Launch for BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series Community Program

Young swimmers and aquatic stars have joined together to launch the 2015 BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series Community Program at the Bay of Isles Leisure Centre in Esperance, Western Australia.

Backstroke star Matt Welsh and 2000 Sydney Olympics gold medal water polo player Danielle Woodhouse led a team of six athletes and coaches to launch the Community Program today, which aims to promote healthy and active lifestyles through aquatic sports in regional and metropolitan Western Australia.

Now moving into the third year of the program, the BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series will see more than 40 athletes and coaches visit six key regions throughout the state of Western Australia over the next six months to promote aquatic sport.

Welsh and Woodhouse are joined by Paralympic swimmer Grant ‘Scooter’ Patterson, Olympic water polo player Rafael Sterk, water polo coach Georgina Kocavs and WA State Team development coach Ben Allen.

As one of the first athletes to become involved in the program back in 2012, Woodhouse says she excited to be back for year three and to see how far this program has come.

Woodhouse explains “I remember launching the first Community Program in 2012 with a little over 40 children in Bunbury so to see just how far this program has come is astonishing.

“(Its) incredible, the kids’ passion for swimming and love for life really shows, they all want to be here and are willing to learn something new which is great to work with.”

Swimming Western Australia Chief Executive Darren Beazley added to Woodhouse’s comment saying the clinics are about creating a fun environment at a young age that they can hopefully take with them throughout their swimming life.

Beazley stated “these clinics are designed to be fun and are about participation in aquatic sport while having a good time, these kids may not be the fastest swimmer or the best water polo player but they are out there in their local pool, with their friends, in a fun and safe environment, I can only hope they take this attitude far beyond the pool and keep it with them for the rest of their lives.”

Following a successful two years which saw countless clinics delivered to over 3,000 children, the 2015 Community Program will expand into new towns reaching new children through a variety of activities.

The BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series is managed by Swimming Australia in partnership with naming rights sponsor BHP Billiton alongside the Government of Western Australia, Royalties for Regions, Tourism WA, Swimming WA, Water Polo WA, Water Polo Australia, The Royal Life Saving Society of Western Australia and the Western Australian Department of Sport and Recreation.

For more information visit www.aquaticsuperseries.com.au

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