A small, volunteer-run swimming club is looking back on a year of success for its young members.
Buckie Amateur Swimming Club (BASC) has spent 2024 punching above their weight, with members showing their mettle at a wide range of competitions.
Buckie Amateur Swimming Club kids have had plenty to smile about after a successful 2024. Picture: BASC
Among the many notable points throughout the year was when one of the club’s swimmers – Madison Coull – qualified to take part in the Olympic trials at the British Championships in April, the event being held at the London Olympic Stadium.
Youngsters from BASC also featured successfully at a host of other contests and events throughout the year, including the Junior Academy and SNAGS (Scottish National Age Groups).
Club vice-chairwoman Colinne Scott said: “We’re very proud of what all of our swimmers have achieved in 2024.
“We’re a small club run by volunteers so what they’ve done is outstanding.
“The dedication the kids show is amazing. A lot of them get up early in the morning to practise and are putting in eight to 10 hours swimming a week.
“While competitive swimming does require natural talent you have to work really hard to get to where these kids are at. If they don’t keep practising then they very quickly lose their fitness levels which is something that’s difficult to regain.
“Getting to the Olympic trials, SNAGS and the Junior Academy, for example, are all huge achievements and you have to be a high achiever just to get there.”
“There’s also a lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes from the coaches.”
BASC swimmers’ 2024 achievements: National Junior Academy 2024-25 – Emmie Murray (age 11); Edinburgh International March 2024 – Kallum Aitchison & Madison Coull; British Championships April 2024 – Madison Coull; SNAGS Aberdeen April 2024 – Madison Coull & Kallum Aitchison, Bethyn Wood (part of a relay team); Scottish National Open Edinburgh June 2024 – Madison Coull, Neveah Reid, Isla Coull & Kallum Aitchison; Porto International June 2024 – North District team – Madison Coull; Scottish Summer Meet Aberdeen July 2024 – Madison Coull, Nevaeh Reid Kallum Aitchison, Luke Coull, Bethyn, Lillie Murray & Callum Stewart; Inter-counties Sheffield October 2024 – Sasa North team – Madison Coull.
The successes bear testament to the club’s road to recovery from the Covid pandemic, which saw all club activities stop.
Ms Scott said: “The club struggled during Covid and it’s been a long road back.
“We’re only just starting to see the kids coming back to the level they should be.”
In addition to running a number of different squads to cater for a wide range of abilities, the club also run a Learn to Swim programme.
Ms Scott added: “Swimming is the only sport which could save your life.
“It’s a life skill.”
The Learn to Swim programme accepts youngsters from the age of four upwards, while the club usually welcomes members from the age of eight onwards.
For more information on BASC and the Learn to Swim programme, visit their respective Facebook pages.