16/09/2026
2026 Aquatics GB Performance Coaching Conference Awards 🏆 🇬🇧
Last week on Wednesday 9th September 2026 at the annual Aquatics GB and Home Nation Coaching Conference in Manchester, Coach Andy Sharp was named the winner of the Club Initiative Award.
This award is in recognition of the work Andy has done within the sport of Swimming at a local level to international level for both swimmers and paraswimmers. Northampton Swimming Club (NSC) continues to deliver a fully integrated programme and provide opportunities for swimmers at all levels where long term senior success is the goal.
Coach Liam Noonan and Coach Jackson O’Rourke who were both in attendance at the conference and awards dinner collected the trophy on behalf of Andy whilst he was back in Northampton coaching and covering squads. In July, Andy was selected for Team England at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games alongside Bruce Dee and Ed Mildred. Bruce and Ed started their swimming careers at NSC before they moved to the National Performance Centre in Manchester. A great example of how integration works.
In receiving this award Andy said “I am honoured to be recognised for this award and would like to thank those that nominated and voted for me. I am proud to have worked with a number of passionate coaches in helping to develop a world class club programme for paraswimmers and swimmers. As a club we continue to produce swimmers who compete on the international stage. This award goes to all coaches, swimmers and everyone who continues to support the NSC programme. What makes this award even more special is that it was exactly 10 years to the day in 2016 that Ellie Robinson won gold at the Paralympics in Rio and exactly 7 years to the day that Maisie Summers-Newton made her debut at the 2019 World Paraswimming Championships in London.”
