ASD’s HYDRA Aquatics grooming youngsters to become super athletes
HYDRA Aquatics has started the new year reflecting on its first successful season at its home, the American School of Doha (ASD), and already has many achievements to celebrate.
HYDRA is an ASD not-forprofit unit with swim club that offers swimming programmes for people of all ages and swimming abilities from both the ASD and Doha community.
HYDRA’s mission is to be an inclusive club that provides members with the skills and knowledge to be confident and competent in, on and around the water. The idea of ASD creating its own aquatics programme started a few years ago with its Aquatics Director Steve
Shantz, who proposed the idea.
The idea was to create an aquatics club for ASD students and outside students. After a few years, the idea turned into reality. The goal was not to make money, but to create a programme that was an extension of the ASD sports family.
“Part of the reason we wanted to create HYDRA was because we wanted to test whether this is a model we can use for other sports that have extended programmes at ASD,” said Dr Tom Hawkins, director of ASD.
HYDRA registered around 300 swimmers in its first week.
Jeff Slater, HYDRA’s new head coach, played a significant role in the success of HYDRA’s start with the expertise and experience he brings to the programme.
Coach Jeff is a Level 3 coach from the Canadian Swim Coaches Association. Over his 30 year career, Coach Jeff has trained swimmers in development programmes through to varsity swimming.
Most of the coaches with HYDRA have been with ASD for years, including Coach Youssef, Coach Marauone and
Coach Jawad, who have been with ASD for over 10 years.
“We have excellent coaches, many of whom work at ASD and are familiar with some of the kids already. We are centralised at ASD so as a swimmer progresses through our programme they will stay in the same location and see many of the same coaches,” said Coach Jeff.
The HYDRA coaches push the students to reach their own individual potential according to their goals. They are also dedicated to maximising the potential of aspiring young athletes by offering a developmental programme that incorporates and builds upon the Sport for Life, Long-Term Athlete Development
Model. HYDRA offers programme for the novice to the international level athletes.
HYDRA offers a range of programmes and activities from beginner classes like ‘FUNdamentals’ and ‘Become a Better Swimmer’ to more advanced classes like ‘Junior/Senior Competitive’ and ‘Masters’.
The future of HYDRA
Aquatics will focus on refining the programmes and expanding into new areas.
HYDRA has shown the ability to deliver high-quality lessons for four to 12-yearolds and great competitive programme for eight to 17-year-olds. One of the new programmes coming up is the ‘Active Start’ programme that caters to parents or caregivers participating with the child, hopefully that will begin in the third season starting in March.
Another new programme coming soon will be the lifesaving programme.
“When people heard HYDRA would be part of ASD, they wanted to sign up because they know that ASD brings quality programme and quality people to everything we do,” Dr Hawkins said.