Swiss International School Dubai offers elite athlete-level swimming academy for pupils

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Academic and sporting excellence go hand-in-hand at Swiss International School Dubai. Dubai's first bilingual International Baccalaureate School is now offering its growing cohort of future global citizens the chance to join a new elite Swim Academy.

Sponsored by world-renowned sports brand Speedo, the Al Jadaf-located school already offers classes as part of the national Speedo Swim Squads scheme, but the new deal will take pupils from strong, confident swimmers to elite athlete level.

Keen swimmers among the school’s growing number of international pupils will need to apply to join the academy, and be able to meet the exacting criteria, laid down by SISD, Speedo and elite coach, Caroline Potel.

There are no additional fees for joining this elite sporting scheme, but pupils must show commitment to the schedule and programme.

Rob Duncan, Head of PE and Sport at the forward-thinking school, underlined the importance of competitive sports at the school. He says: “At SISD, we aim to use competitive sport to build on the values provided during lessons. We want to instil an unmatched sense of pride through commitment, teamwork, perseverance, effort, and the ability to represent the school in athletic competitions.”

With this aim in mind, the school’s Swim Academy, powered by Speedo looks set to become a regional centre of excellence for Under 18 swimming.

Rob adds: “Swimming has always been an integral part of the school’s comprehensive curriculum, but now we want to take it to the next level by establishing an elite athlete academy to develop and train the best swimmers in Dubai. There’s a clear synergy between Speedo, a world class brand and SISD, a world-class school with world-class facilities.”

Following the SISD Swim Academy, powered by Speedo programme, students will benefit from additional coaching and support, nutritional guidance and a personalised programme to help them pursue high-level swimming. This advanced, specialised level of training could lead to university scholarships or a sporting career.

Pupils will be coached by Speedo Academy Director, Caroline Potel, current French National Team and Youth Olympic Coach, adding a wealth of additional experience and skill to the school’s already exemplary PE team.

Caroline says: “Having devoted my career to sport and swimming, this is a fantastic opportunity to help drive the next generation of elite swimmers. As one of the only schools in Dubai with this world-class swimming facility, we are delighted to be able to establish this kind of elite academy at SISD. Swimming is already incredibly successful and popular at the school, with large swim teams and very positive support for those teams. We now want to expand that and focus on elite athlete performance in and out of the pool.”

Rob added: “Caroline’s undoubted expertise and knowledge, combined with SISD’s facilities and academic excellence means we have a solid basis to do something great for our students. This partnership will also help support our in-house swimming lessons, deliver additional training for the PE Department teachers, and get extra coaching for both our B and A competitive teams.”

The 10-lane Olympic pool, which meets FINA standards, is a fantastic place to train, and one of only two such pools offered at schools in Dubai.

The pool is just one of the many highlights in SISD’s sports facilities, which also features an 18-meter swimming pool, a natural grass football pitch, indoor and outdoor running tracks, tennis courts, a climbing wall, a fully-equipped weights room, two indoor sports halls and a dance studio.

Rob Duncan concludes: “This has been the vision I have wanted to build up to over the last few years.  To see it coming to fruition is very rewarding.  I am very excited to continue building this programme to support all our swimmers, from PE classes to those students who may one day pursue a scholarship to university.”