All 4 regions within Swim Ireland are delivering a Regional Squad Programme, which will target some of the best athletes within each region.  There will be a Skills Academy for age group swimmers, a Development Squad for youth swimmers and a Pathway Squad for senior swimmers.

The Skills Academy aims to provide female swimmers aged 11 – 12 and male swimmers aged 11 – 13 the opportunity to develop technical areas of competitive swimming and to increase their understanding of the necessary skills and behaviours required to be successful in international swimming. 

The Skills Academy squad size is limited to 40 swimmers and it is determined by annual long course rankings between 1 January and 31 August 2017.

Selection Criteria

Athletes ranked top 6 in the 200M IM per age group in Ulster

• Athletes ranked top 3 per age group in Ulster in a minimum of 2 events (Olympic events only)
• Athletes ranked top 8 per age group Nationally in a minimum of 2 events (Olympic events only)

Swimmers will be expected to give 100% attendance to an Orientation and Skills Testing at the end of September along with 4 Workshop and Skills Clinic throughout the year. 

Breifne Swim Club had 2 swimmers who were chosen to join this elite squad.  They were Louis Maguire and Alegra Aylward.