The ASA has bolstered its school swimming team with the appointment of a new Top Up Swimming coordinator.

Sarah Tamone joins the national governing body after leaving her role as Swimming and Netball Development Officer for the Oxfordshire Sports Partnership and has been appointed as the Top Up coordinator for the East Region and Central South.

The Top Up Swimming programme is an ASA and Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) initiative aiming to reduce the number of children unable to swim provides intensive coaching over a two-week period to ensure that more children are able to swim the minimum standard of 25m by the end of Key Stage 2, or Years 3-6.

With funding from the DCSF (formerly the Department for Education and Skills) the ASA alongside the School Sports Partnerships has been able to ensure that 44,246 children have now received Top Up Swimming sessions in its first year with 100,000 participants expected by July 2008.

Sarah’s arrival will ensure that children in these regions have a dedicated individual who is reasonable for aiding those who have not achieved the minimum key stage standard.

Sarah brings a wealth of experience to the role and is looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead.

“Sport begins at school so I am really looking forward to building on the good work done already in the regions and aiding in providing a structured framework for school swimming.

“Top Up Swimming is a successful scheme so I am hoping to add to that in the East and Central South.”

ASA PE School Sports Links Manager Jon Glenn was keen to welcome Sarah into her new post.

“We are delighted to welcome Sarah to the ASA in this key role, assisting in the delivery of the Top Up Swimming scheme. We wish her every luck for the future.”