Aquaforce Thank You Volunteer Profile

Name: Elizabeth Christian

Current role(s) and club name/organisation:
teamipswich Swimming disabilities head coach
East Region Disability Manager
National referee, starter, judge, timekeeper and IPC trainee official

Previous role(s) and club names/organisations:
Deben SC Disabilities Co-ordinator and Committee member
Deben SC Squad Coach
Active Sports Talent Camp Disability Coach
Suffolk County ASA Disability Liaison Office
Suffolk County ASA County Championships volunteer organiser
Stowmarket SC Volunteer Co-ordinator, Open Meet Co-ordinator, Gala Secretary, Disabilities Co-ordinator and many more.

Proudest achievement:
Realising that a non-swimmer who joined me in 2004 had reached the dizzy heights of achieving an ASA regional qualifying time in 2007

What do you enjoy most about the work you do:
Seeing swimmers grow in confidence and skill to achieve things both themselves and their families could only dream of
Presenting a swimmer with the squads ‘well done’ cup at the end of a squad session because of their achievements on that day or at a recent event

Person or persons that you would like to thank:
Charles Myers-Hewitt and his parents who started me on my journey in disability swimming.
My husband and 4 children who always come up trumps when ’invited’ to help out at training sessions, competitions and behind the scenes.
Adam Baker and Danny Thorrington from teamipswich who continue to provide support and encouragement for all my current ventures

Future aims or aspirations:
To have the opportunity to qualify as a coach so that I can provide appropriate training to all the squad swimmers as the skill base of the squad continues to widen
To encourage, support and enthuse other volunteers – both young and the ‘not so young’ – to enter the world of disability swimming as teachers, officials and helpers through establishing a series of grass roots training ‘camps’ in my local town for swimmers within my squad and encouraging involvement from outside to have the opportunity to establish a place where everyone with disabilities can be welcomed and supported to achieve their personal best in a disability-friendly pool environment which offers an appropriate number of training sessions and creates links into both competitive and recreational swimming.