recognisable via his beard! Highly experienced coach.
- When did you start with the club? As a swimmer, way way way back in the mists of time, before the old swimming pool became a leisure centre! As a coach over 20 years ago.
- What got you into swimming? My parents. It was an essential life skill and I found out that I was quite good at it.
- Most memorable moment(s) from your time at the club? Watching my daughter, Megan taking her 1st session as a coach, after completing her Level 1 Coaching Award which she attained with help from the club.
- What you enjoy most about swimming/club? Seeing swimmers smile when they are in the middle or at the end of a hard session.
Ian Hall – Swim Coach –
From teaching lessons to coaching at Horwich, most swimmers will know Ian, again a very experienced coach
Eric Grindle – Swim Coach –
Coaches on a Friday night alongside Dave D, Ian and Pete, Eric has been with us for over 8 years and is an important part of the coaching team.
Ben Gregory – Swim Coach –
formerly Gareth and Nick’s runner (McDonalds trips) at galas, Ben has now progressed to fully qualified coach himself, currently at University in Loughborough but look out for the odd guest appearance at sessions!
- When did you start with the club? I started swimming with the club when I was nine. I started helping on poolside when I was 14 as my brother was swimming in competitions and my dad was on poolside so I asked if I could help as well as I was too old to swim
- What got you into swimming? I started swimming with Horwich after I had finished swimming lessons with Ian Hall. I wanted to carry on swimming and he told me that he was involved with a swimming club and that I should come along for a trial. The rest as they say is history.
- Most memorable moment(s) from your time at the club? My most memorable moment from my time at the club would be swimming in the Arena League Premier Division in December 2019. Having been a part of a team in every other league during my time at Horwich, it was a fantastic experience to represent the club in such a high-profile competition and to be part of a team that kept us in the Premier Division for another year. Being the anchor leg on the cannon relay was special!
- What you enjoy most about swimming/club? The part of swimming I enjoy most is the opportunities I have been granted to pass on what I have learned to the next generation of swimmers through teaching and coaching and to help shape the sport’s future through my place as Chair of Swim England’s Youth Advisory Panel. The part of the club I enjoy most is being able to train alongside people that I have known for a long time with the coaches that have supported me since I joined the club
These are the roles that are available within the club. Below are the swim England job descriptions. If you would like to know more about any of them please drop us an email at swimming@hlcasc.org.uk
All these documents below are PDF’s
Team Manager (Male and Female)